Successful One to One Teaching

My experience of one to one English language tuition is that it is one of the most challenging as well as rewarding.  It is a very effective way to learn a new language as the student has the teacher’s full attention. Furthermore, the teacher can design a language course specifically to address the language needs of the individual student. This can be a far more effective way of learning than in a classroom situation following a standard English course.

The most important factor to consider in order to have an effective one to one lesson is the human one. It is the teacher’s job to get on the same “wavelength” as the student.  It is imperative to consider the student as a person and the teacher is a guide with the aim of improving his/her English.

Individual tuition can be quite intensive and tiring. It is therefore very important to vary the intensity of the lesson, inserting informal chats between periods of hard work.  This will give the student time to relax, especially if it is a very long lesson and provide the correct atmosphere in order for them to learn.

The student and the teacher should regard each other as a team and look at the language together. The teacher’s role is to guide the student to an understanding of the language. The teaching style should also be tailored to fit the learning style of the student. The material used should be relevant and appropriate to the student’s interest. Another factor to consider is to give the student plenty of varied practice activities to ensure that he/she has understood.

“No amount of technique, good material, or careful preparation of the class time will help if the one to one teacher has not prepared him or herself. It is the teacher’s attitude and the way this manifests itself to the student which is probably the single most important influence on the success or failure of the teaching.” (Peter Wilberg: One To One)