Students come to America from all over the world. Sometimes they come to learn about our culture and experience things from another place in the world, and sometimes they come seeking a better life.
Whatever the case may be, a high-quality education is likely high on their list of priorities. Unfortunately, many traditional schools do not offer these students what they truly need.
The American curriculum doesn’t necessarily match the curriculum followed at an international student’s old school. In a traditional classroom environment, they may find themselves reviewing material they have already covered, or they may be lost as the class moves forward with concepts the student has yet to learn. As you can imagine, this is a frustrating situation for both the student and the teacher, and because of this, international students may fall through the cracks or drop out of school entirely.
To make things even more difficult, the international student is often an English Language Learner, meaning he or she is still learning to speak and understand the English language fluently. This can lead to communication difficulties and frustrations with assignments that needn’t be frustrating. For obvious reasons, the mainstream classroom is not the ideal place to attempt learning a second language, but for many of these kids it appears to be the only option, or at least the best one.
Fortunately, the traditional classroom is not truly the only option, and is certainly not always the best option. A much better option—when it can be had—is to find one-on-one education for the international student. There are many benefits to be had from a one-on-one learning environment, and these are even more beneficial to a student from a foreign country who is still adjusting to the American curriculum and English language.
Personalized Curriculum
When a student is working one-on-one with his or her instructor, the curriculum can be tailored to suit the student’s needs. Therefore, international students who have already covered the math concepts being learned by their peers, but have not yet learned the geography material covered the grade before, can help their teacher build a curriculum that will help fill in gaps in information, improve upon their weaknesses, and build upon their strengths.
Having the ability to do this will help ensure the student receives a well-rounded education. It will also boost his or her self-confidence as the student sees they are making progress in their educational pursuits instead of being dragged along by a traditional curriculum in a large class setting.
Student-Led Pace
In addition to working from a tailor-made curriculum, students working in a one-on-one setting can work at the pace they find most comfortable.
This means the student who is struggling with a particular concept can spend extra time truly grasping it, while the student who understands immediately can move forward to the next bit of material without waiting for others to catch up. This is often a huge relief to international students who may feel they are behind their peers in some areas and ahead in others.
Thorough Communication
Anyone who has ever tried immersing themselves in a foreign language knows just how frustrating communication issues can be. One-on-one instruction allows the students and the teacher ample time to communicate, ensuring the student thoroughly understands the information begin taught, as well as what is expected of him or her as far as assignments go.
Thorough communication is one of the most important parts of a quality education, and individualized instruction helps to ensure this high level of communication is delivered, no matter what kinds of language barriers may stand in the way.
If you are interested in a one-on-one instruction for your child, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us at Tenney School today for more information.