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There’s many things that can cause stress for ESL students, some of which are beyond a teacher’s control. However, there are things that a teacher can do to relieve the stress of a student’s learning experiences. Students may become stressed or frustrated due to problems at home, work, or with other classes they’re taking. By creating a welcoming environment within their own classroom, and building up a good rapport with their students, a teacher can ease the learning process. Here’s some ways to accomplish that. Start with an introduction- make sure that the students know your name, each other’s names, and that you know all of them. Continue with some icebreakers that will ease the introduction process and get the students comfortable with each other. Knowing each other will make it easier for students to participate and work together. Then, be sure to assess the students’ needs, whether through a needs assessment or simple observation. By knowing what each student expects to gain from the class, you can build your lessons to account for any problem areas. Also within this, be sure to prepare ahead for any possible hiccups that each lesson may have. Prepare plenty of back ups and have your materials ready before the start of class. Don’t discourage the students and don’t be afraid to make some mistakes yourself. Mistakes are natural. By making and accepting mistakes, you’ll build a more comfortable space. Whenever a student makes a mistake guide them to the correct answer and always cheer them on whenever they do something correctly. Some mistakes can even be left alone, addressed later, or the student’s might even work it out on their own. We don’t students want to be afraid of messing up, because then they’ll be afraid to learn. In fact, this is where the majority of student stress will come from- being frustrated with a tough subject or worrying about the embarrassment of messing up. If a student is comfortable with you- they’re more likely to ask questions. If they’re comfortable with their classmates- they’re more likely to ask for help. And if they know that they won’t get in trouble for messing up- they’re more likely to participate and therefore learn. Ensuring that a classroom is welcoming and easing the stress of student’s is arguably the most important part of teaching, because a student’s learning ability can be hindered if these things aren’t done. Make sure that your students have trust in you, that they’re comfortable in your class, and that they understand what you’re teaching them. Offer extra help to students that are struggling- or pair them up with stronger students so they can work together. Keep lessons as engaging as you can so that it’s easier for students to pay attention. Don’t be cross or cruel to, or in front of the students. Keep a warm and inviting smile on your face whenever you can, to make students feel welcomed. Make your class a place that your students want to be in. If students don’t want to learn- then they will not retain a thing.
