ELT - Final Assignment
ELT - Final Assignment
ELT - Final Assignment
6420859004
Introduction
“Every class is composed of individuals, each of whom will have different capabilities
and work rates; and among these heterogeneous groups it can obviously be a problem for the
teacher to allow for the variety of pacing necessary if all students are to learn effectively,” said
McDonough & Shaw (2003, p.208). Although it may be difficult to define what is meant by ‘a
professional English language teacher,’ it is possible to examine factors and requirements that
teachers of English language should consider for professional growth and career achievement. In
response to the question, this paper will be divided into 3 main sections: (1) What should we
know then? (2) What do we know now? and (3) What shall we do next?
Even an American historian Henry Adams (n.d.) once said, “A teacher affect eternity; he
can never tell where his influence stops.” This quote seems to be true because, like many other
professions, English language teaching is overwhelmed by many acronyms and initials such as
ESL (English as a Second Language), EFL (English as a Foreign Language), ESP (English for
Specific Purposes), EAP (English for Academic Purposes) and ELF (English as a Lingua
Franca). Yet, whatever kind of English it is, the English language teaching has been in transition
over education across the globe (Harmer, 2007). Since learning is a dynamic process, the
professional English language teachers should first learn to teach, then learn teaching, and keep
learning all the time (Larsen-Freeman, 2000).
According to Richards and Rodgers (2001), many linguistic philosophers have theorized
and developed various methods and theories over the past decades, including Grammar
Translation Method, Direct Method, Audio-lingual Method, Total Physical Response Method
(TPR), Suggestopedia, Silent Way, Community Language Learning (CLL), Oral Approach and
Situational Language Teaching, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Task-Based
Language Teaching (TBLT), Task-Based Instruction (TBI), Lexical Approach, Cooperative
Language Learning, Natural Approach, Content-Based Instruction (CBI), and Content and
Language Integrated Learning (CLIL).
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
Despite the development of various types of methods and theories, it is also worth noting
that each of them has its own strengths and weakness. Thus, I can assert that English language
teachers, educators, and practitioners should behold them as “complementary” rather than
“contradictory” to one another, as well as the variations among these methods are suitable for
different kinds of teachers and different types of learners in particular contexts (Larsen-Freeman,
2000).
1.2. Motivation
Oftentimes, many English language teachers cope with their students in groups; however,
it is important to realize that English language is not learnt by groups, but by individuals (Cook,
2001, p.115). To my mind, English language teachers should recognize their learners as
individuals since their attitudes, personalities, motivation, and learning strategies might vary.
Thus, English language teachers should also realize that their learners can possibly be fostered
by different types of motivation: integrative and instrumental. According to Cook (2001),
integrative motivation refers to a means of language learning in order to take part in the culture
of its people, whereas instrumental motivation refers to a means of language learning to achieve
the professional goals or other purposes.
In my point of view, I can argue that many L2 learners, like my current students, may
have a combination of these motivations since L2 learners may have learnt English language
because they want to achieve their professional growth or their entrance exams (instrumental
motivation), but they might shift their instrumental motivation to integrative motivation because
they want to be a part of the English-speaking groups or environment later. Conversely, L2
learners and immigrants might have developed integrative motivation before instrumental
motivation since they had to live either in an English-speaking environment or with a bilingual
family. Nevertheless, it can be argued that L2 learners can also apply the three-fold model,
namely, integrative motivation + linguistic self-confidence + appraisal of classroom environment
(Clement, Dornyei, and Noels, 1994, cited in Cook, 2001, p. 117). Furthermore, it is interesting
to note that motivation is concerned with other variables both inside and outside of classrooms;
therefore, ideal teachers should recognize the variety and nature of their students’ motivation by
building good rapport with them to succeed in L2 competence.
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
Harmer (2001, p.394) advocate that no matter how good a teacher may be, it is possible
that students find it hard to learn unless they wish to learn inside or outside the classroom time.
On the one hand, English language teachers should promote learner autonomy to take charge of
their own learning, yet it is the teachers who are responsible for training their students to become
autonomous in replacement of the inadequacy in classroom time and to maximize the chances of
successful language learners by developing their own learning strategies as far as possible.
On the other hand, I can argue that the promotion of learner autonomy needs to require
both well-trained and confident teachers who can handle autonomous-learners-in-progress as
well as students who are willing to abide by the supportive teachers’ guidance since the
formulation of autonomous learning essentially requires the student-centeredness with a
humanistic style of negotiation between the teachers and their learners (Cook, 2001, p.232).
According to McDonough and Shaw (2003), it is believed that English language teachers
should have background knowledge of English language studies which is considered as the
“subject matter,” and they should have the pedagogic principles for specific types of language
learners with specific methods of teaching as well as appropriate materials in a particular
classroom context. Similarly, English language teachers should take two important contextual
factors into account: language learners and educational setting. In other words, to be a
professional English language teacher, one should consider factors of language learners: age,
interest, level of proficiency, aptitude, mother tongue, academic and educational level, attitudes
to learning, motivation, reasons for learning, preferred learning style, personality (McDonough
and Shaw, 2003, p. 6-7).
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
teachers should encourage their teacher-student rapport and classroom interaction by (1)
recognizing their students, (2) listening to students with empathy, (3) respecting students in a
positive light, and (4) treating all students equally.
In my opinion, I totally agree that the professional English language teachers should take
variables of language learners into consideration, as well as classroom management, motivation,
students’ learning style, and teaching strategies. In brief, establishing appropriate teacher-student
rapport and classroom interaction are also crucial in successful language learning and teaching
because all of them do not only maintain the successful rapport, but they can also remark the
professionalism of the teachers (Harmer, 2007, p.115).
Despite variation of linguistic background, age, gender, attitudes, and aptitude, I can say
that successful language learners may employ different learning strategies from those who are
less successful in language learning. Cited in Cook (2001), O’Malley and Chamot (1990)
characterize strategies for language learning into three types: metacognitive, cognitive, and
social strategies. Metacognitive strategies refer to a process of involving, planning, and
monitoring one’s own learning and evaluating how well one has done; cognitive strategies refer
to a process of conscious activation of learning; and social strategies refer to a process of
learning by interaction with others. For all these reasons, well-trained English language learners
can overcome their failures to achieve their goals in language learning more successfully.
To become good English language learners, Naiman et al. (1995, cited in Cook, 2001,
p.127-130) suggest six strategies for English language teachers to train their students as follows:
1) Good language learners should recognize their own learning style and make use of it.
2) Good language learners should involve themselves in the language learning process.
3) Good language learners should learn to develop an awareness of language both as
system and as communication.
4) Good language learners should pay constant attention to expanding their linguistic
knowledge.
5) Good language learners should develop a system for English language learning in
separation from their mother tongue
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
6) Good language learners should take a great demand of English language learning into
their account.
In other words, professional English language teachers should understand the language
learning strategies because learning strategies are fundamental to students’ learning style,
motivations, and personalities; therefore, teachers should realize the types of learning or
cognitive styles, motivations, and personalities of their students (Lusianov, 2020).
Regrettably, many English language teachers, educators, and local practitioners find the
traditional methods of teachings rather dissatisfying due to its lack of concrete guidance and
overwhelming impact of regional complexities, socio-political barriers, as well as ethnic and
gender challenges caused by a dynamic globalization. Such dissatisfaction leads to a movement
calling for a methodological change of pedagogical reformation and practical reconstruction of
those preceding methods and theories of teaching (Kumaravadivelu, 2001). Therefore, the term
“post-method condition” (Kumaravadivelu, 2001) and the term “glocalization" in language
teaching and learning should be introduced (Lusianov, 2020).
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
version can possibly empower the teachers to resonate their own values, experiences, and
fundamental perspective of language learning and teaching.
2.2. Glocalization
The post-method era can lead to the language pedagogical condition of “glocalization”
(Lusianov, 2020). The term “glocalization” is derived from “global” and “localization” which
refer to the modification of a global conception to meet local norms and needs (Lusianov, 2020,
p.361). In other words, glocalization in English pedagogy can refer to the implementation of
“the global principles, designs, procedures, and techniques of methods and approaches” that the
precedented theorists have invented over the past decades on condition that the teachers can be
highly motivated to teach (and learn), student are motivated to learn, and authorities are
committed to facilitate the teaching and learning process (Sadeghi & Richards, 2021, p.6).
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
English in the country, the role of English in school, the identity of English language teachers,
management and administration, available resources, personnel support, time, physical
environment, socio-cultural environment, types of tests, procedures for monitoring and
evaluating as well (McDonough and Shaw, 2007, p. 6-7).
According to Al-Issa (2017), it is necessary for ELT educators to have robust disciplinary
knowledge such good English language knowledge, proficiency in using the language, and the
ability to design and apply the instruction; consequently, they can deliver practical knowledge
into their classroom practice.
It is interesting to know that, at the heart of decent teaching with technology, Koehler and
Mishra (2009) recommend professional teachers possessing disciplinary knowledge of three core
components: content, pedagogy, and technology. By intertwining across contexts, the
interactions between and among the three components are responsible for the diversity in the
extent and quality of educational technology integration. To illustrate, the three disciplinary
knowledge foundation (content, pedagogy, and technology) subsequently incorporate with the
technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework as shown in the figure
below:
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
Source: Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content
knowledge? Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education, 9(1), 60–70.
Santos and Castro (2021) summarize the core concepts of seven-knowledge framework
on TPACK proposed by Koehler and Mishra (2009) as follows:
3. Content Knowledge (CK): Content knowledge refers to the “knowledge about actual
subject matter that is to be learned or taught”. Teachers must know about the content they are
going to teach and how the nature of knowledge is different for various content areas.
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
interplay between the three basic components of knowledge (CK, PK, TK) by teaching content
using appropriate pedagogical methods and technologies.
In my point of view, ELT teachers and learners should also be reminded that cyberspace
is not completely safe or suitable for everyone in terms of reliability and privacy. However,
Gillies, McLay and Ngyuen (2021) note that technology can be another key to unlock the school
closures and regain the loss of learning. Simultaneously, the teacher training paradigm needs to
transform traditional classroom by decontextualizing and empowering teachers and educators to
have interpersonal skills, practiced social justice, and passion for their teaching profession. For
all these reasons, the ELT teachers are expected to support their students with guidance and
constructive feedback for improving their teaching practice. Hence, ongoing professional
development is challenged to help teachers reflect on their practices and share those practices
with others.
Apart from the dedication to teaching, professional English language teachers should take
their well-being into account (Harmer, 2007, p.425). In other words, it is obligatory for English
language teachers to take care of their mental health and physical fitness so that they can
counteract both stress and fatigue from overwhelming workloads. Thus, it is necessary for the
teachers to maintain their health; moreover, it is also possible that vulnerable teachers may seek
for a clinical help if needed.
Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of the global pandemic named Coronavirus (COVID-
19), many global educational sectors have been challenged like never before. According to the
report of the United Nations, more than 1.60 billion students from pre-primary to higher
education in more than 200 countries had stuck at home for months due to the lockdown in the
first phase of Covid 19. This means that the pandemic of Covid-19 has been affecting the
world’s education system and continuous learning process across the globe. Consequently, it has
made teachers and students experienced so much disruption both in the instructional process with
long duration of school closures in the history of academic field.
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
To facilitate learning in this digital age, the post-method condition may need to be
redesigned in order to cope with the needs and new norms of the post pandemic era since the
application of technology in English language education becomes indispensable. In particular,
after the global disruption of Covid-19 pandemic, Gyawali and Parajuli (2021) advocate that,
either inside or outside classroom, it is crucial for teachers to facilitate English language learning
in this digital era by implementing the conceptual integration of technological, pedagogical, and
content knowledge (TPACK) to transform conventional face-to-face teaching and learning
fashions to online classroom platforms such as virtual classroom learning modalities, distanced-
based learning modalities, and mobile teaching modalities. Therefore, it is a must for teachers to
apply TPACK to explore the digital materials as per learners’ needs and learning requirements
for having technological skills, engaging in the virtual classrooms, and occupying digital tools
with confidence.
It is safe to say that professional teachers should facilitate their students professionally.
This is because English language learners who come from multi-cultural background to socio-
political diversity, or different ethnic groups of origins may yield different academic outcomes.
Hence, it is advisable that professional English language teachers have a great demand of
capacity, allyship, and literary of diversity in response to the background and variation of their
students with care and caution.
Furthermore, Abacioglu, Fischer, and Volman (2022, p.3) note that the term
“professional development” refers to a range of experiences resulting in professional learning,
whereas the term “professional learning” refers to the anticipated outcomes as a result of
professional development. Nonetheless, Abacioglu et al. (2022) argue that the changes in teacher
development do not depend merely upon accumulative knowledge, but also attitudes and beliefs.
In other words, teachers’ positive beliefs can be caused by positive attitudes or vice versa.
According to Sadeghi & Richards (2021), an effective professional development calls for
adequate support structures and opportunities for teachers to select, plan, carry out, and evaluate
the professional activities they are engaged with. Thus, it can be said that the most effective
period of time for teachers to receive such professional development is during their in-service
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years, although they can receive professional development at different stages in their career path
(Abacioglu et al.,2022). In realization, Sadeghi & Richards (2021) suggest that professional
development works best collaboratively; thereby, the initiatives should be urgently required for
both long-term and long-term impacts on English language teachers’ professional development:
iv) Providing institutional supports and rewards for professional development activities
among others
Graus, van de Broek, Hennissen, and Schils (2022) note that the term “teacher identity”
refers to an awareness of a self-image in which a personal and professional perceptions envisage
a persona of a teacher. In other words, “teacher identity” is an understanding of taking a teaching
role as profession, which is subject to change due to the influence of experiential reflections,
practical or theoretical conception, ongoing interaction, norms and values, attitudes, or personal
beliefs. In terms of identity learning, Graus et al. (2022) suggest that teacher identity can be
developed by three major components: sense-making, ownership, and agency. Particularly, the
sense-making is considered as an activation between cognitive and emotional processes of
learning; the ownership suggests who the person is and what the person sees important; and the
agency refers to the ability to control one’s own development as a teacher (Graus et al., 2022,
p.4).
Arguably, I would say that the realization of teachers’ professional identities relies
heavily on both internal and external factors, including robust rapport, proactive teaching style,
agentic characteristics, personal beliefs, positive attitudes, as well as institutional and educational
policies (Wijaya, 2022, p.14). Nonetheless, an implementation of teacher educational programs
and the successive administration of standards as well as the provision of teachers’ professional
development can be one of the suggested solutions. (La Velle, 2022).
Conclusion
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
“To improve teaching, we need to appreciate learning in all its complexity,” noted Cook
(2001, p.234). Perhaps, this essay is not conclusive to determine what constitutes ‘a professional
English language teacher’ in all aspects. However, as far as this exploratory essay is concerned, I
am certain that all the issues abovementioned in this paper can constitute the professionalism of
English language teachers. Ultimately, it is also noteworthy that keeping journals, writing critical
reflection, peer teaching, conducting action research, training, and collaborating with others will
guide us to become ‘better’ teachers in our professional journey (Harmer, 2007).
References:
- Al-Issa, Ali S.M. (2017). Qualities of the professional English language teacher educator:
Implications for achieving quality and accountability, Cogent Education, 4(1), 1326652
https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1326652
- Cook, V. (2001). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. 3rd Edition. New
York: Hodder Arnold
- Graus, M., van de Broek, A., Hennissen, P., and Schils, T. (2022), Disentangling aspects of
teacher identity learning from reflective blogs: The development of a category system. Teaching
and Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103624
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
- Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching. (4th Edition). Essex, England:
Longman.
- Henry Adams Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Accessed on: May 29, 2022. Retrieved from:
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/henry_adams_108018
- La Velle, L. (2022). Best practice in teacher education: what is research telling us? Journal of
Education for Teaching, 48:3, 271-273, DOI: 10.1080/02607476.2022.2075189
- Smala, S., Gillies, R. M., McLay, K., & Ngyuen, H. (2021). Second Language Teachers’
Perceptions of Their Pedagogical Practices, Collaborations, and Relationships with Other
Teachers through Professional Development. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(9).
http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n9.3
- Santos, J.M. & Castro, R.D.R. (2021). Technological Pedagogical content knowledge
(TPACK) in action: Application of learning in the classroom by pre-service teachers (PST).
Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 3(1), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100110
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Bussaya Hanchanachaikul - ELT Final Assignment - Student No. 6420859004
- Webb S., Holford J., Hodge, S., Milana, M. & Waller, R. (2019). Conceptualising lifelong
learning for sustainable development and education 2030, International Journal of Lifelong
Education, 38:3, 237-240, DOI: 10.1080/02601370.2019.1635353
- Wijaya, K. (2022). Investigating Indonesian novice EFL teachers’ perceptions on their Identity
Construction. Scholaria: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Kebudayaan, 12(1), 9-19.
https://doi.org/10.24246/j.js.2022.v12.i1.p9-19
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