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Remember Why You’re Learning English
Sometimes
the going gets tough. Students are overwhelmed by the amount of work they have
to do for their other classes. Adults have too much going on at work. When
students start complaining about their workload,
suggest that they look
at the big picture. The business English students need to remember that
improving their English skills will open doors to better job opportunities. Young learners need
to remember that they have an important international examination coming at the
end of the year. Every student has a reason for learning English. Make sure
they never lose sight of what it is.
Set Milestones for Your
Overall Goal
Some
students are very clear about what they hope to accomplish. Some want to sit
for the PET this year, the FCE next year and the CAE the following year. Others
want to go from beginner to intermediate to advanced. If you have
students who are unclear about what they can accomplish, specifically, and
their timeframe to achieve this, maybe you can give them a nudge in the right
direction and help them set some milestones.
Nourish Your Brain and
Your Body
Students who
are tired or hungry have trouble concentrating in class. If you have students
who are burning the candle at both ends, remind them of the importance
of getting enough rest and balanced meals. Their performance inside and
outside the classroom will improve by leaps and bounds if they take proper care
of themselves.
Do the Work!
There is one
essential piece of information that students often forget. You, as the teacher,
are not solely responsible for their learning. Students must do their share of
the work after class, and this means not only doing homework but
also reading extra material, listening to audio, watching videos, writing
emails, and working on whatever skills they need to improve.
Pinpoint Your Weaknesses
Some
students will tell you they’re great at writing but lousy at speaking. Others
have perfect listening comprehension, but get tongue tied when they have to
speak. Students must be very aware of what they need to work on (and
if they’re clueless, be sure to tell them what it is!) This way, they can focus
their afterschool efforts towards improving that which needs extra work.
Talk to Native English Speakers
Having
normal conversations with native English speakers will do wonders for your
students’ confidence and speaking skills. It all depends on where you live, but
where do all of the foreign expats hang out? Are there any MeetUp groups in your city for
English speakers? Any other clubs or organization where English speakers meet? Encourage
your students to join them and be exposed to real, everyday English.
Have Fun with English
Tell your
students to buy word search books in English! It will increase their
vocabulary. What about online games? Do they enjoy role-playing video games?
Most are played in English. Improving English skills is not all about spending
hours completing grammar exercises. Suggest some fun activities they may enjoy – in
English!
Listen to Yourself!
There are
students that make the same mistakes – again and again. You correct them, but
they repeat the mistake the very next day. Advise students to listen to
the mistakes they make – really listen, and not be so quick to dismiss
them. That is the
first step towards improving and changing.
Be Methodical and Consistent
If a student
wants to improve their listening comprehension by watching videos on CNN.com, they should have specific
days and times to do it – say twice a week right after their ESL class. They
should listen to the same type of audio – in this case short news stories for a
certain period of time before moving on to longer videos or audio. Switching
from one activity to another may not give them the results they want.Encourage
them to stick to one method until they get results.
Never Give Up
This may be
the hardest piece of advice you’ll ever have to give. There are students who
have been studying English for years, and always
end up in the same place, not advancing to a higher level. Some take
international examinations several times with no success. The best
thing you can do for your students is to tell them they shouldn’t give up.
If a student feels he has reached a
plateau, quitting will mean that
he’ll probably forget and lose most of what he’s learned. Quitting is not an
option. They must stick to it until they meet their goal, or at the very least
redefine a goal that may be a little too unrealistic. (busyteacher.org)