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The role of the teacher takes on many forms. Teachers are responsible for organizing, facilitating, maintaining discipline, managing, providing feedback, observing, being a model, prompting, tutoring and participating among many other things. A teacher’s role is constantly changing and is dictated by the tasks and activities being learned and what is to be achieved from the lesson. The rapport between students and teachers and the dynamics between students within a classroom will also determine the role the teacher plays for the greatest success in the language learning process. With so many roles to fill, being a good teacher takes flexibility. Knowing when to lead and be the center of a lesson or when to step back and let students take this position is part of the teaching process. It is very important that a teacher is sensitive to their students' needs as a whole class and individually in order to best serve them. With multiple hats to wear, one must remember that no one role should be overused. There are a time and a place for all roles to be highlighted. Teachers must be able to change roles and pivot in a moment's notice to meet the demands of the class. Knowing the students and having good subject knowledge will enable a teacher to accomplish this with ease and grace. The responsibility of time management also falls on the shoulders of the teacher. Adjusting for more or less time to certain activities will need to be made by the teacher based on their observations of the class. The more a teacher knows the students the better they will know how to rate student skill levels and create lesson plans accordingly. Before an activity a teacher will need to provide clear instruction through modeling, reading aloud, explaining and organizing students. During tasks and activities, teachers may step back and observe their students in order to gauge the success of the activity and any difficulties as well as the achievements of the students. At times the role of a teacher may need to be as an equal participant in a lesson in order to spur an activity or help prompt students if needed. It is also important for the teacher to give feedback and correction that is fair and consistent. Knowing when to offer feedback is a tender practice that makes all the difference. It is important for teachers to be encouraging and positive in order to create confidence in students but also to provide constructive criticism and guidance when necessary. Creating a class that is varied and caters to the many interests of students will help to keep them engaged and motivated. Giving students the support that they need will allow them to take initiative. There are so many variations within classroom dynamics and different contexts will call for different demands of the teacher. Changing roles as a teacher will get easier and become more fluid with experience. It’s important to enjoy teaching and remembering to always put the learning of students first. Have faith in your students' ability to learn, provide them with the best information to reach achievable goals and establish a kind, patient and approachable rapport with your students and you will will be on your way to success.
