Putting learners at the center of their learning experience is absolutely critical for successful teaching. It helps us plan lessons on topics that interest them, which, in turn, helps them to stay motivated and achieve their goals. It also shows our learners that we care about them, have their best interests at heart, and have considered their needs. 

In this blog post, I'll explore some ways to get to know your learners better, whether on the first day of class or throughout the term. 

Learn their names

This sounds super basic, but it is one of the most important ways to show that you care about every individual learner. Your name is a core part of who you are, so hearing it said correctly makes you feel valued. On the flip side, when someone gets it wrong, it can be annoying or even make us feel unimportant. Therefore, we have to take time to learn every student's name. 

As language teachers who teach learners from around the world, we may often have to learn new and unfamiliar names. It can be helpful to use name badges, write students' names on the board, or have a seating plan to refer to until you have committed their names to memory. 

It is especially important to get the spelling and pronunciation correct. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification on how to say someone's name. They'll appreciate that you are trying to get it right. 

To help you remember names, you can use Ellii's printable Class List. This handy chart also has a column for "preferred name" in case students prefer to use a nickname or shortened version of their name. You may also want to try this popular Ellii Poll about Names.

Use introduction activities

The first days of class are critical for making a good impression and getting to know your learners. They are an opportunity to find out your learners' language level, skills, interests, and goals. They are also a great excuse to have a bit of fun, help learners get to know each other, and instantly start using their language skills to communicate. 

One activity I love (which also helps the class learn each other's names) is a simple ball game. Have students stand in a circle. One student calls out a classmate's name, asks a question of their choice (e.g., What is your favorite sport?), and then throws the ball to the person whose name they called. That person then answers the question, calls another classmate's name, asks another question, and throws the ball. This continues until everyone has had a turn and has learned a few facts about each other. 

You can find ideas for activities to do on the first day of class here: 

• 4 Fun Activities to Warm Up a New Class

Build relationships

Getting to know your learners isn't just an activity for the first week of class. Developing strong rapport with them happens over time. Taking note of topics that interest them and then using these to choose future lessons will be appreciated by learners. 

The language classroom has many opportunities for learners to share their interests. These will undoubtedly come up in conversation organically. However, you can also build in time at the beginning or end of lessons for relaxed "small-talk" conversations. 

For example, you could set aside the first five minutes of a lesson for learners to share:

• something exciting they did recently
• something they are planning to do 
• something interesting they read online

Relaxed discussions such as these are a great way for students to practice their conversation skills and for you to get to know them better. 

You could also try these materials from Ellii:

• Making Small Talk
• Mini-Debates
• Warm-Ups & Fillers
• Conversation Questions

Create individual learning plans 

Individual learning plans (ILPs) are a great way to get to know learners. They allow students time to reflect on their current skills, prior learning, language level, goals, and ways to achieve those goals.

You can use ILPs in class to have students think about their learning. Although ILPs are personal by nature, it can also be impactful for learners to share their ideas, goals, helpful resources, and learning strategies with each other. Use your discretion to decide if this could work with your particular learners. 

Check out one of Ellii's ILPs:

Use visual storytelling techniques

Using visual metaphors can be a fun way to help learners think about their learning. You can draw these, use Ellii's flashcards, or look for copyright-free icons online.

Here are some ideas for visual metaphors: 

• use a road map, pathway, or river to have students think about the distance they have traveled and where they would like to be in their language-learning journey
• use a target with arrows to have students think about their goals and how to achieve them 
• use a seed, a sapling, a small tree, and a fully grown tree to signify their current level of skills 

You can find more ideas on how to implement these suggestions using Ellii's flashcards in this blog post: 

• 12 Ellii Flashcards for Planning & Reflection

These are just a few ways to get to know your learners. What has worked for you? Share your ideas in the comments.