Carey Weaver

Hi Marlene - I believe motivating instructors demonstrate empathy by incorporating student experiences into material and/or lecture points, asking questions that are challenging but answerable, and being open to new perspectives. An empathetic instructor demonstrates he/she understands student comments and questions, and the instructor does not brush those contributions aside.

Hello Amgad! I assume you mean "poorer" in the sense of poor academic performance. Offering a poor performer less time to complete an activity can be effective if you modify the activity. For insnce, you could break the activity down into smaller, easier parts for the student to complete. Each part would take less time, and they might be easier to complete. Completing "mini-steps" mgiht be a confidence booster, and it could help the student eventually grasp the overall procedure or concept.

Carey

In addition to maintaining enthusiasm throughout a course or a class period, I have found that it also helps in one-on-one interactions. I help teach English as part of my MA program, and my students are refugees/asylees new to the US. In the low-basic level class I assist, the students often struggle to understand full explanations in English, much less monotone, unenthusiastic, or directive one-on-one explanations. When I incorporate enthusiasm, upbeat attitudes, and even acting (i.e. to demonstrate "happy" or "fast" or "singing") the students appreciate it and they have something additional by which to remember the word or concept.… >>>

What is one example of learning instructional delivery "the hard way"? A "lesson learned" that you might want to share?

Carey

What is one example of learning instructional delivery "the hard way"? A "lesson learned" that you might want to share?

Carey

I have worked in teaching for English Language Learners at a low-basic level. Since writing out detailed lists on the whiteboard would not be effective (since they are unlikely to be able to read it all), we help minimize stress and guide activities by pointing out the workbook being used. One book is for grammar, one is for students to write in, personal white boards are for practicing writing or for quizzes.

@hammit39

I believe there is a place for all sorts of instructional techniques to help students learn content: lecture, group activity, peer-to-peer interaction, and student evaluations. Without knowing the technique you use when the student disrupts with questions, would it help to conduct more small-group or peer-to-peer activities? Perhaps that way, the disruptive student would not hold up the entire class at once, and perhaps a hands-on activity would give her opportunities to try out answers.