self-esteam and learning

<b>Forum for teachers working with refugees </b>

Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2

Post Reply
Roooose
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2006 2:55 pm
Location: oman
Contact:

self-esteam and learning

Post by Roooose » Wed Apr 05, 2006 3:16 pm

Hiiii

how are you all

I am a new member here :D

I am a future teacher

I have a Q for you all

does student's self-esteam affects their learning of language?

what do you think?


thank you
:wink:

REG 1
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:17 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Post by REG 1 » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:32 pm

Hi

I'm a future teacher too. I believe that self-esteem has to effect the rate at which a person progresses. I'm not sure how true this is for adults as I'm training to teach children aged 5 to 11 years and this is certainly true for young children. Praise and encouragement is so important to their learning as if they are in a secure environment where they feel respected and worthy then they are more likely to learn. This is such an influential age where a teacher could really make a positive difference to their lives (or a negative one). I'm sure with older children and adults this is the same, certainly I know I like to feel confident in myself and when I do I put more effort into the things I do.

cnu_chw
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 1:20 am
Location: Beijing, China

Post by cnu_chw » Mon May 08, 2006 2:22 am

Hi,

How are you!
I'm a future teacher, too. Nice meeting you here.
I quite agree with REG 1 that self-esteem has great effect on students' progress, no matter they are young children or adults. I do believe that positive comments, praise or encouragement ( which can keep or give student self-esteem) do good to students' study. A Korean friend , who is over thirty and is studying Chinese in our university once said that his teacher seldom praise them after they answer a question. The teacher just say "Ok", or "Not bad" etc. Usually they do not feel good or encouraged with these responses. He said a teacher should give more praise to the students and that would do a lot good.
So, as we are going to be teachers. We should keep this in mind.

Thank you! :D :D

clio.gr
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:50 pm
Location: ATHENS-GREECE

Post by clio.gr » Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:13 pm

Well hello! I am an ESL teacher!!!

Well self esteem is a very important key to learning.

Take yourself for example. You study what you like and you want to learn more, that's why you wrote in this forum and asked for advice.

Now imagine that at high school your teachers were calling you an idiot or they were giving you very easy tasks to do (contrary to your classmates) or if they were on a hurry, they ignored you and asked the "excellent" student of the class to answer or if they were pittying you and showing it to you with their behaviour. Would you even care to go further to the University?

Why would a child or an adult want to learn something when he/she is convinced that he/she lacks the ability or the flair? Why would he/she show interest at all if failure is what he/she will get?

Praise and encouragement are very good but a student shoul see that you mean it. That is, he/she should experience some victories.

I usually work with groups and I prefer that poorer pupils are helped by the stronger ones without either of them noticing it. When their group does well all the members take pride.

Moreover if I see that something is very difficult for the whole class I give them an easy test (that I know they would do well) or a test they have been well prepared. This test takes a grade (I usually make comments on the good and the bad points of their answers) and when everyone takes good grades they feel more confident with the subject and are not afraid of it.

A teacher should respect every personality in the class and should be able to give reinforcement to anyone. Moreover, he/she should have knowledge of psychology and keep a record for every student.

Good luck in our difficult but beautiful proffession to the 3 of u!!!!!!!!!!!

MelissaQ
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri May 04, 2012 4:12 am

Post by MelissaQ » Fri May 18, 2012 1:40 pm

Clio.gr, I like how you mentioned children, adults, and teens in your post! I am also studying to be an ESL teacher and from what I have read, there are many differences when teaching children, adults, and teens. They ALL need encouragement and boosts to their self-esteem, though. Something very important is to make sure you do not embarrass the students, no matter what age group they are in. It is a common thought that children are relatively unaffected by the inhibitions that affect adults which inhibit their learning but that is not exactly true. Children are sensitive, and their egos are still in the process of being shaped so teachers need to work hard to help them overcome any potential negative self-esteem issues. When teaching adults, it is important to remember that they are adults and should not be talked to or treated like children. They have fully developed emotions and intelligence. A teacher should show respect for their deeper thoughts and feelings that they cannot express since they have a low proficiency level in their new language. Teens are the most sensitive out of the three groups listed. They are ultrasensitive to how they are viewed by others. Again, teachers should avoid embarrassment as much as possible, allow mistakes, affirm the teens' talents and strengths, de-emphasize competition between classmates, and allow small-group work where the teens will feel more comfortable taking risks with each other.

Post Reply