How to Tutor Overconfident Students
We've written a lot on this blog about tutoring shy or quiet students. There are a lot of them!
But there are also students who have the complete opposite personality. Rather than being hesitant to answer questions or speak up, they may interrupt you and claim to already understand everything that you are covering in the material.
So how do you respond in these situations? There are a few different techniques that can help. Let's explore.
“I already know all of this.”
Overconfident people may be trying to hide insecurity or low self-esteem. Students who act like they know it all may be looking for praise or attention that they aren't getting somewhere else.
Regardless of the reason, overconfidence can result in two major types of behavior:
- Interruptions, dismissive comments and a lack of attention and respect for the tutor and/or the material
- Disinterest or disconnection from the material and the lesson in general
No matter which of these categories a student fits into, both can have negative effects on their study and slow their improvement. Just because they feel they know the material doesn’t mean that they actually do. In fact, there is research that shows these kinds of overconfident students often have lower scores than other students!
On the other hand, even if they do have a strong understanding of the material, their dismissive attitude could result in missed opportunities to improve further.
Below are some tips for shrinking an ego that has grown too large. For all of them, remember that the goal is ultimately to help the student do better, not to “cut them down to size” — even though you may really want to!
Provide immediate feedback
As we’ve suggested above, overconfidence sometimes leads to mistakes and wrong answers. One of the most effective ways of responding as a tutor is to give corrective feedback immediately.
If an overconfident student answers incorrectly or otherwise misunderstands the material, not correcting them will only encourage more misplaced confidence and confirm their (incorrect) idea that they fully understand. This creates a dangerous cycle, and it will need to be broken if you hope to give them a more realistic idea of their skill level.
Focus on the root of the mistakes
Depending on the type of material you are covering, it can be effective to ask the student to explain the thought process that led to their answer. Have them walk you through it while you point out any mistakes you notice.
In this way, rather than simply saying an answer is wrong, you're helping them to understand why it is incorrect. They can use this knowledge to avoid repeating the same errors. This acts as a reminder that they have areas for improvement, just like everyone else.
Test knowledge frequently
Having tests with fixed, measurable results (for example, the number of correct vs. incorrect answers) allows students to see how well they really understand a topic. Instead of simply trusting that they know it all, a score will clearly tell them if and where they need to improve. Scores are not a matter of opinion, and numbers don't lie.
Look for opportunities to include small challenges into your lessons that have clear right/wrong answers. The questions following a Daily News article are good for this, but try adding one or two of your own.
Expand on the teaching material
For some students, their overconfidence is based on the fact that they actually do know quite a bit. They will likely become bored with the material because it doesn't challenge them. In situations like these, try moving beyond the standard study materials and doing something new.
If you've gone through all of the usual sections, it's time to get creative by building on what you've covered. Ask the student for more examples of ways to use the grammar or vocabulary from the lesson in real-life situations. Try introducing higher-level vocabulary related to the topic and asking them to make sentences with it. Prepare some additional discussion questions to ask after a Daily News article that will push them a little harder. Ask them how they would respond to very unusual or extraordinary situations.
Basically, take the regular material further to give them an added challenge. This will result in a more dynamic lesson that they won't be expecting, and it will help to keep them focused and engaged.
Wrap-up
Confidence is positive and helpful in all areas of life. However, like most things, too much of it has negative consequences. Overconfidence can not only harm the student by masking mistakes and blocking improvement, it can be a burden to others impacted by their errors or whose own study is being disrupted.
Pointing out mistakes swiftly, pushing students beyond the familiar materials, and giving them an accurate picture of their abilities are major ways to help them avoid falling into the trap of thinking there is no more for them to learn.
