TESOL Gongzhuling

Teaching children can be very rewarding as their innate curiosity is very helpful in helping them to learn a new language. However, the teacher ought to be aware that they have a much shorter attention span than adult learners. Therefore, activities should be varied, exciting, and involved in order to keep them interested and motivated. Avoid using their native language in the classroom. Instead, speak slowly and be prepared to make fun of yourself using simple games and activities. Discipline problems are inevitable when teaching children due to factors in and outside of the classroom. Be consistent and firm, without showing favoritism, making threats or raising your voice. Adult students are usually highly motivated but as the teacher, you will have to adjust your teaching methodologies to match the student's level, especially if he/she is a beginner. Likewise, the mixed levels and dynamics in group classes present different challenges from that of a lesson with an individual student, where the class can be tailored to the specific needs of the student. Also, you may find that students in a multilingual class are more willing to communicate in English than those in a monolingual class, as it is usually the only language that the students have in common. Nonetheless, the shared language in a monolingual class can be tackled by avoiding or discouraging the use of the mother tongue in the classroom, and keeping speaking activities short until students have acquired fluency and confidence to speak.