Teach English in Lugou Zhen - Yancheng Shi

The education sector has undergone a process of rapid transformation within the course of the last decade with the arrival and development of digital technologies. It is no longer necessary to travel abroad in order to teach English to foreign students. Currently, widespread internet availability has made ESL courses accessible through online means, making it possible for teachers to simply interface with the pupil from his/her home. With the existence of online English courses, the concept of teachers offering their services to their students has now been simplified to a great extent, without the hassle of arranging any sort of physical location. While teaching children requires many gimmicks to retain their focus and interest, teaching adults appeals more to their desire for knowledge. Adult learners are motivated simply by their desire to further their knowledge and hence, tend to display a greater level of focus. They are more likely than children to listen to a teacher talk monotonously for an hour or watch slideshow presentations. On the other hand, teaching English to adults necessitate lessons that are specifically tailored to their individual needs and must still retain a certain aspect of friendly interactivity. Here, we will go through the aspects of managing an online course for adults. The foremost idea is that a teacher must know the needs of the adult learner. The first period of online classes should be reserved to finding out why the student wants to learn English. Most adults have very specific reasons for learning English. They might be preparing for studying abroad or are just trying to gain a new skill for their career. Some adults are parents and want to be able to speak English so as to have a conversation with their children and therefore progress with them as well. The parents might even want to encourage their children in speaking English by showing them that they themselves are making the effort to do so. The teacher can go through a few of the basic questions that can be normally found in a needs analysis form. The teaching plan should be more strategic and scheduled in detail, choosing what grammar or vocabulary the student would learn in the next sessions. It is a good idea for the teacher to plan the lessons ahead. The teacher can go through the content ahead of time and prepare enough activities and discussions for the student’s personal needs. Even go as far as preparing extras in case the classes end earlier than expected. With the teaching plan in mind, it is important to closely monitor their learning problems and progress to help them reach their specific goal. It is also very useful to set up regular tests so that the student gets feedback on their progress. They will be able to measure themselves and also be encouraged with their success. When going through lesson content and activities, it is important to make sure they are relevant to their lives. The activities must reflect their level and age and the lessons planned around their goals, such as how to fill out a job application or practice interview questions for a new job. Children’s songs are not a good choice as an activity. The second most important aspect of teaching English to adults online is building their confidence and interest. Adults usually experience a measure of discomfort when they go to an English lesson. The reason behind this is because many adults are real beginners, sometimes they don't even know the Phonics. They have a tendency to think they are terrible at English and regret not having studied the language seriously when they were younger. They are overly critical towards themselves when they are around people because they think their knowledge of English is worse than that of their colleagues at work or that of their family members. At the first learning stage, the teacher needs to position himself and act in a way that the adult would not feel like a child back in school. The teacher must have a body language and a tone that is relaxed and friendly. A friend that is there to help the student with their problem and to reach their goal. A friendly face with a smile will help the student to relax and so does speaking freely as if the student is a daily acquaintance. Becoming friends with the students is beneficial, not only can you know their aim and weakness in English, but also decrease the misunderstanding between each other. Once they get accustomed to your teaching style and procedures, they will progress even faster. As adults we still need encouragement. Therefore, the teacher must congratulate them whenever possible. Let the student know that being at the lesson is already a great achievement. When they start speaking in English, congratulate them on that fact. Even if they spend the whole lesson criticizing themselves for not knowing how to speak English, congratulate them for doing so in English. Make them aware that they succeeded in communicating in their target language. Show the progress they have made. At the same time, supply some really useful knowledge in a slow but controlled pace. Gradually, when they find they're making progress, they can read words and say a sentence by themselves, they start to find an interest in learning English. Last but not least use the technology in hand. The internet enables both teacher and student to search together for subjects or objects they can discuss. It can also expand a topic they are talking about. They can talk about holidays and use Google Maps for the student to point out where he or she has been and what routes and transports he or she took. Overall, teaching adults online is a rewarding experience. But it is essential for a teacher to know the student’s needs and to create a positive and encouraging atmosphere in order to make it an enjoyable and successful experience.