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This unit discusses the qualities of good teachers and good learners, the different roles that teachers undertake in the classroom, and the differences between adult learners and young learners. I learned that a teacher needs to take on many different roles in the classroom, and they must be able to transition easily from one role to another in order for lessons to run smoothly and for them to be able to help their students. For example, while giving a lecture or presentation, the teacher must act as the manager or controller of the class--but if that lecture or presentation is followed by an activity relevant to the material being studied, then the teacher must quickly become an organizer to get the activity started (i.e., breaking students into groups, giving instructions on what is to be done in the activity). Subsequently, the teacher must become the facilitator, taking a step back and letting the students do the activity, but also remaining present in case students need help. (Or, if the activity involves group work and requires the teacher to join the activity to even out the number of students, then the teacher becomes a participant.) Then, once the activity is complete, the teacher must again become the organizer to bring the activity to a close and gather feedback and/or have the students reflect on what they did. I also learned that there are both advantages and disadvantages for adult learners and young learners--neither one necessarily has a clear advantage over the other. For example, adult learners tend to be more motivated than young learners because they've made a conscious decision with reasons to study (English); but young learners haven't necessarily made such a decision, so they may be less motivated to study. On the other hand, adult learners tend to be more self-conscious and nervous when it comes to trying out a new language, so they may be more hesitant to experiment; but young learners tend to be less nervous and more open to trying new things, so they may be more open to experimenting, which can enhance their learning (of English). Overall, it's important to consider and understand the qualities of good teachers and learners (including the background, strengths, and weaknesses of those learners), so that a teacher can think about and understand what he/she needs to do in order to help and encourage students in their learning.
