Emily McLaren is an English language teacher and travel blogger who is currently based in Glasgow, Scotland. She has taught English in Thailand and continues to travel and use her TEFL qualification and skills wherever possible. In this post, Emily discusses what a new English language teacher should consider and prepare for before starting their first job.

After earning my TEFL qualification a few years ago, I spent a summer in Thailand for my first English language teaching job. It was one of the most challenging but enjoyable times of my life. I thought I was prepared before I left, but after speaking to some other EFL teachers, it was apparent that we all had different experiences of our first job teaching English abroad. With that in mind, and based on my own personal experiences, here’s a few points that I think are the most important things for new EFL…

Are you fed up with using the same old methods to introduce your lesson topic? Look no further! Here are 35 ways to kick off your lesson. How many have you tried?

Silentium est aurum (“silence is golden”).

Or is it?

If we google “teaching speaking in English”, we’ll get over 66,300,000 search results with numerous tips, fabulous games or tricks how to get learners speaking – all pointing out the same frustrating tendency showing that many learners are either timid speakers reluctant to participate in any conversation, or that despite mastering the language, as attested by a great number of grammar and vocabulary exercises thoroughly done by the learners in class, their speaking still lacks fluency and coherence. The latter is sometimes ignored at lower levels. However, speaking is about both fluency and coherence.

Coherence is about linking ideas together – just like in a paragraph or essay. This means organising what you     say so that your answer is “a whole“. All the bits within it fit together. This should be familiar from writing. The difference…

A teacher asked me today how to get through three weeks of summer camp and come out alive without the kids getting totally bored.  Here is a strategy for success:

The key word is variety; variety of games, of topics, of teaching methods, tools and activities.  Read on for examples:

1. Use language games

Use games to drill all new vocabulary and grammar, and also to revise it.  Be sure to vary the types of games you use since even learning with games can become dull if the teacher always uses the same ones.  When you have a game that is a hit milk it, but don’t flog it to death!  My games book (176 English Language Games for Children) has all types of games, drills for listening and speaking, fluency activities, spelling and writing games, quiet games, lively games, board games and quiz games…so that no lesson feels the same.

A couple of weeks ago I was doing a diagnostic test with one of my Business English groups to establish how well they answered interview questions. One of the questions was Have you ever worked with someone who it was difficult to work with? The students came up with lots of stories of difficult colleagues, but two things became evident from their replies. First, they didn’t really understand what to include in the answer, so they mostly focused on the description of the situation, and at least half of them didn’t even mention how the situation was resolved. And second, their replies were so long-winded that it was difficult to see structure in them even when they were structured.

So here is a video-based lesson plan that we did with that group today. The main aim of this lesson was to help the students structure their speech when talking about past experiences and decisions…

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

Image credit: www.drumondpark.com

This is a great end of year game to play with all ages and levels. It’s based around the popular board game “Articulate” which is a staple in my household at Christmas.

You will need a die and the handouts listed below printed and cut up.

articulate objects

articulate nature

articulate places

articulate famous ppl

For action cards you need to print out the MES flashcards below and write the verb next to the picture:

http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/files/can_cards.pdf

http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/files/verbs2_cards.pdf

http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/files/verbs1_cards.pdf

The Game

Split your class into groups of 3. Have each group come up with a team name and write them on the board. Decide which team goes first. The first player comes to the front of the class and rolls the dice; the numbers correspond to the different categories:

1. Objects
2. Nature
3. People
4. Places
5. Actions
6. You choose

If students roll a 6 they…

The way you give instructions is what makes or breaks an activity in the classroom. Using graded language, gestures and clear modelling help, but recently I have been producing diagrams in PowerPoint.

I started doing this because although I try and do my best to be clear, I will occasionally see a few confused looks with certain activities. Especially in the beginning when students are still getting used to my accent and my way of teaching. I decided that I would try and use diagrams more when I model an activity.

You often see diagrams as a teacher. You see them in activity books, the teacher’s book and occasionally in the students’ course books. The downside is that they can take time to draw and label in the classroom and you can usually explain the activity verbally within that time.

Diagram of PW practice with an outer circle and inner circle

However, if…

Nobody is perfect. That’s the truth. It’s the same for doctors, lawyers, parents, students, and teachers. Nobody likes making mistakes. Big or small, mistakes can kill self-esteem, loom over our heads like some grim reaper created out of our own idiocy. In a classroom, teachers often make mistakes early on in their careers; veteran teachers make mistakes, too.

What mistakes do ESL teachers make?

ESL teachers tend to frequently make mistakes throughout their first year. The inadequate training of some programs, lack of preparation, and general inexperience all contribute to these mistakes. They’re fairly common, so don’t feel bad. I made numerous mistakes my first year teaching, and I still make mistakes from time to time.

Here are ten common mistakes ESL teachers make (taken from both BusyTeacher, and ABCfrog).

1.Too much “Teacher Talk Time” – This is a very common mistake teachers make. The teacher might…