How to Encourage Students to Take Risks

Suggestions Ideal Teacher Behaviors Examples

Exhibit Positive ● use an open posture ● keep your body open and show a
Body Language ● use facial expressions that warm smile
invite learner interaction ● keep your voice calm and pleasant

● imitate the gestures of the ● create an open body that they can
Mirror Your student mirror
Student ● look away from the learner as the
learner looks away from you

● show enthusiasm ● use age-appropriate songs, music,

Make Learning ● tap into the learner's multiple colorful illustrations, stories and
Fun intelligences games, hand puppets, funny faces
● make lessons interesting and or masks
engaging ● integrate real-world tasks into the
● stay positive while presenting lessons
more difficult material

Share Positive ● genuinely praise learners when ● “You did a great job!”
Observations they make an effort ● “You finished all of it!”
● find the positive in what the ● “I really like how you think!”
learner did

● increase student motivation by ● simple choices between two equal

Give Choices actively promoting learner items are offered, for example:
autonomy ○ “Which color cup do you want to
● let the young learner make the use first?”
choice ○ “Which picture do you want to
use?”

Tap Into ● begin a lesson with concepts, ● “Remember singing our song, ‘Red
Prior images, or content entirely wagon, Blue wagon’ when we
Knowledge familiar to every learner learned that colors like ​red​ and b
​ lue
are adjectives? Now we’ll learn
about other adjectives.”

● keep learners engaged Learners can be demotivated when

Avoid ● keep directions simple & clear
Demotivation ● check for understanding.
● assess learner reaction as the
lesson moves along
they:
● do not understand what to do
● do not see progress
● feel overwhelmed
● find lessons boring or too easy
● are constantly criticized
Give Explicit ● give clear directions using
Instructions in examples, pictures, or step
English by step instructions
● teach the meaning of a
word with pictures or
actions and not just the
Chinese word
● give routine instructions in
English
○ close the door
○ stand up
○ give me your papers
● give compliments in English
○ good for you
○ correct
● use English for everyday tasks
○ count in English
○ write titles on bb in English
○ day of the week and date
○ number of students
● provide an English rich
environment with magazines,
posters, songs, instruction