Metaphor

The teaching and learning of any language has become somehow in a science. Thus, teachers have developed a bunch of theories and methods to make language learning as suitable as possible for every single person in the world. More than teachers, we are nothing but a compass which helps students no to lose their track of the road, not to get sink in a sea of knowledge. As a compass is relevant for us to have a clear idea what students really want to learn taking advantage of their particular skills. It means that is compulsory for us to acknowledge what students feel more comfortable and confident with to take the most out of them in the sense of L2 learning. Also, it must be said that the acquisition of a foreign language must be taken as a ladder that take language learners through a series of steps, one harder than the previous one. Hence, the role of teachers is to make the language learning process easier for them in terms of the variety of approaches and methods we can apply in the classroom to make it enjoyable.   

Likewise, in order to make learners become successful in an L2 we must be a kind of pole to support them anytime. The success of a foreign language students is equivalent to the effort that the teacher make in terms of the decisions he/she does when implementing the materials and tools in a EFL setting. Thus, the teachers’ support is not only addressed in the sense of cheering learners up (motivation) but also to support them by employing appropriate resources in the language learning process.

Learners are kites, let them fly free, let them move in the direction they sometimes want because they are the core of the process. We are the wires that monitor those kites in the direction we want and we are the ones who can make students fly up further or down closer. From time to time, we feel our kites are going down to the ground, and it is our duty to look for the right stream of wind that allow students to go beyond their knowledge boundaries.

Finally, language learning must be taken not just as a mechanic or a rigid process. Learning is dynamic and language learning is not the exception. The more meaningful resources we apply the more is likely for students to be motivated and engaged with the language. EFL is not only about words, it is about metalinguistic issues namely mimics, signs and face expressions, it not about a book, a board, and a teacher, is about enjoying and having fun. It is in our hands to make language accountable for our students.