Cultivating Safe Spaces for ESL Learners

Safe learning spaces are crucial for students to progress to higher levels in their language learning journey and gain confidence for real world communication beyond the classroom. As language teaching and learning tools diversify, so do our opportunities to create safe learning spaces and communities. With the emergence of AI in the education sector, we can see new digital spaces and communities gaining popularity amongst students and teachers. So how do we facilitate safe learning environments in these digital spaces?

Fostering Emotional Safety in ESL Classrooms

What is emotional safety? The National Centre on Safe Supportive Learning Environments notes that students who feel emotionally safe “have the confidence to express themselves, take risks, work collaboratively, and create meaningful connections with their peers, faculty, and staff.” These effects have a positive impact on classroom engagement and students’ experiences. A safe learning environment is supportive, gives space to make mistakes, and is free from ridicule and bullying. Maintaining a safe environment for learning is especially important in ESL, as making mistakes and taking risks are integral to the language learning process. 

Regardless of the students’ age, gender, social status, ethnicity, or culture, teachers are responsible for maintaining a safe learning environment in both physical or virtual ESL classrooms. Cultural differences may pose challenges, especially for adult learners who may find adjusting to new learning cultures daunting. A space that feels safe to students familiar with Western culture may feel strange and unfamiliar to students with different backgrounds. Teachers play a key role in fostering inclusivity and respect, bridging cultural gaps, and creating a comfortable space for all students to participate and learn effectively. 

For example, in many ESL classes across Canada, the US, the UK and beyond, there is a push for communicative language learning - emphasizing the conversational skills necessary for language mastery over memorization of vocabulary and grammar rules. This style of learning may be stressful for learners who had minimal student talking time in previous classes. It is important to build a supportive and safe space for learning early in the semester so students feel comfortable taking risks and actively participating in class.

This is the place where we want our students to be: resilient, supported, confident, and successful.

The Impact of Safe Learning Spaces on Student Success

Students of all ages have a greater chance of success when they feel emotionally safe in their learning environment. If students’ fear judgment or embarrassment, either from their instructor or other students, they will withdraw from participating in the class. As teachers, we know the only way to improve language skills is consistent practice, so refusal or reluctance to participate and practice will have adverse effects on the student’s learning process. Additionally, students with low self confidence may shut down after receiving a bad grade. Worst case scenario, students will quit their class due to high stress or anxiety or give up on the language altogether.

When students’ needs are met, however, they feel willing to take risks. They will make guesses without fearing a mistake, they will learn from their classmates, and they will see greater progress in their learning. When students feel safe in their class, they are more resilient. They are willing to receive constructive feedback and see a poor mark as an opportunity for growth or a time to reach out for support, rather than a sign that they aren’t good enough. This is the place where we want our students to be: resilient, supported, confident, and successful.

Safe by Design: Using Digital Platforms to Create Safe Spaces

In a safe learning environment having the freedom to make mistakes without fear of judgment is paramount. This is also important in work we assign outside of class time. While assigning homework is a tried and true method of getting students to review lessons at home, homework can feel more evaluative rather than conducive to learning. This can add stress or encourage students to rely on tools such as translation apps. However, new technology provides more collaborative tools that teachers can employ in and outside the classroom. 

With these new tools, teachers no longer need to spend hours evaluating speaking homework through video and audio recordings, as AI can give direct feedback.

As classrooms shift towards communicative teaching, homework should also adapt. AI tools now allow for interactive speaking and conversational homework. With these new tools, teachers no longer need to spend hours evaluating speaking homework through video and audio recordings, as AI can give direct feedback. With a platform like FLOW Speak that was designed specifically for ESL learners, students can practice speaking independently, receive direct feedback and overcome dependence on translation tools like Google Translate.

FLOW Speak addresses both teachers' and students' needs by offering quality speaking and conversational content while providing guided practice and a supportive environment. The platform removes stressors such as fear of judgment and time constraints, enabling students to use FLOW Speak to reinforce class content or target personal weaknesses. They receive instant AI-powered  feedback during their practice and are able to repeat a phrase or a lesson as many times as they wish. These features foster a safe way for students to explore their mistakes and learn from them, empowering them to master topics without the anxiety of being observed by teachers or classmates.

The absence of perceived criticism in digital learning spaces creates a sense of safety for learners. Practicing alone with feedback can build confidence in students and result in greater participation in class. Students can use digital practice to boost their self-esteem and increase their vocabulary, intonation, and pronunciation at the same time. As class time is limited, guided practice can be an exceptional way to improve student outcomes and foster safe learning spaces both in and out of the classroom.

The absence of perceived criticism in digital learning spaces creates a sense of safety for learners.

Building Community through Safe Learning Spaces

Safe spaces thrive on a sense of community. Community amongst ESL learners can increase motivation, offer support, and give students the opportunity to practice with other learners. The classroom is a great place to form communities of learners, as well as a natural starting place for student communities. However, if school is the only place where learners are practicing their language skills, their progression will be limited to class hours. And for online learners, a class community can be more difficult to form as students rarely have unstructured time to communicate with one another.

Digital learning communities, facilitated by various applications or platforms, extend learners' support networks beyond the classroom, offering continuous feedback and assistance from peers. Many of my students enjoy having a group chat through which they can ask questions or provide updates. Other platforms like FLOW Speak offer learners the opportunity to interact anonymously with a community of English language learners, alleviating the pressure of performance and boosting confidence. These communities also foster connections across classes and locations, exposing learners to different English dialects and cultures. Furthermore, learners can sustain and engage in these communities beyond their current academic status, providing ongoing practice and support during breaks, transitions, or even post-graduation.

Safe learning spaces are not just integral but imperative for students' success. The advent of new technologies, particularly AI, offers us remarkable opportunities to not only foster vibrant communities but also to nurture and sustain safe spaces, whether within the classroom or online. It is through leveraging this technology that we can truly empower learners to thrive, grow, and excel in their educational journeys.