There are a myriad of ways teachers can create a safe learning environment, thereby lowering the affective filter of their students. Memorizing the names of all of your students within the first week of instruction reduces anxiety and increases self-esteem. Learning a few key phrases in the languages of the students is a fun way to model for students that it is acceptable to struggle with pronunciation and language learning. Students are eager to share their languages, and everyone has a good laugh when teachers mispronounce the vocabulary they are learning.

A powerful tool for lowering the affective filter of the students is to set up a buddy system. During the first week of class, have students buddy with someone who speaks their first language and exchange phone numbers so that they can contact each other. The buddy system has several benefits. First, it immediately connects students to at least one other person in the classroom. This connection may help motivate them to keep coming to class, even when negative forces are working against them. Second, buddies can keep each other apprised of missed lessons. Third, buddies can keep in contact with each other during the "stopping out" periods, which encourages absent students to return when they can.

Build a Strong Classroom Community

In addition to providing students with a safe learning environment, teachers need to facilitate the building of a strong classroom community. Using pair work, as well as smallgroup and whole-class activities, beginning with the first day of class, helps the students get acquainted. Once the semester is in full swing, however, students commonly find a comfortable niche that they seldom leave. One activity you might find helpful is called "Crazy Wednesday." Every Wednesday, instruct students to sit somewhere different from their "regular" seats, with at least one person who does not speak their first language.

Providing ongoing opportunities for students to make new connections promotes and strengthens academic excellence in the classroom and reinforces the social and emotional connections, which improve student persistence. Providing students with an opportunity to share their cultures also helps build a strong classroom community. Students are passionate about their cultures and the countries they have emigrated from, and it is moving and powerful to watch them share their passion with their classmates.

Have Students Identify and Establish Short-term and Long-term Educational Goals

The research gleaned on student persistence from study circles around the country shows clearly that students who have set specific goals for their English learning are more persistent than students who have a general goal of "I want to learn English." It is important that teachers teach lessons on goal setting, even with the lowest-level learners, and provide the students with examples of short-term and long-term goals that are specific, measurable, and achievable. In addition to setting goals, encourage students to set their bars high. Many students think only of getting and keeping the most menial entry-level positions. Instead, encourage them to think about working their way up to manager or even owner of their own business.

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