The
future of English teaching is on teachers
The History of language teaching shows that the
interest in finding the ‘formula’ for successful learners of a second and
foreign language, and the sake for ‘naming’ such ‘discovery’; has been the
tendency since the last fifty years of the previous century. The need for
learning a second or foreign language have ranged from bellicose reasons,
travelling affairs, to business purposes. Therefore, the approaches and methods
have attempted to fulfil such or such ‘identified’ need which theorists and
researchers publish, give workshops about and knowledgeable language teachers,
especially English teachers are aware of. Nonetheless, that ‘formula’ has not
yet been discovered.
English is the first most widely Foreign Language
learnt and its learning process does not mainly take place in an English
speaking country, plus the teachers are non-native but still the learning
occurs. I strongly believe that the existence of ‘the’ approach or ‘the’ method
to Language Learning does not and will not appear. No matter how many best
sellers on ELT have and will come out. It is the Language teachers who in the
classroom create and adapt a great variety of techniques, which at the same
time are underpinned by their experience, knowledge of students’ real needs and
context; and educational theories of teaching and learning. Nunan (1995) “From a methodological
perspective theories, ideas and research are only as good as teachers make
them. Unexpected things happen in the classroom.”
Therefore, Language Teacher Education becomes the
cornerstone to the practices and future of language teaching. Prabhu (1990)
states that it is important for teachers to have their own sense of
plausibility and their own understanding of why they do what they do. A well-
educated and informed professional evidences successful practices in their
every day practice. Were these pedagogic practices designed and applied by a
group of teachers whose local context, objectives and needs place them in a
privileged status; action research could be carried out in a greater number.
Thus far, the question now is what should the Language
Teacher be like?
To start with, the future professional should have
reached language proficiency level (Horn, 2011). Only if do teachers of a
language know the language, they can teach it. Next, the language teacher
should have developed academic and research skills which will allow him/her to
put their practice into theory and not on the other way round, as it happens in
the construction of most approaches. Third, the language teacher should have
the pedagogical knowledge to make learning happen in whatever context he/she
faces. Forth, the language teacher should possess knowledge and analytical
skills on global issues. Globalisation requires urgent awareness of the
problems the world faces and so the interaction of different subject areas in
language teaching should also take place. This globalised world has also implemented
high-tech devices which students can access more widely, as well as internet
connection in the real or virtual ‘classroom’ have started to be used. These
tools appear in syllabus and course designs in different education levels. That
is why the fifth characteristic of the language teacher is a good user of ICT.
To sum up, whether books will be published on new
approaches or methods or not, the future of language teaching success does not
depend on them but on the language teacher. Language teachers have the
challenge to know what he is teaching, how it can be learnt, why certain
techniques and tools should be used in their context, how to communicate
his/her pedagogical experiences; and how to work with other areas of knowledge
to help their local context within a changing globalised world. English teacher
Education needs to be revised.
REFERENCES
Horn, Bradley. The
future is now: Preparing a New Generation of CBI Teachers. Article
published in English Teaching Forum. Vol. 49 Nº3, 2011.
Nunan, David. (1995). Language Teaching Methodology. A textbook for teachers. Phoenix
ELT. Hertfordshire.
Larsen-Freeman, Diane. From Unity to Diversity ... to Diversity within Unity. Article
published in English Teaching Forum. Vol. 50 Nº2, 2012.
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