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Building and Fostering Community

Resources and Activities for Building Respect

The TESL graduate appreciates the diverse cultures and the range of socio-cultural and

economic communities that constitute the class, and recognizes the potential effect ofthese factors on adult language learning. She/he creates, with the learners, an inclusive,

accommodating, yet suitably challenging learning environment that enables all learners to

meet their needs. TESL ! Standard, "#$%

Why do we want to build and foster community in our classes?

*1 minute to ot down notes on your own! "#$ minutes to discuss with a partner*

What are some simple ways we can build and foster the community we want to create in

our class?

*"#$ minutes to discuss with a partner*

- &uild respect and acceptances between all members of the classroom

- Encourages co-operation, teamwor', and building negotiation/ management s'ills

- (reate a sense of belonging and purpose in a classroom

- (reate and sustains motivation in learners

- &oost awareness of cultural diversity, customs, e)pectations and life-stories of

other learners

- *llows for a positive learning environment where all feel comfortable e)pressing

themselves

- Try to encourage co-operative learning and acceptance of others in the classroom

as much as possible, remember no matter what your learners choose to do with

their life beyond the classroom their success will often be determined by how well

they wor' with their colleagues

What are some simple ways we can build and foster the community we want to create in

our class?

*"#$ minutes to discuss with a partner*

Simple Suggestions+

$ ont post rules in your class at the start of the learning period instead have learners

create them with each other.

" 0f possible dont completely decorate your classroom but allow learners an

opportunity to decorate and create a learning environment that displays who they are

as learners.

% Encourage learners to wor' together and thin' as a group by arranging seats into

groupings rather than rows.

1 2ave ice-brea'er activities at the start of the year.3 4ive learners an opportunity to share stories of their own e)periences with other 

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5 4ive learners a way to e)press concerns, problem solve issues within the class and

discuss what they would li'e to learn.

6 4ive learners a goal to collectively wor' towards and reward them as a group when

they have achieved that goal

(reative *ctivities+

7ention online resources are varied and difficult to find.

$ (ritical 7ulticultural 8avilion

a. http+//www.edchange.org/multicultural/inde).html

 b. http+//www.edchange.org/multicultural/activityarch.html

%etting &tarted' Respect Activity ()ntroductory evel+

*s' everyone to find someone in the room who they do not 'now. 0nstruct them to

introduce themselves to that person, and spend five to ten minutes tal'ing aboutrespect. 9hat does it mean for you to show respect, and what does it mean for you to

 be shown respect: *fter the allotted time, as' the participants to return to their seats,

and open the discussion. 9hat ideas did people discuss:

(ommon responses include the ;4olden

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respect and how we negotiate its meaning. Third, the similarities and differences in

 participants= ideas about respect begin to show the first signs of similarities and

differences within the group on a larger level, often in ways that reflect power and

 privilege.

" Show and discuss iversity *ctivities for Aouth and *dults

3) Visiting Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/

1 Show T

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learning and social development research. The teachers and administrators in a Tribes school

or district also wor' together in supportive groups. They too en?oy the participatory

democratic process and creative collegiality.