Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) presents a large number of
unique challenges and difficulties. Whether you are teaching in a classroom
overseas or in one of the many ESL programs right here in the United States,
teaching speakers of other languages means that you will be dealing with an
array of cultures, learning styles, educational backgrounds and, of course, the
challenge of working through a potentially frustrating language barrier.
Despite these challenges (or perhaps partially due to them), demand
for ESL teachers is currently at an all-time high. With the English language
constantly growing in international importance and an influx of non-native
English speakers here at home, qualified teachers are needed to provide a
balanced and comprehensive ESL education. Here are 10 tips for successfully
teaching an ESL program:
1. Incorporate Groupwork
Learning a foreign language, even if its roots are familiar, is a very daunting
task for students of any age. Learning it alone is even more difficult. To make
your ESL students feel comfortable practicing their new language, get them to
work in pairs or larger groups so that they can help each other. Lessons become
fun, and communicating and learning English becomes more natural when students
can work through it together and peer-teach.
2. Maximize Oral Communication
Make sure you keep an oral focus in the classroom. While writing and reading
are both important, requiring students to speak as often as possible helps
ingrain the sound and feel of the language in a student’s mind. It also helps
them learn the verbal cues. Developing a comfort with speaking English in front
of other people is crucial to overall ESL success. The sooner they learn to
start communicating verbally, the easier and more successful your job will be.
3. Use a Diverse Lesson Plan
ESL students will come from an array of cultural and educational backgrounds.
As in any classroom, each student will learn differently. Keeping a lesson plan
diverse will help you cater your English teaching to individual learners. Mix reading,
writing, observing and listening with your oral focus to create a comprehensive
lesson plan.
4. Incorporate Cultural Lessons to Personalize
Making the English language relevant and personal helps your students get
interested and internalize the lesson plan. Use their personal experiences and
backgrounds to teach the language. You can ask them to tell the class what they
did the previous weekend, what their family is like, what their home is like —
anything that gets them to think of their personal experiences will help them
become more passionate about the words and phrases they learn and use. Also
ensure that you teach them while making it relevant to their culture. In doing
so, you will help your students find the language interesting and enjoyable.
5. Limit Dictionary Use
Try to limit the amount of time students spend consulting a glossary or
dictionary. Asking students to memorize words and phrases is fine, but make
sure that the majority of class time is spent putting these words and phrases
into practice rather than just reciting words from a dictionary. This can
become repetitive and boring, and provides little context to make your lesson
relevant.
6. Give Homework to Keep English a Focus After Class
Your ESL students will most likely be going back to a household that does not
regularly use English in conversation. This acts as an additional challenge for
your students to overcome. While no student jumps at the chance to do more
homework, giving your students work to practice on when they are away from the
classroom is the best way to ensure that they aren’t completely forgetting the
English they learned in your class that day.
7. Try Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters can be a fun challenge for your ESL students. Asking your
students to pronounce phonetically similar words gets them to stop and think
about what they are saying and how they are saying it. It also helps them
internalize pronunciation. Besides, tongue twisters are funny and will keep
things light!
8. Have Students Read Aloud
Your students should practice reading aloud often. This is a great way to blend
auditory, oral and reading skills. It will also help them become more
comfortable speaking English in front of their peers.
9. Let Students Make Mistakes
Let your students work through their mistakes. Whether they are speaking,
writing or reading English, allowing them to correct themselves will help them
get a better grasp on the language. It may be tempting to interject with the
correct pronunciation or spelling, but if a student can recognize his or her
mistake and correct it, they are truly making progress.
10. Teach by Doing
The best way to teach English as a second language is to model each aspect of
your lesson plan before asking students to iterate it. Clearly pronounce words
and sentences. Read aloud to the class and ask them to repeat. Tell a story
about your weekend to help them with syntax and inflection. By modeling your
lesson for your ESL students, you will help them feel comfortable with what you
are asking them to do.
This article belongs to Sarah Fudin who currently works in community
relations for the University of Southern California’s Masters in Education
Online degree program.
