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James Thull ITTT TEFL Course Final Paper Establishing rapport For the topic of my final paper I am choosing establishing rapport. In order to create a comfortable classroom environment teachers should work on establishing a good rapport with their students beginning on the first day of class and continuing through the entire semester. A comfortable classroom environment aids instruction in a multitude of ways and is especially important in a TEFL classroom where cultural and language barriers can be more of an issue than a common language classroom. There are several common best practices that will help create a base for building rapport with classes of a reasonable size. For the purpose of this paper I will be looking primarily at small to medium size classes and not directly addressing larger class sizes although many of the methods discussed will apply to classes of all sizes. A teacher should always be aware that they serve as an example to the students and that mutual respect is important. Being punctual, learning the names of all the students, and being willing to share a degree of oneself are important habits for a teacher to develop. Students are required to know the name of the teacher so it is only fair that a teacher should learn theirs as well. Calling on someone by name builds familiarity and creates a comfort level that aids in student confidence. Students who are confident are more likely to take risks in class, are more open to sharing and trying new things, and in general participate more than those who are not. A teacher who is not afraid to embarrass themselves a little, share stories about their lives, and be open with their students will show vulnerability which allows students to feel that they can as well. Learning a new language is hard. No one will be correct on punctuation, tense, usage, etc. all of the time and being wrong, especially in front of ones peer group, can be embarrassing but this is another example of where a teacher can serve as an example for their students in showing vulnerability and demonstrating that they too are willing be take risks in front of a group. Encouraging discussion and a willingness among students to ask questions is an important part of any classroom dynamic and by establishing a rapport with students and creating a comfortable classroom environment teachers can dramatically increase the likelihood that students will engage in the class. There are several methods that teachers can use to create a comfortable atmosphere in their classrooms. One method is using a simple icebreaker at the beginning of each class to get the students talking. Asking a general question of the day, one that is easy, fun to answer and non-threatening, can be a great way engage with students and have them engage with each other. Examples of questions include “If you could pick a super power what would it be?” or “If you won a trip and could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go?” These types of questions can create a fun atmosphere where students are more willing to speak, ask questions, and practice their English skills. In addition to using things like the question of the day and being a good example for the students, teachers can also create a rapport by engaging with students when the opportunity arrives. Examples of engagement include asking students follow up questions during the normal course of a class discussion. If a student comments on going to a restaurant a teacher could ask if the food was good or what they ate and then share something about a personal favorite food or place to eat. In conclusion building rapport in a classroom is something teachers should be aware of and have plans for accomplishing. The benefits of creating a comfortable learning environment will often translate to a direct improvement in participation and therefore increase the opportunities for students to practice their English skills. A comfortable student is a confident student and confidence is a significant factor in a student’s educational success.
