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Teach English in Dianzi Zhen - Qingdao Shi

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Teachers are only humans and, thinking back on my own student years, there were those who were more interesting, friendly, competent or happy than others. Some teachers are kind and friendly, others know how to capture the students’ attention with witty stories while others still have good subject knowledge. Obviously, the teacher’s personality is an important factor in successful learning, but there is also his capacity to interact and establish a respectful relationship with his students. It can be very destabilizing for somebody who has finally learned to express himself in his mother tongue to find himself being corrected when he dares to speak a completely new language. This working and learning atmosphere in the classroom is a second aspect that is going to be examined in this short essay. Thirdly, the teaching approach is a determining influence on the learning results: will the language stay a grammatical structure full of pitfalls and potential danger of mistakes, or will the new speaker have learned to focus on communication with all it’s many interesting facets of human relationships and cultural vibrancy? Three dimensions of the learning experience, all intertwined, yet all at the mercy of the teacher, shall be examined in the following pages. In Unit 6, two videos of an English language class for Asian students were presented. In the first one, the teacher started right away, seemed very eager to get to his language point, skipped little steps and clear instructions. The students stayed shy and confused throughout the class and did not dare to engage or answer. Yet, step number one for the beginning course is the establishing of a trusting working relationship, which starts with the teacher’s personality. In the very first lesson and regularly after that, basic principles of working ethic and interaction will have to be established. The teacher should present himself in order to clarify his expectations towards the students. His values and commitments need to be explicit. This can cover themes such as the beginning of class, homework, tests, level of noise in the classroom, projects and proposed activities. Is there anything the teacher will not accept under any circumstance? Maybe he will talk about his own experiences and show some humor. Maybe he will ask the students what they expect of him in return. Will the course follow a course book or be focussed on student interaction? Will it focus on preparation for external examinations and proficiency tests or will there be weekly requirements and progress tests only? Maybe there are even excursions or trips to foreign countries associated with the course? All in all, a clear framework for a working relationship needs to be established before the work can begin. Another very important point is the atmosphere that will allow for an optimal learning environment. This again is the teachers’ responsibility, as he will need to establish the level of tolerance to mistakes, explain that there are moments when it counts to be very exact in pronunciation, vocabulary, structure and grammar, while there are other times when it is more important to dare to speak without fear of imperfections. All in all, he will soon show that his classroom is a place for experimentation, building relationship, discovery and communication. Maybe there will be visits by guest speakers or letters sent to foreign countries. There will hopefully be time for games and laughter, creative group work or research on the internet in order to present a project on a historical figure, a popstar or a politician. Thus, the relationship that the teacher establishes with his students is essential for their relationship with the new language itself. Finally, the way the teachers proposes the learning experience has an important impact on the result and success. How many students studied for years, endured frustrations of endless vocabulary- and grammar lessons as well as the constant fear of loosing their faces in front of others when trying to speak a few words, only to forget everything they learned as soon as the course was finished? Research shows that we remember best what we associate with joy. Having studied in pedagogy in Canada, I came across the scientists Deci and Ryan that research the theory of self-determination. This theory has proven that humans are happier when their needs for competence, autonomy and belonging are met. In the ESA approach that Jeremy Harmer proposes to EFL teachers, these three aspects are present. In the engage phase, the learners are invited to immerse themselves in interesting, somewhat familiar topics which allow them to feel competent and reassured, as well as open to a new knowledge that will be added on to what they already know. In the study phase, they are directed in little steps towards the new language items, which again will give them a feeling of competence. In this phase, students can work individually, in pairs or small groups and that way feel autonomous in their learning experience. In the activation phase, they will have a chance to explore the new subject matter in a more autonomous way, but also working with peers and finally presenting or sharing with the big group, all of which will give them a feeling of belonging to the learning community in which people dare to explore new terrain, encourage each other and try again if it was not yet quite perfect. This basic teaching formula is thus adapted to human needs and will allow for a positive experience with long lasting results, as the different phases give students control of their own experience and give room to interact in a creative and joyful way. To sum up, the role of the teacher has an important impact on the students learning experience, not only because of the way he establishes a preliminary framework for learning, but also a working environment that encourages exchange and communication. Lastly, the teacher chooses the pedagogical approach that is adapted to the students needs and hopefully facilitates a positive and active English lesson that will have lasting benefits.


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