Unit 3: What Makes a Competent Teacher PDF

**Unit 3: What makes a competent and effective teacher?** If you have never taught before, this will be the biggest question in your mind. Even if you have already started teaching but it's early days, this will still be a big question in your mind. As in any working role, the goal a person aims f...

**Unit 3: What makes a competent and effective teacher?** If you have never taught before, this will be the biggest question in your mind. Even if you have already started teaching but it's early days, this will still be a big question in your mind. As in any working role, the goal a person aims for is competence. But what is competence and what makes a competent teacher? The best place for us to start is for us to agree on what the word *competent* means. The Oxford Dictionaries tells us that *competent* means *having the necessary ability, knowledge or skill to do something successfully*. Far be it from us to question this dictionary definition when relating it to teacher competence... but here goes. Our experience tells us that you also need to include ***habits*** when considering how competent you are as a teacher. For example, it seems to us that you turning up at the classroom on time, ready to greet your students and welcoming them as they come into the classroom is a very good habit. So is you reflecting on how the lesson panned out, immediately after the lesson or as soon as it's possible. **So, let's expand our definition of *a competent teacher* to: *A person who has the knowledge, ability, skills and habits necessary to teach successfully.***We hope you agree with this definition. Notice that we changed the order of the words a bit. There was a practical reason for this as you will be able to recall these critical components of competence by the **mnemonic *KASH* for knowledge, ability, skills and habits.** So, when you're asked to contribute your thoughts on what makes a competent teacher during a staff meeting, you'll have a good aide-memoire by using the mnemonic KASH. Here's what we believe are the key traits and characteristics of a competent and effective teacher. We have broken this down into 2 sections: - **adheres to a Code of Practice for Teachers -- at all times** - **demonstrates the necessary knowledge, abilities, skills and habits -- at all times.** **1. Adheres to a Code of Practice for Teachers at all times** You'll find on your travels that many schools do not have a Code of Practice that you are asked to follow. Don't worry about this -- it's just the way things are. It doesn't stop you from following YOUR Code of Practice. So, where do you get this? Don't worry; we have one already made up for you. YOUR Code of Practice has been developed by ACCREDITAT ([www.accreditat.com](http://www.accreditat.com/)), who are our accrediting body. It's based on their experiences and the experiences of thousands of teachers in EFL. Here it is: **ACCREDITAT Code of Practice for Teachers** At the heart of the ACCREDITAT Code of Practice for Teachers is: - a conviction that excellence is achieved via competence - a belief in the worth, individuality and dignity of each person - a commitment to truth, excellence and democratic principles - an allegiance to freedom to learn and teach - a dedication to the principle of equal opportunity for all Members of the TEFL/TESOL teaching profession are committed to demonstrating the following values and ideals which underpin the profession: [Honesty and Integrity] - creating and maintaining appropriate professional relationships in the classroom, school and in public - acting with impartiality, truthfulness and honesty - displaying consistently high standards of personal and professional behaviour - refraining from disclosing information about colleagues in the course of professional service unless disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law - refraining from any abuse of a position of authority or relationships with students, parents, carers or colleagues for financial, political or personal gain - acting according to the law [Dignity and Diversity] - valuing diversity and treating students, parents, carers and colleagues equitably and fairly and with care and compassion while respecting the uniqueness of family and socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, races, religions and beliefs - valuing the learning needs, effort, and potential, and acknowledging the uniqueness, of each student - improving the wellbeing and progress of those students with special needs - fostering the valuing of diversity and encouraging the development of international, multicultural, gender, and indigenous and other perspectives - allowing, reasonably, the students' access to varying points of view [Respect and Trust] - acknowledging that relationships with students and their families must be based on mutual respect, trust and confidentiality of personal information, unless disclosure of any information serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law - acknowledging the contribution that mutual respect, trust and confidentiality make to students' wellbeing and learning - acknowledging the desires and hopes of the students' families and carers - acting with educational colleagues and the wider community in ways which enhance the profession - acknowledging the status, responsibilities and authority of colleagues - remaining open to constructive criticism from peers and showing respect and consideration for different viewpoints [Responsibility and Accountability] - giving priority to the education and welfare of all students in our care - guiding and encouraging students to achieve their potential, ensuring all students have an equal opportunity to achieve their potential - creating interactive learning environments, rather than environments in which the students are merely passive recipients of information - regarding themselves as learners and engaging in continuous professional development, and improving teaching and learning strategies for themselves and colleagues - working collaboratively, co-operatively and enthusiastically with colleagues and other educational bodies in the best interests of the education and welfare of the students - taking precautions to distinguish between their personal views and those of the local school district or governing body - promoting the ongoing development of teaching as a profession - upholding school policies, procedures and practices - modelling the behaviour, attitudes and positive values which are widely accepted in society and encouraging students to apply them and critically appreciate their significance [Care and Protection] - having empathy and respect for, and rapport with, students and their families and carers, colleagues and communities - committing to students' wellbeing and learning through the practice of positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice - adhering to the school's student protection policies and procedures - making reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning or to health and safety - refraining from any racial, gender, political, verbal, physical or emotional abuse, embarrassment or harassment - being generous with praise and giving positive inputs and feedback [Fairness and Justice] - being fair and reasonable at all times - being committed to the wellbeing of individuals and the community and to the common good - resolving competing claims or problems arising from different ethical principles and different interest groups through reflective professional discussion **Adhere to this and you won't go wrong. Print this off and keep it with you always. Reflect on it frequently. It will serve you well.** **2. Demonstrates the necessary knowledge, abilities, skills and habits -- at all times.** Here are the key areas of knowledge, abilities, skills and habits you should aim to nurture and demonstrate in your day-to-day teaching. **1. Demonstrate that you are warm, caring and approachable** You can demonstrate this in many ways, e.g. being approachable at all times, being a person that students can go to with any concerns or to share an amusing story, being an active listener, trying very hard to be consistent even although you may feel under the weather etc. **2. Establish good rapport and relationships with all learners at all times** This doesn't mean that you strive to be humorous at all times. Some older students may not take to this. They may feel that too much fun is eating up their valuable time. Or some students may come from a culture where humour in the classroom is not the accepted thing. Rapport exists when people develop a feeling of harmony, well-being and security. The same processes are involved whether we're applying them to learners or anyone else in the school. **3. Foster a constructive learning experience** For example: - everything is planned - there are good class routines - standards of behaviour are agreed - an inclusive environment is created where all learners are treated fairly and equally **4. Create a sense of community and belonging in the classroom** A classroom community is one where: - everyone feels accepted and supported as a vital part of the community - there is a sense of belonging - collaboration to achieve the goal is at the centre - positive social skills are promoted - students know they can depend not only on the teacher but also on the whole class Creating a classroom community spirit is critical to the success of you and your students. This promotes learning, engagement, and retention. The more students feel comfortable, the more they will participate, engage, learn and retain the learning. **5. Set high, yet achievable, expectations for your students** The expectations that you propound for your students will influence their achievement levels. If you set low achievement expectations, then it's likely you'll get low achievement levels. Generally, students give their teacher as much or as little that is expected of them by the teacher. So, set high, yet achievable, expectations. **6. Plan and work flexibly** Although you will have planned well, things don't always go to plan. So, reflect on what might not go to plan. Based on continuous monitoring, you'll be ready to change tack a bit or find a new way to present the material seamlessly, without anyone else being aware of these necessary changes. **7. Adjust your own level of English to suit the class** There are no prizes for any teacher who uses fancy or complex language. **8. Always give clear, precise instructions** **9. Choose appropriate moments for correcting the learners' language** When students are in full flow and are communicating, it's often wise to let it run even if there are mistakes. After they have finished, you can then pick up on the mistakes. **10. Understand the need to use a range of relevant and suitable materials and resources** Be prepared to make your own supplementary materials. These are often much better and more relevant than materials in course books. **11. Work successfully with learners at different levels** Yes, this can be daunting at first but with good planning and good materials everything will work seamlessly. **12. Enable learners to feel a sense of progress** **13. Assess fairly and frequently, and plan on the basis of assessment** **14. Recognise and understand the range of backgrounds and experiences within the learner group** **15. Employ a range of teaching styles and approaches at different stages and in different contexts** **16. Understand the broad range of learner needs including the needs of learners with learning difficulties** **17. Reduce your teacher talking time (TTT) and maximise student talking time (STT)** Teachers just talk far too much. **18. Reflect and self-appraise continuously** Of course, things don't always go according to plan. Even NASA sometimes has to change plans at the last moment! By making reflection and self-appraisal a daily habit, you will reduce the occasions where things don't exactly go to plan. **19. Facilitate language learning and acquisition both inside and outside the classroom** **Never **view your classroom as an island. In addition to bringing bits of the real world into the classroom (e.g. newspapers, CDs and videos), you can, if allowed by the school authorities, take your students out into the world during class time, effectively using it as an extension of the classroom. Learners need to use and understand language outside the classroom, so that they can progress. Become a user of inside and outside activities and you will observe remarkable progress in your students as they put into practice what has been learned in the classroom. **In summary, the end goal for you should be a mix of these traits and characteristics. In essence, the end goal you are aiming for is an 'effective and competent teacher cocktail'.**