These Four Factors Can Also Negatively Impact English EFL or ESL Teaching and Learning

Additional Critical Impact FactorsAdministrative demands
Some of the key factors English or Foreign Language"Enough is enough!" Teachers often cry when the
teachers face can include the following:o Large classnecessity for completing numerous forms, surveys,
sizeso Limited timeo Insufficient resourceso Mixedpermission slips, highly detailed attendance records or
ability studentso Students with learning disabilitiesoover-zealous "fund-raising" campaigns are required of
Behavioral problemso Administrative demandsothem. A teacher's job is to teach and while certainly,
Personal restrictionssome administrative procedures must be maintained, all
In continuing from the first part of this series, let'stoo often administrative demands wreak havoc in the
consider the last four factors on our list in turn andEFL teacher's lesson plans.
how they too can negatively impact an English EFL,Personal restrictions
ESL or foreign language teaching and learning classEach of us on occasion needs to attend to personal
room setting.matters, go for medical or dental appointments. We
Students with learning disabilitiesget sick; catch colds or the flu, sprain an ankle, break a
On occasion, learners with have known orbone or suffer from one or more f a myriad of health
undiagnosed learning disabilities when they come toor social problems. We suffer from stress, have family
English class. They may be inadequately prepared orproblems or even become distraught over the ailments
academically unprepared for the rigors and disciplineof a loved one or pet. Any or all of these can affect
they face when attempting to acquire a foreignour class room performance, unwilling though we may
language as young learners, teens or adults. This canbe to allow it to do so.
strongly impact the teacher who may now beThese final four factors that we have considered here
expected to compensate for deficiencies of learnerscan also have a substantial impact on the
while maintaining an "acceptable" pass rate of Englisheffectiveness of the English EFL or ESL language
or other foreign language acquisition skills.teacher. As stated earlier, with more and more
Behavioral problemsstudents in fewer and fewer classes and even those
While these can often be linked to external orclasses are expected to be taught with less and less
motivational factors, behavioral problems can be highlyresources or fewer and fewer hours. The results
disruptive in a foreign language class room setting. Ifhowever, both on the part of learners and the
behavioral problems result from learning disabilities, theadministration, is to produce better and better English
disruption can be compounded beyond what thelanguage production skills. The need then still, is for
teacher may be able to successfully or practicallysolutions to an ever-worsening series of growing
cope with. Violence, inattention, excessive cross-talkproblems. This will require the full cooperation of both
with other learners, absenteeism, physically movingteachers, administrators and to some extent, the
around the class room and other distractions are but alearners themselves. Good luck to us all.
scarce few of the problems related to this category.