Harmer, J (2007) Chapter 6 : Describing teachers. The Practice of English Language Teaching.

pp
107-108. England: Pearson Education Limited.
 Zoltan Dérnyei and Tim Murphey see the business of teaching as the exercise of group
leadership (Dornyei and Murphey 2003: Chapter 6). It is our role as group development
practitioners that really counts, they suggest. One of our principal responsibilities, in other
words, is to foster good relationships with the groups in front of us so that they work together
cooperatively in a spirit of friendliness and harmonious creativity. But how can this best
be achieved? Dérnyei and Murphey suggest that ‘a group conscious teaching style involves
an increasing encouragement of and reliance on the group’s own resources and the active
facilitation of autonomous learning that is in accordance with the maturity level of the group’
(2003: 99). When teachers and groups first meet each other, they suggest, students expect
leadership and direction. This gives them a clear focus and makes them feel secure at the same
time. But as groups develop their group identity, teachers will want to relax their grip and
foster more democratic class practices where students are involved in the process of decision-
making and direction-finding.
Two things need to be said about this view of the teacher’s craft. In the first place, being
democratic and letting students participate in decision-making takes more effort and
organisation than controlling the class from the front. Furthermore, the promotion of learner
autonomy (where students not only learn on their own, but also take responsibility for that
learning), is only one view of the teaching—learning relationship, and is very culturally
biased. In some situations both teachers and learners (and society in general) may feel
suit the
more comfortable with a more autocratic leadership style, and while this might not

CHAPTER 6

it is highly attractive to others.

preferences of some, especially methodologists,
teacher (where the teacher shares some of
It is worth pointing out that being a ‘democratic’
lead ersh ip with the stud ents ) is simp ly one style of teaching, informed by strong beliefs,
the
gs. Some teachers are effective when
of course, but nevertheless only one way of doing thin
teaching in this way, but others may find it more difficult.
ic as teachers, we are called upon to
Whether or not we are more autocratic or democrat
sroom. Our ability to carry these out
play many different roles in a language learning clas
blish with our students, and on
effectively will depend to a large extent on the rapport we esta
our own level of knowledge and skill.