Job Discussion Forums

[Surrey100]

Hi, I know the questions I will ask may seem really daft to many of you and after I have worked for a month I will be able to answer all of them myself as they are just the kind of things you work out as you go along.

Anyway, here goes�what techniques do you use when following an exercise (students) book with accompanying teachers book. What I was thinking of doing is this�on a separate piece of paper writing down an example answer to elicit for the first question of each exercise and writing down ICQ�s (instruction check questions) for each exercise in the book. What do you more experienced guys do? Do you write anything down at all or do you just go through the book and make up ICQ�s off the top of your head, etc as you go along? How much do you follow stuff written in the teacher�s book? It seems a bit complicated going through both everything in the teacher�s book while you�re going through the student�s book. I will constantly have my head in the books instead of looking at the class. What techniques do you use? How on earth can you remember everything? I know when I start teaching if I have four lessons to plan for the next day after I have read through the student�s and teacher�s books I will have forgotten everything by the next day and it will be like I am winging it. Is that normal?

Sorry for all of the questions and as I said I know after a month of teaching I will be able to answer all of the questions myself. I just thought I would ask as I wanted some advice before I start teaching (which shall be soon hopefully). When I did my TESOL course we never used a text book we had to make up all materials and design all of the lessons ourselves, hence why I ask. Anyway, thanks in advance for any help that any of you may be able to give. If you just write what you do everyday, then that would be the most helpful. Thanks.

[Jizzo T. Clown]

I usually look over the T's guide prior to the beginning of class, to see if there's anything worth doing; then just use the Student's book while in class (thinking of ways to teach the material depending on the students' attitudes, vocab, comp, etc). It's less cumbersome that way.

[surrealia]

I would advise against "constantly having your head in the books" while you teach. It makes a bad impression. Try to make a lot of eye contact with the students.

I recommend a book called Humanising Your Coursebook, which provides a lot of ideas for getting students to practice the language they are learning from the book. It has some of the most creative teaching ideas I've seen in a long time.

You can see the cover of the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0954198603/104-0869304-7188753?n=283155

[Surrey100]

Thanks for the responces so far. To clarify a bit more of what I am saying...if you are using the student's and teacher's books in class do you bother to write out a lesson plan and if so what do you put on it? (e.g. ICQ's etc).

[Justin Trullinger]

Definitely write a lesson plan! I don't mean to presume, but you're a bit new at this, aren't you? A lesson plan will be a help, for several reasons.

1. You can include the things you plan to do that aren't in the textbook, such as games, external readings, discussions, debates, and other supplementary materials you plan. Trust me, following the textbook all the time won't be much fun, for you or for them. There are lots of good resources out there for additional materials. Use'em.

2. When you get flustered at some weird question a student has asked (this will happen) a clear, concise, outline of your planned class, kept where you can reach it, will help you keep from losing your place. THis will keep you from getting more flustered.

3. When a class doesn't go well, and you want to ask your boss, or a more experienced teacher, for advice, a plan will be a detailed record of what you tried to do, which will help them see what went wrong.

Good luck, and good planning,

Justin

[Glenski]

You obviously need to have a lesson plan. Read the teacher's guide book thoroughly when you are planning your lesson. See what it suggests, and then compare it to what the student book shows. Does it make sense to the particular students you teach? It doesn't always.

After you have decided what to use from the teacher's book, and that may include creating some examples or questions of some sort on your own, write your lesson plan. For goodness' sake, don't bring both books into class! Your lesson plan should be a skeletal outline of what you expect to do, and it should contain those notes/questions you created (if any). If you are REALLY new to this, you might even want to list how many minutes you want to take on each part of your lesson, but be flexible. No plan ever works out as you planned it.

Your copy of the student book should have answers written in it, or if you find that you are constantly lending it to students who forget theirs, then make a photocopy of the pages you plan to use that day and write the answers on that.

[Gregor]

ALWAYS write a lesson plan!
The reasons already stated are good ones. Let me add a couple more:

If you're sick or for some other reason someone else has to cover your class, the replacement teacher can easily see what you've done.

Your lesson planning helps put you in mind of exactly what you want to do with that particular class on that particular day. Writing it out, in order, to conform to your class timing (which of course the teachers' book cannot) helps you remember what you are supposed to do so that you DON'T have your face in a book throughout the lesson.

(Allow me to digress for a moment - a teacher with her face in the book through class is like a surgeon doing the same thing in the operating theatre. It's not as severe and dangerous and scary as that, but it doesn't give the students much confidence in the teacher's ability, and that in itself undermines your position.)

If you have several classes in the day, look again at your lesson plan to help you remember what you're going to do. If you can't bring the class to mind, it may not be a bad idea for you to write out a basic class/student profile, such as, "Lucy, medical student. She's strong, but shy. We need to draw her out a bit. Katchaka, high school student. Tends to play with his phone. Needs to have something in his hands or else he gets distracted. The girls like him. Useful? Tina, web page designer..." You get the idea. Copy this and put it with your lesson plan. It'll help to put you in mind of the class you are about to face before you face them. This will be VERY helpful in remembering the lesson you mean to teach them next. Helps keep you on track as well. That is, makes the lessons flow one into the other, rather than having random, unconnected lessons (which is something I've seen new teachers do a lot).

[Guy Courchesne]

[Surrey100]

Thanks for the replies. Really appreciated. Yes I am new to this - I just have my TESOL certificate with no teaching experience yet. When using supplementary materials I knew you had to use a lesson plan from my TESOL course where I wouldn't have been able to carry out a lesson without one. However on my course we never used a text book so I didn't know if you would use a lesson plan if you are only following the text book in a given class. If for a given class you are only following a text book with no supplementary materials then what do you put on the lesson plan as everything you need is in the book? (notes from teachers book maybe?).

Also, how often should you use supplementary materials. I know if you always only follow the text book lessons are a bit boring. I have been told by one person on my TESOL course that you use the text books most of the time otherwise you'll burn yourself out trying to come up with original lessons all of the time. I also have a Korean friend who is an english teacher in elementary school who only uses the text book and nothing else as she says that what the curriculum is. What's the best thing to aim for? Any other general tips towards lesson planning would be really appreciated. I feel my Trinity TESOL course did not really prepare me that well for teaching as we had to create entirely original lessons all of the time (materials and all) and never used a text book or published supplementary materials. A bit silly really as the latter is what one uses in real life.

[spiral78]

Many of the answers you're seeking will be dependent on your teaching environment. There's a wide range of requirements made by different schools/kinds of schools in terms of textbook use. For example, in the uni where I teach in Canada, we are ' required ' to use some sections of the approved books, but the chunks that are not required are optional, and authentic material is almost always preferred. I've taught in universities that use a PBL (problem-based learning) method where textbooks are totally verboten. And I've taught in private language schools that had little libraries of books available, but made no requirements for teachers to use them. Private students very often have authentic materials or textbooks that they want to use, and it's important to be able to tailor your lessons to fit their specific needs.
I agree that some kind of lesson plan is always a good idea, and that it should include some brief review of previous skills and a preview of what's to come in later lessons as well - and/or a time to ascertain what the learners WANT in future lessons!
You'll likely find that your practice in creating lessons from nothing will help you to tailor lessons from the textbooks you use, and also help you to be able to respond to private learners or classes with specific needs.
But, basically, when you find a job, (apologies if you are already working!), you'll quickly learn what the standards are of the school that employs you in terms of textbook use. Your learners will have their own ideas also, and good teachers try to respond to both the school's preferences and the preferences of the learners.

[Surrey100]

Thanks again for the advice all. Can I add just another question. When I begin teaching how long should I expect to spend on lesson plannng for each lesson, say a one hour lesson. How long did you spend when you first started teaching and how long do you spend now. I know with my other questions its something I'll find out when I start teaching but I'd just be interested to know what to aim for before hand. Thanks.

[Justin Trullinger]

You'll spend a lot more time planning in your first year than anytime after. At the beginning of my first year, I probably spent as much time planning as teaching. Maybe I'm obsessive, though. I'd probably allow at least half an hour planning for each hour of class time in the beginning. If it doesn't take that long, great, but better to be safe than sorry.

Now, as director of the English department, I frequently have to sub on zero notice, which means no planning time. Not too much fun, really.

Justin

[Surrey100]

I know this sounds like a tall order but if someone has a scanner handy could they scan and paste a copy of one of their lesson plans just for me to get an idea. Please only scan a lesson plan where a text book (students book) is used though together with supplementary materials prehaps. I know already how a lesson plan shoudl look when no text book is used I just wouldn't mind seeing one where a text book was followed in class. Again a tall order but would be much appreciated. A virtual drink for anyone who can scan and paste one.

[Surrey100]

Anybody?

[ls650]