Online teacher training solutions

for Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Module 1
The Roles of the Teacher and Learner, Approaches and Methods

1.2

What makes a good teacher?

Patience
Sympathy and empathy for students: understanding the learners'
goals, and the difficulties with learning and communicating in a foreign
language
Organization
Punctuality
Awareness of needs
Flexibility and imagination
Interesting lessons that provide a variety of topics and exercises
Genuine interest in teaching and in your students
Approachability
Professionalism
Good classroom management skills
Knowledge of the topic and others
Encouragement, and praise
Confidence
Open mind
Cultural awareness
Reflection on what works and what doesn't work and implementing
change
Encouragement of independence
Preparation

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When you read this section and the following ones, take a few minutes to
reflect on the questions in light of the previous information. Later in the
module, you'll be asked to respond more fully. If you have questions, check
the orange instructions box.

The Role of the Teacher

Think about teachers whom you've had over your years as a student. Who
was the best one? What were the qualities that set this individual apart from
the others?
Who was your worst teacher? Why did this individual fail to set an example
you would want to emulate as a teacher.
Can you think of some other terms to describe the good teacher and add to
the list in section 1.2?

The Explainer or Lecturer Role

Traditionally language classes were taught in lecture mode explaining the grammar and
structure of the language. Today's language teacher, being far more knowledgeable in
how people learn languages, knows that people learn by doing. Another problem with
the lecture method is that it does not integrate verification of learning into the lesson.
Communication is a one-way street.

The Counseling/Enabling Role

The objective of this role is to make the
learners independent of the teacher and
practice self-learning. Teachers can show
learners how to use self-access centers
such as media labs, and encourage students
that learning never stops. Teachers should
encourage and teach active learning:
always questioning, analyzing, and
organizing the newly learned information.
There is less control and overt organizing.
Self-access centers in schools are an
important part of this.
Other in-class opportunities for "learning through doing" are communication through
drama and simulation, practicing everyday situations, such as giving and receiving
instructions/directions, and solving problems.
This role is vital because individual students have individual needs and problems in
learning; the teacher constantly reviews what is effective for the learner and enables
the learner to take initiative in his/her own learning and to fill in the gaps that aren't
being filled in a classroom setting.

The Organizational Role

The teacher uses a variety of techniques and materials that help students learn actively.
The teacher who adopts the organizer approach explains when it is needed, but doesn't
rely solely on explanations; the teacher aims at getting the learners actively involved in
using the language. The teacher is in control but seeks opportunities for the learners to
practice and develop their language skills.

The Prepared Teacher Role

Being prepared means more than having a lesson plan and materials. A prepared
teacher

establishes a purpose for the lesson as a whole and for each activity;
prepares all the materials, even cueing up the cassette tape;
reviews all exercises;

anticipates possible problems in the lesson content;

anticipates difficulties that the learner might have;
plans solutions for those problems;
decides the most clear and concise way of giving instructions;
has a back-up plan if something prevents the smooth delivery of this
lesson; and
prepares homework assignments.

What do you think?

1. The problem with the teacher in the role of lecturer is that we
cant be sure if students are learning when the teacher is
explaining.
TRUE
FALSE
2. Students should be independent of the teacher so they can
actually use English outside of the classroom, not just in class.
TRUE
FALSE
3. Allowing students to take the initiative in their own learning
in the ESL/EFL classroom is a goal of the teacher in the
counseling/enabling role.
TRUE
FALSE

Score

100%

Mini-quizzes do not count

toward your final grade.

Print

Most of the people in the world today speak two languages in their
everyday lives! Over 500 million people speak English fluently as their
second language!
Over half of the world's business is conducted in English between nonnative speakers! Some languages among indigenous peoples and other
smaller groups are considered "endangered" because of the growth of
English as an international language.
80% of the world's scientists write in English! 75% of the world's mail is
written in English! 80% of the Internet is conducted in English!

Your Future Role As a Teacher

Think about the role you will play as a future teacher. Which of the roles
listed in Section 1.2 would you like to describe you as a teacher in an
ESL/EFL classroom? How could roles be combined or alternated?
How about that favorite teacher of yours in the past? What kind of role did
he or she play in the classroom? Obviously it was successful for him or her.
Would it be equally successful for you while you were teaching English
overseas? Why or why not?

1.2 a

Metacognition in the Role of the Teacher and the

Student

Metacognition is simply thinking about thinking, a powerful tool for effective teaching
and learning. Metacognition can be divided into five areas according to Anderson.
When discussing strategy use in second language reading, cognition can be divided into
five areas:

preparing and planning for learning

selecting and using learning strategies
monitoring strategy use
orchestrating various strategies
evaluating strategy use and learning

Preparing and Planning for learning

Prepare and plan for learning by telling your students the goal for the class, goal for the
exercise, the reason for pair work, etc.

Selecting and using learning strategies

Teach your students different methods of learning. For example, show them note
taking, practice outline and chart forms, and use different colored pens.

Monitoring strategy use

Discuss with your students which note taking strategy they prefer and why. What do
they find challenging about the other methods?

Orchestrating various strategies

Sometimes just one strategy is not enough. If two strategies are applied, they can
complement each other and improve the learning process. For example, in vocabulary
development, research has shown that the application of multiple strategies for
vocabulary acquisition is beneficial in accelerating the learning of a word and increasing
the length of time for retaining a word. If a learner practices the strategy of writing all
new vocabulary down, categorizing it, defining it, using it in a sentence, reading the
word frequently, associating some imagery with the word, hearing it and orally using it
in context, the learner will benefit more than a learner who practiced only one of those
strategies.

Evaluating strategy use and learning

Evaluating strategy use and learning

Teachers should always remind their learners to evaluate their strategies for learning.
To aid in evaluation, give quizzes based on content that was learned with a conscious
strategy, or through several different learning strategies, and let your students consider
the outcome of the different strategies and what works best for them.
By teaching and practicing metacognitive skills in the classroom, you are enabling your
students to achieve higher learning by giving them tools to make conscious decisions
about their learning process.

1.2 b

What other aspects of good teaching should you

keep in mind in the ESL/EFL classroom?

Keep your language short, simple and direct.

Present new language in context through visual or role-play situations.
Don't ask questions unless you've taught the students how. to answer
them!
Never teach new vocabulary with more difficult or other new
vocabulary.
Be thorough.
Be prepared.
Learn to anticipate problems.
Be enthusiastic about your students' work.
Praise your students when they get it right, but do not patronize them.
Never abandon a topic when students don't understand. Come back to
it, review it, incorporate it into other lessons until your students do
understand.
Stress continuity.
Each new lesson should be a smooth continuation from the last. Segues
allow students time to shift gears.
Let the students know that the lessons are connected, that they are not
randomly jumping from point to point.
Be aware of errors and have a strategy to correct them.
Keep moving! Don't sit throughout the class. Stand when appropriate,
walk to the board, sit down when appropriate.
Use visual aids to help comprehension and stimulate interest.
Keep it interesting. Plan on several activities in each class.
Never accept "I understand" without asking comprehension questions
to verify learning.

There are a half a billion people who call English their native tongue!
English, Chinese and Spanish (in that order) are the three most commonly
spoken languages in the world today!
Almost all communication for aviation in the world is conducted in
English!

1.2 c

What are some potential problems for a teacher

you'll want to watch out for?

TTT. Watch out that your "teacher talking time" does not dominate.
You speak English, your students do not! You need to find ways to get
/ allow your students to speak and practice while you monitor, guide,
clarify.
Echoing When your students answer a question, do not repeat the

response because you are encouraging the other students to only listen
to you rather than to each other. It can also cut off the flow of
speaking from the students, as well as increase TTT.
Sentence completion. Some teachers "help" their students by
completing their thoughts at the slightest pause. Allow students
enough time to think and respond.
Complicated and unclear instructions.
Failure to check comprehension of instructions.
Fear of genuine feedback.
Insufficient authority or over-politeness. Remember the class is yours
to manage, and you need to show the authority to manage it.
Running commentary. Don't fill the air with meaningless talk: "Oops. I
dropped the flashcards."
Lack of confidence.
Over-helping, over-organizing.
Working with the fastest student(s) and not involving the others
enough.
Not really listening to your students.
Weak rapport.

What do you think?

1. Awareness of metacognition is more likely to encourage

teachers to be lecturers rather than counselors/enablers.
TRUE
FALSE
2. Echoing is a problem for teachers because it increases their
TTT.
TRUE
FALSE
3. Presenting new language in context means providing a format
so that meaning is clear and not ambiguous.
TRUE
FALSE

Score

100%

Mini-quizzes do not count

toward your final grade.

Print

Teacher Talking Time

Why is TTT (Teacher Talking Time) noted first among the potential
problems to look out for in the list in section 1.2C?
What are some ways you plan to avoid excessive TTT in your classroom
when you are a ESL/EFL teacher? Provide specific strategies and examples.

I have never let my schooling interfere

with my education...
Mark Twain

This is the end of this section. Click on the next module section in the table of contents

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Bridge Linguatec, Inc