The new academic year is here and we're getting ready to head back to the English classroom. Yet, after a long and relaxing summer holiday, some students may feel unmotivated to return to the same class routine, especially if they have been learning English for several years. So, how can we reinspire students to keep learning and reconnect with English? By bringing in new resources, learning approaches and targets, we are sure you'll be able to rekindle their love of learning.

So let's look at five ways to reinspire your English students in the coming academic year.

1. Set new goals

Students may lose interest in classes or feel discouraged when they don't have a clear target to work towards. If this is the case with your class, have them write up a list of five new goals they'd like to achieve. 

These goals must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. So rather than just saying "I'd like to learn more vocabulary", have students make it SMART. 

For example:

Specific: "I'd like to learn new advanced vocabulary to use in my writing."

Measurable: "I'll test myself to see if I can define and use 20 new words in sentences."

Achievable: "I will dedicate 2 hours a week to studying the definitions and writing example sentences in context."

Relevant: "This will help me get a good score in my PTE test as I struggle with formal academic language."

Timely: "I will learn 20 new words by the end of September."

If learners find it difficult to think of goals, ask them to write one for each language skill: listening, reading, writing and speaking. You can also refer to the GSE Teacher Toolkit, which has hundreds of learning objectives organized by age, level, skill type and more.

The idea is to encourage them to set clear objectives, giving them an exciting new challenge to work towards for the year ahead.

2. Encourage students to find conversation partners

Students may lose interest in improving their English if they've only been studying in a classroom. They may see it as something boring and unrelated to their real lives. 

A great way to tackle this is by encouraging them to talk with English speakers outside of class. By doing this, they'll pick up new vocabulary and expressions, giving them more confidence in their language abilities. 

Suggest that they attend a language exchange. Facebook and Meetup are great platforms to find regular language exchange events in their local area. While this is suitable for intermediate learners and above, it may be a bit daunting for beginners. 

In this case, the app HelloTalk may be a suitable alternative. Similar to a language exchange, learners can connect with people from around the world. They can choose people with a similar level as them and either write messages, send short audios, or do video calls, depending on their ability and confidence. 

Communicating with real people is a fun and encouraging reason for your learners to want to improve.

3. Introduce interesting new vocabulary

Students may become disheartened if they've been learning for years but aren't seeing much progress. A simple and effective way to help them improve their level is by encouraging them to expand their vocabulary. 

They already have to study a lot of vocabulary from their textbooks, so why not give it a more personal twist and ask for suggestions of topics that interest them? 

Maybe they are gamers and want to learn how to communicate better with other players around the world. Select vocabulary about styles of games, turn-taking, and strategizing that they could use – they can practice in class and be thrilled to be given homework.

Perhaps some of your students want to study or work abroad. This may be a common topic, but one thing that is not frequently discussed is how to deal with the paperwork of living in another country. For example, getting into more specific language about banking, housing rentals, or setting up wifi will help them feel more confident about their move. Though these things differ between countries, there is a lot of overlapping vocabulary and roleplaying will do wonders to reassure and excite them about their upcoming adventures.

By allowing your students to take control of their learning, their motivation is naturally higher and you too will enjoy finding out specific language about their interests.

4. Work on specific problem areas 

Language learners may become frustrated and lose motivation if they continue to make the same mistakes. It may cause them to feel disheartened in their abilities and want to give up, especially for those who aim to sit exams. You can help them level up by identifying specific problem areas and tailoring your classes to work on these. 

Tests can help your learners discover their weaknesses and avoid the frustration of sitting and not passing an exam. They'll be able to pinpoint what they need to work on, and you can dedicate your classes to exactly what they need, rather than cover areas they may not have problems with.

For example, if students are experiencing difficulties with reading comprehension, you could try introducing more varied reading materials. Ask them to bring in blog posts, magazines and news articles on topics that they find interesting. Highlight keywords in the text to enhance their understanding of the piece and create comprehension questions similar to the test format they'll take. 

By giving a little extra attention to fixing problem areas, learners will soon start to see their progress, encouraging and inspiring them to keep going.

5. Change your class format 

Sometimes learners become demotivated simply because they have become too used to the format of the classes. If this is the case, you might want to take a break from the textbook and try more creative language learning methods. For example:

Use interactive games

Suitable for all levels, you can use platforms such as Kahoot or Quizziz to test your learners. They offer a new dimension to the class, encouraging students to have fun with the language. Divide them into teams to add an element of competition – there's nothing like a friendly game to excite students!

Set project work

Put your class into small groups and have them work on a project to present to the rest of the group. Choose topics they might cover in their textbooks, such as occupations, travel or cultural traditions. Or even better – let students come up with their own! This activity can be modified to suit all levels and offers a challenge as learners will need to push their language limits.

Hold class debates 

More suitable for intermediate learners and above, class debates get everyone talking. You can ask students to brainstorm topics they're interested in. You can offer prompts such as climate change, the advertising of junk food or the impacts of social media. They'll be happy to talk about things that concern them.

Throw in some unexpected activities to bring students' attention back to class and spark their interest in learning again.

At the beginning of term adolescent learners are often shy, embarrassed and awkward. They are reluctant to speak English in front of their peers or show enthusiasm in class, often suffering from social pressure and lack of self-confidence. It can take weeks or months for students to get to know each other and form bonds. However, don’t despair if your teen learners are like this. There are plenty of team-building games and activities you can do to help students build relationships that will allow them to feel comfortable and relaxed in the classroom.

As we start thinking about returning to school, the big question for teachers and parents is: How can we help our children get off to a smooth start?   

After the long break, students might be keen to see their friends again. But it's not always easy to get back into the class routine. It's especially difficult when students are moving into a new class or are facing important exams. 

So what can you do to support children in transitioning back to school at the beginning of the academic year? 

Here are 4 steps to help them get off to a great start.  

1. Be organized and create routines

Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it's not all mixed up.  – A. A. Milne 

Have a "family meeting" to brainstorm the routines for the school year, e.g., tidying room, getting school clothes/uniform/bag ready the evening before, homework routines, family meal times and exercise. Ensure each member of the family has input into the routine too. Create a chart with the routines so everyone can see what has been agreed upon and how they are being adhered to.

2. Start bedtime routines early

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. – Benjamin Franklin 

Agreeing on firm bedtimes during the school week is very important for everyone in the family.  

If children and teenagers do not get enough sleep, it can negatively impact their health and academic achievement. It's important that they are aware of this too.  

In an ideal world, we should ensure that adults and children are not exposed to any form of screen time for at least 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime. This will help everyone sleep better.  

Start the back-to-school sleep transition gradually. To help your child adjust, move bedtime up by 30 to 60 minutes at a time over the course of a few days or a week before the start of school so the transition from a later bedtime to an earlier one is progressive. 

3. Talk about homework and teach organizational skills 

When it's obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. – Confucius 

Organization needs to be taught and practiced. As children get older, homework usually increases. Take an active interest in your child's homework.  

Parents can be supportive by demonstrating organizational skills and helping children with time management. Assist them with creating a plan for their homework and encourage your child (whatever age) to have a study plan of some sort and to set goals for their homework which are SMART: 

• Specific – Describe in detail what activities they are going to do. 
• Measurable – How will they know when they are progressing/finished?  
• Achievable – Do they have the skills and resources to get to their goal?  
• Relevant – How does this goal connect to short and long-term targets? 
• Time-bound – Set a concrete deadline.

Teach them how to approach homework with a "strategy". How much homework do they have? How long will it take to do it? Prioritize urgent homework and do more difficult things when they are less tired.  

Make sure there's adequate space in your house and set up a homework-friendly area that is well lit, and has a table with enough room to put their pens and books. Of course, this is preferably somewhere quiet.  

Also, it's important that parents are motivators and monitors and that they try to make themselves available for advice. Always praise children for their work and efforts. If you spot any problems, try and address them. Keep distractions to a minimum at home while they are doing their homework.

4. Make mealtimes quality family time: listen and share one good thing about each day 

Kids who grow up having family dinners, when they're on their own, tend to eat more healthily.  – Anne Fishel  

A meal around the table can bring lots of benefits to the entire family and be an important opportunity for daily interaction. Sitting down to eat as a family provides the opportunity to have an influence over both short and long-term family health, and can help children establish resilience and the ability to cope with the demands of life as we know it now and in the future. It can also be an opportunity to introduce mindful eating too – being more aware of what and how we are eating.

Additionally, this time together allows for members to talk and share things about their day and also offers an opportunity to establish a strong and powerful bonding experience. How can we make sure family mealtimes are quality time?  

• Be attentive and offer undivided attention during this time.  
• Turn all modern technology off during the meal so everyone is focused on each other.  
• Talk to each other about topics such as: What lessons do you have today (at breakfast)? What did you enjoy about today? What did you have for lunch (while sharing the evening meal). Tell me one thing you learned today. What made you laugh today? What made you happy today?  
• Listen mindfully to your child's thoughts and worries (if any). 
• Encourage each member to talk about one good thing that has happened to them that day. This lets them know you are there for them.  
• Assign mealtime jobs to involve everyone, e.g.: setting and clearing the table and putting away the dishes.

However, sometimes it's not possible to share meal times during the week so plan at least one on the weekend if possible. 

The benefits of any small moment of time can have long-lasting positive influences on your child's mental and physical health. Children model adult behavior and if they see you eating and engaging positively with them and others, they will carry this into their own lives. 

With a bit of preparation, the leadup and transition back to school can be smooth and enjoyable not only for children but also for the rest of the family.