Happy New Year and welcome back! The holidays have sadly come to an end, but the good news is it’s January… which means it’s time to reflect on the previous teaching year and set new goals for the upcoming one. I’d say Via Lingua had a very productive and successful year, but like in everything we do, there is always room for improvement.
Let’s make this year even better than the last! I’ve come up with a few New Year Resolutions that we, as EFL teachers, should continue to do or improve upon, as we approach our new classes this year.
- Deepen our relationship with our students. The beauty of being an EFL teacher is that you are constantly learning about your students’ background, culture, interests, and talents. Creating a safe and comfortable environment at the start of the semester is crucial and the first couple of classes are dedicated to that. However, once the semester is in full force, our attention is redirected to making sure we cover all of the material. Dedicate 5-10 minutes at the beginning or end of class to deepen your relationships by asking more personalized questions or sharing an interest or talent of yours!
- Show empathy towards our students. I’d say I can generally read whether my students are engaged in group discussion or if they comprehend a new concept. But, if a student isn’t as participatory as usual or appears disinterested in the topic, consider there might be external factors affecting his/her ability to stay focused. If you sense a change in your student’s behavior, lend them support and work together to alleviate the situation.
- Engage and empower our students. Learning a new language is intimidating and often times our students are fearful of saying the wrong answer or pronouncing a word incorrectly. Let’s encourage them and remember to feed positive reinforcement as this will help boost their confidence. It’s important to give our students the opportunity to take ownership over their assignments and in group activities. Once we have given them the tools to produce the language, take a step back and pass the mic over to them!
There are many more EFL NY resolutions you can brainstorm, but try these and get your semester started off on the right foot. The new year is for new beginnings and as EFL teachers, we are responsible for helping our students reach their full potential. Let’s stick to our goals and channel positivity in ourselves, students, and our classrooms!