Questioning the atlas complex: the role of the teacher in the learning process of the adult foreign language student

Abstract

The current paper analyzes what is the role played by English Language teachers along the learning and acquisition process of an adult student through a bibliographical review of scholars that sought to comprehend such learning aspects of adult students. As a result, it was perceived that, driven by uncertainties and insecurities of their adult students, many teachers tend to take total responsibility during the learning and teaching process, that is, the teacher is the center and all are aimed at him. Such behavior reveals to be harmful to the student’s autonomy when the latest need to use it “far from the teacher’s eyes”. The paper concludes by perceiving that the adult students, just like any other student in a learning process, needs to be active in his learning, allowing them to discover ways to overpass obstacles inherent to foreign language learning.