Dear Alan, 

I am Nigussie Negash, a guest teacher for this month, you will find my photo underneath yours.

I have been reading your entries very keenly. I would like to make some comments on the teachers’ responsibilities one of which is creating the ‘flow.’ Yes the teacher has very many and complex responsibilities. For me the challenge becomes too much if they have students who are not, for various reasons, motivated to learn. Teaching as creating conducive environment for learning becomes easy for them if the students are motivated or hungry to learn. In some contexts there are established education practices or students’ cultures that teachers should deal with.  I have thought of Csikszentmihaly's description of flow situations in terms of the learner’s state of engagement. Now you present the teacher’s role in creating the flow atmosphere and you mention the voice factor. I do agree voice use can put of or attract listeners. Yes training in this area can add to what Dick Allwright calls the teacher’s ‘receptivity’ by the students. After all other professions, such political carrier teach public speaking and using the voice to that effect. Of course as you have rightly indicated, teachers who, of course doing public speaking in their own ways, are not trained to exploit their voices.  Reflecting on my experiences as a student, a teacher and now a teacher trainer, I have realized people naturally prefer deep and sonorant or ‘radioic’ voice. But what happens to some naturally squeaky ones?

In some contexts, teachers (of English and other subjects) seem to be respected and therefore listened to, based on how well they speak the language, especially if they have standard British or American accent. But sustaining the flow situation in lessons goes beyond good pronunciation and voice. The teacher should have good contents to deliver at the level appropriate to the students.  What do you think?

Nigussie