The issue of over-confident students is an outgrowth of heterogeneous classes where students are not streamed according to levels, which has to do with policy. Dealing with them depends on their (negative or positive) influence on the conduct of classes. If they are felt to be a "nuisance" even though they are excellent, the tutor should try diplomatically to curb their "arrogance" such as by talking to them after classes privately to explain understanding their situation and boredom amidst slow learning students. They may also be dealt with in a positive way by, for instance, turning their near arrogance into responsibility for low achieving students or by associating them into lecturing their fellow students under their tutor's responsibility. In any case we should not lose these students, because some of them may seek and find a seat in a foreign university.

Hi, during my work as an English tutor, I rarely faced such a problem because it is not difficult to engage excellent students in a challenging task. If the student feels that he is wasting time not learning new skills or not developing his/her competence and performance, he/she will get bored and be a nuisance losing interest, concentration, and intention and will to participate. Therefore, individual differences including excellent and weak students should be taken into account when designing the syllabus and planning lessons. Tutors should arouse students' curiosity, and engage them in the teaching process and be part of it by providing them with opportunities to participate, concentrate better and be always ready to think critically, and solve problems. This ideology shifts the roles in the teaching process and focuses on the student and emphasizes student- centered processes.

Hi Nimfa,

I think in most cases, high achieving students who are often over confident need to be challenged depending on the topic/discussion. They should be given questions or assigments that are above their current knowledge, but it’s not too difficult. That way the low achievers can also benefit from the activity, of course, with some scaffolding as needed. Differentiating and individualized instruction is another solution that I think of.

Good luck!

Thanks for the thoughts. It's also kind of difficult to deal with confident yet low achieving ones who dominate the discussion and insist their points.

Generally, ESL/EFL class may include individual activities, working in pairpairs, or working in group. Challenge this over confident and high achieving students to assist their peers in learning. Pair him/her to work with different students in his/her class. Set a time to meet with this student during the teacher office hours. Discuss with him/her about the further class activities and offer the student challenging activities to help his/her classmates in learning.

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