No matter how much an education system is praised to be the best in the world. There are criticisms surrounding the challenging nature of question papers and the expectations of tutors. Children are compelled to bite off more than they can chew. This has caused many parents to start looking for tuition options for their children in order to keep their heads above the water.
Today it has become such a Pavlovian response for parents to get their children to join tuition centre the moment they start schooling. The transition between O levels and A levels in itself is such a steep learning curve, especially for English Language subject. The syllabus fails to build the crescendo; instead, there is an abrupt jump in the difficulty level which causes children to feel helpless.
IT’S CHALLENGING…
The pace and rigor are too challenging for normal students. Even academically weak students may be bound to feel helpless at some point in time. Schools have gotten into the habit of over-estimating a students’ ability to be independent in learning, in managing a hectic schedule (including non-academic commitments, and leadership commitments, etc.).
To be specific, students feel that it’s impossible to improve. Students start to believe that unless one is innately gifted with linguistic abilities, an ‘A’ grade is unattainable. This loss of motivation will certainly be a setback for them. and this is why English has become almost a necessity.
SO, WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT A GOOD ENGLISH TUTOR HAVE?
#1: DEDICATION
A tutor would have written about his or her teaching style, expectations and nature and teaching in his or her personal statement in a tutor profile. By viewing this, you can somewhat gauge how dedicated the tutor will be and this is the first impression that is created on you. A good English tutor has to stay true to his words and be dedicated to helping children improve their grades. It’s not an easy job to tutor, especially being an English tutor, but it is essential to stay persistent.
#2: ASSIGNMENTS
Due to the understanding that home tutors have with their students, there will be a solid understanding of student’s strengths and weaknesses. They will know the activities that their students like and dislike, which will help them set assessments that are specific for their students. This is the technique to specifically train the student to improve a certain skill that he or she is lacking in, such as vocabulary.
#3: REINFORCEMENT OF TIME MANAGEMENT
When an English home tutor comes over to teach a student, he or she has to listen carefully and work on the assessments given. The student is also required to complete the homework that their home tutor provides them with; such disciplines are expected to be followed.
Chances are, if a student had not signed up for English tuition, he/she would not have allocated time for doing extra English assessments. This extra time that the students are required to allocate for English, believe it or not, will go a long way in helping the students work on their weaknesses. A good English tutor will encourage students to set aside time and remain disciplined enough to work hard.
IN A NUTSHELL
With a home tutor coming every week or so, the student will have someone that will create the right space for learning to remain motivated. English tuition teachers will also provide students with books and news articles for them to read. This creates a fun way to learn English instead of working based on old and crusty techniques already done to death in schools.
Do share with us other tips on how to be a good tutor in English if you have in your mind so that whoever going through this post can learn from your experience!