Teach English in MeijiAng Jiedao - Tianjin

Establishing RapportEstablishing rapport in the classroom may be an intangible thing, but establishing good rapport can create an enhanced learning environment and set the tone for both teacher and student success. Rapport has been defined as ?a harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well; a relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people. Given those definitions, it?s no wonder then that rapport seems to increase student motivation for learning and their enjoyment of the course, and enhance student openness to what is being taught. But how do teachers establish rapport? How do they create that harmonious relationship of understanding and trust? While teachers must establish rapport in their own way and use their own personal style to build this positive classroom environment, the following is a list of suggestions that could be important elements of establishing and maintaining rapport in the classroom. ? Always address your students by name. ? Learn something about your students' interests. ? Use class examples that are relevant or personal to your students. ? Arrive to class a bit early and stay late in order to greet your students and engage in informal conversation. ? Explain classroom rules or expectations and why they are needed and important. ? Emphasize active learning by promoting interaction - between teacher and student as well as between students. ? Reward student participation and questions with verbal praise. ? Be enthusiastic about teaching and passionate about your subject matter. ? Maintain and demonstrate your sense of humor ? Make eye contact with each student without staring. ? Be respectful, patient and never display anger. ? Smile. Use positive non-verbal body language ? Encourage, don?t criticize ? Address problems discreetly or privately ? Model the behavior and attitude that you wish the students to adopt There are many different ways for a teacher to establish rapport. It may take time for a beginning teacher to establish his or her own unique methods of doing so. And what worked with one class may not have the same effect since each class is different from the next. However, taking the time with patience to learn what works for you will be invaluable in the long run. Being positive and approachable is critical to establishing rapport. A teacher must set classroom norms and expectations and above all, be consistent. For rapport to be sustained, teachers must be viewed by their students as flexible and fair. Students need teachers whom they respect and a teacher who demonstrates respect toward students. It is also important for rapport to exist among students. Teachers can promote this by structuring activities that encourage the students to get to know each other. Teachers can provide ongoing support for rapport between students by mixing up student groups and pairings during classroom activities. Games and exercises that help the students to know and become familiar with each other increase the comfortable level and rapport. Good rapport may increase student comfort level in a class, but does it really make a difference in the learning process? A study conducted at a university asked several hundred students how rapport affects their academic behavior. The students revealed that the most common positive effects of rapport on their academic behavior were: increased enjoyment of the teacher and subject matter; increased motivation to attend class more often, and more attention paid in class. Learning is more likely to occur in a class with positive rapport, a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. An environment with a sense of support and trust is likely to be seen as enjoyable, and ultimately motivate the students.