Teaching Students with Additional Educational Needs

Teaching Students with Additional Educational Needs How Do You Teach Children who Need Additional Learning Support? ChaptersHow to Teach Failing Students?How To Teach Dyslexic StudentsHow to Teach Students with AutismHow to Teach Students with Dyspraxia“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” - Christopher ReeveWe often say that teaching is the noblest profession in the world. It’s true that teaching requires impeccable values.When you teach students, you have to provide them with knowledge and give them the skills to become functioning members of society. However, private tutorials can give students a little extra help when they need it.More and more young students are dropping out of university in the UK. In fact, this figure has continuously risen in recent years.Just like no two teachers are the same, no two students are the same. As a teacher, you have to adapt your pedagogy to each student. This is even truer if the students happen to have special educational needs.In this article, we’re going to look at how to teach students with autism, dyspraxia, or dyslexia, and students who are struggling at school CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow to Teach Failing Students?Every student, no matter how good they are, may struggle to achieve their academic objectives. However, some students struggle academically or have behavioural problems that hinder their ability to learn. Students can struggle in any subject, be it physics, French, maths, or history.A child with learning difficulties isn't necessarily a difficult child. (Source: KokomoCole)A teacher’s job will be to guide the struggling student and make them aware of their potential and wh y schooling and their academic performance  will be important for their future. Teachers need to adapt their teaching approach, how they speak to their students, and the advice they give to them. Communication can be constructive, but you have to communicate in the right way in order to encourage students.In fact, in order to teach a student who’s struggling, you don’t really want them to leave a lesson feeling less encouraged than before. You need to be aware of their abilities without focusing too much on their issues. This is where teachers’ talent comes into play, they need to be a guide, support their students, and act as a learning coach for struggling students.Thus, academic support or private tutorials for struggling students need to involve both a teacher who’s passionate about the subjects they teach and invested in their students’ learning, especially those with learning disabilities or who are struggling at school.A teacher needs to be aware that a student’s future may be decided at school. Nobody is genetically predisposed to liking school, but you do need to appreciate what you learn there. This is something that struggling students may not have realised, that their teacher is trying to help them, for example.You also need to be aware that certain students may be failing due to an underlying issue that hasn't been diagnosed. If you suspect a child may have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), dyslexia, dyspraxia  (development coordination disorder), or autism spectrum disorder, you'll need to mention it to the appropriate personnel at the school or, if you're teaching private tutorials, you may need to discuss this with the parents.How To Teach Dyslexic StudentsDyslexia is characterised by spelling and reading difficulties in students with normal intelligence. People with dyslexia struggle with literacy and learning to read due. However, children with dyslexia who have an awareness of their reading problems can still excel in school, given the right teaching strategies are used.For students with special educational needs, the relationship between the teacher and the student is very important. (Source: White77)A dyslexic child isn’t any different to any other child. That said, they can be helped by a private tutor to get around their dyslexia, a learning difficulty that a private tutor will need to consider when teaching them.When they’re in class, they might stand out from the other students due to their difficulties and feel vulnerable in class. It’s a teacher’s job to be patient with them and help them to read and write without pressuring them. Teaching dyslexic students needn’t be challenging, but it does require that you remain aware of certain teaching approaches you’ll need to adopt.A dyslexic child tends to exhibit the following:Problems with speech and comprehensionLanguage difficultiesDifficulties organising themselves in their daily livesReduced auditive and visual memoryBelow a verage reading abilitiesHowever, never underestimate a student’s ability to learn and adapt their behaviour during an academic support tutorial, be it for physics, chemistry, music, or even online academic support tutorials. A dyslexic student can learn in the same way as other students.Dyslexic students who have all the necessary learning tools can learn just as quickly as any other student. That said, they can have issues with their self-confidence and their tutor’s job will be to ensure that they remain confident in their abilities to learn. A teacher can’t just focus solely on everything they’re getting wrong. Teaching private tutorials or group classes is an art.You need to juggle different levels, different personalities, and different expectations, especially as a tutor teaching a student with dyslexia. From reception to upper sixth, a teacher’s job is to help a student to progress, regardless of their situation.If you need more information on this reading disabilit y or dysgraphia or dyscalculia, consider visiting the site of the British Dyslexia Association and finding out more about how you can help students with their reading and writing. You'll have to  adapt some of the activities you use in your classroom or private tutorials, remembering that certain tasks and activities are incredibly difficult for dyslexic children, especially if the task requires reading skills, reading aloud, word recognition, or handwriting.How to Teach Students with AutismAutism is a condition that comes with a lot of common misconceptions. Many people think that those with autism live in a bubble, isolated from others. However, people with autism can be just as open and intelligent as anyone else and, just like anyone else, can also benefit from private tutorials or academic support. From writing activities in primary school to guitar lessons, anything is possible.A teacher needs to be able to adapt their lessons to the students they're teacher. (Source: Free-Pho tos)This is why tutors needn’t behave much differently. Of course, there are differences that need to be highlighted. However, students with autism aren’t necessarily more difficult to teach and nor are they easier to teach.While people may think that an autistic student may be unable to interact with others, they can benefit from interaction with other students. A private tutor should never consider that any of their courses or lessons are unsuitable for those with autism.If a tutor wants to get the most out of their student, they need to see their student as the individual that they are and not in terms of one particular condition but rather their personality and abilities. Like any other student, a student with autism has their own strengths and weaknesses that need to be taken into account in order to get the most out of their learning.How to Teach Students with DyspraxiaDyspraxia is a developmental coordination disorder (DCD) that affects movement and coordination and can m ake tasks such as writing, getting dressed, or tying shoelaces very difficult for a student. This can make schooling very difficult. This is why a teacher should know exactly how to teach a student with such a disorder.Teaching students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, or any other special educational needs is an opportunity to develop new teaching techniques. (Source: sasint)Let’s not forget that a student with dyspraxia can still be a very gifted student. They just struggle with actions that other students at school won’t, like writing. You don’t need to talk down to them in order to explain a concept as they can understand just as well as any other student. Only their motor skills are affected, not their general intelligence.In fact, a dyspraxic student needs their teacher to be there for them, whether it’s their Spanish teacher, maths teacher, or a private tutor. It’s essential that the teacher adapts their lessons and activities to work with the student. The main ide a is to adopt the right teaching approach and pedagogy.Whether a student is dyslexic, autistic, dyspraxic, or struggling at school, a tutor’s job is to provide them with tailored lessons that help them to get the most out of their abilities in spite of any difficulties they may have. While teaching isn’t always relaxing, it is always rewarding.Can you really put a price on that?We certainly don't think so!

Video Lesson 13 Easy Spanish Words and Phrases for Kids

Video Lesson 13 Easy Spanish Words and Phrases for Kids Suzy S. Ready to help  your son or daughter  learn Spanish? Theres a lot of research about how learning languages is easiest for kids, so its the perfect time to teach him or her  a few easy Spanish words. And if you dont speak the language yourself, dont worry. There are so many great learning resources available online, many of which are free. In the video below, tutor Rosita R. shares several easy Spanish words and phrases that are perfect to learn together! Plus, see even more Spanish vocabulary for kids here. Buenos dias Good morning Buenas tardes Good afternoon Buenas noches Good evening / Good night Como se llama usted? / What is your name? Me llamo / My name is Mucho gusto / Nice to meet you Como esta usted? / How are you? Estoy bien, gracias / Im fine, thank you Con permiso / Excuse me Perdóname / Excuse me, sorry Por favor / Please Gracias / Thank you De nada / Youre welcome Want to learn more? See even more easy  Spanish words  for kids here,  or check out our live online Spanish classes! Kids will learn  vocab, conversational phrases, and much more in a fun group setting. Featured Instructor: Rosita R. Rosita teaches Spanish, singing, and many other subjects in Los Angeles, CA, as well as online. Rosita also teaches several online group classes, including Spanish for Kids.  Learn more about Rosita here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

How to Improve your Flexibility when Playing the Piano

How to Improve your Flexibility when Playing the Piano What type of piano exercise can help you with your dexterity? Chapters What do we mean by dexterity in terms of piano? Scales to Improve your Dexterity at the Piano Advice for Working on your DexterityHow Long Does it Take to Improve Your Dexterity when Playing the Piano? What Gives a Pianist their Dexterity?Learning to play the piano (with or without a piano teacher) requires a certain set of characteristics. Will, determination, and a good ear, of course.Dexterity is one of the most practical qualities to have if you want to learn piano. Personally, I work on my dexterity every time I sit down at the piano. When I first started my piano lessons, I had very little flexibility. I had to work twice as hard on that technique. If you’ve got “small” hands, then you'll have to compensate with flexibility, speed, and precision. It's all about finding the perfect balance.Dexterity is so important when playing the piano. (Source: Christophe Urbain)I often tend to compare music to sport. Both require warming up, regular practice in order to get be tter, and a number of physical and mental qualities.With this in mind, I’d like to discuss working on something that isn’t very glamorous but nonetheless very important when it comes to practicing how to play the piano, your dexterity as a piano player.Discover also the best times to practice playing the piano...When you play piano, dexterity refers to your ability to move your fingers precisely and quickly, when necessary, over the keys. We could also call this flexibility. Having dexterity means that you can put complicated chords together easily and quickly, with a high degree of fluidity.Regardless of their level or experience, precision is essential for any pianist. You can work on dexterity your whole life. In fact, even experienced pianists do.Just like any athlete, musicians need to work daily on their dexterity, flexibility, speed, and agility in front of the piano.  In order to do this, there are exercises and classes that you should be looking at.Which types of pianis ts work on their dexterity?  The answer is so simple: ALL OF THEM!!! Every self-respecting pianist needs to take this step, no matter where they are in terms of ability. The moment you start to think that you're too good to practice on your dexterity is the moment what you start to lose your abilities as a pianist.Working on your dexterity is basically one of the quickest methods to improve your overall playing. If you want to play the pieces you love, you need to work on it!Whether you want to play your favorite piece, play and sing at the same time, or even write music for the piano, you need to work on your dexterity. If you don’t do this, you’re effectively slamming the brakes on your progress. But don’t worry! There are plenty of tools available to release these metaphorical brakes.If you choose online piano lessons you will be offered the same kind of advice to improve on your piano playing skills. Scales to Improve your Dexterity at the PianoWe’ve all heard someone sa y “they’re just a beginner, they’re still practicing their scales”. There’s a reason for this.Why practice scales?Scales are really useful for warming up when you first sit down at the keyboard. They'll also be one of the first things you come across when you learn to play piano or study music theory.Scales are also really useful for building up your dexterity when you first start learning how to play the piano. You should start with C-major since it only uses the white keys. Don't get complacent, though! Crossing the thumb can still be a bit tricky. When you've got this down, you can move onto D-major, E-major, etc.Then you can go faster.  Changing speed is a great way to make some serious progress.  Start with just the right hand on its own then the left hand on its own. Afterwards you can use both hands together and work on your coordination.While scales mightn’t seem like the most interesting thing for a pianist, you’re still technically  playing the piano. Hanon a nd CzernyThese exercises were designed by and named after their composers. You can get books of these exercises, too. The goal of these exercises is to improve your playing.Hanon and the Important ThumbHanon was a composer and a trailblazer when it came to exercises for learning the piano. The idea’s really simple: simple exercises using only the white keys that free up your fingers, rendering them independent from one another.Hanon exercises. (Source: Amazon)You can get books filled with these exercises and you can use any exercise whenever you want, changing the speed and adding other complexities as you see fit. The thumb is really important. You have to practice moving it under your index, middle, or ring finger on a regular basis.Czerny’s Speed Exercises  For Czerny, exercises were for speeding up, working on sequences, and using your fingers independently. These exercises also use the white keys.Czerny Exercises. (Source: IMSLP)While some people think these exercises are j ust for beginners, it's not true! It’s recommended that everyone use at least some of these exercises regularly, changing the speed, and the fingering, eventually.The difficulty generally increases, too. Working with these exercises is very effective. Especially when it comes to piano classes.Find out how you too can make piano playing easier...Piano techniques and Hanon, Czerny, or Van de Velde exercises can be very effective. However, there are a few tricks, too.  You can probably imagine a few exercises that might help.Why not create your own exercises?  For example, imagine a combination of notes for your fingers: let’s say 1-3-2-4-3-5 for the right hand and 5-3-4-2-3-1 for the left hand.  Now repeat this pattern over and over getting quicker every time. Doing an exercise like this can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to fingering and also help you work on your precision. Your imagination, creativity, and inventiveness need to come into play. Us e them all at the same time to come up with exercises which work for you (or a student if you’re teaching) in terms of your needs and whether there’s room for improvement.A skilled tutor will realize this, too. They’ll know how to work with their student’s needs.Putting Simple Chords Together  You can also practice putting together a few simple chords before moving on to more complicated sequences without even looking at the keys. Make sure to keep your hands in the right position.This exercise can help improve visual memory and not just when it comes to playing piano. A pianist who doesn’t have to look at the keys can focus more on the music they’re reading or even on singing and playing the piano at the same time.Discover also the best ways to write music for the piano...How Long Does it Take to Improve Your Dexterity when Playing the Piano?You don’t need to put tons of effort in. Just by regularly training, you’ll start to see the benefits.How much should I practi ce playing the piano?  10 minutes per day should be enough.There isn’t a really a perfect time to work on your dexterity. You can do so before or after practicing the piece you’re learning, or before or after your piano lessons or just when you sit down to tickle the ivories. It’s important not to overdo it or not practice enough.Between 5 and 10 minutes per hour played should be enough.Doing so at the start can help you to warm up (don’t forget that you also use muscles to play the piano and you run the risk of tendinitis or exacerbating an existing condition).Make sure to exercise regularly. (Source: Amazon)Doing these exercises at the end can push these muscles and improve your flexibility, just like a gymnast.Regularity is the key to success.Flexibility can be worked on at any stage of our lives as musicians. Regular training can help you improve more quickly when it comes to reading music and therefore play longer, more precisely, more quickly, and, of course, more happ ily.Just like any other skill, practice makes perfect. Of course, don’t forget to take breaks to avoid fatigue and injury. Not training regularly also is risky. You’ll stagnate and either always remain at the same level or fall behind. What Gives a Pianist their Dexterity?To put it simply, it’s an amalgamation of all their skills. Speed and fingering precision are important technical abilities.Brushing up on technical skills allows any pianist to enjoy themselves. Music and playing the piano have to remain enjoyable.Any exercise that allows a pianist to progress and improve their playing is useful. The goal is to work out an appropriate difficultly in terms of how regularly they practice and what level they want to get to.Dexterity is therefore essential for any pianist. You want to become a better musician.  Furthermore, it’ll help you get better at improvisation.The art of dexterity. (Source: PictaStar)With this in mind, what other technical aspects do we need to consider when it comes to improving at the piano.Dexterity is obviously not the only thing a pianist needs to work on.  What about reading music? Listening? Feeling? Positioning?  There are plenty of things you can be working on. You could say that they’re all just as important as dexterity. But that’s a story for another day.What do you think about these top tips for becoming a better piano player?

What Instrument Should I Learn [Quiz]

What Instrument Should I Learn [Quiz] Sign up successful What Instrument Should I Learn? The Smart Choice: Piano Arguably the most versatile instrument on the planet, the piano is an excellent option for creating inspiring music. One major advantage of this instrument is the way its keys are laid out. The keyboard is a near perfect mirror of the steps needed to understand music theory, and this is why we’ve dubbed piano “the smart choice.” The piano is a great instrument for adults and children. Students of any age or background can learn how to produce tones on the piano within just a few minutes. However it can take years to master more advanced piano skills. The Popular Choice: Guitar Electric, acoustic, and classical guitar there are so many options! Each instrument is unique and better suits the needs of different students. No matter how old you are, the guitar is an absolute blast to play. Students typically learn to master chords and scales after a month or two, but it can take years to master the instruments more virtuosic capabilities like fingerpicking, arpeggios, and soloing. The electric guitar is the best choice for younger students because its strings are easier to play than the acoustic or classical guitar’s. Keep in mind though that you’ll need an amplifier to go with it. SEE ALSO: Top 10 Most Unique Instruments to Learn The Challenging Choice: Violin The violin is capable of producing some of the world’s most achingly gorgeous music, but it’s an instrument that can take many years to master. The violin is similar to the guitar except that there are no frets, and this makes it especially challenging to learn. But even with its challenges, the right violin teacher can help students of any age navigate this incredible instrument over time. If you’re interested in picking up the violin, give yourself six months to a year to master some of its basic concepts. The violin requires patience and persistence; you won’t sound like Joshua Bell or Antonio Vivaldi right away! The Simple Choice: Ukulele The ukulele is the friendliest instrument to learn on the planet, but that’s not the only reason you should consider playing it. Ukuleles are inexpensive, portable, and cheery-sounding instruments that are perfect for creative songwriters. Amanda Palmer and Israel Kamakawiwoole are a few well known uke musicians, but thousands of artists around the world play this fun instrument. The only real downside of the ukulele is that it’s extremely limited as far as sound and dynamics go. If you’re looking for an awesome starter instrument for kids, the uke is best choice available, hands down. Kids can learn how to play simple chords on the ukulele within a week or two. The Fun Choice: Drums If you’re looking for an instrument that lets you be loud and expressive, then the drums are perfect for you. Drums come in all shapes and sizes, but most sets have a snare, bass drum, hi-hat, and toms.   Do Buddy Rich, Ringo Starr, and Keith Moon inspire you? Listening to some of musics famous drummers before deciding which instrument you should learn is a good idea.     It can take a few months of practice on the drums to be able to produce solid and discernible beats. The drums aren’t too difficult to learn, but you’ll definitely want to work with an experienced drum teacher to ensure that you’re learning correct technique. We hope this article and quiz helped you answer the daunting question “What instrument should I learn?” If you need more help choosing the right instrument for you, try sampling a few beginner-level lessons in several different instruments before committing to just one. Check out TakeLessons Live where you can take FREE classes in each of these instruments for 30 days! Need Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Guest Post Author: Patrick McGuire is a writer, musician, and educator. He records and performs music under the name, Straight White Teeth.

How to Respond to a Childs Negativity

How to Respond to a Child's Negativity How to Respond to a Childs Negativity School is the worst! I hate learning! Im stupid! I hate homework! If any of these outbursts sound familiar, its understandable that you might feel concern about what is causing your child such anger and frustration and what you can do to change it. Unfortunately, there may come a time in your childs school life that he or she feels upset or negative about school. If you are struggling with how to respondor you share your childs frustrationhere are a few considerations on what might actually be going on and tips on how best to handle the situation. Your child has never felt the pride that comes with achievement. Children who acquire negative attitudes about school might never have experienced true school success. Gaps in their skills have made it difficult to understand homework and solve problems independently, always leaving them feeling inadequate and behind. If this sounds like your child, a conversation with the teacher is definitely in order. There is likely a mismatch in the type of work that is expected of your child and his or her abilities. An individualized tutoring program with Huntington can help your child gain the abilities to complete work successfully, thereby boosting the self-esteem and confidence. Pinpointing the problem is essential. If your child seems generally exasperated by school, it may be difficult to have productive conversations about what subjects are the most stressfuland frankly, your child may simply not be able to offer you the insight you need. So, rather than grill your child for details on what is most difficult, have your child evaluated so that you can gain specific information about his areas of deficiency, study skills and more. Huntington can perform a diagnostic evaluation of your childs strengths and weaknesses as well as a plan of instruction to help your child. With more accurate information about the problems your child is facing, you can develop a plan together to help your child overcome them. Your understanding goes a long way. While your desire to smother your childs cynicism with unbridled optimism is understandable, doing so might exacerbate your child even more. Instead, talk openly about how your child is feeling and the fact that school problems are not insurmountable. Empathize with your childs fear and anger. Explain that you are committed to helping your child not just earn better grades, but feel better about him or herself. Most of all, remember that your childs problems, however big they seem, can be addressed. Problem solving is a tool every child needs. For many children who struggle in school and dont know what to do about it, acting out, giving up and being negative are resultant behaviors. Certainly, it is expected that a child experiencing repeated difficulties with math homework feels great frustration. However, the child who can move past that frustration, to identify specific problems and lay out a plan to address them will successfully avoid the negative bottleneck that prevents so many students from achieving their goals. While academic knowledge and good study habits are certainly essential for school success, so are traits such as resilience, perseverance in the face of difficulty and a good attitude. Help your child learn to understand that negativity only makes problems feel worse. Identifying issues and creating manageable steps to tackle each one is a far more constructive approach that will help your child feel less overwhelmed. Of course, if school is the culprit of your childs pessimistic attitude, dont wait to investigate. Huntington can help you understand what is at the root of the problem and develop a plan to turn things around. Call us at 1-800-CAN LEARN to discuss how to give your child a whole new outlook on school and life.

English Conversation Class Politicians and Sex Scandals

English Conversation Class Politicians and Sex Scandals Hello! Were back after a 2-week hiatus from giving our group English conversation classes. In that time one of the funniest in a long history of high-profile sex scandals involving U.S. politicians has unfolded.In case you missed it, or something this silly didnt make it to the news in your country, U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner was accused of sending photos of his weiner (yes, weiner is a synonym for penis in English) to a woman via Twitter. He at first denied doing it, saying his Twitter account had been hacked, but as more photos were released, he eventually admitted to the weiner tweet.Naturally, comedians in the U.S. had a great time with this story. Below is a clip from The Daily Show a popular (and totally hilarious) fake news program in the U.S. Click here if youre interested in taking a class.It seems like there is a long history of politicians involved in scandals like these. Bill Clinton immediately comes to mind, and there is the ongoing investigation of the former Fren ch IMF chief.Some questions for thought before the class:Are politicians constantly being caught in sex scandals in your country?What is the funniest/worst one you are aware of?Why do you think this is always happening with politicians?How are scandals like this handled in your country?Do you think this is real news?What do you think should happen to politicians caught in sex scandals?

A day in the life teaching English online [Video]

A day in the life teaching English online [Video] We've already talked about how teaching English online is big business these days. That’s why, to help you figure out whether it’s the right career for you, we wanted to get some insight from the perspective of a current online ESL teacher. A while back, Vanessa heard about an online English teaching platform called VIPKID, that allows English speakers to teach English to young learners in China through the magic of video technology. At the time, she was looking for a flexible way to earn extra money after returning home from traveling and teaching English in South Korea. An online English teaching job sounded like the perfect opportunity for her and so, on a whim, Vanessa decided to give it a go. Flash forward to almost a full year later. Vanessa’s still teaching English online on a part-time basis, while studying online for her master’s degree in social work. She’s also here to talk you through her experience so far. So without further ado, let’s hear it from Vanessa!

How to Take Constructive Criticism Like a Boss

How to Take Constructive Criticism Like a Boss via pexels.com 1. Breathe. Your initial reaction might be anger, but if you just take a moment to breathe, you can set yourself up for success. Remember that the only reason youre receiving this feedback is because the people around you want you to be a better person than you currently are. If you dont have anything to work on about yourself, youd be totally bored in life. 2. Practice Active Listening As youre taking a moment to settle your reaction without completely blowing up with anger and frustration, practice your active listening skills. Pay close attention to what theyre saying to you while truly interpreting what theyre saying. If you dont understand what theyre trying to communicate,  ask.  Asking for examples isnt wrong, and, in fact, might help both of you determine the specific times in which you acted the way you did. 3. Use this opportunity for a discussion. Instead of allowing a co-worker or superior to talk  at  you, take the opportunity to morph the conversation into just that:  a conversation.  When asking for examples, it might be useful to also ask how they would prefer you handle the situation in the future. Is there a better way you could have reacted? Are they suggesting you take a different course of action? Instead of being afraid and wanting to get out as quick as you can (which, trust me, everyone does!), use this as an opportunity to not only learn about yourself, but learn how to interact with your coworkers in a way that everyone appreciates. 4. Show appreciation. Although you might be absolutely  burning  inside, show your appreciation for their feedback. They obviously care about you enough to say something theyre only trying to make you better. No matter how the feedback makes you feel, always always always show your appreciation. And maybe, just maybe, welcome future feedback as well. 5. Share your progress. Once youve taken the constructive criticism and worked toward improving yourself, share your progress with your colleague. Theyll be more than happy to give you a pat on the back. And, again, showing youre appreciative of their feedback and suggestions will make them feel like you truly value what they have to say. 6. Be a feedback mirror. Dont be afraid to offer constructive criticism to those around you when you feel comfortable sharing. Sometimes its intimidating to approach someone about their behaviors or actions; especially if theyre a seasoned employee. When a new person joins the team, its best to avoid letting them slip into habits that arent productive for the team. Offering constructive criticism in this situation is a good opportunity to make your team stronger. 7. Turn the feedback into personal goals. Once youve received constructive criticism from your fellow employees, try to take what they said, pick out whats useful, and turn their feedback into goals for yourself. For example, if your supervisor or co-worker suggests a way for you to be a more efficient worker, give yourself a time limit for certain projects. 8. Look for concrete solutions to the problem. After suggesting you do better at X, ask for a solution that would work for everyone. The person offering the criticism should have some idea about how to fix the issue. Allow them to offer their own suggestions. Ultimately, you can decide how you want to address/fix the problem, but taking suggestions gives everyone a sense of value and worth. 9. Avoid becoming defensive. As soon as you become defensive, you allow the opportunity for growth in the workplace to disappear. The person approaching you with suggestions doesnt mean to personally attack you thats not what this is. 10. Make sure you understand. The last thing you want to happen is for you to misunderstand the criticism thats being given to you. Ask questions to ensure you know exactly what theyre referencing. Ask for examples and dont let the conversation end until you know exactly what your game plan is going to be. Constructive criticism is a good way for personal growth to occur. Learning how to take it like a boss will improve your self-confidence and your self-worth. Youll be a better coworker and a more efficient employee.