Teach English in YangchengzhuAng XiAng - Tianjin

Teaching one to oneI am very interested in learning about teaching a student one on one since I hope to become a tutor for international students/professionals. Some advantages to teaching ESL students one to one are that I do not have to worry about slow or quick finishers. And I do not have to be concerned about having a class of mixed learners, so the teaching may be more targeted toward one level. I can be sure to find material that will interest the student and keep him/her motivated. There are also fewer time constraints so I can spend more time on the student?s specific needs and his/her personal interests or areas which desire or require more growth and knowledge. Disadvantages may include, as a teacher, I may not have suitable time to take notes without distracting the student. There are also a limited range of activities since group or pair work is not possible. The time can become monotonous, so as a tutor, I would need to change the routine and space. Looking at the same room, wall, or area may become boring. Another disadvantage is that there are not many curriculums and syllabus available to tutors, therefore, progress will be difficult to track. Lastly, the personalities of the student and tutor may vary significantly that we may not get along or agree on significant issues discussed. There are ten tips that I have concluded to be very useful, most of which were learned in this class. The first tip is logistics, it is important to be able to sit side-by-side such as a round table. This will come in handy when reviewing language tasks and visual aids. The second tip is the use of visual materials. Materials such as pictures, maps, magazines, photographs, and others may provide for vocabulary and conversation between student and tutor. The third tip is to get information from the student. Since most one to one students are business students, have the student inform the teacher of his/her profession so that the teacher may cater to the specific needs of the company or job. Another tip is to give feedback, often times, persistent errors in grammar, vocabulary, etc. are not dealt with so feedback in vital. Using authentic materials is another helpful tip. Have the student bring any vital information they need to know, such as, company information so the needs of the student are met. Using the internet is also a vitally important use of resources. It is full of information about a specific job, company, sport, hobby, travel. It may help with grammar, vocabulary, and exercise sheets. It is nice to change things up. Having the student practice giving presentations is ideal in a one to one setting. It is a good time to provide the student with feedback and make sure the student is using their visual aids properly, such as maps or graphs. The use of audio and visual equipment can be useful tools. There are benefits to listening to others speak with different accents and voices, it also puts the teacher out of the spotlight. Another tip is to provide homework, although not too much of it. Once the homework is returned it opens up the opportunity for the student to ask questions about any problems he/she is having and for the teacher to provide feedback on specific areas. The last tip is to not be afraid of silence. Giving the student time to think with space is important for them to feel confident. Also, breaking the time up by having them look up a word in the dictionary or a short writing activity will help break up the time. I hope to implement the lessons learned from this course, the tips discussed above, and taking the time to know the student and his/her learning style. I hope for the student/professional to get the maximum out of being taught one to one. I hope to make this time a good learning experience and enjoyable for both of us.