Teach English in Jiudun Zhen - Wuwei Shi

The following is a brief overview and what I learnt from this unit. Teaching one to one classes It may seem that there is little or no classroom management required in a one to one class, but there are still key decisions to be made about how the classroom is set up, where you and your learner should sit, how you should manage the physical resources etc. One to one classes, especially private ones, often move at a pace decided by the learner and their needs rather than an institution?s course/term structure. There is also flexibility in the length of classes, which can be timed around learning aims rather than a timetable. Often there is no need to think about an exam or other formal evaluation. The fact that both teacher and learner are alone together for the duration of the class means a different kind of pressure ? sometimes greater, sometimes less. For example, there is considerable pressure because both are ?always on?, and the need to achieve results can be much greater for the teacher, but the learner may feel less pressure because there no others in the class. Many learners decide that they need a one to one class and then seek out a teacher, organise materials, schedule times, and agree cost independently. They are often highly motivated to learn. For the same reasons, you may be much more motivated to teach. In addition, you may feel a much higher degree of responsibility for one learner than a large group where many learning factors are outside their control. Advantages ? The learner has the undivided attention of the teacher. This means more opportunity to engage in real communication, more feedback and better understanding of the learner?s needs. ? The learner often has more control over the aims of the class, the pace and the materials. ? The learner has more opportunities to use the teacher as a resource ? to ask questions, to see models of language, and to practise skills. ? The learner can develop a real and productive relationship with the teacher ? The learner?s needs can be addressed more fully because there is more flexibility in timing and structure ? The teacher has a greater opportunity to engage in real interaction and to learn Disadvantages ? Many learners feel more comfortable practising new language ? and making mistakes - in a group dynamic rather than in front of a teacher ? Classes can be physically and mentally exhausting for learner and teacher ? The class may become boring if the teacher does not find new approaches or the learner does not respond to the class ? There are no opportunities to interact with other learners, develop a group dynamic and to receive support 2. In teaching a business class, it's more about helping learners develop their English skills for use in a business context. The following are some tips to get the class started, a. Finding out what students really want to achieve We?ll be teaching busy adults who are used to working towards objectives. We should therefore discuss with them at the beginning of the course what they would realistically like to achieve. This usually means breaking things down into skills: telephoning more effectively, writing more coherent emails, chairing meetings, etc. Teachers should help set these objectives by analysing the needs of the learners early on. This 'needs analysis' can then be shared with the learners and referred to as a way of keeping them engaged and motivated throughout the course. b. Getting a clear idea about the contexts in which learners use English A very important part of the needs analysis process should be a discussion about the context in which the course participants need to perform: Why are they learning English? Who do they communicate with in their work and under what conditions? Someone who is learning English just to brush up fluency skills will have different needs and expectations to someone who is learning English to supervise a team working in another country. We should also remember that business is conducted on a global level and there is a strong possibility that your students will be communicating with other non-native speakers. It's a good idea to research cross-cultural communication and find out how people from different backgrounds do