How to help student conquer second language anxiety

Second language anxiety 

Have you ever had a student that seemed really worried, nervous, shy and unease? No matter how
much you tried to approach him/her, you just could not break that barrier? Is your student having
problems expressing himself/herself, even though you know that they have a great vocabulary? 
As an ESL teacher, I am pretty sure that at least once you had a student with second language anxiety.
Second language anxiety(or foreign language anxiety) is a condition that has been researched for
decades. This condition is common, and it can be a reason why your student is having problems
acquiring a new language.

But don't worry, here are some tips we can use to help our students overcome this problem and achieve
their learning goals!

1. The mistakes are totally fine! 

A lot of students will be quiet if they are not sure they have the right answer. Also, they can
sometimes shut down if you correct them, and they will probably stay that way until the end of the
lesson. That is why is important to reassure them that mistakes are a vital part of learning, not just
when it comes to language, but everything else too! Making a mistake is completely normal, and
mistakes are there so we can learn from them. 
2. Create a positive learning environment!

Put yourself in your student's position. You are confronted with some new, strange language and you
just started learning it. You are already nervous and a bit shy to speak and read in front of your teacher.
Now imagine that your teacher frowns, talks in a monotone voice, ignores your questions, or even
ignores you. You wouldn't feel very comfortable and your desire for learning would significantly drop.
This is why we need to make our students feel comfortable, accepted and we need to make a "safe
place" for learning.  We can make a positive environment by smiling, being approachable, patient,
correcting students when needed and encouraging them. Saying things like "good job Elsa, your
reading is very good!", "This is a new word, let's try saying it together", " Don't be scared, this word is
long and hard, but let's practice it together" will show a student you are there for them and that they can
count on your help. 

3.  Taking small steps!

When we start to learn something new, we tend to learn it as fast as possible. Unfortunately, it doesn't
work like that for most of us. This is why is important to assure your student that it is okay if they need
more time to manage to pronounce that word or to speak fluently. Frustration is normal and it can be a
reason for students to shut down, but we need to let them know that it is okay if they need more time
and to ease their pressure. Also, we are all different, so don't expect your students to learn as fast as
your other students.  
4. Practice! 

This one may seem obvious, but we often take it for granted. If we want our students to overcome their
anxiety, we need to make sure that they have as much practice as possible. If we have a group lesson,
give them a role-play, let them make a scenario from everyday life and practice speaking to each other.
If we see that student is too shy or too anxious for this, don't pressure him/her. We all have our pace,
and the student will eventually start opening up and practicing more. As soon as they see positive
feedback, they will get more motivated and more open to practicing new language everywhere, not just
in classroom.