Faculty of Education - Theses

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Start date: 1960 × End date: 1979 × Subject: Study and teaching × Author: Cosopodiotis, Theodora Catherine ×

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    The social role of the English teacher
    Cosopodiotis, Theodora Catherine ( 1978)
    The concern of this thesis has been to probe the various expectations of those involved in the teaching and learning processes of English. This has been done in part through questionnaires, surveys, discussions, reports, and the writings done by teachers and students. The comments of educationists, psychologists, sociologists, and the media, have been related to the material wherever possible. Factors such as the socio-economic status of students, their ethnicity, different levels of motivation, occupational aspirations, and their beliefs and values, were also noted for their relevance to the acquiring of language skills. These and similar factors were seen to determine to a large extent the educational environment that is needed to generate in students a motivation to learn, to think critically, and to develop defensible ideas about themselves and society. For this reason, it has been suggested that the inter-disciplinary approach to English and English Literature through psychology, sociology and philosophy, may be seen as relevant to students in their study of the individual and society. Consciously or unconsciously, teachers impart norms of the individual's role in society. It may seem logical then to expect that teachers become familiar both with the substantive content of certain topics and issues that help them to define the role of the individual in society, and with the role of the school in dealing effectively with emerging social problems. Remedial and migrant students form part of the social problems that have caused the teaching of English to be criticised by the media and by concerned educationists. An examination of the problems of illiteracy, and solutions suggested by many writers on the subject, is compared with the experiences of those who are involved in remedial and migrant English teaching. Overall, an attempt has been made to define the role of the teacher of English in such a way as to encompass the varied needs of students in an increasingly complex society. The sixth form students in their replies to the HSC questionnaire, showed a desire to study the psychological, sociological and philosophical aspects of the literature read, and to relate it to their own lives, and to society in general. Literature was thus used for increasing self-awareness. This seems to suggest that teachers may need to re-evaluate their approach to the teaching of English in order to accommodate all students at all levels who desire to use English as an instrument of communication in its fullest sense.