Lessons Internet TEFL

Motivating StudentsTeachers both seasoned and inexperienced are faced with many challenges--among them is how to keep students motivated. In order for effective learning to take place in the classroom a teacher needs to maintain the students' interest. The inherent level of interest in the class will vary from student to student--some are highly motivated while others come to class distracted and disinterested--but it can be enhanced or diminished by what happens in the classroom as a result of the teacher's actions and approach. For better or worse there's no single approach for motivating an entire class. Several factors affect a student's motivation to learn the language: level of interest in the subject matter, his or her perception of its usefulness, a general desire to achieve, degree of self-confidence and self-esteem, how patient and persistent he or she is, and the student's prior exposure to the language. Some students are motivated by other's approval, some by the desire to overcome obstacles. At the onset of a course it's a wise idea for a teacher to create an atmosphere that is open and positive, one in which all of the students feel comfortable with themselves and obliged to learn the material. Instead of favoring some students over others, the teacher should try to make all of the students feel that they are valued members of the class, regardless of individual ability. In order for students to succeed with the class the teacher should assign them tasks that are neither too easy (lest they become bored) nor too difficult (lest they feel overwhelmed). Positive feedback should be given to the students frequently so as to boost their morale. At the beginning of a course a teacher should set a precedent by holding high but not unrealistic expectations for the students. Studies have shown that a teacher's expectations have a significant effect on his students' performance--if a teacher acts as though he expects his students to be motivated, ardent, and hardworking in the course, they are more likely to be so. Essentially it is the teacher's enthusiasm, not only toward the course but toward the students themselves, that affects the class' enthusiasm--what you give is what you get. This means that a teacher should have copacetic body language and try to draw the class in with his voice and act as though it really does matter whether the students improve their knowledge of the language. The students need to believe that if they apply themselves, by the end of the course, they will have a much better grasp of English. In trying to motivate the students it also helps to work with the students' strengths and interests. In getting to know the students a bit the teacher can have a better understanding of where the class is at in terms of knowing the language but also what sort of subjects and activities they're concerned about. If, for example, the teacher finds out that the class likes sports, he can tailor a role-playing activity around a fake sporting match. In covering a topic the students are already interested in and familiar with, the teacher will make the lesson more enjoyable for the class and they're likely to learn more and at a quicker pace.