The aims of foreign language teacher.
Teachers should be encouraged to teach actual communication, not merely structures out of context. In our technologically advanced world the focus is or should be on active learning.In other words ,EFLmethodology has shifted from a teacher-centred approach to a learner-centred approach taking into consideration the needs of the individual learner,their interests, their feelings and their learning and thinking styles.
Technology cannot be omitted, either. It should be incorporated to reflect our technology-based society.
Last but not least, modern trends aim to ensure that our students become independent learners, become more open-minded, understand and work with others better and work more efficiently by themselves.
As teaching develops, we move towards creating a classroom environment where students can express opinions, evaluate information and begin the process of owning the language.Our students can be trained to listen better, write more clearly and read more carefully.
Our first aim is to develop life-long skills so that our learners can continue their education outside the classroom or indeed any other institution.It’s our responsibility as teachers not only to achieve learning but also to achieve education in order to reach “excellence of thought”.
Recent studies have shown that pupils should be exposed to other subject areas such as Maths, Art Science etc., while learning a foreign language. This is because people learn a second language more successfully when they use the language as a means of acquiring information, rather than as an end in itself. Our aim as educators is also to promote our learners’ environmental awareness.
Teaching a foreign language according to the Common European Framework should reflect our diverse societies.We should provide insight into the culture and way of life of the target language. This will also serve as a springboard for the students to reflect on and appreciate their own culture, thus promoting their own cultural individuality.
We are not only teaching set expressions, grammar and syntax; we are teaching students the nuances of the language, the tone and attitude behind what we read, how to speak and what we listen to.This involes understanding the culture of the target language.A major obstacle to critical thinking is prejudice.Everyone has some prejudices because we all have ideas about what is true, false, right or wrong. Students need to be made aware of their own value systems and how they influence judgment and decisions. Once students become more self aware, they are able to compare, contrast, analyse, solve problems and share their values with others and thus become better thinkers and contribute to a better society. Developing critical thinking skills fosters a more positive attitude to the learning process and life as a whole.
When our students leave our classrooms, the WAY they think will have far-reaching consequences for the society. It is in our hands to help create this society and this can or be accomplished by raising our students’ intellectual standards and develop their thinking skills.
Modern materials in EFL should reflect our modern society.