English Teaching styles

To me, the best learning styles are those that focus on mutual understanding'respect and trust between teachers and students. Challenging and interesting activities that make students involve in class activities are very useful. As an example we cannot stick to what is written in English teaching method books but it is suggested that we  use them as a help to manage our class effectively and to find out students interests to make a vital, dynamic scene of real conversational or discussion  situations. Sometimes asking a simple questions from a teenager like "How would you like to be respected by your friends?" especially after a reconciliation from a hot dispute or quarrel when the background of discussion is prepared, is really effective.

As a practical approach to this matter, I suggest the followings:
1-    prepare a questionnaire to find out :
A)    What motivates the students/what are their likes and dislikes?
B)    What are their strength and weaknesses in the topic you want to teach (May be a placement test would do this better).Here we can adjust the teaching materials with students' level.
C)    What are their cultural important values and obstacles?
D)    Is the topic of discussion challenging? Do the students show tendency to participate in class discussions?
2-    Consider time and environment, the teaching materials

I remember one Friday; some years ago we took the students to a jungle, located nearby, on a picnic. The weather was mild and the surrounding was beautiful. They were all so happy that they began to jump, here and there, singing and laughing, playing all kind of group games. We had brought a whiteboard and asked them to discuss about what fascinated them on that special day. To my surprise even the shiest student began to explain what she found interesting. I am sure what was happening was as a result of new environment plus mingling with classmates, friends they liked best. I do not want to suggest sending your students to a nice place to learn English but I have to mention that variety in classrooms and teaching styles are very important. When we bring a nice video program, film…. to teach a topic in English , students become  more attracted than teaching the same topic on a whiteboard. On the other hand, Young students are full of energy and they need an outlet to consume their extra energy and also their aggressions. When materials are interesting to the students and teachers asks questions to arouse students' curiosity and the usefulness of the
topic being taught is clear for students, they feel satisfied and enjoyment of this satisfaction motivates them to learn more and more.

Teachers' character
A problem many English institutes have experienced is that they come across students saying, "If you change my class, I will leave this institute. I would like Mr. X or Mrs y be only my teacher and please never send me to Mr. X class. What has caused this? If we investigate more we find out the reason. That's class management, teacher's personality and happiness students find in being with a special teacher. A frowning teacher cannot absorb new students.
Please write your views on this topic

Best wishes 

Ali asghar Mazinanian