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When I was in high school, I used to get inspired with Biology. Every time I see a single spec of algae in the microscope, witness how intricately wonderful the process of mitosis and meiosis is, look the movement of jellyfishes in the deep ocean, or observe how a flower blooms from a single bud to an extravagantly wonderful bloom. Very inspiring for a young learner, is it not?
However, my passion towards Biology seem to “die” because of, sad to say, my teacher. She seem to be making the lessons difficult to comprehend. She was often absent on her classes and surprisingly give quizes not even related to the discussed lessons. And worse, she assumes that her students learns excellently and often gets mad when they learn nothing and are not motivated to study at all. To be honest, it made me frustrated and eventually, I ended up not learning Biology at all.
This kind of respond to a typical learner is common even in the context of language learning. Language teachers, if they have the same attitude towards their students like of my previous Biology teacher, will end up becoming an instrument to “un-motivate” language learners, instead of inspiring them to learn the language.
That is why language teachers must have the right attitude that significantly contributes to her learner’s increasing progress. As teachers, they must possess a competent, passionate, and inspiring attitude towards their learners for them to be motivated to learn. Take note, a good language teacher is going to be a beneficial factor for her learners because she will provide them with a path to knowledge. Even if she has students who are independent to the point of self-learning, still, as a teacher, she must impart the proper and fathomable knowledge that her learners need.
Particular to language learning which the knowledge is obviously observed if the learners are indeed progressing in their lessons, language teachers must take heed and observe how the learners perform in class, observe their strengths and weaknesses, monitor their progress, guide them if they are behind the lessons already, and of course, become an approachable teacher and a friend to them. Learners in general actually take heed to their teachers if she is approachable and friendly. With this, students can open up their concerns regarding their lessons and the teachers can liberally assist them. A very inspiring learning process, is it?
If only teachers are like this in every foreign language school established around the world, learners will become effective communicators in the future. You and I both know that teachers are mentors of the champions. We should not take their responsibility for granted and so as them not underestimating their capability of training learners to become someone in the world.
