Teacher, Please Check Your Voice!
In an online environment, a teacher's voice can MAKE or BREAK the class.
Some teachers may have a very nice lesson, but if they are speaking in a tone that is high-pitched, panicky, and or hurried, students will feel uncomfortable, pressured, and or stressed.
These feelings alone create ANXIETY for students (who are ALREADY under some stress just being in a language class) which reduces their ability to use the new language effectively – this compounds their anxiety even more!
Teachers should try relaxing instead and use a calm voice. They should indicate to students that they are in full control through their voice (even when they may not be).
Teachers should show their students that they have the confidence, professionalism, and experience to help students without ADDING to their stress by having a stressful voice.
Remember, one goal of a teacher is to provide students with a PLEASANT language learning experience.
Remember, a pleasant learning environment is MORE conducive to language learning.
Remember, part of making the environment pleasant is a CALM voice.
Remember, people in English classes of course want FEEDBACK (i.e. correction), but they do not want it in a threatening, stressful environment.
Teachers should try to create a relaxed, non-threatening, nurturing language acquisition environment for class members in order to maximize their English language time.
10. April 2017
