1 Language Teacher Education in the World Language teacher education is the process through which language teachers develop in their profession. There are a number of political, social and cultural issues that come into play in the process of teaching certain languages across the world. The teacher has to consider factors such as the appropriate methodologies to use, how to design the syllabus, the process of developing content for teaching, and strategies of assessing students. Language teaching is the process through which teachers instruct students and provide them with skills on how to use a language.
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2 Language teacher education is a wide discipline that is constantly changing. In the modern rapidly globalizing world, there is increased demand for language teachers due to the need to communicate effectively. The need to learn some of the world’s most commonly used languages such as Chinese, English, French and Italian has grown so immensely that the demand for language educators cannot be adequately met. Additionally, advancements in digital systems have caused a need to rethink the strategies used to teach language (Lopez, 2004). This paper examines the concept of language teaching, and the most successful forms of language teacher education. Language Teaching Language teaching occurs in a variety of contexts. It may involve teaching a foreign language to students whose first language is different, or increasing students’ knowledge of the language they use as their first language. Language is important because it is the medium through which the student understands everything else that they learn in the course of their education. There is an ever-increasing need for language teachers because learning facilities across the world provide course instructions through language, while international businesses employ translators to ensure that they communicate the correct message. The knowledge and skills that a language teacher needs will differ from student to student, depending on their specific needs. Some student may need to learn how to enunciate certain words, while others might need to learn to read. There are also students who need to learn to use certain words within an everyday context. It is the teacher’s duty to determine the students’ specific needs and develop a teaching program that addresses these needs (North, 2014).
3 Language plays a crucial role in the learning process since it is the building block upon which other classroom subjects are taught. As a result, language teaching requires a high level of competence. It is crucial to create a learning environment that encourages students to make mistakes without fear of judgment and reprimanding. It is the language teacher’s duty to ensure that students learn to express themselves freely (Ricento, 2015). The ability to understand concepts during the education process relies significantly on the student’s grasp of the language of instruction. This has made language teaching a fundamental part of learning. Language Teacher Education It is evident that language teachers play a crucial role in the education and literacy process. Language teacher education should therefore focus on imparting knowledge and skills that equips teachers to practice their craft effectively. Ideally, for language teacher education to achieve success, it should facilitate important factors such as professional development, extensive curriculum knowledge and socialization (Ricento, 2015). Two aspects of language teacher education help in achieving a well-rounded teaching experience. These are knowledge-in-practice and knowledge-for-practice. Knowledge-in-practice refers to the teacher’s experience in imparting skills and knowledge through actual experience in their profession. This aspect of knowledge cannot be formally taught, the teacher only develops it through regular interaction with students. Every teacher has a unique knowledge-in-practice that makes them approach teaching differently from their peers. Knowledge-for-practice, on the other hand, refers to the formal teaching requirements such as language teaching certification, adherence to accreditation guidelines and competence in the teaching curriculum. Language teacher education emphasizes what the teacher knows and is able to do; that is knowledge, skills and experience (McCormack-Colbert, et al., 2018). The
4 teacher must have ample knowledge and command of the curriculum they teach because it is only through becoming fully competent that they are able to provide meaningful knowledge to learners. In today’s multi-cultural word, language teacher education should also pay particular attention to inclusiveness. This will enable them to be socio-politically sensitive enough to understand that they have a direct impact on students. Thus, for language teacher education to be considered effective, it should embrace diversity (North, 2014). In today’s world where cultural and racial diversity have become the norm, language teacher education should be grounded on the principle of teaching the course instructors that they ought to accommodate people’s similarities, differences, strengths and weaknesses. A language teacher should know how to teach students who have minimal grasp of the language without highlighting their lack of knowledge negatively. Language teachers, are in essence, the mediators between different cultures. The modern language teaching education is student-centered as opposed to being teachercentered. Teachers encourage students to be active participants in the education process by promoting discussion, and encouraging them to ask questions in case they need any clarification. To truly learn a language, the student must communicate in it constantly. The Process of Language Teacher Education Language education plays a critical role in preparing students to be global citizens. It gives people of different cultures the opportunity to communicate in a similar language. Language is closely related to culture, thus, it is impossible to introduce language teacher education without considering its implication on culture (Ziegler, 2013). In the modern multicultural classroom, teachers should be instructed on how to tactfully handle issues of race, culture, gender and class. More than ever, language teacher education encompasses more than
5 simply teaching students how to speak a language. It prepares teachers to be socially, culturally and politically competent. A good language teacher is one who understands how to handle each situation with the approach it requires. A critical function of modern-day language teacher education is teaching the teacher to view their job more broadly. Thus, language teacher education programs should be innovative enough to factor in modern-day needs. There are several strategies used in the process of teaching language teachers. These include, teaching them through the traditional classroom set up, where there is a teacher and an instructor. The instructor takes the teacher through the curriculum to be used for teaching students. The second strategy is learning through coaching or mentoring. This involves allowing the teacher to take responsibility for their own learning but with the supervision of a mentor or coach. This type of learning provides on-the-job experience for the teacher, giving them the confidence that they can perform their duties effectively. It is vital for the teacher to learn from their practice through their work (Liddicoat, & Baldauf, 2008). In the majority of countries around the world, language teachers learn in the traditional way. That is, a physical classroom environment where they learn from a pre-determined syllabus and tests are administered periodically. There are also several countries around the world where language teachers are hardly recognized for their efforts, and are offered a low remuneration. In such situations, it is upon the teacher to motivate themselves to enroll into development programs where they can enhance their skills (Scheffler, & Cinciala, 2010). By continually improving their skills, teachers position themselves to offer a higher-quality of education to students. They also enhance their ability to find better opportunities Modern day language teaching requires instructors who understand how to handle different cultural settings. To enhance their knowledge, teachers
6 should work in groups where they can exchange knowledge about their skills, qualifications and experience. Conclusion Globally, people use language to communicate. In today’s fast-paced multicultural environment, it is vital for teachers to learn how to develop a curriculum that caters to the everevolving needs of students. Language should strive to have relevant content, which is geared towards the attainment of important objectives. Each language course should have a wellspecified objective. The power of learning a language is one of the key interests in the development of a curriculum.
Reference Liddicoat, A., & Baldauf, R. (2008). Language planning and policy. Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters. Lopez, E. (2004). Implicit and Explicit Teaching of Grammar: An Empirical Study. Sino-US English Teaching, 5, 7-22. doi: 10.17265/1539-8072/2015.08.002 McCormack-Colbert, A., Ware, J., & Wyn Jones, S. (2018). Developing writing skills of learners with persistent literacy difficulties through explicit grammar teaching. Support For Learning, 33(2), 165-189. doi: 10.1111/1467-9604.12200
7 North, B. (2014). The CEFR in practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ricento, T. (2015). Language Policy and Political Economy: English in a Global Context. Oxford University Press. Scheffler, P., & Cinciala, M. (2010). Explicit grammar rules and L2 acquisition. ELT Journal, 65(1), 13-23. doi: 10.1093/elt/ccq019 Ziegler, G. (2013). Multilingualism and the language education landscape. Multilingual Education, 3(1). doi: 10.1186/2191-5059-3-1