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Teach English in Anfeng Zhen - Yancheng Shi
Imagine walking into a classroom filled with students who are not in the least bit motivated to participate in the lesson for that day. Now compound that with the fact that these students are from China, and their primary language is Mandarin, so they speak very little English or none at all. This is a disaster waiting to happen, unless the teacher possesses the skill set and ability to motivate these students' interest and gain control over the class. The success of a TEFL teacher within the classroom can be typically derived from a teacher’s ability to motivate and keep students interested in the lesson. Motivation can be described in two forms, extrinsic and intrinsic. Fear of punishment is the basis of extrinsic motivation. The goal of extrinsic motivation is to earn a reward but ultimately avoid punishment. It is derived solely from the fear of not receiving a reward and the fear of punishment. Among the many types of students enrolled in ESL classes, a large percentage of young learners can be found. For these learners classes are often mandatory. In general, most of the younger groups of students that are participating in ESL classes are there as a direct result of parental mandate. These classes are not optional and are a common mandate within many Asian cultures. For these students, motivation is usually fostered by fear of parental punishment. Asian parents are often thought to be more demanding and serious about learning and education. Culturally, educational excellence and higher achievements are primary factors that drive many Asian parents to register young student in ESL classes. Intrinsic is the second form of motivation and is typically the driving force behind adult learners who take ESL classes. For these students, it offers a sense of accomplishment, pleasure, enjoyment and success, which is a mature theme that is typically embraced by adults learning English. So how does a skilled teacher motivate his or her younger students to find intrinsic motivation and celebrate their own victories? There are a variety of different strategies that can be employed for intrinsic motivation. Teachers can begin with overcoming language barriers, which can be accomplished by connecting with students and establishing a healthy rapport. This is a basic yet critical part in one of the many ways to improve student’s motivation and long term interests in ESL classes. Start with a big smile, while simultaneously projecting a kind and friendly tone in your voice when speaking to students at the beginning of a class. Make sure it’s genuine, because they can tell the difference. Express individualized interest in them by creating an environment of comfort within the classroom. When addressing each student by their international foreign names, “Get it Right.” Take the time to learn how to correctly pronounce each student’s name. This will create a connection among the students and teachers within the ESL classroom. Next, engage in short simple conversations with students. These conversations can be encouraging for students and informative for teachers. Short conversation should also include areas of interest for the students and topics that can be easily referenced. Inquiries should include questions such as a student’s age; information about their schools; things that are found within their communities, such as stores, parks, hospitals, post offices, schools; the number of family siblings; and sports, travel or hobbies they enjoy. The use of simple language skills should be applied depending on the level of each student. Building confidence and preventing boredom can be an ongoing challenge for ESL teachers. It is essential that teachers are creative and are able to maintain the student’s interest through motivation. Being unpredictable and exciting can help to prevent boredom, especially when teaching students 7 years old and under. The use of props can help to improve students’ interest, understanding and can also be used to enhance students’ interest, motivation and academic performance. For instance the use of three colorful balls may aid in the concept of shapes, colors, size and simple math. Short sing-a-long songs with the use of puppets can be used to aid in a wide variety of vocabulary, such as identifying and the action of various types of animals. It is also important that students receive accolades for their efforts during and at the conclusion of each class so that intrinsic motivation can also be achieved by celebrating students’ victories. Rewards, such as certificates, stars and pins are great incentives, however these traditional forms of rewards are not applicable when teaching online ESL students. Online teachers must be creative with their system of rewards by providing accolades to students who are making the effort and also for those who are achieving the lesson goals for the day. A few examples of visual rewards that can be useful during online ESL classes include smiling with students, using ‘thumbs up’, applauds, and jovial laughter. These forms of constant praise may very well become the prelude which ignites the development of an intrinsic response from students and can also build confidence in each student’s academic abilities. In conclusion, the importance of a teacher’s ability to motivate students has a direct correlation on the success of ESL students. Motivation affects what and how information is processed. It enhances cognitive skills which is most closely associated with learning and problem solving. Despite their initial reasons for taking an ESL class, the importance of motivation through engagement, developing interests, creativity, excitement and encouragement may serve for basic triggers of an intrinsically motivated response within students. Ultimately, this response could replace the fear of punishment with an inner joy and sense of accomplishment. The importance of motivation within a TEFL class can be the foundation of a student’s personal success story.