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Individual lessons, which are commonly considered tutoring, can be an extremely effective way for a student to make rapid progress in learning the English language.But it also presents unique situations that are more challenging to solve than in a group class. Before conducting a individual lesson it is important to understand some challenges that will be involved so that you can prepare to have a successful lesson.So what are some challenges with individual lessons, and what are some effective ways to solve them?I will consider two challenges : motivation, and individual progress. With any student, whether in a group or an individual , a common challenge is motivation.This can be due to several factors, such as age, ability , or the reason they are learning.Consider this example. A child with limited English is enrolled with a tutor by his parents, in addition to going to school. He may resent the time he is having to give to the lessons.In this case ,it is very likely that his motivation to learn will be limited.So what can be done? In this example, the first thing a teacher would want to avoid is extensive book work or jumping in to more complicated subjects and study materials. Try to develop some rapport and find things that interest the student and will better hold his attention and increase motivation. The younger a child ,usually the shorter their attention span is. A way to counteract this is by having an active pace for the lesson that will prevent them from getting too bored or frustrated with individual parts of it. Prepare fun and varied activities based on their age and interests that will encourage participation.Some of these activities may include role-play , hangman , creating their own materials , and story building .All of these can serve to elicit vocal participation and lead to useful study phase projects. Of course, some students will have gotten a tutor because they already have a strong motivation to learn.Although this makes it easier for the teacher, the points above will help to preserve and even increase their motivation. The goal for any teacher is the continued progression of their students. Of course, a teacher will have to take into consideration different factors such as age, ability, and motivation. When gauging the progress of student a teacher needs to be able to accurately identify any difficulties they have and why.In the case of one on one lessons, a student can feel intimidated by the attention of the teacher.What if a student has a fear of or is embarrassed of correction? In one on one lessons, this would greatly affect their progress. The teacher may observe that they are hesitant to get involved and answer questions.In this case, a teacher may reassure a student of the positive side of making errors, and explore different ways of correction .A teacher should also use regular evaluation each lesson with a review , or tutorial of the material considered, and invite the student to talk about any concerns. As mentioned in the introduction, individual lessons can also be a way for a student to make rapid progress.This can dramatically increase the amount of material the teacher will need to have prepared.If you find this happening, make it a habit bring more material than you anticipate, and branch out to more creative ways to challenge them, such as activities that require active communication with native speakers.
