Learning and Teaching – Part 1

The Role of Teacher

A typical classroom?

Task 1 – Teacher roles

Write down a list of roles you think a teacher should play in a classroom (e.g. organiser), and try to come up with typical classroom examples where these roles would be used.

Show this list to the person beside you and compare and discuss.

Teacher roles - Introduction Teachers have two major roles in the EFL

classroom: to create the conditions under which learning

can take place: the social side of teaching; to impart, by a variety of means, knowledge to

their learners: the task-oriented side of teaching.

Both roles complement each other and are difficult to separate from each other. (Beltrán, 2001: 5)

(Beltrán, 2001: 5)

Harmer 2001, chapter 4Harmer, J. 2001/1991. The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman

The role of the teacher varies with the nature of the classroom activity at any given moment.

Role can vary from controller to facilitator:

Controller Facilitator

Role of TeacherAccording to Harmer, the teacher can have the following roles.

Controller Assessor Organiser Prompter Participant Resource Tutor Observer

Harmer, J. 2001/1991. The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman.

Role 1: The Controller

Controller of: - what is said and done; when students speak; the language students use etc.

Certain stages of the lesson demand such control. However, not all stages of a language lesson require such control.

Role 2: The Assessor

Checking students’ performance and progress.

Harmer distinguishes between direct correction (on the spot correction,

e.g. pronunciation or grammar), and organised correction (general feedback on

essays etc.)

Role 3: The Organiser

Organising the class, in every sense, is one of the teacher’s central roles.

Success in this role underlies one’s overall success as a teacher.

Examples of organisational aspects of a teacher’s role: - giving clear instructions; - organising and setting up activities; - managing seating etc.

Role 4: The Prompter

When encouragement is needed for the students, it is the teacher’s responsibility to provide it.

However, too much can be aggressive or can cause over reliance on the teacher.

Role 5: The Participant

Sometimes the teacher may need to participate in class activities.

Care must be taken not to be over-dominant.

Role 6: The Resource

For language students, the teacher is a ‘walking resource’ on language. Very often, the teacher is called on to explain a new word or grammar point or give a translation.

By allowing the students to get on with an activity, the teacher is free to move around and be available to anyone who needs consultation.

Role 7: The Tutor

This is similar to role 6, but on a broader level.

For example, when doing a project students may need some specific advice and guidance.

Role 8: The Observer

Even when we are in other roles, we need to be observing what is going on in the classroom at the same time

Be alert at all times to the effects of our actions and student interactions

Through constantly observing and questioning our procedures and looking out for what leads to successful learning (and what does not), we can develop as teachers.

The teacher as Performer“sage on the stage”

Teachers may also ‘perform’ to different levels at different times in the classroom

The teacher can therefore assume a role and act out that role.

TASK How do you think the teacher should ‘perform’ during

the following tasks? Choose adverbs: 1. Team game 2. Role-play 3. Teacher reading aloud 4. Whole-class listening

Edge (1993: 11-13) Edge, J. 1993. Essentials of English Language Teaching. London: Longman

The challenge is to go on developing into the teacher you most want to be. Edge lists the following most important things a teacher must be responsible for. Put these areas of responsibility in order of what you feel are the most important as an ELT teacher.

organisation modellingsecurity guidancemotivation informationinstruction feedbackencouragement evaluation

Why is it important to study the teacher-student role relationship?

This relationship is at the heart of the classroom process (see Wright 1987).

The role is influenced by many factors, for example:

•The institution•The learning task•The motivation of the students and teacher•The physical setting (room, furniture etc.)

Scrivener 1994: Jug and mug

A typical EFL Classroom Scrivener (1994)

‘An understanding and awareness of the intricacies of the social and psychological processes of the classroom is central to effective teacher development’ Wright, T. 1987. Roles of the Teacher and Learners. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (p.84)

• Approachable• Friendly• Flexible• Fair but firm• Well-prepared• Inclusive i,e

sensitive to individual needs

• Respectful• Encouraging• Motivating• Resourceful• Explain and

offer rationale

Teaching -V- Learning

Teaching = Learning? How do people learn? Learning styles – do you know yours?

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences (1983) http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelli

gences.php

Check out your own learning style on: http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/#

Online

Recommended reading

Harmer, J. 2001. The Practice of English Language Teaching. (Chapter 4)

Edge, J. 1993. Essentials of English Language Teaching. London: Longman. (pp. 11-14)

Scrivener, J. (1994). Learning Teaching. Oxford: Heinemann (Chapter 1)

Wright, T. 1987. Roles of the Teacher and Learners. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (pp. 50-71)

Beltrán, Elina Vilar. 2001. Roles of teachers A case study based on :Diary of a language teacher (J. Appel, 1995). Jornades de Foment de Investigació: http://www.uji.es/bin/publ/edicions/jfi6/teachers.pdf