As the holiday season approaches, learners often struggle to stay motivated and focused on their studies amidst the festive cheer and distractions. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holidays, but maintaining consistency in language learning is crucial for making progress. To help you stay on track during this joyful yet potentially distracting time, here are some effective strategies and tips to keep things going.
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(like SMART ones - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) can significantly improve motivation and performance. This principle can be applied to language learning, helping students stay focused and committed, even during distractions such as holiday preparations and celebrations.
Get students to regularly set small but realistic goals to keep them motivated; a lot of students aren't really thinking of after the holidays or the new year so make sure they're achievable in the time before they break up for the holidays.
Cognitive psychology has shown that spaced repetition is an effective method for retaining information in memory. shows that information is forgotten most rapidly shortly after learning it and that the rate of forgetting decreases over time. In other words, the greatest amount of forgetting occurs right after learning something new, and the rate of forgetting slows down as time passes.
and platforms that use spaced repetition algorithms, such as , can help with long-term language learning by reinforcing vocabulary and grammar at optimal intervals. This technique is handy during the holiday season when study patterns may be irregular.So, make sure to keep picking up the same topics to help retain knowledge. You may want to do quickfire quizzes to help learners recall what they've learned.
Rewards play a crucial role in . By implementing a system where students reward themselves for achieving language learning milestones, we can reinforce positive learning behaviors based on (where reinforcing positive behaviors encourages that behavior to happen more frequently). The festive season provides an excellent opportunity for students to reward themselves with holiday-themed incentives, which can boost their motivation to learn.
Depending on their age, you might want to reward them with something like stickers (for younger students) or allow them to have a short break to watch a video. Incorporating what you know your class likes as rewards is important to incentivize positive behavior.
To learn a language effectively, it's important to practice regularly. Studies show that the brain can adapt and grow with consistent practice. It's best to break your study sessions into short, manageable chunks to help students remember what they've learned. Even if it's busy during the holiday lead-up, regularly encourage and offer opportunities to stay on track with language practice. This will help strengthen learners' brain pathways and make it easier to acquire new language skills in the long run.
Keep lessons and tasks short and varied. Students' attention spans are much more likely to dwindle during the festive season, and there isn't much you can do about that. So, by having these short and sweet tasks it'll be a lot easier for students to pick up and engage with, as opposed to a long continuous task.
The festive season can be stressful just as much as it is exciting, so it's important for mindfulness to be included in your daily teaching itinerary. Mindfulness has a positive impact on focus and cognitive function, particularly in. Encourage students to practice mindfulness techniques to manage holiday stress, enhancing their ability to concentrate on language learning amidst festivities.
Make some time in your teaching schedule for meditation activities or quick breaks. You can read more about mindfulness in the classroom here. Don't forget as a teacher, to be mindful about your own wellbeing as well.
Learning often declines during holidays, but it doesn't have to be that way. Before the holidays start, you can encourage families to get involved by suggesting language learning activities that students can do at home. You can reinforce learning outside the classroom by sharing resources or ideas with parents.
Learning outside of the classroom can keep students engaged when inside the classroom as they're already familiar with the day's teachings and/or are eager to learn more to take back to their families and show off their ability. It also breaks down the mental strain or pressure to learn something, if they have more than just opportunities in the classroom to learn, it can make learning a lot less intimidating or frustrating.
During the holiday season, it is important to remember that this time is about celebrating and spreading joy. When trying to teach something like a new language, use this festive period as an opportunity to learn in a fun and engaging way. You don't have to make it feel like a chore; embrace the opportunities the season brings. You will continue to see your language students progress by staying motivated and consistent and setting a positive tone for the upcoming year.
Check out our blog post on mindfulness for teachersduring the holidays, or if you're looking to upskill, our professional development opportunities.
At ɫèAV Languages, 2024 has been a landmark year full of innovation, connection, and impactful resources for businesses worldwide. We’ve worked on so many things with the aim to empower global workforces and help organizations unlock the potential of language skills to drive business success. Here's how we made a difference this year.
As the new year approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on our teaching practices and plan engaging, effective lessons for our English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Thoughtfully crafted lesson plans can make a significant difference in the learning outcomes and engagement levels of your students. Whether you're teaching young children, teenagers, or adults, the principles of effective lesson planning remain consistent. Here are some ideas, hints and tips to help you create dynamic and successful ESL lessons for students of all ages.
Begin each lesson with clear, achievable objectives. What do you want your students to learn by the end of the lesson? Objectives provide a roadmap for both you and your students, ensuring that everyone is focused and aware of the goals. For example, an objective might be "Students will be able to use past tense verbs to describe their weekend activities." Clear objectives provide direction and help you measure student progress.
To cater to different learning styles and keep students engaged, incorporate a mix of teaching methods and activities. Here are a few ideas:
Authentic materials—such as newspapers, menus, brochures and videos—expose students to real-world language and contexts. These materials can make lessons more interesting and relevant, helping students see the practical application of their language skills. Even better, they’re everywhere, so easy to find. Here are some more suggestions for how to select and use authentic materials in your English language teaching.
Teachers are already used to leveraging technology to enhance lessons utilizing online resources, language learning apps and interactive platforms to create a dynamic learning environment. Why not take this a step further by using AI to create your own resources. Take a look at our blog on How to make the most of AI in the classroom for some more ideas.
How can teachers use the Global Scale of English (GSE) and AI to help students set and achieve language learning goals for the new year?
As the new year rolls around, it’s the perfect time for students to set fresh language learning goals. But for teachers, it’s not just about inspiring students—it’s about giving them clear, measurable goals that they can actually achieve. That’s where the GSE, a very powerful tool, comes in. It can help teachers create personalized learning paths based on where students are right now and guide them toward their language goals throughout the year. Let’s dive into how the GSE can work to boost student progress.
The GSE is a precise framework that measures English proficiency with remarkable detail. Each score on the GSE aligns with specific speaking, listening, reading and writing competencies. For instance, a student with a GSE score of 50 might handle everyday conversations comfortably (B1 level), while a score of 75 indicates functioning at a more advanced level (C1).
What sets the GSE apart is its granularity—it goes beyond general levels of "intermediate" or "advanced," allowing teachers to identify exactly what their students can do at any stage. This level of detail enables teachers to set targeted, skill-specific goals for every learner, ensuring personalized and purposeful progression.
Before setting goals, it’s important to determine each student’s current standing. The GSE is an excellent tool for this because it provides a detailed breakdown of a student's skills. Teachers can use GSE-aligned assessments to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, which gives a clearer picture than just knowing if a student is at an “intermediate” or “advanced” level.
Once you know where students are, you can set a baseline. For instance, if a student’s reading score is 52, you’ll know that they are likely in the B1 range, and you can target specific skills (like improving vocabulary or understanding main ideas) to move them forward.
Now that you know where each student stands, it's time to set some goals. These should be realistic, measurable and achievable based on their current level and the time span involved. The key is to pick goals that will push them to improve without overwhelming them. The GSE has detailed descriptions of what students can do at each level. You can pinpoint specific skills that need attention by looking at these descriptors. We know that large goals can feel intimidating, so break them into smaller, manageable chunks. Here, the GSE is an amazing resource, thanks to its granularity.
Using the GSE Learning Objectives (LOs) in conjunction with an LLM (Large Language Model)* opens up a world of possibilities for creating focused activities at the right level for each student. Here are some key points on how this combination enhances personalized learning:
By combining the GSE LOs and harnessing the power of an LLM like ChatGPT, teachers can create personalized activities that cater to individual students' language needs, promote active learning, and foster continuous improvement.
*Disclaimer:Teachers should check and verify the level based on their understanding of their students, as LLMs like ChatGPT may notassess levels accurately. While GSE Learning Objectives can assist, it's essential to check and adjust its outputs accordingly. This could involve consulting GSE Grammar and Vocabulary to confirm appropriate levels or utilizing the Text Analyzer to ensure the text aligns with the desired level.
Setting goals is just the start—tracking progress and adjusting those goals as needed is just as important. Throughout the year, teachers should regularly check in with students to make sure they’re on track. How can we monitor and adjust? Here are some tips.
Teachers should schedule regular one-on-one sessions with students to review their progress. The GSE can clearly show students their progress.
If students are achieving their goals faster than expected, adjusting their targets is important to keep them challenged. If they’re struggling, the goals might need to be more achievable, with smaller, more gradual steps.
Using the GSE can help students set clear, measurable goals and steadily progress throughout the year. By assessing where students are starting, setting specific GSE-based goals, creating personalized learning paths with AI, and continuously tracking progress, teachers can create a more dynamic and effective learning experience for their students. The new year is the perfect opportunity to help students improve their English and achieve their goals—and with these tools, teachers have everything they need to guide students toward success.
