A positive relationship between the student and the target language is as important as the positive relationship between the student and the teacher. The positive learning environment is essential. The classes with my English teacher in primary school were boring. The situation improved in high school, but everything changed when I attended a summer school in Reading, UK. For the first time in my life I enjoyed my English classes; the teachers were so motivating, cheerful, interesting... everything I wanted. I wanted to be like them... I was fascinated by them... and at the age of 20, while still at University, I started working in a language school. I loved teaching so much, and yes, my teachers from UK were my role model! I have been teaching 21 years now and I always try to be entertaining, funny, interesting and motivating for my students. And yes, affective language teaching leads to successful language learning!
I can definitely relate to this. I have had so many experiences where I have exciting tasks and my students do not respond. I would suggest that you try a different relaxation technique since not all activities fit each group the same way. In my case, every time I play relaxing piano music my students tell me my music is suuuuuuper boring and that they want to fall asleep.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carolina Brenes Burgos :)
ReplyDeleteHello, Maria. I know how you feel. I tried rain too and some of my students laugh, but laughing is good so we mustn't care! I think next time they will understand better why you do it. We have to BELIEVE!
ReplyDeleteMaria,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear that the rain activity did not work with your students. I usually tell them that we are going to have a relaxing activity and I ask them to tell me later if it has worked. My setting is the private language school with small groups, which makes the experience very different.
One suggestion is asking first if they know any relaxing activities before presenting our suggestions.
The snowman I tend to do with children up to five years old. I do rain with children until ten.
Here you have a post I wrote with many other relaxing activities for young learners: http://childrenlearningenglishaffectively.blogspot.com.br/2012/09/relaxing-activities-for-young-learners.html
Let me know how some of these other ones go.