Late students

[Mikeskragge]

Hello,


I have a serious problem with my evening ESL classes. About 75% of my students are late for class every day. I usually don't have a full class until 45 minutes-1 hour into the first hour. I usually try to do either revision or extended warmers/communication activities to kill time until I have enough students to teach the main language focus of the day's class. Students sometimes enjoy the timefillers, if they are a talkative class. Sometimes it frankly sucks. I can't threaten my students iin any way, since the reason they are late is that they work until, 4-5 in the afternoon, class starts at 4.
I'm getting more and more frustrated about this situation. Don't really know what the best thing is to do.

Please hhelp, appreciated

Thanks

[gfell]

Oh, I know exactly how you feel as I had the same problem with my Panasonic classes. Unfortunately, it's just a fact of life and nothing much can be done about it.

Basically all you need to do is spend about 15 minutes chatting with the first student and any other students that trickle through. Then press ahead with the main part of your lesson - text book, exercise etc. For those who arrive midway, you just have to explain to them the procedure, what they need to do and so on.

I know it's tough when they all don't arrive at the same time, but that's just one of the challenges as a teacher.

Don't worry, you're not the only one with this problem.

Cheers and see you around.

[Teaching Supply]

Suggest to them that they take a later class, or alternatively and this is a big move go to your supervisor and ask for the class to be put back 1 hour so all students can get there.
The most likely responses to this are not good, best to sit back and enjoy the small less talkative class.

Sam Chapman
Teacher Recruitment Manager
Teaching Supply
sam.chapman@teachingsupply.co.uk

[exported_kiwi]

Alternatively, you can make the first part of the class an English corner scenario for the students who're on time and then, once the students have all arrived, the lesson isn't disrupted and the late students don't miss out on what they've paid for and don't fall behind the others who are early. it works for me anyway....give it a go and see how it works for you!

[studynz2008]

Maybe you can give them an advance assignments so that even they come late in your class, they know the lesson already and just give them some necessary exercises. As for other who come early, tell them to assist late comers in order for them to catch up.

[exported_kiwi]

That's a good idea but the problem is that the latecomers are people who work and will probably not find the time to do advance assignments. By asking/expecting the earlybirds to assist the latecomers catch up, you're also penalising them and taking away from the learning time that they paid for, which could possibly lose you students in the long term.