Unit 1

UNIT 1 WORKSHEET

Task 1 – List 5 qualities that a ‘good’ teacher should have and give reasons for your choices. Which of these qualities do you consider to be more important, and why?

           

            A "good" teacher should have an extensive comprehension of the subject so that they could be a reliable resource for students. Students will rely on the teacher for accurate information and knowledge. If you yourself do not know the correct answer, how does one expect the students to know the answer? The knowledge that you teach the pupils must be valid and certain in order to be applicable. Sometimes, the teacher may be the only available source of information about that specific subject. If the students discover that your teachings are inaccurate, it would lessen the validity of your teachings and the rapport you had built so far. Also, an extensive knowledge of the subject leads to more innovate ways of teaching and more applications of that subject in the real world.

            A "good" teacher should be flexible and able to adjust quickly. Sometimes, lessons do not always go as planned. An instructor could be very well prepared and have back-up lessons, but he/she can not foresee everything that could possible go wrong. Flexibility and the ability to improvise are essential for moments like those. In addition, you need flexibility in general in order to adapt and acclimate to your novel surroundings in a foreign country. The culture and customs are different from what you are used to, and this applies to the classroom settings. The students' beliefs and thinking processes may differ tremendously, and the instructor must take that in consideration.

            A "good" teacher should be patient and compassionate. Every student is unique and may learn at a different pace than their fellow peers. This may require the teacher to explain concepts over and over again or taking additional time to show the process of solving a problem. As long as you contribute the time and effort to do so, it demonstrates compassion and faith in the students. The student will not feel rushed or deficient for taking more time than the allotted time. As a result, a rapport between the teacher and the students begin to develop.

            A "good" teacher should be extremely engaging and make the classes interactive and interesting. This attribute is probably one of the most significant traits a teacher should possess since it facilitates the process of teaching and learning the materials. When the class is entertaining, students find it easier to discover applications of the subject. Consequently, it provides ample motivation for the students to learn, and it prospers a desire in the students to educate themselves. By relating the materials to the students on a personal level, everyone is equally active and involved in the class when the course is actually interactive.

            A "good" teacher should enjoy teaching. Why teach at all if you do are not enraptured with the prospect of teaching? Is teaching worth it if you don't enjoy it? Students are aware when a teacher does not want to be at school teaching. As a result, both the teacher and the students endure a terrible experience with academics. This is probably an important trait the teacher should have. No matter how patient, flexible, or well-versed a teacher is, those traits do not matter if there is no love of teaching.

Task 2 – State what you consider to be the five most important roles of a teacher. Describe each role and say why you think it is important.

            Teacher as a model/mentor: The obligations  includes being available to provide feedback and advice. Students look up to teachers for not just only academic advice, but also life counseling. They follow the teacher's examples and depend on your teachings. A teacher's duty as a model is to enlighten the class with your expertise and knowledge. In specific countries, the class may solely depend on the instructor for their knowledge in English because they may not encounter other native English speakers frequently. In that situation, they can only learn English to the extent of your personal knowledge; and therefore, the students benefit tremendously by learning from an authentic native English speaker. That is why this role is crucial as a teacher.

            Teacher as an observer/monitor: As an observer, the teacher takes either mental or written notes about his/her students. The teacher needs to be observant of his/her surroundings and know the location of the supplies as well. Once the preparations and observations are completed, the teacher should make the necessary adjustments to ameliorate the environment where the students will learn and to suit the students’ individual needs.

            Teacher as an organizer: Fulfilling as this role requires the teacher to prepare the class beforehand by creating lesson plans, obtaining the necessary materials for class, giving instructions, and planning daily activities. In addition, this role includes managing and organizing grades, feedback, and assessment scales. This role is essential for teaching because preparation is the key to providing an exceptional education for the students. If an instructor is unkempt and unprepared ahead of time, then it is difficult to teach unorganized, and the teacher wastes valuable time with unnecessary actions. Classes would be very discombobulated if students had no prior instructions or guidance.

            Teacher as a tutor: A tutor provides more exclusive attention and guidance to a few students at a time. It is more personal and mostly conducted one-on-one or a pair. It is important because it builds the foundation to create a rapport with the students and shows that the teacher is open and approachable. Students may need more concentrated attention since each student is a unique individual with different needs. They may need guidance in different focus of subjects. However, you should try to avoid enabling the student or spending too much focus on just one particular student. Instead, the teacher should distribute his/her attention and time equally among all the students.

            Teacher as prompter: A teacher acting as a prompter helps the student arrive at the correct answer without giving the actual answer. He/she just facilitates the thinking process and encourages the student to continue to try to find a solution. Prompting includes motivating the student to consider different aspects of a problem in order to come up with an innovative solution. Different students require different types and different amount of prompting. The student should be inspired to try to think of versatile solutions first before quitting rather than just spoon-feeding the answer.

Task 3 – List 5 qualities you would expect to find in a ‘good’ learner. Which of these qualities do you consider to be more important, and why?

            A “good” learner should be committed and dedicated to earning an education and completing what they started. Another quality should include being an attentive listener; otherwise your teachings fall on deaf ears. Listening does not just mean hearing the speaker but actually pay attention to the speaker. The learner will learn something that they may find interesting or useful. If the instructor is willing to dedicate the effort and time to teach the learner, the students should be willing to reciprocate the same effort and time. A “good” learner should also think in innovate and creative ways and consider different viewpoints of a problem. This exemplifies that the learner is original and can think quickly.

            More importantly, a “good” learner should have the desire to learn and broaden their horizon. It would be ideal if the learner already possessed the self-discipline and motivation to learn but the teacher also should foster a love of learning and inspire the student to continuously get an education. The most pivotal attribute a learner should have is the willingness to err and ask questions. As humans, we are bound to make mistakes since we are not perfect. Instead of being embarrassed by our mistakes, we should apply ourselves and learn from them. If we truly learn the lesson, then we should not repeat the same mistake twice. A learner who does not ask questions can not make significant progress in his/her academics. A good learner should not be afraid to venture forth because that is the only way to gain experience and expand his/her knowledge of the subject. If a learner uses his/her errors constructively, then it could prove to be very beneficial for the learner.

Task 4 – What are some of the major differences you would expect to find between adult and young learners?

            Young learners tend to have a shorter attention span, which makes it more difficult for them to retain information. Adult learners possess the cognitive skills to maintain a longer attention span, which contributes to the lack of behavioral and discipline issues. Another crucial difference is that adult learners are more self-motivated about their education because they made the conscientious decision to learn while young learners may have not really chosen to do so. For this reason, younger students may not be as accepting or understanding in the beginning. However, as long as the teacher encourages them to continue, then they will be excited and more than willing to learn.

            Adult learners may be more self-conscious and nervous about speaking or experimenting with English because they are anxious about losing face and embarrassing themselves in front of the whole class. They hesitate to try out novel grammar structures and to practice speaking English. This hesitation could hinder their progress in learning, so it is vital to encourage them to experiment and try new things. Young learners are not as hesitant to make errors while exploring the new materials. In fact, they have a more open-minded approach to new learning methods and processes since they hardly have any experience in English. They are more receptive and able to absorb language quicker than adults because they start afresh and still are learning their native tongue. On the other hand, adult learners are more fixed on how they learn and often try to relate English with their native tongue. They do not adapt as well to new teaching styles because they have a long history of both learning and life experiences. However, because they have a long list of life experience, they have broader options of discussion topics that they can talk about, which makes the lessons more enjoying and versatile.

Task 5 – List the levels of language ability that learners are often grouped into and give a brief summation of each level:

            At the beginner level, the learners have no or little experience with English. If they do have knowledge of English, they have a very rudimentary knowledge. English grammar and comprehension is practically nonexistent. Teaching at this level is relies heavily on visual hand-on activities.

Learners at the elementary level can produce simple sentences and use very basic grammar structures. They can discuss about simple topics for a short period of time. They may be able to do introductions and talk about the weather or family.

Pre-intermediate level includes being able to communicate on more diverse topics but still making many flaws in their sentences. The fluency might have improved a little but still sounds awkward.

During the intermediate level, the learner should be able to discuss about numerous topics with an improvement in vocabulary. However, fluency, accuracy, and idioms may still be flawed.

            Upper intermediate level learners should be able to form more complex sentences and talk about more complicated topics. Their grammar should be near impeccable and be able to keep the flow of conservation. At this point, the teacher should be very fastidious with even small grammar mistakes.

            The last level, advanced level, should be achieved when learners have a profound knowledge of English. Their vocabulary should be more mature and intricate. They should be able to discuss topics in almost every situation and should start comprehending more subtle text, such as idioms and jargon.

Task 6 – Give as many reasons as possible why students are motivated to study English. The reasons that you give do not have to be in the unit reading material.

            English would be a tremendous help for your career since English is vital for any type of business now these days.

            It may be a required course for your school in order to graduate. Many schools demand their students take English.

            It would be a great asset if you planned on either traveling/living abroad in an English-speaking country. It would help with acculturating and adapting in that country.

            Some people may know a person who only speaks English and want to communicate with them.

            Some people have a general linguistic interest and transform the process of learning English into a hobby. It would make sense that an aficionado of foreign languages would learn English since it is the most popular language in the world.

            Some people learn English to better themselves as human beings by pursuing any type of knowledge just for the sake of enlightenment.

            Once you learn English, you can learn more about the English-speaking countries and understand their culture, their arts, beliefs, popular music, daily life, and customs. By contrasting and comparing your culture to the cultures of those English-speaking countries, you can better understand your own country at a more profound level. This helps broaden your horizons, therefore making you an open-minded person with much life experience.