How to bring client-led content into your teaching

Client-led content or personalized learning is targeted at the students’ learning styles and needs. This means that the method, speed and result may vary for each student. For example, at the same intermediate level, you may teach completely differently, targeting different goals, using different technics and content. Thus, learning is not a linear process. This type of teaching will teach the essential skills that will serve them in their present and future life.

Now you may look at the title and think that the aim of this article is about bringing clients’ authority and decisions into the class. You are right; do not get surprised that the students are clients. The product will be their knowledge and skills. We as suppliers may not be sure what product to offer until we authorize the clients to describe the product they need. We should clearly understand what product they want, expect to obtain.

Tip 1 — Listen to the client/student carefully

While listening, ask questions, try to get more details.

Typical dialogue

Teacher: Hi Mikhail. Let’s talk about the course you want to take.

Mikhail: I need to study Business English. (the first hint is given)

Teacher: Ok, I see. However, let’s be more specific. Where do you use / will use English (more details needed)?

Mikhail: Well, I am an IT project manager. And now we have a client from the USA and I will need to negotiate with him. (Not only business content but the teacher may need to review IT content as well)

Teacher: What kind of negotiations may you need to have? (trying to specify the main content)

Mikhail: We will discuss the project specifics, the deadlines, and the updates or the roadmap of the project.

Teacher: Can you bring a description of the project for the next lesson? (She needs to plan and understand the vocabulary specifics).Mikhail: Ok, no problem.

Teacher: We will go through the project and decide together on the topics and specifics of our course (Invites for collaboration).

What can you do?

You may need to read the student’s portfolio (responsibilities, duties, tasks). That will help to better understand the content you will be developing with your student.

Tip 2 — Be open and flexible to the ideas of the client/student

The student may be willing to give you ideas and suggestions, so be open and encourage it. This does not mean that you are losing your authority in the class. Now, the more open the teacher is, the more professional he/ she is. Being open does not mean that the student will decide every single activity or task. Being open means accepting the rational and logical ideas of a student and implementing them in a logical and meaningful class.

What can you do?

Keep the control of the class, otherwise the student will lose the confidence in the quality of your lessons. However, if the student asks you to prepare him for the next day’s meeting or an interview, or he or she will need to present at the meeting, be open for that. If for other not urgent suggestions you do not want to change the plan, tell your student about it.

Tip 3 — Be consistent in assessment

In the client – led teaching, teachers usually forget about testing and assessment, as they think that the informal assessment happens when a student /client gets into his or her business setting and uses the language they learned. So, as soon as a milestone is completed, make sure you assess the student knowledge.

For example, if your student needed to learn telephoning skills, create different role plays to assess his skill. Develop a test to check his vocabulary and grammar. Remember, a regular assessment will mark the progress for the student and diagnose where and what you need to review.

What can you do?

First of all, decide in what way the student will be using English: in oral or in written form. Then plan your assessment close to the format your student will be using English. And make it as close to the reality as possible.