TEFL Swan Valley Idaho

Establishing rapport (43). As both a professional actor and trained counselor, it is of utmost importance for me to find a way to get my audience or clients to connect with me in some capacity. They should be made to feel appreciated, challenged, safe, and understood. In an educational environment, I have found that this is also true of the students and I therefore endeavor to use my acting and counseling skills to establish a rapport that will serve the learning process. The first area of importance to me is my appearance. While I am much more of a "jeans and T-shirt" kind of person, that does not mean that I have to be unprofessional. I must consider how the students (and administration) see me; after all, non-verbal communication is just as much a part of learning a language as the actual words are. Initially, I tend to dress more conservatively: I do not wear a suit, but I avoid wearing clothes that could be seen as unprofessional. Initially, I tend to adopt a more professional casual style. After that, and taking my cue from the administration itself, I adopt a more relaxed casual style which puts the students at ease. My demeanor is another important part of the rapport building process and also has a non-verbal component. The attitude that I affect, the state of mind that I portray, and how I carry myself – all of these communicate to the student, and I must take care that this communication does not negatively impact my words. When students perceive me to have a positive, confident attitude, they can trust that I am there for a reason and that I know what I am doing; students expect this of their teacher. Furthermore, that attitude must tell them that they can trust me. When this happens, they often eventually mimic the same attitude just as they mimic the verbal language skills that I demonstrate. Coupled with a positive demeanor is an attitude of openness. No student is exactly the same and I must be willing to be open in a variety of capacities: to their culture; to their background; to their age; to their needs; to their wants; and even to things they do not know how to express. I have to be willing to accept them as they are and where they are in the learning process, and remain approachable at all times. My experience has shown me that there is no difference in the type of student I am working with: when I show that I am open to who they are and all that they bring with them, they become more relaxed and more willing to learn, including being more willing to be involved and to make mistakes without fear of being judged. In this regard, I become a 'language parent'. Another important aspect of establishing rapport is sensitivity. Every student has needs, many of which they are not aware of or may not be able to express – especially if they are not comfortable with the language they must use. That is why I must look and listen. In order discern properly, I must humble myself and put myself in a receptive position in relation to the student, even as I impart. This makes for a give and take situation that is not so obvious but becomes an exchange that is sensed. This opens the door for positive feedback and provides encouragement and motivation to the student, knowing that they are respected and appreciated in the learning process. Of all the areas of feedback that I have received from the students I have worked with, these are the areas that are positively commented on the most. There are certainly other aspects of establishing rapport with students, but with my personality I have found that these are the most important ones for me. The process is easier with some students than with others (for a variety of reasons) but if I expect the student to learn then I must become the vessel through which they do it and they must feel connected to that process – and therefore, to me.