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As an English teacher teaching students with other mother tongues, there are chances for teaching in different settings, no matter which country you are teaching in. For me, while I mainly teach in public elementary schools, I also have a private student and a small group English class on the weekend. Obviously enough, I have had some very different experiences from these different classes. I have learnt some of the major differences first hand. Let me look into some of the advantages and disadvantages of each. In terms of group teaching, some advantages might be quite obvious. It is possible to have different types of group activities and games. For example, my students like Simon says very much when we practice action verbs and the associated actions. This would not be possible in the setting of one to one classes. Moreover, it is also possible to engage in more diverse group discussions with more people in a class. Surly it is still possible to discuss in one to one classes, the diversity of opinions provided in a group setting is definitely valuable and superior. On top of that, it is also easier for the students to learn and practice using encouraging phrases like "go for it," "you can do it," "good job," or simply "nice" in group debates, time races, etc. With the ability to carry out group activities, it is easier to make English class fun and exciting. On the other hand, as the only partner one can have in a one to one setting would be the teacher, it would be relatively harder to make the class as exciting. Not to mention, it could grow boring if the teacher does not have a handful of tricks ready. So, am I saying teaching groups is better? Certainly not. One to one classes have their own merits. With only one student, it is possible to create an individual syllabus and lesson plan that pinpoints the needs of the student and to drill certain skills with these specific tasks without the need of worrying about the differences in levels of students in a group setting. Students in one to one classes can also ask any question they have immediately in a class without feeling the possible pressure from peers. In my experience, there are quite a number of students in my schools that are very shy; they are scared of asking questions in the class. This would be less likely to be the case for one to one classes, as most people enrolled in such classes are likely to bring questions to the class, ready to ask the teachers. With this easier environment for the students to ask questions, teachers can provide prompt support and help whenever questions arise. Besides, potentially, lessons would also be able to go smoother and quicker without the need of waiting for everyone else to be ready for the next part. On the same note, time necessary to deal with disciplinary problems other students create in a group setting is also eliminated by default. On the other hand, my student from my one to one lesson brought a song he liked to the class the other day, and he had fun learning English going through the lyrics together. While it is also possible to learn English like this in a group setting, it would be harder to vote for a song that interests everyone in the class. As there are advantages and disadvantages in both types of classes, it is impossible to say one is absolutely better than the other. Personally, I enjoy both types, as I learn different things in each, and I am eager to continue learning from my students.
