As we are going to be teachers, we have to face with these kinds of students for sure!! Therefore, I brought this guide to introduce you to a 5 of them and give you strategies to keep your classroom running smoothly.
1. The Dominator
This student is eager, enthusiastic and anxious to practice what she knows. That’s great, but unfortunately she demonstrates this eagerness by being the first to call out the answer every time you ask the class a question. That means the other, quieter students are not able participate as much because they can’t compete with the Dominator.
How to deal:
Make it a rule that answers cannot be blurted out, but students must raise their hands. This gives you the chance to call on less vocal students. Also, many Dominators don’t mean to disrupt; they just love talking in English, so pairing up two Dominators for partner work can give both of them the chance to gab.
2. The Class Clown
You remember this student from when you were in school (or maybe you were this student). He’s always got a hilarious answer to the teacher’s question, and loves making the class laugh. Sure, it can be funny, but if his antics keep he or his classmates from learning English, it’s a problem.
How to deal:
It might seem like ignoring this student would be the solution, but usually he’s attention seeking, so that will likely just make him clown around more. Instead, try physically moving toward the student. Walk over and stand by him while you’re teaching or give him a task, like handing out worksheets. Try praising him for good work so that he gets the attention he needs in other ways.
3. The Silent Student
Students might be silent for many reasons: fear of making a mistake, general shyness, or just a preference for listening and observing. Whatever the reason, silence is deadly in the EFL classroom, where communicating in English is the goal.
How to deal:
Try talking privately to the student after class to find out why he is quiet in class. He may not even be aware he’s not participating! Also, try taking the pressure off quiet students by utilizing partner or small group work. It’s much easier to speak to one or two people than it is to a whole class! Also, a strategy such as posing a question to the class as a whole and giving them a couple of minutes to write down their answers individually can also help the quiet student participate.
4. The Translator
You’ve painstakingly created vocabulary flashcards for your class of Arabic students so that they can associate the new vocabulary you are teaching with an image, rather than with an Arabic word. Yet there’s one student who insists on saying the Arabic translation right after each English word is presented—just what you’re trying to avoid!
How to deal:
While translation is discouraged in the EFL classroom, the truth is, some students learn this way and maybe she’s one of them. Have a private conversation with this student and instead of telling her “no translating in class,” ask her, for the courtesy of others who learn visually, to please write down, rather than say the translation if she feels this method benefits her.
5. The Arguer
The Arguer has a gift for analyzing concepts and pays great attention to detail, but as a result, she seems to challenge every grammar or speaking point you present. For example, you’re teaching students how they might hear native speakers pronounce the phrase, “Don’t you?” as “dōnchū? The Arguer will tell you you’re wrong because it’s nowhere in the book!
How to deal:
First, always stay cool, calm and patient. Never argue back! Then, present evidence of your point rather than simply relying on your expertise as “the teacher.” For example, make an activity out of bringing in a short song or clip from a TV show, in which students can hear this pronunciation for themselves. Or, ask the Arguer to bring in similar examples to demonstrate his own point.
Knowing what challenges you and your TEFL students can expect and having a plan for dealing with them can make your classroom much easier to manage. I do believe taht this guide will be very beneficial for us.
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