Teach English in Luodian Zhen - Zhumadian Shi

The typical student has no choice whether or not he or she wants to attend school. It is generally required by the government, and of course enforced by the family. Because students are required to be at school, it can be challenging to motivate them to learn anything, let alone another language. In the United States new teaching methods have been introduced as a way to helps students own their own learning. If a student is bought in to what they are learning they are more likely to stay engaged, motivated, and be excited to move forward in their studies. There are may ways to motivate students. I have found that it is most important to help them understanding exactly why it is they are learning what they are learning. If they can buy into the purpose behind the class, they are more likely to find value in the content. For many students learning English will open up job opportunities. Showing them what different types of jobs will be available to them could be very motivating. For other students, they might be interested in traveling abroad to an english speaking country. This might inspire them to dig into their understanding of the language. For others, they might want to attend an English speaking university. All three of these reasons can help students find purpose in their acquisition of the English language. Another way to motivate students is to make the classroom exciting and keep them engaged. Anytime you can incorporate student choice and student interests, students are much more likely to be engaged. If students feel like their interests are being heard they have some ownership in the lesson, and it gives them a way to invest more deeply and on a level that connects with them. Students are not given a lot of say in what classes they take. If their interests and motivations can be identified by the teacher then the teacher can use that knowledge to continually engage students. When students are motivated and inspired to own their learning they are much more likely to not only stay engaged in class, but also have the desire to deepen their education, hopefully not just in their English classes! Students are not motivated by dry, dull textbooks. They want to be inspired. When students are inspired, they can be motivated to do anything. Teachers need to be flexible and creative in order to help students stay motivated in their classes. Constant repetition, while good for learning certain skills, also breeds monotony. Similarly, the teacher should also be engaged and motivated by the lessons. If it is boring for the teacher, it is certainly boring for the students. Students will likely pick up that their teacher is not interested in the topic and if that is the case, why would they bother being interested in it either? Instead, teachers should lead by example and show an enthusiasm for their own class. It is important to note that not all students will be motivated in the same way. It is also important to be aware that motivation with likely ebb and flow over the course of a year. It is the job of the teacher to assess what is working for the classroom and be ready to adjust as needed, while also keeping in mind that not all classes will function in the same way. I truly believe that if teachers can motivate students to own their learning and be active participants in their own learning, then students will dig deeper and go further in all of their studies. If teachers can incorporate student choice and interests, make clear the purpose and value in learning English, and create a fun, positive learning environment, then they are creating a wonderful space for students to be motivated in their studies.