Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Guanghua Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Linfen Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.
Teaching a one to one lesson is very different from teaching a group of students in a number of different ways, which I will explain in this summative task. Firstly, I think it is important to define what one to one and group classes are. One to one classes can be defined as a lesson led by an ESL teacher to only one student whereas a group class is a lesson delivered to multiple students at the same time. Obviously, the overarching difference is the number of students. This difference has a number of implications on the type of lessons delivered and the problems the ESL teacher may encounter. The main differences, which I will explain in greater detail in this essay, involve discipline; difficulty finding appropriate activities; and the ability to cover the needs of all students. Firstly, questions around discipline and class behaviour are more prevalent in group lessons. It is likely that, in a group setting where students share the same native language, students will talk amongst themselves in this language instead of using English (ITTT online TEFL course). It is much easier for the students to use their native language when they are communicating with each other than it is for them to use English, so this can be a common occurrence. It is something the teacher must look out for during pair work and group role plays. These activities can be significantly less effective if students are not communicating in English. This is less likely to occur in a one-to-one lesson where the teacher controls the discussions more closely. It is entirely possible that the student won’t know the teacher speaks their native language so the student can’t fall back on what is more comfortable for them. Further, behavioural issues, such as chatting amongst themselves, can’t happen in a one-to-one class where the student is alone with the teacher. It could be said that there are fewer distractions for the student. Moreover, some activities previously mentioned, such as pair work and group role plays, are not appropriate in a one to one class. For example, creating an advert and presenting it to the class for discussion cannot be used as an activate activity in a one to one class since there are no other students available for discussion. This means that it can be difficult to find good engage and activate activities for a one to one student. In addition to this, it is, in some ways, more important for the teacher to build a rapport with the student in a one-to-one class so that the student feels comfortable and confident enough to participate actively in discussions and language practice with the teacher. This is different in group classes as shyer students often perform well in pair work or role play activities where they can take on the identity of someone else. Whilst there are, perhaps, a greater array of activities for group classes, it can be harder to address the needs of each individual student, particularly in large groups. One to one classes can be directed to the unique needs of the student, whereas, in a group class, students will have different needs and abilities. It can be difficult to find techniques that include all students. One option is pairing weaker students with stronger ones (ITTT online TEFL course) but this can result in stronger students not being challenged enough and weaker students being carried. Another option is separating students into groups according to ability (ITTT online TEFL course) but teachers don’t want to teach different lessons to the different groups. This can be a real problem for teachers of group classes. To conclude, there are a number of differences between teaching a one-to-one class and a group class. The number of students in a group class can pose a variety of problems that do not exist in a one-to-one lesson. Addressing the needs of all students and managing the behaviour of the class can be a challenge with multiple different students. Teachers of one-to-one classes can direct the lessons to the needs of the student and rarely have to deal with behavioural problems as there aren’t other students to chat to and be distracted with. Selecting appropriate activities can be challenging for both one-to-one and group classes. Group activities need to include all ability levels whereas one to one activities can’t call for involvement from other students. Reference list: ITTT course unit guidebook
