29 May 2015 / by Rob Wylie
Teaching English to Beginners: No Spanish, Please!
When teaching any level of any language there are certain things that we teachers need to remember, but how do these things change depending on the level? What is it that changes when teaching English to beginners?
One of the most important things to remember when teaching beginners is the fact that they are entirely new to the language. Anything that the teacher may feel is "obvious" could in actual fact be alien to some students. This is where grading your language is necessary. Approach the class as if the students know nothing!
As well as this, ensuring that students remain motivated throughout the entire learning process is important. To do this, the teacher must remain enthusiastic at all times. The last thing you want to do as a teacher is to discourage or demotivate your class. Students who are in the early phase of learning will be more tempted to give up and quit if they have no motivation. Patience is essential to ensure the students feel comfortable in the class, the more comfortable they feel, the more they will want to attend classes.
It is normal for a new teacher to feel nervous teaching any class, however these fears may be amplified when dealing with beginners. But with practice and preparation you should soon find that you can be just as confident teaching someone who shares no common language with yourself than with a person who does.
