Establishing Rapport with Learners: Challenges & Solutions

There is nothing more disheartening than the sinking feeling which comes when you realize that the class is not “coming together,” is distracted, unwilling to learn, or is simply aloof. There could be several reasons:

1. First, many teachers find it difficult to attend to students individually during class time – often due to work overload. Administrative duties and testing take up the bulk of a teacher’s workload and make it challenging for her to pay attention to individual students.
2. Second, students’ diverse learning styles, needs, and abilities can pose another hurdle in establishing rapport.
3. Third, although teacher training programs equip the teacher with the technicalities of a well-prepared lesson, there is little explicit training in how to build relationships with the learners.
4. Fourth, some students may resist any kind of relationship building with the teacher. This could be due to bad experiences with past teachers or other authority figures.
5. Finally, teachers should be mindful of their language. Any discriminatory tone, gesture or word can create a rift which may be hard to bridge.

So how does a teacher establish rapport with students? To create rapport with learners, teachers should be mindful of students’ interests, take into consideration their beliefs, and allow them to communicate what they think about the way they are being taught.  Some practical tips in the classroom are as follows:

• Finding time from other duties to attend to learners in class time may not be possible, but the teacher can post “office hours,” or after class time when individual students can discuss problems, ask questions, or take advice about other issues troubling them.
• Mixed abilities classes are the norm now, and it is widely recognized that learners have diverse learning styles, interests, and preferences. One way to deal with this is having differentiated instruction which means that teaching materials can be differentiated for content. Less proficient students can be assessed differently but arrive at the same standard required for the level whereas stronger students can be given extra work or more challenging material which would keep them motivated.
• It is well known that relationship building is no easy task. However, new teachers can learn rapport building techniques from senior or more experienced staff. If you are new to teaching, you might ask a more experienced teacher if you can observe the classroom and learn some techniques to build a positive learning environment that leads to trusting relationships. Such mentoring is very effective and mentoring programs have now become part of mainstream schools.
• Where students are resistant to any kind of healthy relationship with the teacher, it is important to continue the efforts with a positive outlook and be always kind. As teachers, we wield a lot of power which can be intimidating so it is important to bear this in mind when dealing with “problem” learners.
• Teacher talk and language use is especially important in the classroom. The teacher should practice mindfulness and work towards inclusive classrooms with a focus on acceptance. Emphasis should be placed on fostering a culture of tolerance among students from different backgrounds. Collaborative teaching strategies such as group work/pair work, projects and presentations can encourage this.

In all, establishing a rapport with learners cannot be emphasized enough. Not only does it make for a positive environment conducive to learning, but it also ensures desirable academic behaviour leading to autonomy and self-driven learners.