Teaching is a profession which includes many aspects, such as qualification, training, skill, dedication, etc. In almost all nations, teaching English at school level requires professional training for recruitment. But in universities, higher education is preferred especially a doctorate. If a university teacher is trained and professionally developed, it is an added advantage. It has been noticed that in the Middle East and in the Gulf region in particular, many teachers of English do not meet the basic requirements: academic qualification, good subject knowledge, proper training, continuous professional development, innovation, research, etc. There is no need to recruit a teacher who possesses certificates without a deep understanding of the subject he is going to teach. Similarly, someone without a proper education and professionalism should not be hired simply because he speaks English well. Currently, many teachers are working on the basis of a professional certificate of one or two months duration, without having genuinely studied the concerned subject: English literature, linguistics or language. They are perhaps wonderful speakers of English but whether they are teachers in terms of theory or practice remains a crucial question. Most of them earned certificates and degrees in management, sociology, history, politics, agriculture, science and so on. Later, they managed to get a certificate of English language teaching. As regards their past experience, many of them worked as HR managers, bus or truck drivers, farmers, plumbers and so on. Urdu is the first language of most Muslims in India who can communicate in Urdu really well. But, they have no moral right or professional authority to teach Urdu in India or abroad unless they are licensed on the basis of academic qualification, intensive teacher training and experience. Similarly, though one can be well-versed in medical, pharmacological and health terminology, one cannot dispense medicine and drugs in pharmacies. Likewise, a pharmacist knows a lot of things about pharmacology and medicine, but he cannot practice as a doctor. Similarly, one may know how to drive, but cannot be allowed to operate a vehicle on the road unless he has a genuine license, which he has earned after a training course and skill development. The question of teaching effectiveness arises because learners are not sufficiently proficient in the target language and teachers and administrators are dissatisfied with these results. Many reasons can be given for this. Moreover, the teacher being the central figure bears a great responsibility for the learners' enhancement. The teacher may possess the communication tool (language), but he may lack a thorough understanding of content and pedagogy. Another teacher many know the subject matter, but lack language and pedagogy. Some teachers may possess the content and language but the pedagogy may be missing. In short, a good teacher should be knowledgeable, communicative and pedagogically equipped in order to be effective in the classroom. In a nutshell, we may ask some questions to address the unsatisfactory level of proficiency in English: 1. Are teachers only speakers of English, but not professionals? 2. Are some only degree holders without enough exposure to the language? 3. Is teaching for most of the teachers only an occupation and not a profession? 4. Is the teacher's job merely a chance and not a choice? 5. Was the training the teachers received suitably carried out or was it just a formality without any significant modification of behavior? 6. Is the instructor familiar with the curricular principles and strategies? 7. Does the teacher actually teach or just speak in the class, and are the students spellbound, mesmerized and attentive without any understanding? 8. Was staffing conducted properly or otherwise? Dr. Intakhab Alam Khan is an Indian educationist, researcher, author and member of the faculty at King Abdulaziz University Community College, Jeddah.
