Anyone who speaks the language can teach language The skills required to speak a language are not necessarily the same skills it takes to effectively teach a language

Anyone who speaks the language can teach language The skills required to speak a language are not necessarily the same skills it takes to effectively teach a language. While fluency in a language is certainly an important prerequisite of teaching it, becoming an an effective teacher requires additional skills including but not limited to an understanding of your students’ needs, the ability to motivate students, a balance of instruction technique with content and the thoughtful utilization of specialized teaching strategies. To be a successful teacher, one must consider students’ needs, both as a class and as individuals. This includes an understanding of why they want to learn the language as well as an awareness of their learning strengths and weaknesses. Are they interested in learning a new language to prepare themselves for moving on with future education plans, employment opportunities or travel? What is the spoken language at their homes and jobs? What resources are available to them? What cultural differences might influence their learning? This awareness can help promote a strong connection between teacher and students that will lead to students feeling comfortable in the class and motivate them to become engaged learners. Students will be drawn into the work, inspired to ask questions and to seek out answers. A supportive teacher hopes to not only teach them what to learn but also how to learn, using study strategies best suited for their learning styles. Honest student feedback is valuable in planning lessons. As student/teacher relationships develop, students develop a greater sense of belonging to a community, which then promotes open interaction and enthusiastic curiosity. They take ownership of their learning. When students feel connected with the class, they become more motivated from within to push themselves to learn, confident to take on challenges and proud of their accomplishments. Through relevant and meaningful learning experiences, the class can be fun and inspiring. It is important for teachers to consider maintaining a balance of content and technique, working within the zone of proximal development and presenting content in effective way. Regarding specific content, a teacher should strive to introduce material that is challenging, but not overwhelming. If material is too elementary, students might feel offended or bored; if material is too complex, they might feel lost or incompetent. The rate at which material is covered is also important to student success; the pace should be modified according to ability. New information is best introduced in small quantities, broken down into easily manageable components so the meaning is made clear and students can understand. While the class works towards solid understanding of basics, the trick is to present material that is challenging but not overwhelming. Studies have shown that students’ engagement with the coursework is heavily dependent on a teacher’s presentation style. Training in technique is as important as a solid understanding the subject. There are several teaching techniques might be especially valuable for ESL instructors. A teacher should be aware of body language and use it to help communicate information. For example, this includes not turning your back to the class. Another example is acting out (humorously perhaps) to convey meanings. Presenting material in a variety of ways improves students’ interest and understanding. If students can connect a visual image to a lesson, they are much more likely to remember. ‘Teacher talk’ is another valuable technique. This includes the use of repetition and restatements, less complex grammatical forms, simplified vocabulary, transitional phrases and words to guide students, appropriate cultural references, frequent elaboration and explanations. Careful observation of students’ reactions and responses can help a teacher recognize when they might be off-track and a change in approach is needed. An additional teaching technique is scaffolding, the gradual introduction of material. This is a method in which a teacher models or provides an example, then moves on to offer guided practice, and lastly supports the students as they work independently. This is not a unidirectional process, but one that is recursive, repeated over and over again as often as necessary. Teaching a language is a complex process that involves not only a mastery of the specific course material but also a strong and insightful connection with the students and a solid understanding of a wide variety of teaching techniques.