By Kali Thurber
Over the past four years, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on community. I only became personally aware of my deep need for a sense of community when my social life was suddenly limited to my immediate family during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. Despite having two wonderful people to share my small Toronto home with every second of the day, I felt isolated and craved groups of people to share my various experiences, thoughts, and feelings with.
As an ESL teacher, bravely navigating the burgeoning landscape of online education with varying degrees of success, I found collections of people in my classes every day who needed the same sense of connection. The institution where I taught general English to international students leapt into online education as the world shut its doors, and the culturally diverse people in my classes were mostly trapped in the bedrooms of their homestays with very little outside contact. It was a challenging time for everyone, to say the least, and it was an especially hard one for those people who were stuck outside of their countries, away from anything familiar. I spoke with students who were feeling extreme anxiety, alienation, and depression. In many cases, my class on Zoom was their only opportunity for social interaction, never mind to practice their English. I realized that in this historical moment of global isolation, I had to provide my students with more than just language instruction. They needed community.
Belonging is at the Core
While I had facilitated activities to foster a sense of community in my classroom for years, it was at this point that I made a conscious decision to design my class lessons with belonging as a core intention. Belonging is about feeling secure and supported in a space so you are comfortable enough to share without fear of unkind judgement. It is being accepted in a group while simultaneously including others. This feeling is a necessary element of a fulfilling life, and, I believe, it is a crucial part of a successful ESL classroom. There are many different ways that this can be achieved, but in my opinion, there are four main elements that help to nurture a feeling of community.
Four Elements of Community
First, I like to get to know my students from the beginning, leading activities that support them to bond with one another while celebrating what makes them unique. I start with basic icebreakers, but then have students interview each other and present the most intriguing bits to the class. As the teacher, I keep notes on each student so I can show them that I remember and that they belong in this group.
Second, I genuinely care about my students on an individual level. Although it isn’t easy to personally connect with every person in my class, I make a point to find an interest in common. By sharing myself with my students, I can demonstrate that I care, allowing them to feel safe in the learning space.
Third, initiating team-building exercises creates an environment where people are comfortable being vulnerable and responsible for one another. Student-to-student learning occurs naturally in classes that do plenty of pair work, group projects, information-gap activities, and collaboration. As a result of this interdependence, the group thrives as a community.
Finally, I provide individualized support in order to ensure their sense of belonging. While giving feedback on language is of utmost importance, commenting on content personalizes my response, making students feel more fully seen. I am a language specialist, but I am also a support. I want students to know our class is a safe space to talk about anything, so I can assist, whatever the challenge may be.
Thankfully, the extreme social isolation of the days of lockdown seems to be behind us; however, the world remains a lonely place for so many. Learning a language, especially in a new country, can be an alienating experience, which can lead to a slower and less enjoyable process. When students feel that they are supported and safe in their learning space and that they belong to a learning community that is when the magic happens.
Kali Thurber has been an English language educator for over twelve years and still loves it. Over the years, she has taught from Beginner to Proficiency in General English, Business, IELTS, and Pathway. She has worked as a TESL trainer and supervisor, as well as an IELTS speaking examiner. She now teaches EAP and ELL at the public college level. She enjoys learning about culture so uses her classroom as a space to travel through her students’ shared stories and experiences. Kali continues looking for ways to nurture that magical sense of community in the classroom.
