Article Review

Name: Carlos Andrs Del Pino Pastene

Richards, J (2010). Competence and Performance in Language Teaching. Regional Language Centre, Singapore.

This article gives light about the different assumptions concerning the characteristics an exemplary language teaching professional must work with. However, Jack C. Richards (2010) cautiously argues that opinions about effective teaching differs from culture to culture, and makes clear that his intention is to analyze this topic from the perspective of a western understanding of teaching. In addition, the author of this piece provides the reader with ten core dimensions of skill and expertise regarding language teaching professionalism, and the multiple points of views that teachers show about it depending on their culture, social background, and personal constructs. In terms of contributions, this article promotes a learner centered approach of teaching. The author quotes Richards (2010), who stresses the importance of interaction in the classroom, focusing on the learners needs and aptitudes. Moreover, this article put emphasis not only on the typical factors that influence the teaching practices like the cultural context or the language proficiency, but also on the personal dimensions of the teacher as a unique and social entity. Richards (2010), highlights the importance of the language teachers Identity (age, gender, beliefs, self-esteem and all the personal factors that may affect the teaching quality of the teacher), and how that identity can shape the role that teachers enact through their interactions with their students during the learning process. In addition to the former dimension, the author also mentions the essential part that plays the community of teachers of a school in the development of the language teacher effectiveness. The language teachers when collaborating with other members of the educational community can better understand the nature of learning and teaching that develop in their classroom. Another aspect to highlight is the attention that the author puts on the teachers

beliefs system and the other self-centered thoughts that can affect the teaching procedures. The author knows that teachers who reflect on their own practice, will develop better skills as well as better results.

The literature about the topic of effective language teaching is numerous, and the author makes good use of them; nevertheless, some of the sources can be considered outdated, but not invalid. Canagarajah (1999) when referring to language proficiency, states that to teach a language efficiently it is not imperative to have a native-like command of the language. However, Medgyes (2001) asserts that a certain level of proficiency is essential in order for the teachers to not be dependent on teaching resources or improvisational teaching. Another factor in this article is content knowledge, and Mishra and Koehler (2006) highlights that the ability to integrate technology in the process of teaching is one of the important components of professional knowledge in todays classrooms. This aspect is really relevant nowadays and the author of the article was really intelligent including this information. On the other hand, Tsui (2009), and Borg (2006) when referring to the factor of teaching skills point out the importance of experience and time for the development of routines that permit these teaching skills to be developed fluently and less conscious giving the teacher the opportunity to focus on the other aspects of his practice. This aspect is really interesting because it support the widespread idea that claims that practice makes the master. The fourth dimension or factor, context knowledge, is described by Posner (1985) as the factor required to understand any teaching situation. Later, the author talks about the language teachers identity saying: Identity refers to the differing social and cultural roles teacher-learners enact through their interactions with their students during the process of learning (Richards, 2010). This aspect of the writing emphasizes the value of the identity and personal characteristics of the teacher. Senior (2006), proposes that a central aspect of learner-focused teaching is to view the classroom as a community of learners who interact to achieve a better understanding. Then Richards makes comments about the dimension called Pedagogical Reasoning Skills quoting Borg (2006), who states that teachers are active, thinking decision-makers who play a central role in shaping

classroom events. Sometimes this factor is underestimated by the majority of the teachers, but the author noticed its importance and discussed it in deep. The belief system of the teachers can shape in many ways the performance of the students.

In terms of the theoretical framework, this article discusses the dimensions and characteristics of an effective language teaching. These different factors are explained individually starting with the concept of language proficiency, which refers to the level of command of the language of a teacher. Then, the concept of content knowledge, that corresponds to the specialized academic knowledge and theory that helps to formulate new approaches to language teaching. After that, the author presents the dimension of teaching skills pointing out the importance of experience and time to develop certain teaching skills. Contextual knowledge is the social and physical context that interacts and influences the teaching activities in the classroom. In addition the article mentions the factor of language teachers identity related to the social roles teacher-learners enact through their interaction. Moreover, the dimension of learner-focused teaching is explained as the teaching approach centered on the learners needs and aptitudes. Then, the author explains the factor called pedagogical reasoning skills that focuses on the teachers belief system and reasonings about their own practice. Subsequently, the article mentions the dimension of theorizing from practice which can be explained as the process in which the teachers shape their beliefs, thoughts, and conceptions based on their experiences when teaching. Later, the author clarify the factor called membership of a community of practice that supports the idea about the professional development of the teachers when interacting in a community. Finally the dimension of professionalism is clearly describes as what the educational system, the ministries, and the scholars considered to be a professional teacher, as well as the ideas of the teachers about themselves. Concepts like hidden curriculum or SLTE are not fully explained in the article.

In order to conclude, Richards (2010) makes the topic of this investigation clear to the readers. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of professionalism, expertise and effectiveness in the teachers who are every day dealing with new challenges in the classroom. He reinforces the individual aspects of the teachers performance and their relation with the community. Furthermore, Richards (2010) points out the importance of reflecting about teachers own practices with the intention of improving their work. Finally, the dimensions that are included in this article would allow teachers and teachers in the way to be to understand that these factors can be helpful at the moment of applying new teaching methods and approaches.