You want to learn English. You sign up for a course, or you find a tutor. Then you begin your lessons. One problem remains for many students. You don't know your new teacher.
You quickly learn that your new teacher speaks too fast or too slowly. You learn this person does not correct you very often. You learn that this teacher wants you to read more, or write more, and then more and more and more. But you want to be able to speak in everyday situations. You want people to understand you when you speak this language. You want to understand what people say to you.
You now have a problem. You have a teacher or tutor. That's good. There is something wrong. Your new teacher is not right for you. Not to worry. You can solve this problem.
Read this sentence carefully: You can change your teacher. This sentence has two meanings. One, you can find another teacher, and you can have your lessons with a new teacher. Now, is this new teacher better for you? For example, does this teacher ask you what you want?
- "How often do you want me to correct you when you speak?"
- "What subjects do you like to talk about?"
- "Do you need to read better in English? to write better?"
Two, you can change teachers by telling him or her what you need. In other words, you can teach your teacher to be the best for you.
- "Please speak more slowly."
- "I do not understand. Please repeat what you said."
- "I want to understand songs in English when I listen to them."
The best teacher for you teaches by doing and saying things for you. We say she or he has "you in mind." Your job is to tell your teacher about yourself and what you want.
You can begin by answering these two questions: What do I like? What don't I like? Here are some examples answers. I like it when my teacher:
- is an actor--she shows me what she means by acting like someone or something.
- explains grammar, so that I can see how English is different from my language.
- asks me to imagine things, where I learn new words for things I know already.
- smiles and tells me when I say something correctly.
I do not like it when my teacher:
- talks all the time and does let me talk.
- always asks me, "Do you know the English word for this?"
- gives me something to read without telling me first the meaning of some important new words.
- looks unhappy when I make an error.
Your answers to questions like these about what you like and what you don't will help you find, or teach, the best teacher for you.
For students of all ages, feelings are important. A teacher's happy or sad face makes a difference, and different students like different faces. How you feel while learning a new language is important. Do you feel good about your lesson today? Are you happy with what you did in your lesson? Was your teacher patient with you? Do you feel your teacher likes you?
Some teachers do not think feelings are important. They think that what they teach is the most important thing. Yes, English as a foreign language is an important subject, and yes, your teacher must know the subject very well. But how you feel when you are learning is also important.
For me, I think of it this way.
- Am I happy and comfortable during my lesson?
- Does my teacher smile and tell me when I do something well?
- Does my teacher correct me gently and clearly?
- Is my teacher patient?
When I answer no to these questions, I do not want another lesson with that teacher. There is my answer to which teacher is the best for me.
Which teacher is the best for you? Make a list of what you want your teacher to do and say. Make another list of what you do not want from your teacher. Discuss your lists with your new teacher. Or, find another teacher. You will learn more from the best teacher for you. You will also learn faster.
