Some students can be challenging. Let's find out how to deal with them.

1. Dealing with
challenging
students

2. Goals
Gain awareness of potential issues you
might face during lessons
Discuss how to address student issues
Know what to do after lessons

3. ● Warm-up questions
● Introducing common types of student issues
● How to approach these issues during lessons
● How to report these issues after lessons
● Q&A
Today’s Agenda

4. Warm-up
Have you had a challenging student?
A. Very often
B. Sometimes
C. Rarely
D. Never
What did you do after the lesson?
A. Contacted the Student Support Team
B. Contacted a CN or your Line Manager
C. Added a teachers comment to the profile
D. Did nothing

5. Common types of issues reported to Student Support

6. Curriculum Issues
What are some examples?

7. Curriculum Issues
○ Below Foundations level
○ Above the level - needing to expand or make more fun
○ Cannot move on to the next textbook (ex: don’t pass FPL)
○ Change of textbook without being clearly stated in lesson notes or profile
○ Inappropriate homework for the students’ level (too much or too little)
○ Wanting to do things outside our curriculum
○ Students going on tangents or asking too many questions (not following the topic)

8. Student Issues
What are some examples?

9. Student Issues
○ Not interested in the topic
○ Uninterested in English in general
○ Not using English/Speaking too much Japanese
○ Students that cannot read, forget basic grammar, have other pronunciation issues
○ Tired/sleeping during lessons
○ Using “Yes” and “I don't know” too often when they don’t understand
○ Personal issues (loss of a family member, stressed, etc.)
○ Personality: Very shy, introverted, lack confidence, cry when frustrated
○ Non-responsive/non-talkative students
○ Demotivated students
○ Not reviewing, previewing or doing homework
○ *Technical issues (bad connection, broken camera, cameras off)

10. Student Preferences
What are some examples?

11. Student Preferences
○ Requesting very detailed notes, grammar explanations
○ Wanting many examples, additional vocabulary or phrases, idioms
○ Personality mismatch with students/teachers
○ Asking teachers to spend a lot of time on homework checks, listening, etc.
○ Wanting to go through every part of the book or skip parts
○ Wanting “free talk”
○ Wanting additional study advice

12. So what can we do?
How to approach these issues during lessons

13. Case Studies
Read the student’s background and
assess the situation
What can / should be done?
○ By the teacher?
○ By “the company?” (CNs / Student Support / Curriculum /
Others)
○ By the student?
Feel free to share your real experiences as well

14. Let’s Discuss
How did your group respond to the situation?

15. ● Group 1 : The disinterested student
● Group 2 : The true beginner
● Group 3: The uncommitted student
● Group 4 : The unresponsive student
● Group 5 : The uncooperative student
● Group 6 : The advanced student

16. Other experiences to share
Please share any other experiences you’ve had with a
challenging student

17. How to report these issues
What should you do after the lesson?

18. Let’s help our fellow teachers
● Contact the Student Support Team
● Contact a CN or your Line Manager
● Add a teacher comment to the profile
Generally, Curriculum and Student Issues should be reported. However if
just a preference, please add it to the profile. This will help teachers know
what works for students and improve lesson quality.
We really appreciate everyone taking the time to add to profiles.

19. Q&A
Anything you would like to ask our
members from Student support or
Quality?

20. “
Thank you for all
your participation
today in the
discussion and for
your input on the
survey.