Will Heikkinen - Tips For Teaching English Language Learners

As a former English language teacher, having spent time working with schoolchildren in Spain in addition to being an ESL tutor for the Frost School of Lawrence while he was in high school, Will Heikkinen knows that teaching English language learners offers an array of challenges, some of which aren’t always going to be present when you are teaching students who are already proficient in the language. To stand the best chance of success, try to keep all of the following pointers in mind to ensure your students get the most out of their lessons.

Learn Their Language

During the early days of your lessons, you are going to find that many of your students struggle with the basics of English and may wish to ask you questions using a language that they are more comfortable with. By learning the language that your students speak, you are not only better placed to answer such questions, but you also demonstrate the real-world applications of learning a second language. This can be a motivating factor for many of your students, pushing them to place more focus into their studies.

Always Practice

You need to make sure that students cover the full gamut of learning the language during your lessons. As such, you must structure your lessons so that students spend time reading, writing, listening and, perhaps most importantly, speaking the language. This offers a comprehensive learning set to your students, ensuring they become well-versed in all aspects of the English language and allowing them to develop competence faster.

Be Encouraging

As an English language teacher, you are going to find that some of your students are very wary about practicing their skills, especially if they feel uncomfortable when speaking amongst their classmates. As such, you need to strive to create a collaborative environment that offers encouragement to all of the students, regardless of their levels of progress. This can be done in a number of ways, such as taking time out to answer questions, encouraging class discussions and pairing students off so that they can talk with their classmates in the language. Furthermore, you should always offer praise to students who are doing well, while also working diligently to offer extra encouragement and help to those who might be struggling.

Speak Slowly

It may seem like a simple tip, but Will Heikkinen points out that many who are new to English language teaching tend to speak at their natural speeds, instead of slowing things down a little bit to ensure that their students get to hear proper pronunciation and can actually take their time when translating what their teachers say. Make sure that you don’t mistake speaking slowly with speaking louder, as the latter can come off as condescending.

Will Heikkinen - Signs That You Are A Good Teacher

Before he started studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Government at The College of William and Mary, Will Heikkinen worked as an English language teacher, first working with ESL Students at the Frost School of Lawrence while he was in high school, before working with Spanish schoolchildren through Canterbury English during his time in Spain. There are a number of ways that you can tell that you are really getting through to your students and that you have what it takes to make a career out of teaching, including all of the following.

You Enjoy The Work

If you bring passion and enthusiasm into your work, that is going to be reflected in the quality of the lessons that you provide to your students. Furthermore, enjoying your work tends to indicate that you have formed good relationships with your students and that your lessons tend to go well, all of which are indicators that you are doing the job correctly. If you find that your students frustrate you to the point of unhappiness, you may need to consider what you can work on to improve.

Students Imitate You

The more your students engage with your lessons and begin to admire you as a teacher, the more you should start to see some of your positive qualities be reflected in them. Higher work ethics, positivity and demonstrations of effective teamwork are all signs that your students respect you and enjoy your lessons. This is extremely beneficial, as many of these skills will also prove vital when they start their careers later on in life.

You Study Your Own Subject

While your formal education will have provided you with the essentials of what you need in order to teach lessons, it is the work that you put into learning more about your chosen subject that will separate you from the pack and ensure that you are capable of providing strong lessons to your students. You should always work towards learning more, as this can then be applied to your lesson plans so that your students get more out of their studies. Many will also be able to see your commitment to the subject, which encourages them to work harder at it.

Students Want Feedback

Will Heikkinen notes that providing good feedback to your students is essential if they are to improve on their existing skillsets, but it is a sign of a really good teacher if your students come to you to find out more about what they can do to improve. This demonstrates that your students trust your opinions and truly believe that you can give them the help that they need to achieve their goals in their studies. Make it a point to be fair when giving feedback, highlighting areas of improvement while also praising your students for doing well.