6 tips to enjoy teaching an exam course

John Wolf
Teacher speaking to a student with an open book on a desk

Who gets excited about English exam classes?

You likely love teaching English, it’s fun, dynamic – almost chaotic at times – and provides the kind of autonomy necessary to be creative and driven.

Some lessons are far less enjoyable than others - case in point: exam courses. Who gets excited about taking, not to mention preparing for, an English exam?

Nevertheless, it’s all part of the job and requires finding ways to make exam courses effective for students and enjoyable for teachers.Ìý

Job satisfaction is heavily dependent on our effectiveness as teachers and feeling like we actually accomplish something in the classroom - and is a key factor in avoiding burnout (Maslach & Leiter, 2016).Ìý

While passing an exam is a concrete, achievable goal - a task we are able to accomplish - it also serves as a stressor, a general source of tension and anxiety. So how can we turn this around and enjoy teaching exam courses?

Tips to enjoy teaching an exam course
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1. Deflate the pressure of the exam

There’s no magical way to stop students from feeling stressed about an upcoming English exam, so the best strategy in the classroom is to prepare them as best as possible.Ìý

As well as using exam preparation course books, you should show them videos of the speaking exams or direct them to online resources such as .Ìý

Outside the classroom, encourage language students to take a break and not leave everything until the last minute. They could even try the to help them focus.Ìý

2. Ready your repertoire

All language teachers have a few tricks up their sleeves: a bank of activities we use on a regular basis that we know are effective and enjoyable.Ìý

This also applies to exam courses - just because your students are studying for an exam, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in class!Ìý

Try games like ‘ to review vocabulary, or do a to make reading papers more interactive.ÌýÌý

Whatever your favorite classroom activities are, try them out. Just remember to give them an exam twist.

3. Delegate task creationÌý

It's important to always be finding ways for students to take part in teaching activities. Asking students to create their own exam tasks is a great way for them to exercise autonomy, and learn more about the format of the test.Ìý

Allow students to find their own texts and create comprehension questions to go with it. Alternatively, they could turn it into a Use of English exercise by removing words from the text and having their partners try and complete the gaps.Ìý

If you’re struggling to find interesting or relevant photos for the speaking paper, get students to bring in their own pictures - or use the ones they have on their phones. Once they know how the exam works, they can even try creating their own questions to go with them.Ìý

4. Monitor progress

Tutorials are a great tool, where students feel comfortable sharing their feelings with the teacher about how they are progressing.

Get them to write down three things they like about the course and one thing they think could be better.Ìý

You can use this in your 1-to-1 tutorials or use it to spark a group discussion. There’s a good chance they’ll all say similar things, and it will allow you to do more of what they love and also to address any doubts they have.Ìý

5. Manage exam practice

Don’t overload language students with exam tasks, especially at the start of the school year. Many students won’t, in the beginning stages of the course, be prepared for these tasks. Failing or getting bad scores early on can be demotivating and can impact their confidence long term.Ìý

Like taking sips of hot coffee, exam practice should be dished out in small doses, with frequency increasing as the exam approaches.

6. Mark writing efficiently

Instead of marking each mistake on every piece of writing, identify common and repeated errors, and focus on those as a whole class. Not only will this lead to better results for students, but it significantly reduces marking time too.

Along with this strategy, having a clear system that our students understand is also highly effective for saving time and reducing stress. Create a checklist they can use to assess their own work before submitting it, or create a code you can use so they can easily identify what your feedback relates to (grammar, vocabulary, register, etc.).Ìý

Remember to also give feedback on things they do well, and always give them the opportunity to submit a final draft with your feedback taken into account.Ìý

Enjoyment is contagiousÌý

The energy you bring to these lessons is often shared by the students. On days when you feel lethargic or don’t exactly love your job, students may express similar emotions or behavior. This also applies to the days when you love your job and feel energetic. Enjoyment is contagious, like a yawn or laughter. The more we, as English teachers, can enjoy our work, the more our students will enjoy their lessons.

References:

Maslach, C., Leiter, M.P. (2016). World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.Ìý

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    How to encourage your teenage students to become independent learners

    Por Nicola Pope

    Learning is a lifelong activity regardless of age, position, or ambition. Many teachers embody this philosophy themselves – and would like nothing more than for their teenage students to develop strategies to become independent learners.

    But teachers often feel frustrated when their students rely on them too much or show a lack of motivation and focus in the classroom.

    Let’s look at how to start a project that holds your students’ attention. We’ll also go into how you can help your students practice and develop a range of English language skills at the same time.

    The benefits of starting a project that interests your students

    Group projects are motivating because they give students a common objective to work towards. The need to work as part of a team teaches teens collaboration skills, such as accountability. When learners decide on roles within their groups it soon becomes apparent just how important it is for them to be responsible and do their part.

    Project work also often encourages students to push themselves beyond their comfort zones as they try and test new skills. This is often true when learners are required to present on a topic or learn how to do something practical (like using PowerPoint or Google Slides for presentation design).
    In addition, projects can test a variety of English language and 21st century skills such as:

    • critical thinking skills (for planning and development of ideas)
    • topic/subject-specific vocabulary
    • reading and listening comprehension (for researching)
    • speaking skills (for group work)
    • creative skills (for project development and production)
    • presenting skills (for the final delivery of the project)

    Furthermore, when projects take place over several classes, students often eventually get into a routine and seek less direction from the teacher. They know what needs to be done and get on with it in their groups. Of course, you will still need to monitor and offer guidance throughout the project.

    The key elements of an independent learning project

    Find a meaningful subject matter

    First, you’ll need to start with a topic that engages your students. To discover this, put students in groups (online in breakout rooms or in the classroom) and have them work together and mind map some local, national or global problems they would like to solve. For example:

    • The local theater has closed down and they want to set up a new drama club.
    • There is a lot of pollution in the capital city and they want to help reduce it.
    • The rainforest is being deforested and they want to create awareness.

    After they have a good-sized list, instruct each group to pick something they would like to learn more about. Alternatively, if your students are unlikely to find interesting problems to solve themselves, provide them with several short-level-appropriate reading materials about topics you think will catch their attention. That way they can learn about local or international issues and choose a project focus.

    Balancing guidance and instruction

    A vital goal of this project-based approach is to encourage students to be independent. That does not mean they should have no boundaries or objectives, however.

    You’ll need to set deadlines, tell them what you expect of them, and explain how they should present their projects at the end. And depending on their levels, your students will also need a certain amount of scaffolding. You can do this using a set of questions. For example:

    1. What is the main problem you want to solve?
    2. Who does it affect?
    3. Why is it important to change?
    4. What steps could you take to solve the issue?
    5. Who could help you do this?
    6. How could we do this as a group?
    7. How can we present the issue to make people care about it?

    These questions can form the basis of the project, which can last from one to several weeks, depending on their age, level and time restraints. Adapt the questions to suit your students and the specific needs of their projects.

    Facilitating teamwork

    Encourage students to work together to plan, research and present their ideas. Set days or classes by which certain project elements must be completed. This helps ensure that the students make progress and encourages them to ask you questions if they are stuck.

    Decide whether you want to give set times during your classes to work on the project, or whether you want to dedicate entire classes to their work. Also, think about how much work should be completed in your student's own time. Their workload, level of English, and access to technology will all impact your decision.

    For example:

    • Class one: Define the problem you want to solve. Consider what you need to find out, decide on individual roles and develop an action plan. Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class two: Research your project questions and share what you find with the group. Is there anything else you need to know? Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class three: Come up with a presentation outline and begin to work on it.
    • Homework: Each work on your individual presentation section.
    • Class four: Show the teacher your progress. Practice your presentations.
    • Class five: Practice and then deliver your presentations.

    You may wish to allow students the freedom to choose how they would like to present it. Give instructions on how long you expect the presentation to be. If working remotely, collaboration tools such as Google Docs, and are excellent for facilitating teamwork.

    Here are some ways you might ask them to present:

    • a poster and presentation
    • an online presentation (e.g. using PowerPoint)
    • a website (on paper or online)
    • a video presentation
    • a theatrical production
    • a podcast episode.

    Keep in mind that the objective is to help them research, present and deliver a project in English. Check in regularly on progress and provide feedback and help whenever needed.

    While it’s important to monitor and guide them with the English language as they work, it’s also crucial to let students make decisions for themselves.