Job Discussion Forums

[Noureli]

I am starting my first TESL job in a month and I am starting to get cold feet. I taught before but in Canada and it was more of a volunteer job. I am really scared of my first day and how should I begin the first class. I have over 60 lesson plans already but this is not the proble. The problem is when I think of those kids not understanding a word I say. Help and if anybody can share their first experiences for some support. :

[denise]

Where will you be? How many students will you have? What is their age and level?

If it's only the first day you're worried about, then,... Well, you probably will feel nervous when you walk into the room. But so will the students! Instead of trying to use one of your pre-made lesson plans, the first day is a good day to to very basic things--name games, ice breakers, explaining the rules of the class, etc. You won't know which of your lessons will work until you know a bit more about the students.

I like to do interviews for the first few days. If the students don't know each other, have them interview each other (basic stuff--hometown, hobbies, etc.) and then present their partners to the class. And then have them interview you. The more you get them speaking (to each other and to you), the less time you have to stand up in front of the room and talk at them.

Good luck!

d

[expatben]

First off don't worry they will understand you but if they don't its not the end of the world and its something all teachers have had to deal with (I know I certainly have)!
What you could do is play a little game with them:
RULES

Get students to get out 1 piece of paper.
Tell them to write down the following:
name
age
favourite colour
something depending on what you want to teach eg hobbies-favourite hobby.
Get students to fold the pieces of paper and hand them to you
Hand out papers randomly and select a student to read his/her paper. But they read it as if they wrote it eg if you read the one I wrote you would say "hello my name is expatben..."
Whoever wrote it reads the one they have ect.

This game is good because
1) You can test their reading writing and general English abilities.
2)Its usually fun for the kids-especially when I boy reads a girls name.
3)Its a great way to eat up time!
Also if you wanted, take back the papers and read them over after class to see how much they know about grammer and spelling.
4)Its a great way to get to know your students, know their likes ect.
Another thing you can do is find the students who are better than most at English-if you get stuck call on them.

But really the best advice I can give is don't worry. People are different and you may find it takes awhile for your students to open up to you. Thats OK they are worried shy and made to speak a langauge they do not know. Give them and yourself time. On the otherhand they may be boistrous and disruptive but with disiplin that too can be rectafied.
Whatever the problems they can be fixed.
So have fun and let us know how it goes
Expat

[Noureli]

I will be in South Korea and classes are diffrent , one is a 8 student class and they are between 6 and 8, another class is between 9 and 10 and another is adults. All the students are intermdiate. Thanks for the help...