Module 1 Unit 3:

What makes a competent and effective teacher?

If you have never taught before, this will be the biggest question in your mind.
Even if you have already started teaching but it’s early days, this will still be a
big question in your mind.

As in any working role, the goal a person aims for is competence. But what is
competence and what makes a competent teacher?

The best place for us to start is for us to agree on what the word competent
means. The Oxford Dictionaries tells us that competent means having the
necessary ability, knowledge or skill to do something successfully.

Far be it from us to question this dictionary definition when relating it to

teacher competence… but here goes.

Our experience tells us that you also need to include habits when considering
how competent you are as a teacher.

For example, it seems to us that you turning up at the classroom on time,

ready to greet your students and welcoming them as they come into the
classroom is a very good habit. So is you reflecting on how the lesson panned
out, immediately after the lesson or as soon as it’s possible.

So, let’s expand our definition of a competent teacher to: A person who has
the knowledge, ability, skills and habits necessary to teach successfully.We
hope you agree with this definition.

Notice that we changed the order of the words a bit. There was a practical
reason for this as you will be able to recall these critical components of
competence by the mnemonic KASH for knowledge, ability, skills and habits.

So, when you’re asked to contribute your thoughts on what makes a

competent teacher during a staff meeting, you’ll have a good aide-memoire by
using the mnemonic KASH.

Here’s what we believe are the key traits and characteristics of a

competent and effective teacher. We have broken this down into 2 sections:

1. adheres to a Code of Practice for Teachers – at all times

2. demonstrates the necessary knowledge, abilities, skills and habits – at
all times.
1. Adheres to a Code of Practice for Teachers at all times

You’ll find on your travels that many schools do not have a Code of Practice
that you are asked to follow. Don’t worry about this – it’s just the way things
are. It doesn’t stop you from following YOUR Code of Practice.

So, where do you get this? Don’t worry; we have one already made up for
you. YOUR Code of Practice has been developed by ACCREDITAT
(www.accreditat.com), who are our accrediting body. It’s based on their
experiences and the experiences of thousands of teachers in EFL.

Here it is:
ACCREDITAT Code of Practice for Teachers

At the heart of the ACCREDITAT Code of Practice for Teachers is:

● a conviction that excellence is achieved via competence
● a belief in the worth, individuality and dignity of each person
● a commitment to truth, excellence and democratic principles
● an allegiance to freedom to learn and teach
● a dedication to the principle of equal opportunity for all

Members of the TEFL/TESOL teaching profession are committed to

demonstrating the following values and ideals which underpin the profession:

Honesty and Integrity

● creating and maintaining appropriate professional relationships in the
classroom, school and in public
● acting with impartiality, truthfulness and honesty
● displaying consistently high standards of personal and professional
behaviour
● refraining from disclosing information about colleagues in the course of
professional service unless disclosure serves a compelling professional
purpose or is required by law
● refraining from any abuse of a position of authority or relationships with
students, parents, carers or colleagues for financial, political or
personal gain
● acting according to the law

Dignity and Diversity

● valuing diversity and treating students, parents, carers and colleagues
equitably and fairly and with care and compassion while respecting the
uniqueness of family and socio-economic backgrounds, cultures,
races, religions and beliefs
 ● valuing the learning needs, effort, and potential, and acknowledging the
uniqueness, of each student
● improving the wellbeing and progress of those students with special
needs
● fostering the valuing of diversity and encouraging the development of
international, multicultural, gender, and indigenous and other
perspectives
● allowing, reasonably, the students’ access to varying points of view

Respect and Trust

● acknowledging that relationships with students and their families must
be based on mutual respect, trust and confidentiality of personal
information, unless disclosure of any information serves a compelling
professional purpose or is required by law
● acknowledging the contribution that mutual respect, trust and
confidentiality make to students’ wellbeing and learning
● acknowledging the desires and hopes of the students’ families and
carers
● acting with educational colleagues and the wider community in ways
which enhance the profession
● acknowledging the status, responsibilities and authority of colleagues
● remaining open to constructive criticism from peers and showing
respect and consideration for different viewpoints

Responsibility and Accountability

● giving priority to the education and welfare of all students in our care
● guiding and encouraging students to achieve their potential, ensuring
all students have an equal opportunity to achieve their potential
● creating interactive learning environments, rather than environments in
which the students are merely passive recipients of information
● regarding themselves as learners and engaging in continuous
professional development, and improving teaching and learning
strategies for themselves and colleagues
● working collaboratively, co-operatively and enthusiastically with
colleagues and other educational bodies in the best interests of the
education and welfare of the students
● taking precautions to distinguish between their personal views and
those of the local school district or governing body
● promoting the ongoing development of teaching as a profession
● upholding school policies, procedures and practices
● modelling the behaviour, attitudes and positive values which are widely
accepted in society and encouraging students to apply them and
critically appreciate their significance
Care and Protection
● having empathy and respect for, and rapport with, students and their
families and carers, colleagues and communities
● committing to students’ wellbeing and learning through the practice of
positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice
● adhering to the school’s student protection policies and procedures
● making reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful
to learning or to health and safety
● refraining from any racial, gender, political, verbal, physical or
emotional abuse, embarrassment or harassment
● being generous with praise and giving positive inputs and feedback

Fairness and Justice

● being fair and reasonable at all times
● being committed to the wellbeing of individuals and the community and
to the common good
● resolving competing claims or problems arising from different ethical
principles and different interest groups through reflective professional
discussion

Adhere to this and you won’t go wrong. Print this off and keep it with you
always. Reflect on it frequently. It will serve you well.

2. Demonstrates the necessary knowledge, abilities, skills and habits –

at all times.

Here are the key areas of knowledge, abilities, skills and habits you should
aim to nurture and demonstrate in your day-to-day teaching.

1. Demonstrate that you are warm, caring and approachable

You can demonstrate this in many ways, e.g. being approachable at all times,
being a person that students can go to with any concerns or to share an
amusing story, being an active listener, trying very hard to be consistent even
although you may feel under the weather etc.

2. Establish good rapport and relationships with all learners at all times
This doesn’t mean that you strive to be humorous at all times. Some older
students may not take to this. They may feel that too much fun is eating up
their valuable time. Or some students may come from a culture where humour
in the classroom is not the accepted thing.
Rapport exists when people develop a feeling of harmony, well-being and
security. The same processes are involved whether we’re applying them to
learners or anyone else in the school.
3. Foster a constructive learning experience
For example:
● everything is planned
● there are good class routines
● standards of behaviour are agreed
● an inclusive environment is created where all learners are treated fairly
and equally

4. Create a sense of community and belonging in the classroom

● A classroom community is one where:
● everyone feels accepted and supported as a vital part of the
community
● there is a sense of belonging
● collaboration to achieve the goal is at the centre
● positive social skills are promoted
● students know they can depend not only on the teacher but also on the
whole class

Creating a classroom community spirit is critical to the success of you and

your students. This promotes learning, engagement, and retention. The more
students feel comfortable, the more they will participate, engage, learn and
retain the learning.

5. Set high, yet achievable, expectations for your students

The expectations that you propound for your students will influence their
achievement levels. If you set low achievement expectations, then it’s likely
you’ll get low achievement levels. Generally, students give their teacher as
much or as little that is expected of them by the teacher. So, set high, yet
achievable, expectations.

6. Plan and work flexibly

Although you will have planned well, things don’t always go to plan. So, reflect
on what might not go to plan. Based on continuous monitoring, you’ll be ready
to change tack a bit or find a new way to present the material seamlessly,
without anyone else being aware of these necessary changes.

7. Adjust your own level of English to suit the class

There are no prizes for any teacher who uses fancy or complex language.

8. Always give clear, precise instructions

9. Choose appropriate moments for correcting the learners’ language
When students are in full flow and are communicating, it’s often wise to let it
run even if there are mistakes. After they have finished, you can then pick up
on the mistakes.

10. Understand the need to use a range of relevant and suitable

materials and resources
Be prepared to make your own supplementary materials. These are often
much better and more relevant than materials in course books.

11. Work successfully with learners at different levels

Yes, this can be daunting at first but with good planning and good materials
everything will work seamlessly.

12. Enable learners to feel a sense of progress

13. Assess fairly and frequently, and plan on the basis of assessment

14. Recognise and understand the range of backgrounds and

experiences within the learner group

15. Employ a range of teaching styles and approaches at different

stages and in different contexts

16. Understand the broad range of learner needs including the needs of
learners with learning difficulties

17. Reduce your teacher talking time (TTT) and maximise student talking
time (STT)
Teachers just talk far too much.

18. Reflect and self-appraise continuously

Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. Even NASA sometimes
has to change plans at the last moment! By making reflection and
self-appraisal a daily habit, you will reduce the occasions where things don’t
exactly go to plan.

19. Facilitate language learning and acquisition both inside and outside
the classroom
Never view your classroom as an island.

In addition to bringing bits of the real world into the classroom (e.g.
newspapers, CDs and videos), you can, if allowed by the school authorities,
take your students out into the world during class time, effectively using it as
an extension of the classroom.

Learners need to use and understand language outside the classroom, so

that they can progress. Become a user of inside and outside activities and you
will observe remarkable progress in your students as they put into practice
what has been learned in the classroom.

In summary, the end goal for you should be a mix of these traits and
characteristics. In essence, the end goal you are aiming for is an ‘effective
and competent teacher cocktail’.

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