Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash
Confidence is important. When we feel confident, we are relaxed and ready to learn, develop and perform as well as we are able. Losing confidence, on the other hand, or failing to develop it, can cause anxiety and low self esteem. This can mean that we are too stressed to learn and unable to perform as well as we otherwise could.
Teenagers lacking confidence in English often find themselves struggling and then decide that they are just not good at English. Lack of confidence in this area can be a result of shyness. English classes are often highly interactive, and the more assertive students may seem to be doing well when the real difference is that they are happy to speak up. All sorts of other factors, such as time off sick or a change of teachers, can affect a student’s confidence which in turn impacts their progress.
What happens then?
If a student loses confidence in their ability to understand texts in English Literature, they may find it excruciating to face increasingly challenging texts and perhaps cultivate the belief that they will never be able to tackle them. Our language changes day by day, so when we read something written centuries ago it may seem quite different from a modern text. In fact, with careful coaching, students can be shown how to see beyond the linguistic changes and connect with the writer’s meaning. But this is not always possible in a fast-paced classroom environment.
Some students lose confidence in their own ability to write fluently. Forming sentences is one of the most creative things we do, and in fact we all create in this way, every day, when we speak. Every sentence is unique, created by us in a specific context, using the vocabulary, grammar and syntax that we absorbed as we learned to speak and in later life. Creating sentences in writing can be daunting precisely because we are free to put the words together however we like. Unlike equations, for example, there is no right and wrong with creative writing. This can leave an anxious student sitting, gripping their pen, staring at a blank sheet of paper with a growing conviction that they are not good at writing.
And what about reading, the foundation of our ability with language? An anxious student can fall into the trap of rushing through a text, hurrying to get to the end, when in fact what they need to do is slow right down. Many of us need to read things slowly, several times, in order to understand them fully. A student who reads a poem, chapter or extract too quickly, once, and quite understandably does not absorb any of the meaning, may label themselves as ‘no good’ at reading when in reality their lack of confidence has simply caused them to rush.
What can be done?
First, the lack of confidence needs to be acknowledged. Once a student understands that it may be self-doubt, rather than a lack of ability, that has caused them to struggle, a way forward can be planned.
The next thing is to slow down. Classes may still be fast-paced but, out of class, neither reading nor writing should be rushed. If one-to-one support can be arranged, these sessions should be at a pace that suits the student. It can be a revelation to a young person lacking confidence in their ability to understand poetry, for example, that reading through a challenging poem several times, line by line, very slowly, with help, can help them to understand it thoroughly.
Stress reduction techniques, relaxation or meditation can be particularly helpful for nervous writers. Some young people find themselves becoming stressed as soon as they pick up a pen to write. If they are gripping the pen too tightly, hunched up and tense, the challenge of creating their own unique sentences may be too much. It takes practice, but learning to relax can help. I also often advise students to write purely for themselves, in a journal for example, to write stories just for practice or even to make lists. Any sort of low-pressure writing task will show them that they can, actually, put pen to paper and make sentences.
I talk a lot about reading. Discovering the value of reading for pleasure, how to make this a habit and how parents can help. Check out my Facebook page and future blog posts for more detail on this. Again, the important thing is to relieve pressure. A student who feels an hour reading Dickens is a penance, and doubts they will remember what they have read, may feel much more relaxed about five minutes reading a book or magazine on one of their own interests. Start slowly, with something accessible, and progress will follow.
Sometimes it is helpful to engage help from a private tutor. Someone non-judgmental who will work at the student’s own pace can show them that they are more able than they realised. That there is no mystery or magic to understanding complex texts or writing creatively. Confidence can be built little by little, in a safe environment, and often a total change in perspective will result.
