Written by: Sarah Henderson-Sharon, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I recently met a new client who came to me because they were feeling extremely anxious about an upcoming exam. Some of the things this client told me made me think about the ways language teachers try to help but sometimes harm their students' learning and confidence. A good example of helpful Vs harmful teaching is in the way a teacher gives feedback after a task has been completed. This month, I'd like to share some thoughts about the ways we teachers give feedback and what you can do as a student if you believe your teacher's feedback method is not helping you.
Let's start by examining the traditional role of a teacher:
Teachers are traditionally seen as having more knowledge, status and power then their students. In extreme cases, this leads to a domineering teaching style where learners are passive recipients of the teacher's greater information. The students have little need to engage or be active; as long as they can remember and reproduce the information in a test, the learning process will have succeeded.
I strongly hope that this view of teaching is becoming outdated! We now know, for example, that the more engaged learners are in the learning process, the more they will learn and the easier they will recall the information. This is why role-plays are so important - you get real-life practice at a real-life skill and are better able to reproduce the language when you need it.
In addition, thanks to neuroscience, we are recognising the importance of maintaining a calm brain during the learning process. Stressed, anxious students simply do not and cannot learn as well as calm, content ones! A calm mind is essential for deep learning to take place. This means that the more skilled a teacher is at maintaining a sense of calmness in their students, the more effective the students' learning will be.
This is incredibly important in language learning as we all experience anxiety, doubt and confusion about our second language abilities. It's even more important when the stakes are high such as in interview or exam preparation when learners are likely to be feeling a heightened sense of anxiety about their language use. When learners are preparing for an exam such as CAE or IELTS, it is imperative that the teacher helps the learner maintain a sense of calmness and, moreover, a sense of confidence in their abilities and the belief that they can and will experience a successful outcome.
How can teachers do this and where do they go wrong? The importance of positive feedback
Part of the job of a language teacher is to highlight the students' mistakes. This is an integral part of language teaching, and the teacher who doesn't do this is, in my opinion, not performing their job correctly. However, there are ways to give feedback that allow the learner to grow and mature and there are others than can trigger a sense of failure and worry. Healthy ways of giving feedback include:
Asking the student what they thought went well in a task before the teacher shares their opinion
Training students to identify positive aspects in their language production
Training students to regard mistakes as learning opportunities rather than as irredeemable failures
Keeping negative feedback precise so that the learner can connect it to a specific part of their language production
Discussing ways of improving next time
Harmful ways of giving feedback include:
Highlighting every single mistake after every single task
Constantly interrupting students when they make a mistake
Phrasing feedback in a way that feels personal to the student (you're making too many mistakes; you're not fluent enough; you always do that wrong)
Speaking in a way that triggers a negative feeling in the learner
Expecting that once a mistake has been pointed out, the student will never make it again
Only highlighting mistakes, never highlighting strengths
Overwhelming students with too much feedback
Over time, if a teacher is unable to give feedback in ways that boost their learners' confidence and belief, the teacher may start to have a negative impact not only on their students' mindset and beliefs, but also on their actual language production; anxious learners simply do not use language as well as calm ones!
Unfortunately, a lot of language teachers still fall into the more traditional way of teaching, and many learners still believe that their teacher 'knows best' and should be obeyed without question. This belief makes it very challenging for learners to stand up for themselves and tell their teacher what works and doesn't work for them. Obviously, if you are a young person at school it will be harder for you to have the freedom to express your needs and preferences. However, if you are an adult learner, especially if you are taking private lessons, I believe that you should feel safe enough to express your concerns to your teacher. Here are four suggestions for you if you think your teacher is giving you harsh feedback or feedback that makes you feel bad (feedback should never make you feel bad!).
1. Do your 'due diligence' on any teacher you are considering working with.
Due diligence means taking the time to check the teacher is right for you. When I want to work with a coach or teacher, I always ask for references and email or phone ex-clients to get their perspective. A good teacher or coach will never mind you asking for references from previous clients; in fact, they will be glad to be asked as they will have countless happy students who will tell you how amazing the teacher is! If you are taking an exam, make sure that your teacher is experienced with your particular exam and has a strong track record of good results. It is important that they are familiar with your exam as the requirements can differ considerably between, say, FCE and IELTS! Don't be shy to ask for references and don't be scared of saying 'adios!' if the teacher is unwilling to do this for you or if the references are less than complimentary.
2. Ask for what you need and for what works for you.
While this might be challenging given the traditional power relationship between teacher and student, I believe the student instinctively knows what is right for them and should feel emboldened to ask for it. When I am teaching, I give numerous opportunities for my clients to ask for a change in direction or focus because it is they who are in charge of the process. If you believe that something isn't working for you, have a conversation about it with your teacher. If you don't get a positive response from them, for example if they dismiss your concerns or tell you that you are wrong, I suggest you look for another person to work with.
3. Assume responsibility for your learning.
While it is true that a teacher is a great resource, ultimately, the responsibility for your learning lies with you. Don't expect your teacher to do all the work for you. You may need to invest time in learning how to study (not all teachers will teach this) and discovering what works best for you. The more responsibility you claim, the more independent you can become, making your teacher be more like a guide than an imparter of knowledge.
4. Don't be afraid to walk away if you are not getting what you want.
There are literally thousands of online teachers out there so you do not need to stay with someone who is not giving you what you need. You are paying the teacher for a service and you wouldn't stay with another service provider such as a hairdresser if they weren't satisfactory, would you? If, after raising your concerns, nothing changes I would strongly recommend seeking an alternative teacher to work with. I have now heard so many sad stories about very bright, clever students who chose the wrong teacher and who were unable to make the progress they deserved as a result. Don't allow negative teaching styles to dictate your success ‒ go out and find the teacher who is right for you and who can give you what you need.
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Sarah Henderson-Sharon, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sarah Henderson-Sharon is an expert in helping non-native English speakers overcome Second Language Anxiety: the fear, shame, and anxiety they experience when speaking English. A teacher with 17 years of experience, Sarah became aware of the damaging impact of Second Language Anxiety four years ago. Since then, Sarah has dedicated herself to helping her clients understand and move beyond their fears so that they can use English with confidence. She is the founder of Think Positive English where she offers 1-2-1 programs and a community speaking club empowering members to improve their spoken English.
