Tag Archives: class participation

Increasing Retention in ESL Programs

Teaching Tips & Strategies, ,

Retaining Adult ESL Learners in Class

Image courtesy of nuchylee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of nuchylee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One challenge many ESL instructors face is retaining students in their classes. Throughout the semester, you may see your class size dwindle as students attend class irregularly, or disappear altogether. Some factors for this are beyond the instructor’s control; changing work schedules, family responsibilities, and transportation issues are some of the issues that can affect students’ attendance and ability to continue the course. Other barriers to success are more internal. Low self-esteem and embarrassment from the possibility of making mistakes can prevent students from participating in class and improving their oral language skills. Frustration at the slow progress of acquiring language skills may discourage students from continuing with the course. Also, some students may not feel supported by their instructors, peers, or even their families in their pursuit of English education.

However, there are steps instructors can take to help students combat each of these obstacles and persevere in their studies. Following are some common barriers to regular class attendance, and some strategies for encouraging students to continue with their studies, thereby increasing class retention.

Students feel uncomfortable and unsupported in the classroom.

Create a welcoming environment in your classroom. Make time to speak to each of your students individually at the beginning of the semester and get to know them. Make yourself available shortly before or after class to answer questions and arrange times to meet with any students who need extra guidance. Also, have students get to know each other by learning everyone’s names and assigning group activities during class to give them opportunities to work together.

To alleviate any anxiety students may feel at the prospect of making mistakes in front of the class, reassure them that failure is normal and a part of the learning experience that will lead them to success. Share your own mistakes and failures in learning a second language, and how you learned from them and improved your language skills. Recognize and praise students’ efforts to participate in class whether their answers are right or wrong.

Students feel frustrated and discouraged that their progress is slower than they anticipated.

Learning a second language is hard work and takes a long time, and the difference between a student’s expectation of how long it will take them to learn English and the reality of how long it can really take, especially when juggled with all of their other responsibilities, can lead to frustration. To give students a barometer by which to measure their success, work with students to establish realistic goals and timelines to accomplish them throughout the semester. Goals can include ordering a meal, making a doctor’s appointment, or asking for directions and understanding the responses. Then meet with them regularly to discuss their progress. You may even create competency checklists at the beginning of the semester so students have a tangible source by which to measure their progress.

Personal responsibilities interfere with the student’s ability to attend class.

Many adult students balance their studies with jobs and families, and some often miss class to attend to these responsibilities, leading to irregular attendance or dropping out altogether. Financial issues are another factor that can interfere with a student’s ability to attend class. To find out what the barrier may be, contact the student about their attendance, then depending on the issue, lead them to resources and organizations that can help with their needs, like for employment, transportation, childcare, or tuition. If the issue has more to do with scheduling, let them know that there are other sections of the course and they can switch to another class at a time that is better for them. Some students drop out of the program because they think that once they have stopped attending a course, they can no longer return. Let them know that they will always be welcome to return to the program at a later date.

Our full solutions for Welcome to Computers for ESL Students, 4th Edition include a variety of assignments and activities to engage students in learning English and basic computer skills. To learn more, contact Labyrinth Learning today.

 

Improving Student Participation

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Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In the classroom, there are often a few students who readily and willingly raise their hands to answer questions and contribute to class discussions, while other students hold back and listen passively. Some of these students are shy and uncomfortable speaking in front of large groups of people. Others may be reflective learners who prefer to think about the material they have just learned before they volunteer to contribute their thoughts to the class. By contrast, more vocal students may be active learners who participate, in part, because they learn by thinking out loud.

Encouraging all of your students to participate in class engages students with the lessons more, gauges how well they really understand the material, and adds a greater variety of viewpoints to discussions. Here are several strategies for encouraging more class participation.

  • Most instructors state clearly in the syllabus that participation is expected and part of the student’s grade. However, it may be helpful to give specific criteria as to what you are evaluating in the student’s participation, such as the application of concepts to their answers, or evidence of critical thinking in the student’s comments and questions. Or, you could give bonus points for participation. For instance, you could give students one point for each time they ask a question about the material, answer a question, or contribute an idea to a discussion.
  • Arrive to class early and chat informally with the students. Getting to know your students in this manner may make them more comfortable with you, and therefore willing to speak up more in your class.
  • Give short, informal writing assignments that students have to complete before the next class, and come prepared to speak about it. This will allow reflective learners time to think about the discussion topic and formulate their thoughts and ideas. Shy students can prepare what they will say ahead of time to reduce anxiety about having to answer questions on the spot.
  • Pause frequently during lectures for questions and discussion. Students are often so busy taking notes that if you go too long before pausing for discussion, by the time you do pause, they may have forgotten what they were going to say. Also, present open-ended questions at the beginning of the lecture to give students a focus during the lecture around which to formulate their ideas. You may even have students write down their answers before answering aloud to give them time to clarify their ideas.
  • Provide encouraging feedback and follow-up questions. Positive encouragement increases students’ comfort level and will motivate them to participate more if they feel their contributions are valued. Follow-up questions will prompt students to clarify and support their answers, and sometimes reconsider the evidence behind their ideas.
  • Give students a preliminary participation grade and written evaluation halfway through the semester. Students can then see exactly how you are evaluating their participation and where they can improve, such as the frequency of participation, the clarity of their ideas, or courtesy toward their classmates’ contributions to discussions.

Labyrinth Learning’s full solutions provide a variety of resources to facilitate class discussions on the concepts taught in our textbooks. To learn more about our solutions for computer science and accounting courses, please contact us today.