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This unit provides descriptions of the qualities that constitute 'good' teachers and 'good' students, differences in how to approach teaching based on the age of one's students, as well as a breakdown of the different proficiency levels of learners. To be a 'good' teacher, one must balance many responsibilities, including being the manager, organizer, assessor, prompter, participant, tutor, facilitator, model, and observer during lessons. Even though a 'good' teacher should care about his/her teaching, it is more important that he/she care about the learning of the students. A kind, caring, and encouraging approach to teaching helps assuage students' fears about language learning and experimentation as some students will have preconceived notions about his/her ability to succeed. Lessons should be varied, interesting, enjoyable, and useful to motivate learners to participate actively and willingly, especially in the case of young learners who may not be voluntarily attending lessons. Adult learners and young learners face different obstacles when learning new languages. While adults encounter anxiety, set beliefs about one's own abilities, and language awareness problems, young learners must persevere despite being at the disadvantage of having less life experience (resulting in limited topics) and potential behavioral issues (caused by a lack of motivation and other issues) that could derail lessons. One's culture can even play a role in a learner's ability to interact with the new language; such as extreme structure and discipline discouraging natural acquisition-type experiences one may have had while learning his/her mother tongue, like chatting with peers about personal interests or learning new vocabulary through games and other louder and engaging activities. Fun games can be a motivation factor for young learners to participate. Adults have a variety of motivations for learning a new language from the academic desire to pass exams or study abroad to the leisurely desire to travel, and may also include the professional desire to better increase career opportunities and communicate with colleagues. No matter the motivation, language learners can be divided into proficiency levels. One of the more common rating systems breaks learners into six levels: beginner, elementary, low/pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced. The Common European Framework also has six levels: breakthrough, basic user, A1; waystage, basic user, A2; threshold, independent user, B1; vantage, independent user, B1; effective operational proficiency, proficient user, C1; and mastery, proficient user, C2. While taking into account a learner's proficiency level, motivations, and age, a 'good' teacher can use his/her qualities of enthusiasm and sensitivity to create a learning environment that encourages and inspires all learners present to overcome their anxieties and personal obstacles to take in a new language and become 'good' students themselves.
