GENERAL TEACHING PRINCIPLES
& Especially for ESL Teachers
(English as a Second Language)
& Especially for ESL Teachers
(English as a Second Language)
Some Essential Elements: for Creating a “good" Classroom Atmosphere
Establish Trust – by NEVER publically embarrassing students about their (English) skills. Let them know and reinforce repeatedly that you are there to HELP THEM. If students Trust a teacher they will reach beyond their current level at the prompting of their "Trusted Teacher".
Create a Safe Environment for students to fail. Student must be allowed to “fail”(make mistakes) many, many times in order to practice and improve their (language) skills. If they don’t feel safe they won’t practice. Anxiety/fear is a killer. Keep it out of your classroom.
Praise Success - even the smallest effort for a student who is "shy" (of public speaking) is a success. Give them praise and tell them to keep up the good work.
Practice Indirect Correction – when a student makes a mistake (uses wrong grammar) DON’T say they got it wrong, respond positively to reinforce the students willingness to answer at all, then comment on the substance or content of their remark. Try to focus on how the remark could be sensible an finally correct the content it as you feel it necessary. If you are an ESL teacher and grammar is the issue of a correction, gently repeat their comment with correct English after you give praise and acknowledge the thoughts communicated by the students remark. IE. If a student says “Me want throw ball.” You could say “OK then… Throw the ball.” Or “Oh… you want to throw the ball. Only tell them to repeat their sentence correctly once you have firmly established that they can trust you. Ie. “Say it this way... I want to throw the ball.”
Avoid Comparing Students – Remember, Students are all unique and that their individual growth and improvement is what is important and not how they are doing compared to their friend or the “best” or “worst” student in the class. This may be difficult when it comes to testing and grades, just be mindful to compliment improvement even if the student is making very bad scores.
Sell Your Subject - Make sure students know the real benefits of learning (English). Remind them often by describing real world examples as well as providing class room activities that demonstrate real and immediate benefits.
Make "tests" Learning Experiences - Remember the goal of assessments are primarily to assess a students ability so that a teacher can better instruct them. The function of test to indicate to a student or parent "how they are doing" should be a tertiary concern. Giving tests to establish a students "class ranking" is generally a bad idea because it does little to improve students learning and often discourages and or stifles student learning. Be creative. There are many ways to make testing and grading beneficial to help improve student achievements and desire to learn.
Make Learning Fun - Lots of “Fun Activities” will transform a standard (ESL) classroom into a fun and engaging place where students will learn in profoundly new ways. They will enjoy (English) class more and want to attend, as well as want to please their "trusted teacher". Learning requires work but work should not invoke dread or create boredom. One of the most damaging lessons many students learn is that: "learning is boring". This is a tragic outcome for any school or teacher to produce but unfortunately, this result is all too evident in the world today. Many students actually hate study and are convinced that school and learning are not for them. This dreadful result is directly opposed to the fundamental goal of educators to inspire life long learners and is often inadvertently created in schools by allowing students to endure years of non-relevant, uninteresting and/or boring classes.
Use Right Judgment - NEVER say a student is bad or not smart. Only make judgments about their skill level or behavior, Not about them as a person. Try to be extra careful about how you phrase criticism. This is difficult because society does not commonly practice this principle. I.e. “Why are you so lazy?” is more rightly phrased "Why did’nt you DO your work?” Also be careful not to say things like “I need some smart students to help with this.” It implies the other student are Not Smart. Say something like, “Hey Mr. Good Skills… come help me with this.” It encourages everyone to improve their skills and doesn’t discourage those with lesser skills.
~ Once a Good Atmosphere is created - Classroom disciple becomes much, much easier ~
Some Effective Methods of Establishing Good Discipline
especially for teaching ESL learners
English is a must – Every teacher must develop their own standard but it is an obvious fact that; Students Must Use English to practice English. This is obvious BUT it is “easier said than done”. So how can we get our students to use English and not revert to their native language? FIRST and FORMOST establish a “Good Atmosphere”, then apply discipline. How?... You ask : ) Think about it. If your students trust you and you are consistent and you employ lots of fun activities, they will generally follow your guidance without much difficulty. But when they inevitably cause difficulty, you can employ what is called “The Take Away”. Sales people use this all the time.
With students it can work like this: “If you won’t use English you can sit quietly and study vocabulary” - or do a work sheet or whatever but - Not the “fun activity” other students are doing. “Fun activities” can also be used as an enticement to finish a less fun activity in a timely and disciplined manner. This is when teachers can use social/peer pressure to get “that difficult student” to do his work. Ie. “If everyone can sit and focus and complete their work, then we will do the “fun activity”. Another great approach to get students to engage in “less fun” activities is to give the assignment as “homework” as well as give them class time to finish it. Tell them, If they don’t finish it in class they have to finish it at home. This motivates most students.
Every teacher has to find their own method of disciple but consistently with reasonable flexibility are also key ingredients in establishing “good" classroom environment.
Remember the Natural Order of Language Acquisition starts with Listening, then moves to Speaking, then to Reading and Writing and Grammar.
Teachers need to be aware of this Natural Order and use methods which generally follow its natural progression.
If students are not speaking they should not be focused on reading, writing or grammar. This most often inhibits and even prevents language fluency. Fluency is required far before “perfect grammar” can be achieved, Generally, mastery in grammar for ESL students requires *the equivalent* of reading a hundred or more *age appropriate* books living in a situation where they have to hear and speak the new language 90% of the time for several years.
Focus on “perfect grammar” for early learners is generally a big mistake. Remember ANXIETY is the single greatest inhibitor of language acquisition. Teachers should thus focus on achieving “Fluency First”. Language Fluency is the ability to comprehend and communicate in a fluid or easy manner.
With ESL learners a great way to achieve language “acquisition” and promote fluency in students is to present activities that are fun and engaging. Activities should promote, “play up” and praise language use and “play down” language “perfection” and grammar.
Using fun activities can teach students grammar. Their grammar skills will develop much faster when their fluency has improved. It does this by using the “Acquisition” model of “learning” Language. The focus and concern should be directed at communication not grammar.
All over the internet one can find thousands of games and activities for ESL learners BUT they rarely discuss the need for developing the classroom environment which makes them truly effective as teaching tools.
Developing a good classroom ATMOSPHERE (environment) as well as standards and discipline is essential to achieve the maximum learning benefit from any activity, especially the “fun ones”. Doing this properly ha the additional benefit of greatly improving a teachers joy in teaching.
Establish Trust – by NEVER publically embarrassing students about their (English) skills. Let them know and reinforce repeatedly that you are there to HELP THEM. If students Trust a teacher they will reach beyond their current level at the prompting of their "Trusted Teacher".
Create a Safe Environment for students to fail. Student must be allowed to “fail”(make mistakes) many, many times in order to practice and improve their (language) skills. If they don’t feel safe they won’t practice. Anxiety/fear is a killer. Keep it out of your classroom.
Praise Success - even the smallest effort for a student who is "shy" (of public speaking) is a success. Give them praise and tell them to keep up the good work.
Practice Indirect Correction – when a student makes a mistake (uses wrong grammar) DON’T say they got it wrong, respond positively to reinforce the students willingness to answer at all, then comment on the substance or content of their remark. Try to focus on how the remark could be sensible an finally correct the content it as you feel it necessary. If you are an ESL teacher and grammar is the issue of a correction, gently repeat their comment with correct English after you give praise and acknowledge the thoughts communicated by the students remark. IE. If a student says “Me want throw ball.” You could say “OK then… Throw the ball.” Or “Oh… you want to throw the ball. Only tell them to repeat their sentence correctly once you have firmly established that they can trust you. Ie. “Say it this way... I want to throw the ball.”
Avoid Comparing Students – Remember, Students are all unique and that their individual growth and improvement is what is important and not how they are doing compared to their friend or the “best” or “worst” student in the class. This may be difficult when it comes to testing and grades, just be mindful to compliment improvement even if the student is making very bad scores.
Sell Your Subject - Make sure students know the real benefits of learning (English). Remind them often by describing real world examples as well as providing class room activities that demonstrate real and immediate benefits.
Make "tests" Learning Experiences - Remember the goal of assessments are primarily to assess a students ability so that a teacher can better instruct them. The function of test to indicate to a student or parent "how they are doing" should be a tertiary concern. Giving tests to establish a students "class ranking" is generally a bad idea because it does little to improve students learning and often discourages and or stifles student learning. Be creative. There are many ways to make testing and grading beneficial to help improve student achievements and desire to learn.
Make Learning Fun - Lots of “Fun Activities” will transform a standard (ESL) classroom into a fun and engaging place where students will learn in profoundly new ways. They will enjoy (English) class more and want to attend, as well as want to please their "trusted teacher". Learning requires work but work should not invoke dread or create boredom. One of the most damaging lessons many students learn is that: "learning is boring". This is a tragic outcome for any school or teacher to produce but unfortunately, this result is all too evident in the world today. Many students actually hate study and are convinced that school and learning are not for them. This dreadful result is directly opposed to the fundamental goal of educators to inspire life long learners and is often inadvertently created in schools by allowing students to endure years of non-relevant, uninteresting and/or boring classes.
Use Right Judgment - NEVER say a student is bad or not smart. Only make judgments about their skill level or behavior, Not about them as a person. Try to be extra careful about how you phrase criticism. This is difficult because society does not commonly practice this principle. I.e. “Why are you so lazy?” is more rightly phrased "Why did’nt you DO your work?” Also be careful not to say things like “I need some smart students to help with this.” It implies the other student are Not Smart. Say something like, “Hey Mr. Good Skills… come help me with this.” It encourages everyone to improve their skills and doesn’t discourage those with lesser skills.
~ Once a Good Atmosphere is created - Classroom disciple becomes much, much easier ~
Some Effective Methods of Establishing Good Discipline
especially for teaching ESL learners
English is a must – Every teacher must develop their own standard but it is an obvious fact that; Students Must Use English to practice English. This is obvious BUT it is “easier said than done”. So how can we get our students to use English and not revert to their native language? FIRST and FORMOST establish a “Good Atmosphere”, then apply discipline. How?... You ask : ) Think about it. If your students trust you and you are consistent and you employ lots of fun activities, they will generally follow your guidance without much difficulty. But when they inevitably cause difficulty, you can employ what is called “The Take Away”. Sales people use this all the time.
With students it can work like this: “If you won’t use English you can sit quietly and study vocabulary” - or do a work sheet or whatever but - Not the “fun activity” other students are doing. “Fun activities” can also be used as an enticement to finish a less fun activity in a timely and disciplined manner. This is when teachers can use social/peer pressure to get “that difficult student” to do his work. Ie. “If everyone can sit and focus and complete their work, then we will do the “fun activity”. Another great approach to get students to engage in “less fun” activities is to give the assignment as “homework” as well as give them class time to finish it. Tell them, If they don’t finish it in class they have to finish it at home. This motivates most students.
Every teacher has to find their own method of disciple but consistently with reasonable flexibility are also key ingredients in establishing “good" classroom environment.
Remember the Natural Order of Language Acquisition starts with Listening, then moves to Speaking, then to Reading and Writing and Grammar.
Teachers need to be aware of this Natural Order and use methods which generally follow its natural progression.
If students are not speaking they should not be focused on reading, writing or grammar. This most often inhibits and even prevents language fluency. Fluency is required far before “perfect grammar” can be achieved, Generally, mastery in grammar for ESL students requires *the equivalent* of reading a hundred or more *age appropriate* books living in a situation where they have to hear and speak the new language 90% of the time for several years.
Focus on “perfect grammar” for early learners is generally a big mistake. Remember ANXIETY is the single greatest inhibitor of language acquisition. Teachers should thus focus on achieving “Fluency First”. Language Fluency is the ability to comprehend and communicate in a fluid or easy manner.
With ESL learners a great way to achieve language “acquisition” and promote fluency in students is to present activities that are fun and engaging. Activities should promote, “play up” and praise language use and “play down” language “perfection” and grammar.
Using fun activities can teach students grammar. Their grammar skills will develop much faster when their fluency has improved. It does this by using the “Acquisition” model of “learning” Language. The focus and concern should be directed at communication not grammar.
All over the internet one can find thousands of games and activities for ESL learners BUT they rarely discuss the need for developing the classroom environment which makes them truly effective as teaching tools.
Developing a good classroom ATMOSPHERE (environment) as well as standards and discipline is essential to achieve the maximum learning benefit from any activity, especially the “fun ones”. Doing this properly ha the additional benefit of greatly improving a teachers joy in teaching.
