How to Learn and Follow the Methodologies Used in the

Classes and How to Improve Study Habits in Order to

Become Effective and Efficient Students: 9 rules for students
to abide by in the classroom
Here are some rules that are a must to improve study habits and to get the most out of the
learning process while learning a language.

1. Learn to think and speak in the language you are learning; in this
case: English. (DO NOT TRANSLATE and DO NOT SPEAK anything
but English or the target language in class!)
When you are learning a second language, the most natural thing is that you start translating
words, phrases, and sentences into your native language. This instinct is normal and almost
everyone tends to want to translate. However, it is one of the most ineffective and inefficient ways
to learn a language because, when translating, you must process what is being said in the language
being learned (in this case, English) into the mother tongue (in this case, Turkish). This process is
longer and more difficult because you must think about two languages at once and it is very easy
to get mixed-up or confused. The more cables there are, the easier it is for them to get tangled up!

Furthermore, when speaking or giving a presentation in English, students often make the mistake
of thinking in Turkish and translating everything into English. This strategy is highly ineffective and
inefficient because the structure, order, and way of expressing ideas are generally very different
and the result is a disastrous mishmash that has little to do with English. What is worse is that
neuro-linguistic structures and vocabulary that have little to do with proper English are being
incorrectly learned and programmed into the brain. Simply put, the result is total nonsense.

So, you may be wondering, ‘’How can I think in English?’’ The idea is that when students are in the
Beginner levels, they should repeat what the teacher says, focusing on pronunciation, intonation,
and the order of words in the sentences that the teacher is using. It is very important to look at
the patterns that exist in the language. At first, like everything else, it will seem quite difficult to
do, but over time and with practice, students get accustomed to this process, and it becomes
more natural. It is all a matter of habit! In the Intermediate and Advanced levels, students should
work on recognizing what tense and structures are being used in a question and respond
appropriately in complete sentences using the correct structure. Learning how to be a good
listener is a key part to this process.

Here is a 4-phase outline that will be handled at Teachera, particularly but not exclusively for
students in the Beginner levels:

1. PHASE 1: Listen and Repeat - Listen to the word, phrase or sentence made by the teacher,
while focusing on the pronunciation, intonation and word order, and repeat, always trying
to emulate the teacher. The teacher also will gesticulate a lot so that the student is able to
 have a greater understanding and comprehension. The teacher will go through one or
more rounds so that students can practice and assimilate what they are practicing.
2. PHASE 2: Create sentences with the help of the teacher – After practicing several rounds in
the first phase, students in this second phase will create the sentences themselves with the
help of the teacher who will use hand and facial gestures and gesticulations to point out
what they should say. Basically, they will be making sentences similar to those that were
made in the first phase, but this time without the teacher saying anything.
3. Phase 3: Answering questions of various types that the teacher will ask in FULL SENTENCES.
The teacher, still using hand, body gesticulation and facial gestures, will ask you questions
of various kinds and the students will answer these questions, again, in FULL SENTENCES.
The questions will have to do with what was done in the first and second phases, so the
answers will be very similar to the sentences that were practiced in the first two phases. It
is through repetition that the structures that have been learned are remembered by the
brain.
4. Phase 4: Ask questions and ask other classmates. – This will be the last phase for levels A1
and A2. In the fourth phase, it is up to students, with the visual and auditory help from the
teacher, to ask questions that will be answered by other classmates. The teacher will be
guiding the students through this process to make them feel supported and to gain greater
self-confidence as you ask the questions.

For levels B1 and B2, it will not be so necessary for them to repeat what the teacher says as much
as in the lower levels simply because, in these levels, students will already have a basis from which
they can work. What students should do at these levels is to learn to listen to what the teacher is
asking and recognize what they are being asked and to answer with the same structure or at least
with a structure related to the question. In addition to this, they should respond with full
sentences so that they can practice the structures and patterns of the language as much as they
can.

In the Advanced levels, students are expected to be able to think in English. It is in these advanced
levels that students may at times translate due to the simple fact that since they can already think
in English independently, students will no longer get confused as much when translating, and, in
addition, people who are in the advanced levels already have the ability to act as interpreters or
translators. Obviously, a person in the Beginner or Intermediate are not yet able to act as a
translator or interpreter, whereas those who are in the Advanced levels are. However, the class
will continue to be handled in English and the teacher will assign different tasks and projects, such
as oral presentations in which they can present in English.

Keep in mind that teachers are not absolutists and perhaps the same teacher very occasionally
uses a translation in class when he sees it essential, particularly in the intermediate and advanced
levels. However, when the teacher translates something or uses a word in Turkish, this does NOT
mean that students can now start speaking Turkish in class!

It is also worth mentioning that after a student has acquired a second or even third language, it

may be possible to use translation as a method of learning. At Teachera, English as a method of

instruction is currently being tested and used for one of the Spanish groups with excellent results
so far. Although it is only a hypothesis, it is believed here at Teachera that language acquisition
affects brain due to its neuroplasticity, and that once a second language has been acquired fairly
well, the brain is now able to learn other languages in a different way including through
comparative methods involving translation. Nevertheless, when a student is monolingual and has
come to Teachera to learn a second language, ONLY THE LANGUAGE BEING LEARNED IS TO BE
USED IN THE CLASSROOM, following the Teachera methodology. Teachera will develop a system
for teaching language using English as a method of instruction based on the results of this Spanish
class. This will be reported on later.

2. Try to always go to class with a positive attitude and an eagerness

to learn because by doing so, you will learn better. In addition to
that, always try to speak English, even before or after class. (Don't
go to class with a negative attitude ever and always use English to
show the teacher that if you feel like learning and advancing in
life!)

We all have bad days, are tired, or are in a bad mood for some reason or another. However,
before entering English class, leave your problems, spites, difficulties, and sorrows at the door and
come into the classroom with a positive attitude and a strong desire to learn. This will make the
learning process easier, and the teacher will thank you for bringing a positive energy to the
classroom which will affect everyone positively.

Students are also advised to try to always practice English even if the class has not started or has
finished. Students who have this habit are almost always the ones who advance the most in a
shorter amount of time and those who learn best. In addition, this indicates to the teacher that
students want to learn. What a better way to brighten the teacher’s day than that! Show us your
desire to learn and your positive energy!

3. Always stay focused and pay attention to what is going on in class,

and DO NOT talk to other classmates unless instructed to do so,
and DO NOT go off topic. (DO NOT INTERRUPT anyone, MUCH
LESS the Teacher!)
It is very important to be constantly focused on what is going on in class. Therefore: DO NOT talk
while the teacher is speaking or when a classmate is speaking. The reason for this suggestion
should be obvious because when you are talking the others should be listening. Many times, when
multiple people are talking at once, what happens is that no one is listening to what is happening
in the class and therefore could lose some important information. That being so, the teacher or
student who was answering a question or setting out a topic will have to repeat what was said,
which wastes the class's time, and let's be clear, it's extremely rude.
Additionally, when several people are speaking at once, the train of though is lost, so to save time
and be more effective as you learn, refrain from talking while you're talking another and wait your
turn to talk. This will benefit everyone.

4. Let the teacher deal with students who are having trouble
understanding or following along. (Do NOT ask classmates for
help; ask the teacher directly if you are having trouble following
along or understanding. If you see that another classmate is
having difficulties, let the teacher handle the situation. YOU ARE
NOT THE TEACHER!)

When you are having difficulty understanding or following along during a lesson, please let the
teacher know. You may ask the teacher to repeat what he or she has said or simply raise your
hand, wait for the teacher to call on you, and then simply say that you do not understand. If you
are having extreme difficulties understanding and following along the lesson or the class, you can
also wait until the break to speak to the teacher or the education assistants to find a solution to
the problem. DO NOT ask a fellow classmate for help during the class as this not only interrupts
the class and disrupts the learning process but also is extremely rude!

Furthermore, if you see that a fellow classmate is having difficulty following along or
understanding the lesson, DO NOT attempt to help him or her – even if that student is asking you
for help directly. Ignore the student or tell him or her to ask the teacher for help. When you begin
helping the student you are being disruptive. The background chit-chatting interrupts the class, is a
distraction to the teacher and the students, and is simply extremely impolite. Besides, when you
are busy helping another student, you are missing out on what is going on in the lesson and this
will affect your own learning process. You are NOT a teacher and therefore are NOT qualified in
the necessary pedagogical skills to deal with such a situation. You are a STUDENT and your role in
the classroom is as such. This type of behavior is NOT AT ALL TOLERATED at Teachera If this
behavior is observed by the teacher in the classroom, it will be grounds for immediate dismissal!

5. Learn when the time is right to ask a question. (DO NOT interrupt
the teacher with a question while the teacher is in the middle of
an explanation; DO NOT ask something that is not related to the
topic being discussed, i.e., do not ask irrelevant questions; DO
NOT ask one question after another or do not ask too much in a
short space of time!)

Obviously, asking questions is very important. However, it is also very important to know when to
ask a question. The most prudent thing to would be for the student who has a doubt and needs
clarification, to wait until the teacher finishes explaining or presenting. The reason for this is that
the teacher will probably explain the subject matter at a later point.
On the other hand, it is also not good to ask something that has nothing to do with the topic that
is being presented since it only serves to lose the thread of the class, and wastes time. Try to
always focus on the topic so that you learn it well. The idea is that students assimilate the
information that is being presented well, and if they are thinking about other things, they are not
focused on the subject and therefore miss out on learning important information.

It is also not acceptable to ask one question after another simply because the class will quickly lose
track of the topic at hand, and if the teacher tries to answer each of these questions to cover one
topic after another without any having been properly answered or clarified, then nothing achieved
except to waste time on half-explanations.

6. Do class exercises and homework properly, even if this means

'unlearning' the way that they were done in school and college (at
university). Always look at the explanation, graph or chart where
the structure is located in the book or workbook as the structures
are being practiced in an exercise. (DON'T TRY TO MEMORIZE NEW
INFORMATION YOU'VE BARELY BEEN GIVEN AT ONCE! RATHER,
USE THE GRAPH, CHART OR TABLE WHERE THE NEW
INFORMATION, SUCH AS THE GRAMMAR STRUCTURE, IS LOCATED
TO REFERENCE WHILE DOING EXERCISES OR HOMEWORK.)
THIS POINT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE FOR NEW STRUCTURES TO BE LEARNED
EFFECTIVELY:

A very serious mistake that students make in class when they are doing an exercise or
when they are doing homework is that they do not REFERENCE OR CHECK the graph or the
part of the book where the information about the language structures is. One of the most
notable problems that occurs with the vast majority of students is that they try to
memorize these structures before doing the exercises. This is an extremely ineffective way
do the exercises, both in class and at home.

Generally, when a new structure or topic is being taught, the teacher will write it on the
board or this information will be found in the book, as in a graph or in a chart and
students, at first, should go to the explanations and look at the structures and patterns
presented in the graphs or pictures in the book or written on the board by the teacher.

The reason why you should proceed in this way when you are doing the exercises in class
or at home is so that the correct and accurate structures and patterns can be
NEUROLINGUISTICALLY programmed into the brain properly. In other words, it is
necessary to refer to explanations, structures, and patterns while exercises, assignments
and homework are being done so that the language is learned correctly. What usually
happens when this is not done and an attempt to memorize the information is made
before doing the exercise is that the information, structures, and patterns with quite a few
errors WHICH IS A HUGE MISTAKE BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS THE EXERCISE DONE
INCORRECTLY, BUT THE INFORMATION AND STRUCTURES AND PATTERNS OF THE
LANGUAGE WAS INCORRECTLY INPUT INTO THE BRAIN. This will only create more
confusion and more doubt, which will create more frustration and more mental
entanglements.

REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING: First, the teacher will explain a new structure using a
picture or graph containing the structure while students listen and pay attention carefully.
It is very important that STUDENTS pay attention very carefully and that they DO NOT
ALLOW THEMSLEVES TO BE DISTRACTED BY MENTAL CHATTER or by thinking of what
questions they can ask the teacher while he is giving an explanation. Always try to
carefully listen to what the teacher is explaining or what another classmate is saying or
presenting. A time to ask questions will be granted by teacher when he or she is finished
presenting a point or topic. Then, while doing the exercise to practice and reinforce the
point that was explained by the teacher, always look at the picture, chart or graph with
the structures and linguistic patterns in order to properly record the structures neuro-
linguistically.

Gradually, as these structures and patterns are practiced, referencing the graph and charts
with structures will become less and less necessary. When there is a quiz, test or other
type of evaluation YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE STRUCTURES BECAUSE THE
QUIZZES, EXAMINATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS ARE EVALUATIONS THAT ARE BEING
DONE TO SEE IF THE STRUCTURES SEEN CLASS HAVE BEEN LEARNED AND ASSIMILATED
BY THE BRAIN PROPERLY.

Below, on the following page you will find an example of a graph with grammar structures
and an exercise to practice:
While doing an exercise, USE THE CHART TO ENSURE YOU'RE DOING IT
WELL!
Let us recap once again:

-When you exercise to practice or reinforce what is explained to you in class, especially when it is a
new topic, either in class or as a task, use the graph where the information about the structures
is. It is important to create this habit and always use it.

-When there is a quiz, exam, or presentation or presentation with an evaluative note, the graphs,
charts, and explanations can no longer be checked or referenced. Students who try to do so
during a quiz or a final exam or presentation will automatically fail the exam with a grade of 0!

7. Do class exercises and homework properly, even if this means

'unlearning' the way that they were done in school and college (at
university). Always look at the explanation, graph or chart where the
structure is located in the book or workbook as the structures are being
practiced in an exercise. (DON'T TRY TO MEMORIZE NEW INFORMATION
YOU'VE BARELY BEEN GIVEN AT ONCE! RATHER, USE THE GRAPH, CHART
OR TABLE WHERE THE NEW INFORMATION, SUCH AS THE GRAMMAR
STRUCTURE, IS LOCATED TO REFERENCE WHILE DOING EXERCISES OR
HOMEWORK.)
THIS POINT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE FOR NEW STRUCTURES TO BE LEARNED
EFFECTIVELY:

A very serious mistake that students make in class when they are doing an exercise or
when they are doing homework is that they do not REFERENCE OR CHECK the graph or the
part of the book where the information about the language structures is. One of the most
notable problems that occurs with the vast majority of students is that they try to
memorize these structures before doing the exercises. This is an extremely ineffective way
do the exercises, both in class and at home.

Generally, when a new structure or topic is being taught, the teacher will write it on the
board or this information will be found in the book, as in a graph or in a chart and
students, at first, should go to the explanations and look at the structures and patterns
presented in the graphs or pictures in the book or written on the board by the teacher.

The reason why you should proceed in this way when you are doing the exercises in class
or at home is so that the correct and accurate structures and patterns can be
NEUROLINGUISTICALLY programmed into the brain properly. In other words, it is
necessary to refer to explanations, structures, and patterns while exercises, assignments
and homework are being done so that the language is learned correctly. What usually
happens when this is not done and an attempt to memorize the information is made
before doing the exercise is that the information, structures, and patterns with quite a few
errors WHICH IS A HUGE MISTAKE BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS THE EXERCISE DONE
INCORRECTLY, BUT THE INFORMATION AND STRUCTURES AND PATTERNS OF THE
LANGUAGE WAS INCORRECTLY INPUT INTO THE BRAIN. This will only create more
confusion and more doubt, which will create more frustration and more mental
entanglements.

REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING: First, the teacher will explain a new structure using a
picture or graph containing the structure while students listen and pay attention carefully.
It is very important that STUDENTS pay attention very carefully and that they DO NOT
ALLOW THEMSLEVES TO BE DISTRACTED BY MENTAL CHATTER or by thinking of what
questions they can ask the teacher while he is giving an explanation. Always try to
carefully listen to what the teacher is explaining or what another classmate is saying or
presenting. A time to ask questions will be granted by teacher when he or she is finished
presenting a point or topic. Then, while doing the exercise to practice and reinforce the
point that was explained by the teacher, always look at the picture, chart or graph with
 the structures and linguistic patterns in order to properly record the structures neuro-
linguistically.

Gradually, as these structures and patterns are practiced, referencing the graph and charts
with structures will become less and less necessary. When there is a quiz, test or other
type of evaluation YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE STRUCTURES BECAUSE THE
QUIZZES, EXAMINATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS ARE EVALUATIONS THAT ARE BEING
DONE TO SEE IF THE STRUCTURES SEEN CLASS HAVE BEEN LEARNED AND ASSIMILATED
BY THE BRAIN PROPERLY.

Below, on the following page you will find an example of a graph with grammar structures
and an exercise to practice:

While doing an exercise, USE THE CHART TO ENSURE YOU'RE DOING IT

WELL!
Let us recap once again:

-When you exercise to practice or reinforce what is explained to you in class, especially when it is a
new topic, either in class or as a task, use the graph where the information about the structures
is. It is important to create this habit and always use it.

-When there is a quiz, exam, or presentation or presentation with an evaluative note, the graphs,
charts, and explanations can no longer be checked or referenced. Students who try to do so
during a quiz or a final exam or presentation will automatically fail the exam with a grade of 0!

8. Try to attend all classes, arrive on time and do all your homework.
(DO NOT MISS CLASS; DO NOT BE LATE AND DO NOT STOP DOING
YOUR HOMEWORK!)

It is of the utmost importance that you attend as many classes as possible so that you are aware of
what you are seeing in class and that you have all the information and practice to be successful in
learning the language. If students arrive late, they may also lose some information or practice they
need later.

Moreover, it is imperative to do the homework as this reinforces what you have seen in class so
that you can retain the information more easily. Learning and practicing English in the classroom is
not enough, as the topics seen in class need to be reviewed and practiced again so that they can
be learned more efficiently, and that information can be remembered and retained.

9. Expose yourself to the language outside of class and be ready to

show that you are doing so in class. (Don’t expect that coming to a
class is all you need to learn a language; you are the person most
responsible for this process).

It is obvious to teachers who is spending extra time to learn the language outside of the classroom
and the school. Those students who make an effort to expose themselves to the language are the
ones that usually succeed. Students are required to study or expose themselves to the language so
that they can practice what they learned in class. By doing so, you will perform much better both
inside and outside of the classroom.