advice for ESL teachers: how to teach adult beginners?

● Explain things again and again. Most people aren’t going to grasp a concept on the first try. Be patient and be prepared to explain it again, but in a different manner.

● Provide lots of review activities. Try reviewing a little bit each day. Also allow for different situations in order to practice what was learnt. Think of different grouping, such as individual, pairs, small groups, and whole class.

● Be patient and don’t pressure students. While some students are ready to make mistakes and start talking, others are perfectionists who want to make sure they can say something perfectly before they say it.

● Give students more time. Wait and then wait some more. Don’t worry if you have to wait 30 seconds or a minute to have someone respond. It’s not because they’re not interested. It’s simply because they’re thinking of how to say it.

● Give homework. It sounds bad, but if you give homework, the students will open their books and be forced to review what they’ve learnt in class. The majority of students won’t open their books unless they have to.

● Forget the slang. Learn to speak properly and enunciate your words. Say something and stop, don’t keep rephrasing what you’ve said. It will only confuse your students.

 

 

Other advice on how to teach beginners on http://www.eltworld.net/times/2009/06/teaching-beginners/