Building rapport is one of the most important skills in online 1-on-1 teaching. A strong connection helps students feel safe, motivated, and willing to speak up, directly impacting engagement and progress.
Rapport is a comfortable, positive relationship between a teacher and a student. It is built through trust, consistency, and emotional safety, regardless of the student’s age or level.
Why Rapport Matters
When rapport is strong:
Students speak more (higher STT)
Mistakes feel safe
Motivation increases
Lessons feel smoother and more natural
For young learners, rapport is often the key factor that determines whether they participate or stay silent.
Practical Ways to Build Rapport
1. Create a Positive and Supportive Atmosphere
Your energy sets the tone for the entire lesson. Young learners especially rely on the teacher’s emotional cues.
Best practices:
Smile and use friendly facial expressions
Greet the student warmly by name
Use clear, positive tone
Show enthusiasm and patience
2. Start with Warm-Ups and Ice-Breakers
Warm-ups help young learners relax and switch into “English mode.”
Effective warm-ups:
Short games
Movement-based activities
Visual prompts
Very simple questions
Preschool example:
“Show me something blue!”
“Jump if you like cats!”
“Is this a dog or a cat?”
Primary example:
“What did you do after school?”
“Is Minecraft fun or boring for you?”
“Can you guess what’s behind the picture?”
📌 Warm-ups should take 2–4 minutes and immediately encourage speaking or movement.
3. Personalize the Lesson
Personalization shows students that you notice and remember them.
How to personalize:
Ask about interests
Refer to previous lessons
Use the student’s name often
Adjust pace to confidence level
Preschool example:
“You like dinosaurs, right? Look — a BIG dinosaur! Roar!”
Primary example:
“Last time you told me you like Roblox. Let’s use Roblox words in our sentences today.”
📌 Even one personalized reference can significantly increase engagement.
4. Show Genuine Interest & Active Listening
Young learners need visible listening, not just verbal responses.
How to show active listening:
Nod
React with facial expressions
Repeat or reformulate what the student says
Ask simple follow-up questions
Preschool example:
Student: “Dog!”
Teacher: nods excitedly “Yes! A dog! Big dog or small dog?”
Primary example:
Student: “I played football.”
Teacher: “Nice! With friends or with your brother?”
5. Praise Effort and Show Empathy
Praise builds confidence and encourages participation — especially when mistakes happen.
Praise guidelines:
Praise effort, not only correctness
Use immediate positive feedback
Normalize mistakes
Keep language simple
Preschool example:
“Great try! ⭐ High five!”
“Wow! Good job!”
Primary example:
“Nice sentence! Let’s say it one more time together.”
“That was almost perfect — well done!”
📌 Young learners respond best to frequent, short praise phrases.
Rapport Is Built Through Consistency
For young learners, rapport grows through routine and predictability.
Helpful routines:
Same greeting each lesson
Familiar praise phrases
Repeated game formats
Clear lesson structure
Key Takeaway
For Preschool and Primary students, rapport is built through:
warmth and energy
personalization
play and routine
visible encouragement
When students feel comfortable and supported, they speak more, participate more, and learn more.
Want to Learn More?
You can deepen your skills with these additional resources: