Keys to establish a good rapport with your students

It is out of question that establishing a good rapport with your students is crucial.   Why? Because it influences their motivation in learning the language. How to do it? Watch the video and read these points.

• Encourage speaking.

Students can be shy to speak, they can be more concerned about the accuracy than about the fluency, but the task of a teacher is to encourage them.

What is more, and what is more difficult perhaps, is that a teacher must explain to students that making mistakes is OK. No one has started doing any activity without making mistakes and students should understand it. Moreover, even native speakers of any language can make mistakes. So, teachers should try to make students get rid of the fear of making mistakes. Then, a good way of encouraging students to speak is to smile. When you are friendly and open-hearted, students will understand that there is nothing to be afraid of and as a result will be more willing to discuss something. Teachers should praise their students. Moreover, I believe that even if a student has made several mistakes the praise is sometimes necessary, as every progress deserves being praised.

• Learning styles.

Teachers should always bear in mind that every student is a personality who differs a lot form another student. So, everyone can have different approaches for learning.

Some students are good at remembering new words by seeing the objects. Some can learn vocabulary when they look at the word, and others can hear a new word and remember it at once. Teachers should find out their students’ learning styles and use them, combine them in the classroom. So, it’ll be good to have visual support, auditory tasks and sometimes hand work.

• Body language.

Body language means a lot. This is what teachers can use to assure the students that there is nothing to be afraid of.

It is important to establish eye-contact from the very beginning of the lesson. Teachers should look at students and make them look at the teacher. It is also advisable to stand there where everybody in the classroom could see the teacher.

• Respect.

If you respect your students, they will respect you.

A non-judgmental positive attitude towards students is important. Teachers should accept their students with their shortcomings as everybody has them. Teachers should allow their students to express themselves as, once again, every student is a personality.

In addition, “respect” is one of the elements of creating a pleasant and supportive atmosphere in the classroom.

• Motivation.

The more students feel involved, the more motivated they will be.

In addition, it influences their speaking practice. If they are motivated, they have more reasons to learn the language and they feel more comfortable to speak.