Emotional Security May 20, 2020
He must feel safe and secure - that is, he needs to believe that no harm, emotional or otherwise, will come to him while he’s learning. He needs to know that no one will become impatient with him or think he’s stupid or make fun of him when he makes mistakes. Usually people who feel secure are also quite confident. They’re not afraid to take risks. It is possible, however, for a student to believe he is able to learn something new and still be reluctant to even try because he’s had painful experiences in the past.
* Take care that your body language and facial expressions don’t convey impatience. Keep any trace of disappointment out of your voice. Being with you, needs to be a positive experience.
* Be aware of hidden messages. For example, if you say, “Oh, you’re still on page 12”, the student may hear, “I’m still on page 12. I feel bad because my tutor thinks I should be finished with page 12 by now”.
* Show the student respect. Listen to him with interest. Take negative words out of your vocabulary when working with your student. Don’t tell him he’s wrong. If he can’t get a word right within two attempts, tell him what it is and have him repeat it. When he repeats it, praise him using positive responses. This way he is never wrong.