The teacher''s age may also be an important factor. It is usually associated with teaching
experience, which in turn may
help to explain the teacher''s
‑ efficiency in the class,
‑ activity, energy and movement in the classroom,
‑ openness to innovations and new methodological approaches,
‑ enthusiasm and degree of hopefulness, which may decrease with age,
‑ willingness to strive and improve teaching and learning conditions, etc.
Other aspects related to age, though interesting and controversial, remain quite unknown:
‑ What provides better results: the
experience of old teachers or the energy of young ones? What is preferable in classes: experience or youth? What teaching styles are more efficient?
‑ What are the routines and characteristic teaching styles of old, middle‑aged and young teachers? What are their common features and practices?
The teacher''s social class, ideology, and beliefs derived from his/her background may also influence his/her behaviour and performance in class and the type of attitudes and beliefs (s) he transmits, supports and develops in his/her students. Sometimes the teacher''s ideology may be related to his/her compromise and commitment with the type of instruction and education (s) he provides. For example, some
progressive teachers identify themselves with certain practices, which are associated with the progressive teaching movement. Other teachers maintain beliefs that are more traditional and teaching styles or combine the progressive and traditional practices opting for different positions in this continuum:
‑ Integrate subjects and contents (globalization, cross‑curricular activities)
‑ Act as facilitator of learning experiences.
‑ Learners are active agents of their learning.
‑ Students negotiate curriculum.
‑ Encourage students to learn through discovering techniques.
‑ Promote intrinsic motivation.
‑ Do not give much importance to grades and academic standards.
‑ Administer few regular exams.
‑ Give emphasis to team work. Do not promote competitiveness.
‑ Their teaching goes beyond the classroom setting.
‑ Orient their exercises towards creativity.
‑ Treat subjects more independently.
‑ Act as instructors. They are the main source of knowledge.
‑ Learners play a more passive role.
‑ Determine and set the L2 curriculum.
‑ Encourage students to learn through study, repetition, and practice.
‑ Use extrinsic motivation techniques: rewards, "carrot and stick techniques".
‑ Give great importance to academic standards.
‑ Administer regular exams.
‑ Put emphasis on individual emulation and competitiveness
‑ Teaching takes place in the classroom.
- Seek the reproduction and imitation of given models.
The teacher – a quantity of issues establish the superiority and effectiveness of a foreign language teacher. The subsequent appear to be of main significance:
1. his command of the language,
2. his knowledge of the native language of the learners,
3. his training and experience in foreign language teaching,
4. his expressive faculties,
5. his teaching load.
The teacher’s command of the language taught.