ELT News Think Tank

This Month's Think Tank Panel

Marc Helgesen

Peter Viney

Setsuko Toyama

Panelists: Marc | Peter | Setsuko
Readers Comments: Collette Young | Darryn Shieffelbien
Date: April 2000

Topic: "What are good strategies or techniques for developing rapport with a new class?"

Marc Helgesen

Developing rapport is one part of helping get a positive 'class culture' started.

Class culture, I think, explains why some classes will try anything while other classes don't want to experiment, take risks or try new things. The first couple class meetings are critical in getting a positive class culture going. To facilitate that, there are a few things I try to do in the first class meeting.

* I like to get everyone involved in an activity -- something personalized -- in the first five minutes. I want to communicate right from the beginning that the class is about them, that it's also about them talking with and sharing with other students, and -- especially -- that it's about activity.

* I also like to take time in the first one or two classes to have students think about things they can be doing outside of class to work on their English. Most learners just don't have enough class hours. They need to do things on their own. Our students love karaoke -- just deciding to sing a song or two in English and think about the meaning is a step.

The Internet offers wonderful opportunities. Most of my students come to school by bus or train. That's a great time to read graded readers for example. Or they can just look out the window and do a mental narration in English of what they are seeing (That guy is wearing a blue shirt, carrying a backpack and he's really cute!). There are lots of things students can do. The point is that they have to take responsibility for their own learning. I can help, but I can learn it for them. So I ask them to commit themselves.

They choose at least one out-of-class activity that they'll do before the next class. And then we follow it up during the next class. I really think that turning over of responsibility is the difference establishing class culture.

Panelists: Marc | Peter | Setsuko
Readers Comments: Collette Young | Darryn Shieffelbien

Marc Helgesen, Miyagi Gakuin Women's College

Co-author of English Firsthand and Active Listening

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