CONCERN RE TEACHING FOR THE FIRST TIME - ADULTS !

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:05 pm

Hello out there .....

For my first time teaching (TEFL course done a few years back), I plan on teaching adults privately soon and have some concerns - hopefully that someone out there can advise on PLEASE ?

a) I have a "Cutting Edge Starter Teacher's Resource" book and "Cutting Edge Students starter book" plus the "Students Workbook". To supply the latter two books to each student would be a costly exercise - INCLUDING a cassette to each ! Handouts are obviously also important ..... 'may need to buy a photocopy machine ? 'any suggestions ?
(The gist of "Cutting Edge" also differs greatly to TEFL learning !)

b) To start, 'am thinking of having eight or perhaps more students (?) - 'any ideas on length of each lesson - most of the students have nil knowledge of English ?

c) 'any ideas of charges for tutoring ?

d) 'any idea on length of entire course (how many months) or does that depend on speed of learning ?

Comments in general would be welcomed ?

Thank you,

Theo7

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:30 pm

You can ask the students to buy the books if you really want a book. As part of any course, students expect to buy their books.

You didn't say which country so it is hard to tell you what is acceptable for tutoring fees. Mongolia is $1.50 US per hour and Japan can be as much as $50 for private lessons or prorated as you add each student. Canada is usually $25 Canadian.

Are you planning day or night-time courses?

What is the usual length of course in your area? Adults often like to start courses at the same time their children go to school and have the course run for the same semester as schools including summer school. Check on schools in your area because they will be follow whatever is the tradition. Housewives usually like day time classes and business people night time.

Adults can stand as much as two hours if you vary your activities. You can't just work on the textbook and workbook all the time though. The workbook is usually saved for homework. Check through the postings here for ideas on what to do for the two hours. You can start with a search for "new teacher" or "help" as there are many people in your situation.

Most students just throw away the handouts so I wouldn't waste my money on them. Ask them to bring a notebook and teach them to write notes on things that are important for them.

If students want to tape your sessions, I would encourge that but to give them tapes is a lot of work and expensive. I guess you could have a dubbing machine available if they want to copy a tape that you have made but I would ask them to provide the cassettes themselves and to do the dubbing during break time or have a student in charge of the dubbing machine to change the tapes to make enough for the class.

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:38 pm

Thank you Sally for all your input.

My plan is to teach adults privately in Holland and will investigate locally ref tutoring fees and if other teachers in e.g. Spain and other European countries wish to comment on tutoring fees - PLEASE DO SO ???

I intend initially teaching mornings only and while I believe there may be a need also for evenings for business people ... 'do not wish to take on too much at the outset - we'll see ?

School and other courses here start in September, until June - ten months, thus my concern is to be ready in time - whew ! !

It's comforting knowing that there is someone out there "hearing" my concern !

In appreciation and have a good weekend,

Theo7

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:36 pm

You might want to look up this thread as the author told us what he was doing almost lesson to lesson.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewt ... highlight=

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:22 pm

'did follow thread of readme teacher as suggested and was interesting - thank you.

I'm still "all over the place" with insufficient grammar knowledge etc., materials needed, students, venue etc. and need soonest to get my ducks in a row !!!

Thanks again Sally and "readme"

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:56 pm

In Japan we had the neatest venue. It was an old coffee house with small tables and a bar to go and get coffee. The tables were kind of private with a booth type separation and you could have four teachers in the room with one to four private students each or move things around so you could have one teacher with 8 and so on. We even moved the tables together for the final party of the year so the dividers must have been moveable. The bar was a working bar and we had a Japanese woman who took messages, arranged times for the students, and took the money when fees were due, etc plus making us coffee, juice or something stronger if the clients paid for it. It was a great atmsophere for conversation and much more "natural" even though the students often wanted to work from a book because that made them more comfortable. They could see the words as well as say them and there was homework provided in the student workbook. We sold them the books and got a discount from the publisher because we bought so many. I think the lessons were an hour but some were two hours. It passes so quickly when you are in the coffee house atmosphere. We had children up to an 88 year old woman whose English was better than mine. She spoke like the Queen of England. Just a thought. It was called "Funny Square" which makes sense in Japan.

You don't need to know your grammar; just be willing to learn along with the students. If someone asks you something never give them a direct answer but ask them what they think the answer should be and why. If you don't know the answer don't tell them as they lose confidence in you. Just ask them to look it up in their book and you will discuss it next time and then come to eslcafe and go to the Applied Linguistics thread and ask your question there.

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:11 pm

Sally, thanks for that .... saying that I don't need to know my grammar is somewhat of a morale boost, while yes, of course I'll try to get enough of the stuff "under the belt" !

Your venue in Japan indeed sounds "neat" (a typical American giveaway word) and all that went with it !
It appears that you had it all well organized ... including the coffee etc. I feel also that it's important to introduce an informal atmosphere by providing e.g.coffee and biscuits or whatever.

'will take it from here . . . . .

Thanks again.

Theo7

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:20 pm

You are welcome.

I think that "neat" is probably a give away of my age as well as my NORTH American English.

Eric18 · Post by **Eric18** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:33 pm

The key remains making your tutoring professional.

Three quick tips:
1. Set clear expectations for each session. Location, length, and content.
2. Get paid in advance.
3. Use excellent conversation materials like Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics. Go to www.compellingconversations.com for free sample chapters.

Good luck. Tutoring can provide extra cash and close relationships. Students often make significant progress and express their gratitude.

Shalom

Eric
[email protected]
www.compellingconversations.com

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:18 pm

Calling Eric18 from Theo7 !

Thanks for the information and points well taken !

'have also checked-out Compelling Converstaion site = very interesting and will further think on . . . . .

Comments appreciated.

Shalom !

Eric18 · Post by **Eric18** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:39 pm

Shalom

BradC · Post by **BradC** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:42 am

It's always good when teaching 1:1 to find out what exactly the student wants to learn. Better conversation? English for his/her job? How to read "Harry Potter" in English, etc. Once you determine this, ask the student to supply the materials (e.g., a book or article of interest, documents from the office). Then work on those: you can integrate the grammar lesson as part of the meta-lesson by looking at the grammatical constructs within the materials.

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:59 pm

Thanks DaveC for your comments.
The plan is to have around 6 to 8 adult students - not one on one.

A) In order to ascertain students level of knowledge and to save time, does anyone have an example of a questionnaire or assessment form/s that I may view ?

'am having difficulty in determining what course level to start students off on e.g. elementary, pre-intermediate or .... ?

B) Ref. teacher/student books as support material - am getting so many views on what's good, ranging from "Cutting Edge" to "Inside Out" to "New Headway" to "Language to Go" to "Total English and am now CONFUSED - any comments please ?

Thanks,

Theo7

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:02 pm

Even if you were able to test students to truly find out their level, you would still have a class that is different levels. People know different parts of English and are better at some part of it than others but they can help each other when they are in a group so it doesn't really matter the levels.

You could try giving them the TOEFL or ILETS - there are samples on line. But Brad C's advice is something to consider. Every student wants to learn English for a different reason and won't be happy unless they feel they are working towards that goal.

Of course, this makes it all but impossible for you to teach them unless you take them individually but you can do some things to ensure that you are reaching them for most of the lesson. We talked about this at:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewt ... 4279#34279

As far as materials, I would be practical and if you have a copy of "Cutting Edge" use that. When you have used it a couple of times with groups of students so you know the program, its successes and faults, you can try out another one. Eventually, you will make up a combination of programs of what you know works for you.

Theo7 · Post by **Theo7** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:44 am

Thanks again dear Sally for the input and yes, have already ascertained from the few potential students that each are of a different level.

TOEFL would be very useful for me to know the level of the person/s whom I'm addressing in class. 'pity that I'm unable to download free a TOEFL "Worksheet/s" from the internet as a basic few sheets would be adequate without having to buy the full-on story !?

The eight ways of learning I've placed on file for later in case usage interesting too.

Your comments of "sticking with" e.g. the Cutting Edge that I have are indeed valid, while I feel rather to buy an ELEMENTARY course (Language to Go, Total English or ???) as this one step up from the Cutting Edge STARTER that I have and then stick with that and then see where we go from there.

Your suggestions have certainly helped point me into areas that I otherwise would NOT have known about . . . . THANK YOU !

Theo7

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