Teach English in Tugou Zhen - Huai'an Shi

It is expected to say that a teacher always stands in front of the classroom and gives instructions to the learners. But in recent years emphasis is being placed on student-centered lessons. Based on the activities of a lesson, some parts of the lesson are more student-centered, while other parts are teacher-centered. Teachers can take on certain roles to direct the order of the class. The manager or controller is when the teacher is in control. In this type of role, the teacher is standing at the front of the class. Usually, this role takes place during the study phase of the ESA methodology. All the attention is placed on the teacher. Most charismatic teachers feel comfortable while being a manager but it is advised that it should not be overused. This part of the lesson tends to have a high teacher talk time because all the students are looking at the teacher and listening. A prompter is someone who encourages another person along. There will be moments when a student will lose track of what they are trying to say. In this instance, the teacher takes on the role of a prompter. The teacher then asks simple questions to get the students to speak or think in English. There are times when teachers prompt students to speak in English and not their native language. It is advised that teachers should take great care in this role and not take away the initiative from the students. Sometimes students want feedback about their level of English or even correction through evaluation. The teacher then becomes an assessor. Teachers are encouraged to be fair and consistent with all their students. They should also be sensitive to all the students’ reactions and provide necessary support and encouragement. Sometimes the only source of a native English speaker is the teacher and the students use the teacher as a model. The teacher becomes the main standard for all knowledge as it pertains to English grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Some students want to benefit from the speech model of the teacher. This role holds particular authority and responsibility in the eyes of the learner. The teacher observer or monitor is when the teacher wants to monitor the activities within the classroom. Teachers take notes during this time to see how long activities last and how successful they are. The reason for taking notes is also to complement and correct students at a later stage. Teachers should always maintain a distance during this role so that they do not distract the students from the activities that they are involved in. Of course, teachers should be flexible and adjust to what is happening within the classroom, for example, they might need to move closer to hear what the students are saying or to look at the writing in progress. The teacher can also become an organizer. Furthermore, teachers, in general, should become comfortable with his role as it can reduce chaos within the classroom. Some examples of organizing are initiating activities, bringing activities to a close, and giving feedback. During an ESA Activate phase, students might need to collect information from classmates and the teacher gets involved as well. This is an example of the participant role of a teacher. Teachers also take on this role if students have to be put into pairs or groups and there is an uneven number of people. Teachers should take great care not to dominate the activity or put all the attention on themselves. Tutoring is more of a personal role for the teacher. Sometimes students need some individual attention or guidance for a particular topic. Sometimes the teacher stops when students are working as pairs or groups to encourage them. Once again, teachers need to be sensitive by giving students an equal amount of attention and avoiding intruding too much. The last role of a teacher is as a resource or facilitator. When taking on the role, teachers must always take precautions by helpful and present but not overindulging their students. Students need to be more independent thinkers in English. As a facilitator, the teacher gives students an activity that allows them to utilize the language for themselves. They will then withdraw themselves from these activities and allow the students to participate in the class without interruptions. The teacher needs to be present as a resource or if learners need additional assistance. The activity within the class determines when the teachers assume a particular role. It is clear to see that the majority of these roles encourage student involvement and increase student talk time, maybe for the exception of being a manager or controller. Eventually, adapting these roles and using them will increase the effectiveness of the teacher.