Time with your teacher is precious. Teachers are busy and usually only have what time you've scheduled. So if you've only got 30 minutes to an hour with your teacher, you want to get the most out of it. Without a doubt, you are going to have bad days where you feel as if you've learned nothing at all, but we're human and can't be super learners all the time. But let's talk about some ways that will help us do our best!
Today we're going to discuss ways to make the most out of the time you have with your teacher regardless if it's a private teacher or a full classroom.
Taking notes.
Taking notes of new words or grammar rules will help you remember what you learned in your lesson even after the lesson is over. It's normal to forget new and small info. That's why spaced repetition is so popular among learners of all sorts. We need to practice and tell our brains to remember.
Taking notes will also help you if you're having a slow day. If you're tired or not feeling well it can be difficult to give your all, so taking notes will allow you to come back to the problem later when your head is clearer.
Studying in a quiet place away from others.
This tip is more for those like me who learn through online platforms such as italki. This tip is quite obvious but it really makes a difference when you are away from the noise. If you have kids in the house, see if you can take an evening class (this works better if your teacher lives at a different timezone). I used to take my lessons at 9 pm when my then toddler nephew would be sleeping (my teacher's 9 am).
Allow yourself some space before your lesson, especially if you suffer from anxiety. A little focus time goes a long way. In my beginner years, I would go through my flashcards to "warm up my brain." But most importantly don't forget to take a few deep breaths.
Speak in Chinese (or whatever your target language is) as much as you can.
This will help with your pronunciation (including tones), grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills. If you can speak only a little bit, that's fine. You'll find it fascinating how fast you will pick up the language.
Ask questions.
Again quite obvious but a single question can go a long way and possibly explain a lot. Remember to take notes of the answer your teacher gives you.
Avoid too much chit-chat in your native language.
A little chit-chat is great, it helps you get to know your teacher which will help you build a connection, build trust, and ease some anxiety. But remember you are on a time limit once your lesson starts. You don't want to use up your learning time. However, if you are advanced enough to chit-chat in Chinese, then that can be a fantastic learning opportunity. Your teacher will be happy to practice with you.
Avoid multitasking.
It's easy to get distracted, especially if you're anxious or possibly have ADHD. But try to stay in the learning bubble as much as you can. Tell your friends and family about your lesson so they don't unknowingly distract you. Keep your phone out of your learning bubble. If you feel the urge to fidget, find a fidget toy that doesn't require thinking (stress ball, sensory toy). And where noise canceling headphones if noise outside of your bubble distracts you.
Look over the learning materials before the lesson (if possible).
My teacher would always give me the PDF for our next unit before our following lesson involving said unit. I would take that time to print them out, add the new words to my flashcards and review my future homework. You don't have to go to this extent (unless you want to), but it helps to have an idea of what you will be practicing that day.
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