Teach English in Liangzhuang Zhen - Tai'an Shi

Schools are important places where teachers provide support to their students on a daily basis; it is an environment for learning. Learning at school requires students to pay attention, observe, memorize, understand, set goals and to assume responsibility for their own learning. These cognitive activities are not possible without the active involvement and engagement of the learner. Teachers assist students in becoming active and goals oriented by building on their natural desire to explore, learn and understand new things particularly in a culturally diverse classroom. In order for a teacher to achieve their aims and objectives, patience is extremely fundamental in order to be successful in the classroom. Without patience the teacher can have a hard time being an effective teacher to their students. According to Maslow’s (1945) hierarchy of needs which includes social needs such as love, acceptance and belonging are all emotional relationships that help drive behavior. Creating a learning environment that fosters students to become the best they can is important to teachers. Due to past experiences of being a student in the classroom for many years, the first day of class can be an emotional experience for students who are meeting each other for the very first time. Teachers as part of their teaching strategy will have an ‘ice breaker’. This is where the educator meets and greets the class and thereafter engages the first time learners in activities that will allow them to get to know each other. These activities aides in making the students feel comfortable and excited to learn more about the topic and thereby creating an environment for active learning. Children think and learn differently (Lunenberg, 1998). According to psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1978), the way children learn is by internalizing the activities, habits, vocabulary and ideas of the members of the community in which they grow up. The establishment of a fruitful collaborative and co-operative atmosphere is an essential part of school learning. Teaching strategies are designed to teach a diverse population of varying learning styles and needs, as curriculum adjustments are based on regular assessment of students’ needs. It is also essential to learn the proper pronunciation of student’s names over a period of time, recognizing the differences in their traditions, beliefs and social behavior. The writer of this summative essay have seen where teachers make it their duty to attend classes well prepared for their lectures; ensuring that they have in their position all the material that is needed for teaching. Building on their choice of teaching and how tasks are to be accomplished, teachers provide multiple means of learning to students (lectures, videos, role-play, worksheet exercises and group discussions). Having students work in groups does not only help them practice the skills they are learning but in addition, gives them the opportunity in becoming more interactive with their peers. According to Johnston, Halocha and Chater (2007) “in order to achieve effective teaching and learning, teachers need to develop whole-class, group and individual teaching, learning using ICT and other strategies to support the development of skills and attitudes, as well as of knowledge and understanding. They also need to accommodate different learners by enabling the pace of learning to be different for different learners” To teach in accordance with the ability and capability of students a teacher need to adopt such skills of communication which motivate the students toward their learning process (Sng Bee, 2012). Effective communication is equally essential to students, communicating effectively allows the learner to grasp what is being taught to them in a clear and comprehensible manner. Students therefore, cannot critically think if the information divulge to them is not clear and understandable. A teacher has to teach students who have different thinking approaches. Teacher communication skills are important for a teacher in the delivery of education to students (McCarthy and Carter, 2001). Having discussed classroom management with a few selected teachers, each shared in their own way that they have realized in the past that poorly designed lessons, uninterested learning materials or learners having unclear expectations of a course of study undeniably contributed to behavioral problems and disruptive, disorganize classes which made the class harder to control and teach. Therefore, introducing intellectually interesting, motivational learning materials to support specific educational activities in the classroom can aid in the teacher being able to manage a classroom. Being able to effectively keep students organized, focused, attentive and academically productive during class sessions can facilitate or enhance learning capabilities thereby creating a safe and effective classroom fit for learning.