Why teaching English is a pleasure. By Kathi Hart

Most ESL teachers would admit one of the most interesting experiences of their work is learning to understand and befriend people from every corner of the world.  ESL teachers are in a unique position to hear new ideas and perspectives, and better understand how non-Americans think and feel.

Learning to solve language learning problems, assisting others to acculturate, and expanding their ability to see life through a very different lens are some of the advantages of teaching ESL, but the most important are the rewards that come from making a class into a team.  When this occurs, students learn faster, speak better and form lasting friendships, and teachers get the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of their labor: English speaking students who have adjusted and are succeeding in a new academic environment and have made a home here in the USA.

The students at my school here in Denver are rich and poor, middle-aged and young, privileged and underprivileged.  Most come from Asia and the Middle East, but some come from Europe, Africa, and Central and South America as well.  Educationally, students range from inexperienced, sheltered high school graduates to accomplished, well educated, independent professionals. Along with the diversity of nationality, age and education, there are students in every class who are shy and retiring and others who speak with confidence and candor.  Many students are intrinsically motivated, but some are here simply because their families want them to be.  Often there are men and women who are in class with the opposite sex for the first time, which can be uncomfortable for them; in addition, there are personalities and attitudes among the students that are vastly different, even conflicting.  Occasionally, students do not understand other students' English or their cultures and develop judgments and misunderstandings, which they may or may not share with the concerned students or the teacher, and these assumptions adversely affect the classroom dynamics. However, teachers are trained and prepared to deal with these circumstances. 

Another challenge students face is adapting to a new geographical environment. Unlike many of our students' cities and towns, Denver's weather is unpredictable and the winters are cold and snowy, which can be a difficult adjustment for them.   Students who are away from home for the first time struggle with homesickness, which is often manifested as insomnia, illness and /or low motivation.  All of these elements converge in the classroom and the teacher, like a competent conductor, blends the similarities and differences and works to create a safe and supportive learning environment.  Creating a space where students are interested and motivated to learn and where they share a common respect for one another are the teachers' primary goals.  After that, their job of teaching the English language is easy.

The classroom is the starting place for learning, acculturation and friendships to occur.  Students are taught the language and in the process are encouraged to be flexible and grow to understand and appreciate one another and the new classroom learning and teaching styles.  To teach specific English skills, teachers choose topics which would be of interest or value to the students, and the teachers adjust their techniques and processes to both advance the students' abilities as well as create a warm and open learning environment.  The teachers benefit as well.  Foreign students give both the teachers and one another their desire to learn and work together.  In the process, students take the class to their countries and introduce them to their families, friends, cultures and life experiences. 

Teaching English to international students requires that teachers have the ability to assess the students' personalities, interests, their learning strengths and weaknesses and motivate and encourage them without the advantage of a common first language.  Teaching English as a Second Language is a continual learning process for teachers.  It expands their understanding and patience for people who are in some ways very different, and in a practical sense, helps teachers to improve their ability to communicate sometimes ambiguous and opaque language concepts that they never had to formally learn.  Teaching this foreign population gives teachers new perspectives, a glimpse at different values, the opportunity to reevaluate their own values, and provides insights into their strengths and weaknesses as Americans and as human beings.  Done well, teaching English is a challenge, an art, and a constantly enriching experience.  That is why teaching English as a Second Language is a pleasure.  

Kathi Hart is currently working at the English Language Center at the University of Denver.