Students as Teachers: Boost Your English by Supporting, Mentoring & Learning from Your Peers

Going to group English classes can sometimes test your patience. You need to wait for other students in your class to think and speak. You also need to sit quietly as the teacher corrects other students' mistakes or reminds everyone of the homework tasks you did yesterday! 

But group classes are also a great chance to make new friends, review grammar, learn new words, and share skills. They are less expensive than private classes and you can practice English with other learners who share your goals. 

In this blog post, I will share how to make the most of your group classes through mentoring and peer learning opportunities. 

What is peer learning? 

Peers are equals (or at least near equals). Perhaps they have a similar level of English. They might be about the same age, have the same gender, or have the same nationality and similar interests. 

In a peer learning relationship, two or more people learn from each other. For example, in class, you might read a text and then answer some questions together, helping each other with new words or difficult grammar.  

What is mentoring? 

Mentors have more experience or skills in something than their mentees. Mentees are less experienced and learn from their mentors. For example, a mentor might share advice on how to deliver a presentation, prepare for an interview, or write a report in English. 

This relationship can be informal. For example, a student who has just completed an IELTS test may share their experiences with a learner who is about to take the test. 

The relationship can also be formal. For example, in a workplace, a paid mentor may support someone who is new to the job. The mentor can help them to learn new skills and complete necessary tasks.

Benefits of peer learning

The main goal of any English language class is to communicate. In a group class, teachers need to find ways to get students speaking as much as possible. Pair work and group work are the best ways to do this. 

Imagine a group class where the students only spoke directly to the teacher. There would be very little communication at all!

And in the real world, you use English with lots of different people from all over the world. So speaking to your peers is excellent real-world practice. 

Peer learning can: 

• give more opportunities to practice English
• let students find answers and solve problems together
• allow students to share tips for studying or completing tasks
• develop teamwork skills
• let students learn through teaching each other

Benefits of mentoring in the language classroom

It might seem like a chore to be paired with a student whose English is not as good as yours. However, one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it. Teaching lets you simplify information in a way that you and someone else can understand. 

Mentoring lower-level learners allows higher-level learners to: 

• use their language skills in new ways
• think more deeply about the language
• develop new skills for their CV or resume 
• learn how to give good feedback
• listen carefully
• choose simple ways to communicate better 
• look back at how their English language skills have improved over time

There are also a lot of advantages for lower-level learners as mentees. Their mentor can help them with: 

• explaining difficult grammar or language points
• speaking practice
• correcting homework or writing tasks
• developing confidence
• learning study skills
• getting to know other learners who have done well in English
• making new friends 

How to be a peer learner

In many ways, peer learning happens naturally in every group language classroom. Whenever your teacher pairs you with another student or students, you are learning from and helping your peers. 

To be a good peer learner, look at every minute of the class as a learning opportunity. You can help others by offering explanations, asking questions, sharing your confusion, or telling others about the wonderful new English podcast or app you found. 

Learning a new language can be scary, so as peers, we need to be polite and caring. No one wants to be laughed at or talked over. Give everyone a chance to speak and help others whenever you can. 

As well as informal peer learning in class, there are also more formal projects. One project that I managed paired local people with English language learners who had just arrived in the country. This gave each language learner a chance to practice their English and learn about their new area. The local peer had the opportunity to share their knowledge and make someone feel welcomed and confident. 

How to be a mentor (or mentee)

Some schools have started formal mentoring programs. This is where higher-level students mentor lower-level learners.

For example, at one college I worked at, upper-intermediate and advanced learners volunteered to mentor beginner and elementary learners. To do this, they helped the teacher in different ways. During writing tasks, they would help students with language points (e.g., spelling, punctuation, handwriting). They might also translate really hard grammar points.

Another project paired students who were confident with computers with students who needed to practice their digital skills. Students (who usually spoke the same language) met on their own time. They learned how to send emails, choose safe passwords, and write Word documents. 

What experience do you have with peer learning or mentoring? We'd love to know! Please share in the comments. 

You may also like these blog posts: 

• Working in English When English Isn't Your First Language
• English Your Way: How to Express Your English Personality
• English Belongs to Everyone