learning how to teach esl course

Learning How to Teach an ESL Class

• Reading. Reading skills are necessary for ESL students to interpret assignments, research projects, and perform well in...
• Writing. Writing a new language is far different than learning to speak it. ESL students must be able to write...
• Vocabulary. Learning the vocabulary of a new language is essential for meaningful progress and...

Full Answer

How to teach ESL to total beginners?

Teach classroom phrases to your beginner ESL students with a demonstration: open the book, close the book, raise your hand. Similarly, you can use the same verbs to teach the students to close the door/window, open the door/window, etc. Remember, in the very beginning stages, showing and telling it in short are essential.

What should I do to be an ESL teacher?

• 1. ESL Teachers Establish Genuine Relationships with Students Researchers Deiro (1996) and Noddings (1992) found that teachers who genuinely care about their students have a significant impact on the students’ ...
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What is the best way to teach ESL students?

Books for children that address the newcomer experience:

• I Hate English!, by Ellen Levine (Scholastic Inc., 1995).
• How My Family Lives in America, by Susan Kuklin (Simon & Schuster, 1992).
• Journey to America, by Sonia Levitin (Aladdin, 1987).

What to teach complete ESL beginners?

• Greetings/Introductions : Basic small talk including 'How are you'
• Numbers 1 - 100 : Pronunciation, counting skills, telephone numbers
• Alphabet/Spelling Skills
• Demonstrative Pronouns: Recognizing the connection between 'this, here' as opposed to 'that, there'.

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How do I teach ESL courses?

How to Become an ESL TeacherEarn a bachelor's degree in ESL or TESOL or a related subject, such as linguistics.Complete a student teaching internship in an ESL setting as part of your program.Take your state's tests for teacher licensure with an endorsement in ESL.Apply for your teaching license.More items...

What should I teach to start ESL?

What do you teach an ESL beginners first?Personal and family information. name, address, phone numbers, age. ... Social interaction. hellos and goodbyes. ... Classroom and school. items such as books, desks, whiteboard, pens, computer, etcs. ... Time, calendar and weather. days of the week, months, seasons. ... Body parts. ... Food. ... Home.

What is the best teaching method for ESL?

Communicative language teaching is perhaps the most popular approach among the methods of teaching ESL today. CLT emphasizes the students' ability to communicate in real-life contexts, and students learn to make requests, accept offers, explain things, and express their feelings and preferences.

Can I teach ESL without certification?

Teachers providing instruction to ELLs must have an ESL or bilingual education endorsement. Not required in state policy but required by the department of education's guidebook. Yes. Candidates for a bilingual or ESL endorsement must complete a department-approved training program.

How teach English beginners step by step?

How to start teaching English to beginners: step by stepBreak up lessons and categorize vocabulary.Repeat everything.Use plenty of props.Embrace your inner mime.Check for understanding.Get into group activities.Give plenty of encouragement.

What should an ESL curriculum include?

ESL Curriculum Components As a rule, ESL English lessons for students from beginner to intermediate levels should focus on all language skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It is important to incorporate these four parts in your lessons and devote an equal amount of time to each of them.

What qualities should an ESL teacher have?

Successful EFL / ESL teachers have these 5 characteristics in common:Excellent Interpersonal Communication Skills. A successful teacher should enjoy people, show enthusiasm and excitement in the classroom, and be positive. ... An Attitude of Flexibility. ... Appropriate Classroom Management. ... Meaningful Lessons. ... Cultural Awareness.

Is teaching ESL hard?

Being a Great Teacher Is Not Easy... Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is not easy. Scratch that, it's real easy. Although, being a great teacher; one who educates, inspires and encourages, is incredibly difficult. Being the best ESL teacher you can be is important to feeling fulfilled in your job.

What should every ESL teacher know?

What Should Every ESL Teacher Know? is a practical and jargon free book that is a must have resource for every EFL teacher. The book is a follow up to What Should Every EFL Teacher Know? written by the heralded Paul Nation, an expert in the field of vocabulary and fluency development in English education.

Is teaching ESL a good career?

Job prospects for ESL teachers are good; the median salary for ESL is approximately $56,000 across the United States. ESL teachers can find jobs within school systems, within organizations that attract foreign workers, with colleges and universities, and as independent tutors.

Are ESL teachers in demand?

ESL educators are some of the most in demand teachers. Why are these teachers in demand? One in five kids speaks a language besides English at home. This means that roughly 21% of students in every public school classroom may have trouble following the lesson.

Is ESL and TEFL the same?

ESL: English as a Second Language. ESOL: English to Speakers of Other Languages. TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. TEFL: Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

How to teach ESL?

There is more to teaching an ESL class than giving appropriate assignments and assessing students' abilities. Create a supportive environment with a classroom that honors students' cultures. Minimize translation assistance to encourage students to learn English more effectively.

What are some ideas for ESL classes?

Unit ideas for ESL classes include: History and government overviews.

How to assess students' language abilities?

Assessment can be accomplished through a basic English proficiency test, one-on-one conversations, and reviewing students' files from prior ESL instruction. Acquire background information that will indicate students' willingness to learn English.

How to help students learn vocabulary?

Allowing students to read English language books, magazines, and newspapers of their choice can help them practice reading skills with less pressure. Deciphering vocabulary context clues. This can help students learn vocabulary while they read and will reinforce their reading skills. Reading comprehension questions.

Why is reading important in ESL?

Reading skills are necessary for ESL students to interpret assignments, research projects, and perform well in non-ESL classes. Reading also practices vocabulary, exposes students to sentence structure, and can introduce concepts in nearly any content area.

Why do teachers use wordless books?

Wordless books. Teachers can use wordless children's picture books to allow students to make up an appropriate story. Stories could then be read to younger siblings or classes for more practice.

Why is the first day of class important?

The first day of any class is critical as teachers establish the groundwork for the rest of the term. In addition to discussing classroom procedures, rules, and other classroom management details, ESL teachers must:

Education and Training Requirements to Become an ESL Teacher

Individuals who want to learn how to become an ESL teacher may seek an ESL teacher degree through a state-approved teacher preparation program at the undergraduate or graduate level. Different programs are designed to meet the requirements for either an initial license or an add-on ESL endorsement.

Certification for Licensed Educators

Licensed educators seeking ESL certification may have a license in elementary education or a secondary education subject.

Providing High-Quality Instruction to English Language Learners

Although state boards of education set the requirements for becoming an ESL teacher within the nation’s public schools, ESL has its original roots in the No Child Left Behind Act, and the Common Core State Standards now address the needs of English language learners.

ESL Teacher Resources

ESLteacherEDU.org is here to help prospective teachers through their journey to an ESL teaching career. Here you’ll find all the resources you need to understand the education, student teaching and Praxis exam requirements for initial certification, as well as options for adding an ESL endorsement to an existing teaching license.

Hack 3: Use a Timer

The timer is my best friend, and for all that the timer does, it deserves that title. The magic of the timer is that when it beeps, no matter what language you speak, you know that it means “Time’s up!”

Hack 4: Make Class Easy, Homework Challenging

Back to the topic of time, the number one time waster in class is stalling. When a student is just lost trying to say something and says a sentence in 20 seconds when it should really take four, time ends up adding up here. So how to solve this problem? Simply make class easier but the homework more challenging.

Hack 5: Make the Students Ask Each Other Questions

I realized when I started asking students questions in class that there were different attitudes and answers than when I asked them to answer other students’ questions.

Hack 6: Use Google Translate

Like I said earlier, “time is money.” I live by this. I also live by simplicity, efficiency and effectiveness. When you’ve got students coming from different backgrounds and speaking different languages, sometimes they’ll have questions about how something translates to or from their native language.

Hack 7: Have Private Lessons with Alcohol

Okay, before you start going loco, keep in mind that this is for adult students outside the classroom/workplace. Freelance ESL is all the rage now, and what’s best about that is that there are no norms to follow. This means you could do as you please, as long as you retain students, of course.

Why is it important to learn ESL?

They feel and act like they are beginners, but they have actually tried to learn English before. This is important because it means you are not starting from complete zero—they have some residual learning which you need to awaken.

Why Is Teaching ESL to Adults Any Different?

Unlike carefree children, adults may be feeling quite stressed as they first poke their noses into your classroom.

What are some activities that students can do with their cards?

1. Bingo. In this activity, as you well know, students will listen carefully and mark words or expressions on their Bingo cards. Playing the game can also allow them to practice their speaking—if you give them turns at calling—and their reading as they recognize the words on their cards.

What is standing up in ESL?

Standing up (or sitting at desks) and giving a fairly formal short talk on a set topic is an important practice in ESL adult classes , especially if students are preparing for a standardized exam such as IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC.

How to make sure students are engaged in listening?

To make sure that they are engaged in listening, it is best to give students something to do or some way of responding. *One-on-one: These ideas will help you add variety rather than having your student just listen to your same old voice. 1. Bingo.

How to play the game of cards?

To play the game: Mix up the cards—can be a large number or small—and then lay them face down in neat rows. Each player in turn (can be two or more players, or played as solitaire) turns over one card and reads it aloud, and then selects and turns over a second card. If the cards match they keep the pair, leaving spaces in the array, and have another turn. If there is no match they turn them over carefully and (both players) try to remember them.

Is listening and speaking the same thing?

The skills of speaking and listening are very closely linked and are often well taught together. So each of the listening activities (above) can become a focused speaking activity as well.

How does ESL help students?

How ESL Programs Help Students Learn English. ESL classes are taught by teachers who are specifically trained to work with students who do not speak English natively. Sometimes, ESL classes have students who speak various languages who are all trying to learn English at the same time, so this could be different from English speakers who take ...

What is an ESL teacher?

ESL teachers are certified to educate students in English. This special certification ensures that the teachers are prepared to teach non-native speakers. The certification requires that teachers pass tests on both content knowledge and teaching practices. The process to earn an ESL teaching certification varies by state.

What Is ESL?

ESL stands for English as a second language. It’s a term that has been used to talk about students who are not native English speakers and are studying English in a native English speaking country.

What Is An ESL Class?

An ESL program consists of classes that teach students English as their second (or sometimes third, fourth, etc.) language. They are taught by teachers who are at least bilingual. ESL classes help students learn how to write, read, speak, and listen in English.

How Hard Is It To Learn English?

Learning any language can be challenging. For some, it’s easier than for others. Translating words and grammar rules could be tough in English. Additionally, there are some words that have silent letters or sound like other words, so spelling may also be difficult at times.

What is the structure of ESL classes?

Since ESL programs most often take place in native English speaking countries, their goal is to fully immerse non-native speakers into English learning environments. Not only do students learn English, but they also get to take classes in different subjects, like History, Math, and Science.

What is the best way to learn English speaking?

ESL classes are one of the best ways to master English speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills for a non-native speaker!

How to teach English to a beginner?

But, either way, here are seven ways to start teaching English to beginners, step by step: Break up lessons and categorize vocabulary. Repeat everything. Use plenty of props.

How to teach a foreign language?

Embrace your inner mime. Check for understanding. Get into group activities. Give plenty of encouragement. 1. Break up lessons and categorize vocabulary. Think about how hard it is to learn a foreign language. It can be overwhelming at first.

What is the purpose of a TEFL certification?

If you need a little more help, doing a TEFL certification course will give you a deeper understanding and arm you with the skills you need to teach English to any age group and any level. In any case, it will take time for your students – and you – to get to grips with what they are learning. So don’t rush!

What is the best way to build group activities into a beginner class?

Singing songs and chants is a great way to build group activities into a beginner class while improving fluency and focusing on repetition.

Why is it important to ask students to act out?

Asking students to act things out can be a great way to check vocabulary comprehension, get them involved in playing games or even let them communicate how they are feeling.

Why do you ask questions to the whole class at once?

Asking these questions to the whole class at once will give you instant feedback on what students understand (or not) and will also reassure students that they have the right idea of what they should be doing.

What is a good greeting for a class?

If you begin every class with a greeting like, “Hello, how are you?” , students will quickly get comfortable with replying to and using this greeting.

What are the acronyms for TEFL?

Before you start, one important thing to do is to familiarize yourself with basic TEFL acronyms like EFL, ESL and EAP. Find that information at TEFL Acronyms.

Why is it important to read every segment of the course?

It is important to read EVERY segment of the course to gain the knowledge and skills you need. This is a “thinking person’s” course and anyone who wants to be a successful teacher should not rely solely on the basic methodologies of any one course. Once you gain employment as an EFL teacher, or if you are already employed as one, you should experiment with methodology and modify method to best meet the needs of your students.

Do method courses require high school?

Method courses such as this typically require only a high school education and by design, need a workable process by which potential teachers can quickly access the knowledge needed to go to work immediately after finishing the course. That method and process is provided for you here.

How many free ESL classes are there?

There are 45 free online ESL classes on the website along with hundreds of free resources that can help you learn English as a second language in no time at all.

What is the best way to learn a language?

The best practice to learn any language is to get the guidance and start the learning process in your native language. Takelessons is a highly interactive platform that is revolutionizing the world of online learning.

What is SkillShare?

SkillShare is unlike any other online website out there. They are dedicated to take online learning to the next level of success and provide a convenient platform for all where they can access a diverse range of topics on multiple courses under a single subscription.

What happens if you are not a native speaker of English?

If you are not a native speaker of English, the problems can be tough for you as you will need to get access to a course or teacher that can help you learn English with the help of language that you are good at.

Why is English so popular?

Another reason for the popularity of English is that corporate communication around the globe is taking place in English.

Is ESL easy to learn?

Learn ESL Lessons Online. English is not a complex language and it is easy to learn for most of the students. In the current times, English is being taught at school level in most countries and we get acquainted to the language at an early age. The reason is pretty evident as English has become a global language and it is also ...

Is lesson face the same as take lessons?

Lesson face follows the same interactive approach as TakeLessons.com but in a more interactive manner. If you compare both websites, you will feel that Lesson face got a pretty enticing and engaging interface that is also easy to use.

Why Is Teaching ESL to Adults Any Different?

Listening Activities

Speaking Activities

• One of the best ways of giving a lesson shape is to focus on a certain function and take that function as the cue for the grammar that is taught during the lesson. Here is an example: This is what John does every day: He gets up at 7 o'clock. He takes a shower and then he eats breakfast. He drives to work and arrives at 8 o'clock. He uses the compu...

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Reading Activities

Writing Activities

• Just by looking at their facial expressions, it can be hard to tell whether your students are really listeningor whether they are daydreaming. To make sure that they are engaged in listening, it is best to give students something to do or some way of responding. *One-on-one:These ideas will help you add variety rather than having your student just ...

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