As an ESL teacher you will eventually encounter a difficult student or two! This blog will outline 6 of the most common types of difficult students and how to deal with them!
Students who do not want to talk during a language class can be challenging and frustrating in equal measure. We have identified three types of students that are not talkative, and will provide some tips on how to overcome the challenge.
Firstly, a student may be shy. In this situation we believe that building trust is the most important starting point. You can build trust by providing positive feedback. Also, we recommend being careful with ‘over’ correcting, as too many corrections may entice the student to retreat back into their shell.
Secondly, a student may be reluctant to try and talk because of their low-level. In order to negate this problem it is important to deliver level specific material, and it is useful to send it to them before the lesson. Giving them the material before the class allows them to learn or revise the necessary vocabulary required for the class.
And finally, unfortunately, some students are just plain and simply arrogant. These types of students are few and far between, but I imagine each teacher will encounter them occasionally. In these situations we advise teachers to probe each learner to expand on their answers - don’t let them get away with a “yes” or “no” answer. If the problem persists, we simply explain, in a polite way, that they will not progress if they are not willing to talk.
Students who expect to be fluent or improve drastically over a few short weeks or months can be a challenge. Many times, students have outlined unrealistic targets or expectations during a trial class. Or worse, a student preparing for an exam ‘next week’ wants help to achieve an impossible result.
In the exam preparation example, we recommend not taking on the student unless they agree to a realistic study plan and goals. We do this because if they expect a 7 but are actually a 4, they could hold you accountable for their shortcomings - and to be honest it's better to avoid that stress wherever possible.
A student outlining ambitious targets during a trial class is quite normal, and happens to us regularly. It is important to manage expectations, because if their goals are too far-reaching they could lose motivation if they become overworked. Finally, if a learner has big targets they need to be made aware of the necessary work that is involved. The work includes, studying outside of the classroom, doing homework, and taking more than 1 class a week.
As I'm sure you are aware, correcting can be difficult, and is more complex than non-teachers presume. For example, if you ‘over-correct’ some students will lose the confidence to speak, whereas some students ask to be corrected at every turn. Then, how do you correct them? Instantly or at the end of the sentence, end of their point, end of the lesson, via chat… there are many different ways to do it, so students can react differently to different approaches, or have their own preferences.
We recommend speaking to your students to iron out a clear plan for giving corrections, because they are an essential part of teaching. Giving good, concise corrections will lead to better lessons and retention.
However, we have encountered students that do not like to be corrected at all, seeming to get offended if you do so. If you have a student like this - we recommend explaining to them the importance of corrections, and that making mistakes is part of the learning process. If the problem persists, write the corrections into a document and send it to them after the class.
Most companies and teachers have a zero tolerance policy on refunds for no shows. And, have a zero tolerance policy on allowing students to reschedule without over 24 hours notice. We wholeheartedly agree with these policies.
We agree with both policies because students pay for available slots from teachers timetables. If a student does not show up, and expects a refund, the teacher loses out and will be unable to refill the slot at short notice. So, we recommend that you decline any requests to cancel or reschedule.
However, as an online teacher you will encounter some exceptional circumstances. We recommend being lenient with long-term students who provide genuine excuses for missing class, as this will maintain your relationship and ensure retention.
A huge benefit of being an online TEFL teacher is that you will teach regular students for many hours 1 on 1. Due to this time together it is normal to build a close relationship, which is great. However, it can become difficult when the lines between teacher and friend become blurred. The biggest problem which can arise from this is unreasonable requests, such as helping to draft a CV, or proofreading an essay.
We advise doing a few things to stop this problem from occurring. Firstly, set clear work hours, so that you do not feel obligated to reply to your students at all hours. Secondly, stick to the lesson plan during classes, as this will keep the class on track, and keep the teacher / student dynamic alive. Finally, explain to the student that you can not help with unrelated tasks, due to other commitments and time constraints.
Occasionally you will encounter a student who does not connect with the content you are delivering. Some students may think ‘when will I ever need this’ and some may just not be interested in the topic.
In both cases, we think a solution is to mix it up. There are 100’s of different lesson plans on eslpals.com, all of which cover a different theme. And, our material contains numerous different activities in every lesson - speaking, listening, writing, vocabulary and more! We believe it is important to include a variety of exercises because it keeps lessons fresh, and allows classes to flow nicely.
Some students have the mindset of ‘when will I need this’, therefore it is good practice to always explain the reasoning for your plan at the start of class. For example; “today we are studying the topic of ‘art’, although you may not be an artist, I think it is a great lesson because it provides excellent vocabulary and grammar which will be relevant to daily life”. If this problem persists, ask them to choose a topic.
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