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?"

Setsuko Toyama

The first class sets the mood for the whole semester.

If you are indecisive, the students will sense it and you will lose the initiative. On the other hand, if you are confident and in control in the first class, you can relax later.

The first thing I tell a new class is that I am a person. And, I expect students to return my greeting when I say hello. I expect students to look at me when I speak and to smile, if possible, and not to glare. This usually throws kids off their chairs. I tell them I'm going to try to learn their names during the semester and the minimum goal for them is to describe themselves and their daily lives in English.

They will be graded on the effort they put into the lessons over the whole semester. Therefore, assignments and attendance will be important. If they are late for class twice, it will be regarded as an absence. If they sleep through the lesson, or chat, it will be regarded as an absence.

Students usually ask me, at this point, how many lessons they can skip and still be eligible for the credit. I explain that university policy states that if they have a less than two-thirds attendance record, they cannot even take a test.

Then I tell them that I'm paid to teach them and they have the responsibility to make sure I do not skip classes and that I make lessons interesting. They've hardly looked at their education as something they must actively take responsibility for, having been taught that cramming for tests is enough.

At this time, I pass out a list of does and don'ts (including, please turn off cell phones), plus my email address and fax number. Students who cannot come to class for some legitimate reason can contact me and by doing an extra assignment, they can make up for the absence. I then ask students which language they wish me to teach in. Usually they ask for English with occasional tips in Japanese. The above takes 10 to 15 minute and I can see and feel the change among the students. They took this course because they needed a credit but now they'll have to watch this teacher to see if she performs as she has announced.

In the first lesson, not all of the students have bought the textbook so I pass out a worksheet for their first pair work activity. Each student fills in personal information about himself or herself (first name, family name, nickname, hometown, hobby, major, etc.) Then they ask a partner questions and fill in information about the partner.

While they are working, I walk around the classroom, taking photos with an inexpensive instant camera. I leave the pictures for the students to write their names on, and help the students with any questions. At the end of this activity, I collect the worksheets and pictures to take home. I input the data into a class file, and print out one page for each student. Attendance and assignment data goes into these pages, and the photos are attached. The photos help me learn the names and personal interests of the students, which I can incorporate into lessons. Students are aware that I try to keep track of their performance in class and they gradually start participating in the activities.

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

Setsuko Toyama, Toyama English House

Co-author of Journeys: Listening and Speaking & Development Editor of SuperKids

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