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I remember when I was learning Spanish in school, one of my main struggles was the lack of confidence I had in speaking it in front of my class. My confidence was low and hindered the practice I needed to grow in fluency. As a teacher, it is imperative that we build confidence in the students’ abilities, no matter the level each student is at. When the students are taking on new parts of English, they need constant encouragement that they are progressing. I gained some useful ideas from this course that could help when building students confidence and improving their engagement in class. When students have more confidence in class, they will more than likely use their English outside of class. I want to make sure students understand from the start of my first class that they are safe and don’t have to feel ashamed at whatever level they are at. I want the students to know that there is no judgement and that we are all learning together and are here for one another. It is important for the students and I to have a strong rapport so that the students feel that they are in a safe environment. Using plenty of pair work will help students at varying levels and confidence to gain more experience speaking English and not experience so much pressure from in front of all their classmates. In this safe environment, students can experience the support of those they are paired with and have a chance to participate and see success. Instead of feeling overwhelmed in front of everyone in the class when answering questions, pair work gives all students the chance to try out activities and succeed or fail with a smaller audience. I think once students one-on-one talk through their work, they will have confidence build to present in front of their class and maybe start so doing it together. Using different avenues to learn skills is important to for students to gain confidence. Worksheets, role-play, drilling, and group project are examples of ways that the students will have plenty of time alone, with a few students, and then final in front of the class to practice their English and continue to grow. For example, role-play gives students the opportunity to act as someone else and maybe provides the students a more comfortable way to practice their English. Another helpful project for students to improve their confidence is assigning groups and making a video that will be shown in class. Maybe seeing themselves in a video rather than presenting themselves at first will give them confidence in themselves. Another way to engage students who are less confident is to pair them with those who are stronger students. Having a student assist the weaker or less confident student will give assurance and more guidance to that student. The most important way to reach those who are less confident is to constantly give encouragement, even when correcting. Assure the student that they are doing great and that they are improving. Smile a lot and engage with the student. Letting them know they are not alone and that they can do this is so important.
