Learning a foreign language, it is crucial to understand not only grammatical structures and vocabulary but also context and culture. In order to achieve this goal, students should be immersed into the language. How to create an environment that promotes learning? The answer is: by using materials on which students will focus. Materials should consist of target vocabulary or topic which is to be learnt. The more context is provided, the better.
One goal
Even though class may consist of students from various countries, theyre all there to learn English. ESL learning stands for: English as a second language and therefore, teachers should speak English as much as possible. Remember to speak slower than you generally speak. Some experts suggest using 70% speed of general speech at first. Once students reach higher levels and understand more, you can speed up. In order to speak and understand, both: student and teacher need the same background in form of materials based on school curriculum or students personal needs.
Active and visual
Work in small groups, promote team work and create a safe environment where students focus on their task and have no time for stress. Make sure your materials are visual, eye-catching and adjusted to the current level of your students. When the task is too simple, students may lose focus quickly and when it is too complicated, students tend to give up and lose interest as well. Adjusting and visuality are the key. When you have lack of time to prepare your own visuals or dont have enough graphic skills, dont hesitate to seek help as many experienced teachers have already made materials that cover many topics, English learning skills and grammar. Such example of a still developing base is https://english4tutors.com/esl-lesson-plans/ .
Explain the goal
Routines are not neccesarily boring. Starting each lesson from a short introduction can make students more confident as they will be told what they are about to learn. Students will know what to expect. Tell them how many parts of lesson there will be, how long you plan to explain the topic and then tell them about activities briefly. Create connections between tenses and lessons, dont be afraid of using pop culture references such as cartoon characters or fictional characters that your students know and like. One of the most effective routines are warm-ups. Ask olders students for feedback, encourage youngers to react and move.
