Starting the job of teaching English any advice?

[Atb210201]

I'm going to start teaching English in a few days.

I live in Iran and it's not that bad as a career here with the wage and if I take private classes after some time it would be a good career one could say.

I'm not looking for lots of money but I am looking for making a living in my dead country in terms of economy for me and my girlfriend who I'm gonna marry when I'm done with my university degree in English literature and I have a decent job by the standards of our society.

I have never been a teacher so I was wondering is anyone a teacher here? If English teacher in a non English speaking country even better; I'm looking for some advice of some teachers as to how should you manage your class and the students and how should you start your teaching?

As I've said I don't have any experience in teaching.

What are the most important aspects in teaching in a class as a teacher specially an English teacher?

The class I'm going to teach consists of teenage boys btw and the level I'm teaching is basic English mostly.

Ps: My reading, writing and listening skills are pretty good but I can't speak english very fluently because I can't think fast and I can't express myself as well as I wish to in English but these are not important at the level I'm going to teach for now.

Edited September 30 by Atb210201

[jimwell]

Teaching Engish to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students is a very complex topic; I could write a book about it. 

But I want to share some tips that have helped me along the way. I'm using my smartphone so this will be a painful job.  But thanks to ChatGPT for making it possible.

I used to teach English for years, and even opened my own school in Japan.

First off, keep it simple, especially at the beginning. I like to break sentences down into individual words and focus on one topic at a time. For example, I might start with “Iran.” I say it, and then I have my students repeat it a couple of times: “Iran, Iran.” This repetition helps them get comfortable with new words.

I start with a yes-or-no question that prompts the student to say yes. For example, I ask, 'Do you like Iran?' The student responds by repeating the answer twice: 'Yes, I like Iran. Yes, I like Iran.' Then, I ask another question, 'Do you like the USA?' and the student replies, 'Yes, I like the USA,' repeating it two times as well.

Next, I introduce questions that elicit a no response. For instance, I ask, 'Do you like North Korea?' The student answers, 'No, I don't like North Korea,' and repeats it twice. After that, I introduce a WH question by asking, 'What country do you like?' The student responds with, 'I like Iran and the USA,' and they repeat that two times.

It’s also important to pay attention to what your students are good at and where they struggle. I always let them know their strengths and areas to work on. For instance, I’ve noticed that many Japanese students have a hard time with the L and R sounds. So, I create classes that focus on that specific issue. It makes a big difference!

Now, let’s talk about confidence. It’s key in teaching. At first, you might feel a bit awkward, but as you keep working on your skills, that confidence will grow. Showing confidence in the classroom encourages your students to engage more, and it creates a positive learning environment.

As non-native English teachers, we understand how EFL students feel. We know how challenging it can be to learn a new language. Because of this, you can develop your own teaching style. It’s often easier for us to connect with students than for native English teachers, who have never experienced the process of learning a new language.

It's important to set the right expectations. In the first few months of teaching English, you'll not be very good at it. That's just how it is, and you might not even realize you're not doing well. However, as you focus on improving your teaching skills, you will eventually get better. After a year, you can become a good English teacher.

[Buck Edwards]

First start with a small group of students and build a robust curriculum. 

[gettoefl]

I suggest you tap into the reddit community as much as you can. Ask questions and start discussions there. Also use AI as liberally as possible both in your prep and your running the class. In addition try to stimulate in your students a genuine and deep interest in culture, entertainment and sport.

Enjoy the adventure; it is fun!

https://www.reddit.com/r/ESL_Teachers/

 

[Atb210201]

17 hours ago, jimwell said:

Teaching Engish to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students is a very complex topic; I could write a book about it. 

But I want to share some tips that have helped me along the way. I'm using my smartphone so this will be a painful job.  But thanks to ChatGPT for making it possible.

I used to teach English for years, and even opened my own school in Japan.

First off, keep it simple, especially at the beginning. I like to break sentences down into individual words and focus on one topic at a time. For example, I might start with “Iran.” I say it, and then I have my students repeat it a couple of times: “Iran, Iran.” This repetition helps them get comfortable with new words.

I start with a yes-or-no question that prompts the student to say yes. For example, I ask, 'Do you like Iran?' The student responds by repeating the answer twice: 'Yes, I like Iran. Yes, I like Iran.' Then, I ask another question, 'Do you like the USA?' and the student replies, 'Yes, I like the USA,' repeating it two times as well.

Next, I introduce questions that elicit a no response. For instance, I ask, 'Do you like North Korea?' The student answers, 'No, I don't like North Korea,' and repeats it twice. After that, I introduce a WH question by asking, 'What country do you like?' The student responds with, 'I like Iran and the USA,' and they repeat that two times.

It’s also important to pay attention to what your students are good at and where they struggle. I always let them know their strengths and areas to work on. For instance, I’ve noticed that many Japanese students have a hard time with the L and R sounds. So, I create classes that focus on that specific issue. It makes a big difference!

Now, let’s talk about confidence. It’s key in teaching. At first, you might feel a bit awkward, but as you keep working on your skills, that confidence will grow. Showing confidence in the classroom encourages your students to engage more, and it creates a positive learning environment.

As non-native English teachers, we understand how EFL students feel. We know how challenging it can be to learn a new language. Because of this, you can develop your own teaching style. It’s often easier for us to connect with students than for native English teachers, who have never experienced the process of learning a new language.

It's important to set the right expectations. In the first few months of teaching English, you'll not be very good at it. That's just how it is, and you might not even realize you're not doing well. However, as you focus on improving your teaching skills, you will eventually get better. After a year, you can become a good English teacher.

Thank you for the informative answer.

I will definitely read it more than once and try to pick some jewls from your experience and put it on my own method that I'm gonna have to find and create.

Thanks again much appreciated.

[Atb210201]

12 hours ago, Buck Edwards said:

First start with a small group of students and build a robust curriculum. 

I don't know how many students the school is going to give me it's not in my hands what's going to be the number of students I just have to go and see how many are there.

But thanks I will have to work on my curriculum I don't know yet where I'm gonna start and what I'm gonna do but I think I will get it after some sessions.

[Atb210201]

1 hour ago, gettoefl said:

I suggest you tap into the reddit community as much as you can. Ask questions and start discussions there. Also use AI as liberally as possible both in your prep and your running the class. In addition try to stimulate in your students a genuine and deep interest in culture, entertainment and sport.

Enjoy the adventure; it is fun!

https://www.reddit.com/r/ESL_Teachers/

 

Thanks much appreciated.

[Lucasxp64]

I'm a self-taught English speaker. My native language is Portuguese. I'm currently also learning French.

I like the classic Glossika Fluency course to get up-to-speed with verbal comprehension and production (3000 sentences, starts from easy and increases difficulty). It provides audio as well, obviously. But I think they don't sell it anymore, you should find similar.

- See also: Frequency Dictionary https://www.amazon.com/Frequency-Dictionary-Persian-vocabulary-Dictionaries-ebook/dp/B0BZTKKJBX (It can be used, but it's better the other way around)

When it comes to becoming a better speaker, you must simply practice speaking more on your own as if you were speaking with somebody without any kind of script, and you record and listen to it as you please to recognize points to improve.

- See also: the "Shadowing" technique to improve pronunciation, intonation, etc.

- Record yourself speaking a text like "Comma Gets A Cure" https://www.dialectsarchive.com/comma-gets-a-cure (it's a great text given by linguists to test someone's accent, phonetics, etc). Use it as a benchmark to test yourself over time. Look up on YouTube people of different accents speaking the same text.

When it comes to being an effective learner, it's about massive exposure to comprehensible input.

The role of a GREAT TEACHER is to, first, counsel your students and get them acquainted with the highest yield self-learning techniques (because after all, everyone is self-taught after a certain threshold/critical mass), because the role of a great teacher is to make their students not need them, but they'll need them regardless as beginners.

You want to get them up to speed with the crucial basics of effective learning as soon as possible, and lead them into creating habits of exposure to comprehensible input. I don't think going into endless grammar sessions is effective for a very beginner, it can be derived more effectively from example sentences.

And on the classes, I think the best teacher for me would be somebody that already starts speaking as much as possible of the target language from day 1, and does classes in a way that maximizes comprehensibility. Just watch Stephen Krashen below.

I guess for many students because they will be lazy, most of what they will hear of the English language in a comprehensible way will be just through your classes.

But also, this idea that people must speak from day 1 is not necessary for mastery, but at some point they must start shadowing as closely as possible the language, and then producing their spoken own sentences. It does help get some people motivated, but what actually makes them acquire the language is massive comprehensible input.

It's a mix between different methods at different stages.

 

Edited October 13 by Lucasxp64

[Alex_R]

Just have empathy and do the best you can

[Atb210201]

On 14/10/2024 at 10:22 PM, Alex_R said:

Just have empathy and do the best you can

Thanks for the advice.

I've tried to be as much empathetic as possible.

But just last session I had to throw three students out of my class because they were just making the class so chaotic and I don't think I had any other choice anymore.

Too much for an empathetic teacher huh I know but they wouldn't become quiet any other way.

But I still do feel it is the best way to be empathetic towards them all.

After all how else would they trust me to be their teacher they must love their teacher first to learn effectively from them.

Edited October 20 by Atb210201

[Atb210201]

On 14/10/2024 at 0:31 AM, Lucasxp64 said:

I'm a self-taught English speaker. My native language is Portuguese. I'm currently also learning French.

I like the classic Glossika Fluency course to get up-to-speed with verbal comprehension and production (3000 sentences, starts from easy and increases difficulty). It provides audio as well, obviously. But I think they don't sell it anymore, you should find similar.

- See also: Frequency Dictionary https://www.amazon.com/Frequency-Dictionary-Persian-vocabulary-Dictionaries-ebook/dp/B0BZTKKJBX (It can be used, but it's better the other way around)

When it comes to becoming a better speaker, you must simply practice speaking more on your own as if you were speaking with somebody without any kind of script, and you record and listen to it as you please to recognize points to improve.

- See also: the "Shadowing" technique to improve pronunciation, intonation, etc.

- Record yourself speaking a text like "Comma Gets A Cure" https://www.dialectsarchive.com/comma-gets-a-cure (it's a great text given by linguists to test someone's accent, phonetics, etc). Use it as a benchmark to test yourself over time. Look up on YouTube people of different accents speaking the same text.

When it comes to being an effective learner, it's about massive exposure to comprehensible input.

The role of a GREAT TEACHER is to, first, counsel your students and get them acquainted with the highest yield self-learning techniques (because after all, everyone is self-taught after a certain threshold/critical mass), because the role of a great teacher is to make their students not need them, but they'll need them regardless as beginners.

You want to get them up to speed with the crucial basics of effective learning as soon as possible, and lead them into creating habits of exposure to comprehensible input. I don't think going into endless grammar sessions is effective for a very beginner, it can be derived more effectively from example sentences.

And on the classes, I think the best teacher for me would be somebody that already starts speaking as much as possible of the target language from day 1, and does classes in a way that maximizes comprehensibility. Just watch Stephen Krashen below.

I guess for many students because they will be lazy, most of what they will hear of the English language in a comprehensible way will be just through your classes.

But also, this idea that people must speak from day 1 is not necessary for mastery, but at some point they must start shadowing as closely as possible the language, and then producing their spoken own sentences. It does help get some people motivated, but what actually makes them acquire the language is massive comprehensible input.

It's a mix between different methods at different stages.

 

Thank you.

Certainly you've dropped some gems here for me to check out.

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with me I appreciate all your efforst that you've put into writing this so much.

Edited October 20 by Atb210201