From Instructor to Transformative Educator: Redefining the Role of Language Teachers
Abstract
This paper explores the changing role of foreign language teachers in response to developments in linguistics, communicative approaches, and second language acquisition research. It highlights the shift from traditional teacher-centred instruction to a more student-centred and reflective approach that values communication, learner autonomy, and critical thinking. Drawing on the ideas of Kumaravadivelu, Martin Peris, Pennycook, and Richards and Lokhart, the study examines how teachers today perform multiple roles beyond transmitting knowledge. The paper discussed the teachers as a passive technician, reflective practitioner, and transformative intellectual, emphasising the importance of reflection, classroom interaction, and sensitivity to students’ individual and sociocultural needs. It also analyses the influence of educational institutions, political contexts, and personal beliefs on teaching practices. In addition, the study explains how post-method pedagogy encourages teachers to develop flexible, context-based strategies that respond to the realities of their classrooms. The paper concludes that modern language teachers are active agents of educational and social transformation.
How to cite this article:
Ansari N. From Instructor to Transformative Educator: Redefining the Role of Language Teachers. J Adv Res Eng & Edu 2025; 10(1): 26-30.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2456.4370.202517
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