COUNTER ARGUMENT – TEACHER-CENTERED LEARNING

However, it might be objected that critical thinking should impose in language learning whereby student will be given freedom to think and drive to their own conclusion based on their understanding alone. There are teachers who prefer using teacher-centered classroom environment. As Jeremy (2006) stated in his book whereby he worried that letting student’s do the learning by themselves might drive them to a wrong path or mislead them with a wrong idea and interpretations.

Jeremy (2006) emphasized in his book,

Teachers use many metaphors to describe what they do. Sometimes they say that they are like actors because ‘we are always on the stage’. Others think they are like orchestral conductors because ‘I direct conversation and set the pace and tone’. Yet others feel like gardeners because ‘we plant the seed and then we watch them grow’. The range of images – these and others – that teachers use about themselves indicate the range of views that they have about their profession. (p.142)

Furthermore, teachers who view their job as transmission of knowledge from themselves to students are usually very comfortable with the image of themselves as controller. They are in charge of the class and the activity taking place in a way that substantially different from a situation where students working on their own or in groups. Teachers take the roll, tell students things, organize drill, read aloud, and in various other ways exemplify the qualities of a teacher-fronted classroom. Vincent (2005)

In addition, Robert O’Neil an influential English language teaching materials writer and trainer, wrote an article whose title clearly expressed his disquiet in learner-centeredness since he called it ‘The plausible myth of learner-centeredness’. He is worried that letting student do the learning on their own with teachers only intervening when and if needed, might amount to a form of neglect. It could be tantamount to an abdication by the teacher of the knowledge-giving role. “What is wrong with old-fashioned ‘teacher-fronting’” he wondered. Robert (2003) (p.2) He believed that the teacher-fronting classroom seems to work, has always worked and he also stressed that many students feel more comfortable with it.