diff --git a/course/teachers.php b/course/teachers.php
index c2e8af832e8..d81f8634115 100644
--- a/course/teachers.php
+++ b/course/teachers.php
@@ -61,17 +61,23 @@
     $table->align = array ("RIGHT", "LEFT", "CENTER", "CENTER");
     $table->size  = array ("35", "", "", "");
 
+    $option[0] = get_string("hide");
+    for ($i=1; $i<=8; $i++) {
+        $option[$i] = $i;
+    }
+
     echo "<FORM ACTION=teachers.php METHOD=post>";
     foreach ($teachers as $teacher) {
 
         $picture = print_user_picture($teacher->id, $course->id, $teacher->picture, false, true);
 
+        $authority = choose_from_menu ($option, "a$teacher->id", $teacher->authority, "", "", "", true);
+
         if (!$teacher->role) {
             $teacher->role = $course->teacher;
         }
 
-        $table->data[] = array ($picture, "$teacher->firstname $teacher->lastname",
-                                "<INPUT TYPE=text NAME=\"a$teacher->id\" VALUE=\"$teacher->authority\" SIZE=2>",
+        $table->data[] = array ($picture, "$teacher->firstname $teacher->lastname", $authority,
                                 "<INPUT TYPE=text NAME=\"r$teacher->id\" VALUE=\"$teacher->role\" SIZE=30>");
     }
     print_table($table);
diff --git a/lang/en/help/teachers.html b/lang/en/help/teachers.html
index 0d0767e65fd..0a482c970f3 100644
--- a/lang/en/help/teachers.html
+++ b/lang/en/help/teachers.html
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@
    (the one you set in the Course Settings page).
 
 <P>You can also order this list (to put the main teacher at the 
-   top, for example).  Simply put a numbers in each box such 
-   as 1, 2, 3 etc.   After pressing "Save changes" you will 
+   top, for example).  Simply select numbers from the menus
+   in the "Order" column. After pressing "Save changes" you will 
    see the new order.
 
-<P><B>NOTE:</B> A special case occurs if you use the number 
-   0 (zero) for a teacher.  In this case, the teacher will 
+<P><B>NOTE:</B> A special case occurs if you use select "Hide"
+   for a teacher.  In this case, the teacher will 
    NOT BE SHOWN on the course listings or the list of 
-   participants.  They will be "invisible" to students
+   participants.  They will be "hidden" from students
    (unless they post messages to the forums etc)
diff --git a/lang/en/moodle.php b/lang/en/moodle.php
index 496d7806122..f0cf27c98b6 100644
--- a/lang/en/moodle.php
+++ b/lang/en/moodle.php
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ $string[helphtml] = "How to write html";
 $string[helppicture] = "How to upload a picture";
 $string[helptext] = "How to write text";
 $string[helpquestions] = "How to ask questions";
+$string[hide] = "Hide";
 $string[home] = "Home";
 $string[htmlformat] = "Pretty HTML format";
 $string[icqnumber] = "ICQ number";
diff --git a/lib/weblib.php b/lib/weblib.php
index 0329cd4b935..b460e0aab72 100644
--- a/lib/weblib.php
+++ b/lib/weblib.php
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ function close_window_button() {
 }
 
 
-function choose_from_menu ($options, $name, $selected="", $nothing="choose", $script="", $nothingvalue="0") {
+function choose_from_menu ($options, $name, $selected="", $nothing="choose", $script="", $nothingvalue="0", $return=false) {
 // $options["value"]["label"]
     
     if ($nothing == "choose") {
@@ -155,26 +155,32 @@ function choose_from_menu ($options, $name, $selected="", $nothing="choose", $sc
     if ($script) {
         $javascript = "onChange=\"$script\"";
     }
-    echo "<SELECT NAME=$name $javascript>\n";
+    $output = "<SELECT NAME=$name $javascript>\n";
     if ($nothing) {
-        echo "   <OPTION VALUE=\"$nothingvalue\"\n";
+        $output .= "   <OPTION VALUE=\"$nothingvalue\"\n";
         if ($nothingvalue == $selected) {
-            echo " SELECTED";
+            $output .= " SELECTED";
         }
-        echo ">$nothing</OPTION>\n";
+        $output .= ">$nothing</OPTION>\n";
     }
     foreach ($options as $value => $label) {
-        echo "   <OPTION VALUE=\"$value\"";
+        $output .= "   <OPTION VALUE=\"$value\"";
         if ($value == $selected) {
-            echo " SELECTED";
+            $output .= " SELECTED";
         }
         if ($label) {
-            echo ">$label</OPTION>\n";
+            $output .= ">$label</OPTION>\n";
         } else {
-            echo ">$value</OPTION>\n";
+            $output .= ">$value</OPTION>\n";
         }
     }
-    echo "</SELECT>\n";
+    $output .= "</SELECT>\n";
+
+    if ($return) {
+        return $output;
+    } else {
+        echo $output;
+    }
 }   
 
 function popup_form ($common, $options, $formname, $selected="", $nothing="choose") {