Teach English in Dahe Zhen - Huanggang Shi

The role of teachers in the lives of students as educators is important and reflects throughout the students’ lives. Although all good teachers generally should be confident, gentle, passionate and empowering, it is important for teachers especially teaching in foreign countries to have a global mindset and a desire to learn and improve. Teachers should learn about their students as well as teach them because learning the new culture will reflect in the way you teach the students and to achieve this, the teacher needs to have and master certain skills which are very important in ensuring the students’ success. 1) Planning and adapting skills: Planning is an important part of every lesson and should be handled skillfully. As a foreign teacher it is crucial to break down your contents into manageable/teachable units to ease the understanding of the students. The teacher should also be flexible and adapt to new situations as they arise and as they gain more information and should update their planning as well both in their lessons and material preparation. This skill is very important because the teacher will be able to deduce the needs of the students and satisfy those needs swiftly so the students don’t end up confused. Plus it will keep the teacher active and always seeking for new information which will benefit the students in the long run. 2) Communication skills: Teaching essentially boils down to communication; listening, speaking, reading, presenting and writing. It is very important for the teacher to be skilled enough to communicate ideas effortlessly. The teacher needs to prepare materials to cover all these areas in communication within each lesson. This skill is very important because it determines how effectively teachers relate to their students. The teacher needs to master and use good communication skills in lessons. As a foreign teacher teaching English abroad, the teacher always has to be clear and audible in speaking and giving instructions. The teacher should be able to come down to the level of the students and speak to them in a way that they will understand. The teacher also needs to prepare materials and activities that will aid the students in understanding the lessons like communication exercises between the teacher and the students, students and the teacher, students and other students. These interactions will make the students feel comfortable with the new language and gain more confidence in the teacher and in themselves. Also as an English teacher abroad, parents are a part of your job and it is relevant to have a cordial relationship with the parents through good communication skills. 3) Motivational skills: Another important skill for teachers to have in the classroom are motivational skills. Being that English is not the first language, some students don’t put in their best effort because they think they don’t need the new language and they will not use it or because of pre-conceived ideas like the English language being too hard. It is very important as a foreign teacher to halt and motivate your students to get excited about the English language which is completely new to them. The teacher should be able to give the students many reasons to love the new language and shine a bright light on their successes. The teacher should always come to the class well prepared that way the students will have always listen to the teacher and enjoy the lessons. 4) Problem solving skills: Problem solving is an essential skill in the classroom. As a teacher it is important to detect and solve problems effectively before they get out of hand. The teacher should be able to anticipate problems for each lesson and prepare for them in lesson planning, preparation of materials and activities. The teacher should also identify and help students who are having difficulties. The teacher should not be in a rush to correct students, the student should be given a chance to do so first and the other students should be given the chance to help too before the teacher can come in. This skill is very important because it sets a good example for students to be self reliant. 5) Evaluation skills: The teacher should be able to skillfully check the understanding of the students every step of the way in the lesson and give feedback. The teacher should be able to detect when to offer praise, constructive criticisms or advice on how the students can improve without causing offence. English teachers should include activities that would enable the student to use, demonstrate and show out the newly learned information. To foreign students learning the English language, confidence is vital so it is essential for the teacher to help the students with their areas of difficulties before they take the formal tests and this can only happen with proper evaluation skills. That way the students do well in the tests thus increasing their confidence in the teacher and in themselves. In conclusion teaching is a very rewarding thing to do and it is important to have the right skills for it because it offers a chance to change people’s lives. As a teacher teaching the English language abroad, you can help to develop students’ knowledge and maybe even their mind and personalities. An effective and skillful teachers’ way of relating to their students and teaching them should achieve both academic and social attributes.