Do you want to learn some tips for teaching English to beginners?
First, consider your early years. Do you recall when a grownup asked you a question and simply stared open-mouthed (not to be impolite or anything) since it was all gibberish to you?
In a language course, that’s how ESL newbies feel. They’ll get scared and shut down if the instructor begins babbling in a word they don’t recognize.
As a teacher, you cannot afford to scare your students when they are trying their best to learn. Thus, you can start by applying our tips on teaching English as a second language!
1. Keep Things Basic
This is a key stage in teaching English to beginners. Many novice instructors make the error of utilizing excessive English while offering directions, praise, or criticism. For example, in ESL introductory classes, stating “Let’s get those textbooks out” sounds like you’re from Mars.
Instead, say, “Get your textbooks.” “OK?” with an OK sign if it’s culturally suitable. Even though the classroom English is clear, gestures will assist novices’ grasp.
2. Check for Comprehension
Many English teachers make the rookie error of presuming their pupils have mastered the course or classroom directions. It’s possible that your pupils aren’t used to the Western style of education where students speak their mind if they don’t understand.
They may not want to confess their mistakes in the front of the classroom and prefer to keep quiet. When teaching English to kids, you have to study their body language to see whether they understand and constantly ask, “Okay?” Students will express their understanding in many ways.
3. Give Them Plenty of Practice.
In ESL introductory classes, you can’t expect instant comprehension. You must present numerous examples, assess knowledge, and provide adequate time for practice.
When teaching English from scratch, this generally involves drilling (having them hear and reproduce the language structure multiple times after you), followed by individual or group practice.
Make sure kids know it’s alright to make mistakes during practice, so they don’t feel pushed to be perfect.
4. Show, Don’t Tell.
How to teach English to students involves showing rather than telling. Using visual signals rather than words can help students grasp what you’re attempting to express.
So, what does this mean? Instead of stating, “Let’s study the passive tense,” explore teaching fundamental English using simple drawings, photos, brief plays, and exaggerated gestures.
5. Keep Things Positive
Here is another phase in teaching English to novices. Don’t shout “You’re wrong!” to someone who gets it wrong. Never humiliate a kid next to the class. You’ll permanently scar them and make him or them detest English. Instead, make your classroom a welcoming place by complimenting kids constantly, even when they mess up.
Then repeat the term with the proper pronunciation, so you don’t embarrass the kid, and the entire class hears it.
6. Don’t Bore Them
Beginner instruction doesn’t have to be painful. Thus, utilize games to help pupils practice and generate the language. Incorporate your pupils’ passions to motivate them! Use Snoopy if they like Hello Kitty!
Making kids read from a textbook and fill out boring workbooks with lots of words and no visuals is also tedious. Moreover, there are many ways of teaching basic English: scour the internet for creative ideas which will keep your pupils interested.
Creativity is a must for an English teacher. So, aside from knowledge and language acquisition, you need to develop a fun learning activity to approach beginners.
Thus, you can use these tips for teaching English to beginners whenever you need them. Moreover, you can also join Fun English Course to learn more about teaching English.