Under Rosemary's persuasion, I am blogging for the first time in my life and doing it about my experience with ESL tutoring. I honestly don't believe I've accomplished as much as I expect I should have. However, my anxiety about tutoring ESL students has faded.
I have found, in my life experience, that even in a business relationship an element of personal connection makes for a better work environment. So, I approach the encounters as I would with any person I form a relationship with. I connect with them in a personal way. What I feel is beneficial about this approach is that I'm learning about their background. I learn about the languages they have spoken and have been exposed to. I learn about the culture they come from. I learn about what is important to them. I feel this is significant because it is allowing the client to trust me. They don't just see me as another college staff person but as someone who is really interested in their life and their success in it. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all college staff are impersonal, many are just busy and overwhelmed. As a tutor, we have the opportunity to fill in the gap. This applies to any student receiving tutoring services. Yet, more so, it applies to the ESL student.
The anxiety for the ESL client as a learner outweighs the anxiety I have as a tutor. By acknowledging how they must feel, I realize that worrying about being "perfect" is just pointless. We are both going through a learning process. This viewpoint has helped ease up my nerves, which has brought about a more relaxed experience for both the client and me. The fact that they do not see me being anxious helps them to feel more confident in themselves and me. I think that combining the previous approach with this one is working.
Grant it, I do have concerns about my performance. Really though, that's just about refreshing my knowledge regarding the fundamentals about the English language, which I haven't had to think about in years. I am using resources at the WLDC to assist in that. One of those is the green book that Rosemary suggested. Studying the materials between clients is advantageous.
The approaches I have taken are what seem to be successful at this point. It's not technical. My tendecncy is to overcomplicate. I don't know if anyone else does this. But whether you are like me or not in that way, I think it's best to start where I did and move on from there.
Great way to put it Alicia. As a tutor we do want to keep our anxiety out of the tutoring session. I haven't had a chance to really read over the information in the green binder but I too feel that I can always refresh my understanding of the English language and all the fun stuff that goes with writing and reading it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're feeling better about ESL tutoring. I like how you pointed out that the anxiety the student feels is far greater than our own. They feel like outsiders, and they know (even if we don't realize it) that we are insiders to the language and the culture. Just encouraging them and assuring them that they are on the right track goes a long way. You're right--it usually isn't technical, and when it is, you don't have to know the answer, you probably just need to flip back a few pages in their book. Not only will you find the rule you need, you demonstrate resourceful student behavior.
DeleteWhen I say, "Oh my gosh I don't know what the rule is for that, they don't teach us that in school!" I get knowing chuckles from ESL students who struggle all the time with knowing those rules. They appreciate my confusion; it puts me at the level of a learner, too, and it puts them at ease.