Abstract

Teachers play important and various roles in teaching activities. In addition to the traditional roles of knowledge transmitter, designer and organizer of teaching activities, evaluator of students’ performance and researcher of teaching methods, teachers should also serve as an instructor, model, helper, motivator, supporter, participant and creator. However, due to this complex variety of roles, there exist certain differences or a gap between teachers’ actual performance of roles in classroom teaching and students’ expectations of their English teachers in classroom teaching. These differences have great impact on teachers’ teaching quality and students’ learning effect. This paper makes an empirical study on the roles played by English teachers in classroom teaching in junior middle school. It aims to find out the differences between junior middle school students’ expectations of their English teachers’ roles in classroom teaching and the actual roles junior middle school English teachers have actually played in class, so that students and teachers can have a more rational and comprehensive understanding of English teachers’ roles in junior middle school, and teachers can improve their teaching effectiveness through the adjustment of their roles role.

Key words: teachers’ roles; role expectation; actual performance; difference

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Reviews of Studies on English Teachers’ Roles in Classroom Teaching-2

2.1 Definition of Teacher’s Role-2

2.2 Studies on English Teachers’ Roles in Classroom Teaching-3

2.2.1 Relevant Studies Abroad-3

2.2.2 Relevant Studies in China-5

3 Research Methodology-7

3.1 Research Questions-7

3.2 Research Subjects-7

3.3 Research Methods and Instruments-8

3.4 Data Collection and Analysis-8

4 Results and Discussion-9

4.1 Results and Discussion of Students’ Expectations of English Teachers’ Roles-9

4.2 Results and Discussion of English Teachers’ Actual Roles-11

4.3 Differences between Students’ Expectations and Teachers’ Actual Performances of Roles in English Class-14

5 Conclusion-17

Reference-20

Appendix I-20

Appendix II-21

Acknowledgements-22