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To my personal conviction, a teacher, especially a language teacher, is like a shepherd. To begin with, teachers prescribe behavior just like the shepherd disciplining the sheep to stay together as well as going off after lost ones, and protecting the sheep in the field and in the fold. In a language classroom, the teacher will first introduce some ground rules, like no eating, no talking while others are talking, no plagiarism, etc. The students are supposed to follow the rules and the ones that don’t follow the rules will be warned by the teacher. The teacher should also be aware of the students’ situations, bringing them back on track. Second, teachers actively shape students’ learning structures, just like the shepherd grooming and clipping sheep. For instance, if the student speaks fluent English with terrible grammar, it is the teacher’s duty to put aside the pursuit for standard pronunciation, but to reinforce the basic grammar knowledge of the student. Vice versa, if the student has strength in writing, the teacher should give special attention and push beyond. Last but not the least, teachers provide a nurturing environment and learning opportunities just like shepherd bringing sheep to good pasture lands and water, feeding them with the best grass they can find. What teachers constantly do is to assign tasks that students are able to do themselves and then move on to tasks just beyond their ability. From ZAD (Zone of Actual Development) to ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) and back to ZAD, teachers help students internalize the strategies and language points with assistance and help them “scaffolding”. |