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Language is inherently personal. It is what allows us to communicate with each other, to understand and voice what we experience throughout our lives. Language is what makes humans innately human. So when it comes to learning a new language, it can feel terrifying and overwhelming because of the deeply personal nature. Some students will be excited to learn a new way to communicate, while others might not see the significances or need to learn something outside of their native language. Strong emotions will be at work as students and teachers walk into a language classroom on the first day of class. Establishing rapport between the students and between students and the teacher will set the tone for the rest of the course. Merriam-Webster defines rapport as, “a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or empathy that makes communication possible or easy.” It is this mutual understanding or empathy that must be established by all parties in the classroom when cultivating an environment conducive to effective learning. The two main situations a teacher should consider when thinking about rapport building would be the first day of class and regular classroom days. On the first day of class avoid jumping straight into coursebook lessons or tough grammar worksheets. Instead, make the class time fun and engaging for all students. The teacher should take time to introduce themselves and set the tone for the rest of the class to follow as everyone else introduces themselves. This activity will allow every person in the classroom to speak. Teachers should take the time to learn why students are in the class and what their goals are in terms of learning English. These class conversations will allow the teacher to gauge the conversational level of the students. A quick questionnaire, survey, or worksheet might also be appropriate to understand the written level of all the students and serve as a baseline for the rest of the course. The first day of the class gives teachers the opportunity to inspire and motivate students to learn and use English. Showing that learning a new language can be fun and exciting to learn, teachers are able to ease some of the nerves that often come with learning a new language. Establishing rapport on the first day does not mark the end of the rapport building process. Building rapport must be considered in every class after the first day. To build and maintain healthy rapport teachers must continue to engage all students in class discussions and lessons. Coursebooks can be helpful to teachers but the predictability and lack of personal details quickly bore students. Maintaining rapport throughout the course looks like personalize lessons to the interests of the students in the class, continuing to engage with students on a personal level, and ensuring students feel confident in their progression of the materials learned. Working one on one with students when appropriate and necessary also demonstrates to students that their teacher truly cares about their mastery of new language skills. Building and maintaining rapport should always be consideration of language teachers but it does not need to be overly complicated. A language teacher should be excited and ready to learn with their students. Mistakes, misunderstandings, and confusion will happen in the classroom but laughter and a smile is something shared between all languages. Building rapport will take time but ultimately leads to a better learning environment for all involved. When it comes to building rapport remember to listen, respond, and be kind.
