The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers
-
Upload
fariba-chamani -
Category
Education
-
view
216 -
download
1
Transcript of The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers
![Page 1: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers
Simon Borg, 2006
Fariba Chamani (2016)
![Page 2: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Abstract Purpose: To see what it means to be a
language teacher
Method: By exploring the ways in which language teachers are seen by themselves, and teachers of other subjects
Findings: language teachers are distinctive in terms of the nature of subject, content of teaching, teaching methodology, teacher-learner relationships, and contrasts between native/non-native speakers
![Page 3: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
I. Literature ReviewLanguage teachers’
characteristicsA. Work on disciplinary
characteristicsB. Studies of the good language
teacher
![Page 4: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
A. Work on disciplinary characteristicsCharacteristics of academic
disciplines have been investigated in psychology and education.
Most of the the work conducted at university settings & the research outside university settings has focused on learners rather than teachers.
![Page 5: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
A. Disciplinary characteristics of language teachers
1) The nature of the subject matter itself
2) The interaction patterns necessary to provide instruction
3) The challenge for teachers of increasing their knowledge of the subject
4) Isolation 5) The need for outside support for
learning the subject
![Page 6: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
B. Studies of good language teacherThey highlight the ways in which language
teachers’ characteristics have been conceptualized.
1. Girard(1977) & Prodromou(1991) presented a list of characteristics valued by learners.
2. Brosh(1996) identified the desirable characteristics of language teacher as perceived by language teachers and students in Israel.
![Page 7: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
B. Characteristics of good language teachersKnowledge & command of the
target languageAbility to organize, explain and
clarify, as well as to arouse and sustain interest and motivation among students
Fairness to students by showing neither favoritism nor prejudice
Availability to students
![Page 8: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
II Method This study was based on
Interpretive modes of inquiry & a belief in the value of individuals’ perspectives.
The research design was flexible (design decisions can evolve as the study proceeds), as opposed to fixed.
![Page 9: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
1 Key concepts
No a priori decisions were made about the concept of teachers’ characteristics.
It was operationalized as respondents’ perceptions of the ways in which language teachers were different to teachers of other subjects.
![Page 10: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
2 Research questions
1) Which particular dimensions of teachers’ characteristics are salient in the distinctiveness of language teachers as reported by the respondents?
2) Do perceptions of distinctiveness seem related in any way to respondents’ backgrounds, such as amount of teaching experience or educational context?
3) To what extent do specialists outside language teaching feel that the distinctive characteristics of language teachers perceived by language teachers also apply to teachers in the specialist areas?
![Page 11: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
3 Data collection and analysis
Data were collected in a range of contexts, with a variety of individuals and using different procedures.
Five different groups of participants contributed to this study.
The selection of groups was purposive; participants were selected on the basis of their ability, as judged by the researcher, to provide information relevant to the central purposes of the research.
![Page 12: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Participants1 Teachers on a postgraduate
course in TESOL: 20 participants 2 Language teacher conference
delegates: 29 delegates 3 Subject specialists: 4 teachers 4 Hungarian pre-service teachers
of English: 151 participants5 Slovene undergraduates in
English: 24 students
![Page 13: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
III Findings 1. Teachers on a postgraduate
course in TESOL 2. Conference delegates 3. Subject specialists 4. Hungarian and Slovene
undergraduates
![Page 14: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
1Teachers on a postgraduate course in TESOL
1. Cognitively mature learners engage in conceptually undemanding activities.
2. English language teaching methodology is more progressive than other subjects.
3. Incorrect learner output in language teaching is more acceptable.
4. Language teachers are compared to native speakers.
5. Language teaching is a political activity. 6. Oral production plays a central role. 7. The subject and the medium for teaching it are one
and the same. 8. The subject matter of language teaching is harder
to define.
![Page 15: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
2 Conference delegates comments on the eight characteristics above
1. Cognitively mature learners &conceptually undemanding activities: rejected
2. ELT methodology is more progressive than other subjects: both rejected & supported
3. Oral production plays a central role: rejected
The remaining 5 statements were supported. More characteristics were also added to the list.
![Page 16: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
3 Subject specialists The evolved list of characteristics
was given to the subject specialists to see if the phenomenon described existed in their subject (Yes), had some parallels (Partly), or did not exist (No).
![Page 17: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
![Page 18: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
![Page 19: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
![Page 20: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
4 Hungarian and Slovene undergraduates
Over 82% of the 151 respondents believed that language teachers are distinct from other teachers in:
1. Methods, activities and materials2. The content of teaching3. The nature of language 4. Relationships with learners 5. Non-native issues 6. Language teachers’ traits
![Page 21: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
III Discussion 1. Key distinctive characteristics 2. Distinctiveness as context-
dependent 3. Continuing research
![Page 22: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
![Page 23: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
2 Distinctiveness as context-dependent
Language teacher is not a universal monolithic phenomenon but a socially constructed phenomenon that may be defined in various ways in different contexts.
Language teacher educators often prepare teachers for specific contexts, based on their own definition of language teacher, rather than westerners’ views.
![Page 24: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
3 Continuing research
To investigate distinctiveness of language teachers, we need to consider:
1. The views of both insiders & outsiders2. Classroom observation as a
complementary method to oral data3. The distinctive nature of language
relative to other subjects.4. Language teacher distinctiveness in
various contexts
![Page 25: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
IV Conclusion Distinctiveness of language teachers may vary in different contexts. Thus, it should be explored across different contexts, based on the data obtained through different methods, from both outsiders & insiders.
![Page 26: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
![Page 27: The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062316/58ef763e1a28ab19688b45f9/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)