Tag: students.

How to teach ESL to Teenagers.

Teaching English to Teenagers.

You may believe that teaching ESL to teens is more challenging than teaching English to children or adults. Common preconceptions are that because they are going through changes in their life they are less willing to learn.

However, as an experienced EFL teacher of kids and teens, and adults in Vietnam, I don’t believe this to be true. Yes, you may have to work harder to gain the attention of pupils this age, but it is not hard work.

In this article, I’ll provide you with tips on how to teach teens ESL that have worked for me. Including unique teaching strategies, engagement methods, and much more, that will keep your students focused on learning throughout the year.

And, yes, It works in public schools as well where you may get 50 plus students to a class. You will not win them all over, but you can get the others involved to a degree that they want to learn and will keep the uninterested students quiet.

Before we dive into the tips, let’s get a bit of perspective on what is happening inside the teenage brain and how it might affect their learning processes.

Restructuring and remodeling the brain.

When children are young, their brains go through a major growth surge. Their brains are roughly 90-95 percent of adult size by the time they’re six. Although the early years are crucial for brain development, the brain still requires extensive restructuring before it can operate as an adult brain.

During adolescence, your child’s brain undergoes extensive restructuring, which lasts until they are in their mid-20s. Age, experience, and puberty hormone changes all influence brain development.

Inside the brain of a teenager

Adolescence is a time of enormous growth and development and restructuring of the teenage brain. New connections are being made and those less used are being pared away.

So the unused connections in your child’s thinking and processing region of the brain are ‘trimmed’ away. Other interconnections are strengthened at the same time. Based on the ‘use it or lose it’ premise, this is the brain’s approach to becoming more efficient.

Think of it like the brain turning several roads going to the same place as the brain restructures the roads to become one faster “superhighway”.

How does this affect learning behavior?

Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing in teenagers they are more likely than adults to rely on the amygdala to make decisions and solve issues. Emotions, impulses, hostility, and instinctual behavior are all linked to the amygdala.

Have you noticed that your student’s thinking and behavior appear to be quite mature at times, but then they act or think in irrational, impulsive, or emotional ways at other times?

These shifts and alterations are explained by the brain’s back-to-front growth, teenagers are functioning with brains that are still developing.

The Impact on learning.

The mix of your student’s developing brain and culture has an impact on how he or she acts, thinks, and feels. Your students’ favorite activities and skills, for example, may become ‘hard-wired’ in the brain.

So consider the variety of activities and experiences your student enjoys, such as music, sports, study, languages, and video games. And build them into your lessons.

Now let’s Dive in with some tips.

Introductions.

Learn as much as you can about your students.

Getting to know your teenage students on a more personal level will pay off in your classroom. When you initially meet your pupils, take the time to learn about their interests, hobbies, abilities, and even dislikes.

Then use this knowledge by incorporating it into your teaching. Students are considerably more likely to be interested in a lesson that is relevant to them than in one that is irrelevant to them.

You can begin with an introduction lesson, in which you introduce yourself and the topic you want your pupils to discuss. Name, age, family, hobbies, and sports, for example. Keep things light and breezy at this stage.

Try to remember the student’s name. In large classes it is difficult, but if you get your students to write on a sticker you can then save it and apply it to a desk layout of the classroom. Asking someone by name is always better than saying ” Can you tell me..”

Set Rules and Routines.

You want a lively classroom, but your kids must understand the rules. Teenagers will test the limits, but if you have established ground rules, you can help your class return to a more productive state.

Also, give your students a predictable and pleasant learning environment, as well as a natural “flow” to your session.

Your session should follow the same format, whether it is a warm-up, homework review, new subject presentation, or lesson practice. It is your decision how you want to format your classroom activities, but keep it lively and interesting.

Allowing students to build routines will assist them in understanding what is going on during a class and maintaining their focus during learning.

However, occasionally shake things up and break away from the routine by introducing a fun new exercise or activity.

Teach to the Students Level.

However much you will complain to the staff or owner, your class will have students at different levels of learning. Some will be faster and some will be slower.

Please don’t think this means the slower students are less intelligent, it may mean your teaching style is not correct for them.

Remember that pupils, especially teens, will work at varying levels of difficulty. When you give a group of teens identical work, some will find it challenging, while others will become bored due to how simple it is.

As a result, it’s critical to vary your approach so that everyone in the class may learn to their full potential. Also, you may need to prepare different types of lessons for the same class.

This does not necessarily mean a lot of extra work, it might just mean asking a different complexity of questions.

Make use of the amygdala.

Obviously, your pupils will not be able to pick and choose what they learn in each class. However, incorporating choice into their learning can help teenagers become more engaged students.

Give your students a few options to pick from if you assign a speaking task. This empowers teenagers to take control of their work.

And if it is a listening task, you can liven it up by including the students’ names in listening exercises. Don’t your ears perk up when you hear your name?

Some of my best lessons for listening are when I totally change the script and include “funny references” to eating or going to school etc. And including the students’ names. Just be careful it is culturally appropriate.

Writing tasks are exactly the same, just don’t forget the sequence for learning different English skills

Use Rewards.

Who doesn’t like to be rewarded for a job well done, your students are no exception.

Using rewards are a great way to enforce both the classroom rules and encourage your teenage students to learn.

While younger children might like to be rewarded by helping the teacher and receiving a smiley-face sticker, you’ll need a different approach when teaching young adults.

I have done things like taking the students out for pizza or ordering in if they have completed certain tasks. In a public school, you can still use the same idea as long as you do it in the classroom.

Bring snacks, throw a party and play music. You will capture the love of your student if you go above and beyond most of the other ESL teachers out there.

Play Games.

When selecting classroom games and activities for teaching ESL to teenagers, it’s critical to select advanced games so that the teens don’t feel like you are treating them like a child.

The following are a couple of fun games I play and you can use with your adolescent students to make your lessons enjoyable.

The Directions game.

This game is great for teaching directions, as well as prepositions of place and movement, and it’s a fun lesson supplement. To play, arrive a few minutes early to reorganize the classroom furnishings into a maze.

Students work in couples to guide their blindfolded teammates through the maze. Clear directions must be given by the guides.

The guides can say things like “turn left”, “crouch”, “crawl” and so much more. Be inventive and make it fun, but not too difficult for the skill level of your class.

Not only is it informative it is a lot of fun that will have your students laughing while learning.

Reverse Charades

Reverse charades is a popular guessing game that may be played in a school of any size. To win a point the teams must act out the phrase or word on the board. If the selected team member gets the word or phrase correct that team wins the point.

This is a more classroom-inclusive way of playing the traditional charades game. i love this game because it involves everyone.

I have found in Asia, pitting the boys against the girls works extremely well. Remember the puberty changes, they are all trying to impress both their friends and the opposite sex.

An easy way to set this up and still have control of the activity is by putting 2 chairs with the backs facing the board and the rest of the team members standing in front of them trying to explain with body language what is written on the board.

The teacher is the ultimate arbiter of all disputes arising, or points will be discounted.

You can find more games for teenagers at ESL Kids Games For Teens.

Conclusion.

Remember to use materials that are relevant to the students’ lives, develop individual bonds with students, design active and engaging lessons, and allow time for fun when teaching teens ESL in Asia, online, or anywhere else in the world.

Keep in mind where adolescent ESL students are in their mental and academic development. They need to be academically challenged and appreciated as individuals to develop their love of learning. Be the teacher you loved as a student.

Who Am I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching EFL in Vietnam for over 15 years and have my own school. I am also the author of this article and owner of this website.

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to Teach ESL to Kids.

This will help you teach ESL to the younger students and make life easier for you.

Teaching English to Kids.

Teaching any subject to kids can be challenging and teaching English to non-native English speakers can be a daunting endeavor and has its own particular problems. And not just because of class size or skill level of the students.

You’ll need a lot of patience, particularly because every child learns differently and at a different pace.

Teaching ESL to youngsters, on the other hand, is also extremely fulfilling. Remember that youngsters have limited attention spans and that teaching them requires patience as well as a sense of fun and humor.

Here are a few tips that will make it easier for you in the classroom.

My Top Ten Tips for the Kids ESL Classroom.

Make use of visuals

Images are excellent for aiding learning. A child may not realize that the term “book” means “book,” but they are aware of what a book looks like. 

Children will be able to deepen their understanding by integrating text and graphics. There are many places online you can get flashcards (Or make your own) that makes learning easier. 

Furthermore, photos and posters provide color to your classroom, making it more interesting and conducive to learning.

Keep it simple.

This is one of the most crucial steps in teaching English to children. Simple words will allow your students to gain their knowledge, which you can then build on. 

These may include phrases like “sit down,” “put your pencils down,” and “open your books,” among others. Keep your wording succinct, informative, and easy to comprehend. 

And don’t forget to teach the fundamentals, such as “may I have some water?” and “may I use the restroom?”

You will want to check to see if they comprehend the short instructions you’ll use in class after teaching them. 

Keep it lighthearted.

Encourage your kids to practice and use the language you’ve taught them by utilizing a variety of activities. Incorporate your pupils’ hobbies as well, so they are motivated to study!

Furthermore, nothing is more tedious for the pupils to read from a textbook and complete drab worksheets with a lot of text and no visuals. When it comes to teaching basic English, be creative and use colorful worksheets.

Making learning interesting in the classroom is simple and does not imply just playing games or acting the fool. 

There is a plethora of entertaining instructional tools available to promote ESL learning, including a variety of games and activities that drive language growth in novel ways.

More on games can be found in my piece “How to Engage Your EFL Student.”

Mix things up a little.

When children are only taught in one way, they rapidly get disinterested and bored. You may cover a variety of learning types while also making your lessons engaging and fascinating by employing multiple learning formats.

We understand that creating all of these materials takes time, but here is a list of my “top 10 websites for ESL teachers” that will make your job easier.

Use Technology in the classroom.

Using resources like Powerpoint and other technology is an important method to involve children in a class. 

There are a multitude of apps, interactive games, and platforms available for teachers to employ in their classes, including these I have listed under ” Technology in the classroom“.

Get them talking.

Overuse of Teacher talk is something I see a lot with novice ESL teachers.  Your job is to get the student to talk, not for you to continually talk.

However, there must be some content focused on listening as the listening skill is the first and arguably most important skill to learn. 

It will be tough for children to initiate English discussions if they are just at a basic level. That means it’s up to you to keep them talking and improve their communication abilities. 

To keep children involved in the language, ask them questions while they work or finish activities.

Sing songs.

Songs are a terrific method to get kids interested in learning and can also aid with memory recall. 

Remember that annoying ” ABC ” song that all the ESL kids sing and you just can’t get out of your head? 

For your students, this works in exactly the same way. Memorizing songs can be a great way to help children remember vocabulary.

Use Real-Life objects.

This is especially effective when discussing themes like food, clothing, the home, or anything else where you have easily available materials to support learning.

Bring some food or plates, cups, forks, etc. to class if you wish to improve your student’s food and utensil vocabulary. Check to see if your kids can select the proper utensil or food item that you layout.  

If you want to focus on clothes vocabulary, take a trip to your wardrobe and pull out some clothes to show. You can also invest a little money and do classroom dress-ups. 

This type of interactive learning is ideal for children since it is more engaging than out-of-context learning.

Practice makes perfect.

You can’t expect your students to understand things straight away.  You should give a range of examples and give your students plenty of time to practice what you’ve just taught them. then check for understanding.

When teaching beginners English, this usually entails drilling the students (but not for too long), followed by individual or group practice. Make sure the kids know it’s okay to make mistakes during practice so they don’t feel pressured to get it right the first time.

Use positive reinforcement.

Another key aspect of teaching English to young students is to provide positive feedback. If someone gives an incorrect answer, give them encouraging feedback and correct them. 

Never make a student feel embarrassed in front of the entire class. Because if you do they will turn off and learn to hate studying English. Instead, attempt to establish a welcoming environment in the classroom by frequently complimenting your students, even if they make mistakes.

When teaching English to beginners, for example, if they get the term right but mispronounce it, say something like, “Okay, good!” and then repeat the word with the correct pronunciation so that the student is not embarrassed and the rest of the class hears the correct pronunciation.

Conclusion.

For both novice and veteran ESL teachers, teaching English to children can be a lot of fun. Although preparing content for teaching English to beginners may seem difficult at first, you will quickly become accustomed to it. 

It’s also quite satisfying when your kids want to talk to you outside of class to tell you about their accomplishments. It’s incredible to watch them progress from having no skills to being able to communicate in basic English!

Following these suggestions will help you gain the respect of both your students and their parents. 

Continue to praise your kids so that they do not become disheartened when they make mistakes. Praise will assist them in being self-assured learners who are not intimidated by a foreign language. Be the teacher you always looked up to.

Who Am I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching in Vietnam for over 15 years and have my own small school. I am also the author of this article and owner of this website. You can check me out on YouTube below.

Post Covid

My School in Vietnam

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to Teach ESL to Adults

Teaching English to Adults.

Adult ESL instructors must be aware that their students’ learning styles differ slightly from those of children. According to studies, the ordinary adult is expected to be self-motivated and to have a clear goal in mind when learning a new subject or language.

These two characteristics alone suggest that adult ESL teaching methods differ slightly from those used with younger students. Furthermore, the learning environment, as well as the courses, should be more formalized and systematic.

Because the need for ESL lessons should be increasingly focused on adult learning, here are some considerations to make while teaching.

Learning can be More Challenging.

When it comes to learning a new language, adults have different needs, demands, and difficulties than younger students. The inherent ability to learn a second language begins to decline around adolescence and continues to decline as we grow older.

To attain competency or fluency, your adult pupils must actively and consciously learn a language. If you’re teaching individuals who are complete beginners with no prior English expertise or exposure, this can be a difficult task for them.

Even individuals who have had previous exposure to the language can easily forget what they’ve learned, struggle with grammatical concepts that are foreign to them, and feel self-conscious or humiliated about their abilities and development

Understand Why Your Student Wants to learn English.

First and foremost, try to understand each student’s requirements and preferences, and then do your best to inspire the student by providing demanding exercises that he or she is capable of doing.

A teacher should be able to assess a student’s ability to manage different levels of difficulty. Correctly accessing your new student is critical, as you do not want to place them in a class that is too difficult and likewise a class that is boring and not challenging for them.

Here are the different levels for adult learners as laid out by the C.E.F.R.

The Different Levels ( C.E.F.R.)

The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is a global standard for describing language proficiency. It uses a six-point scale to describe language proficiency, ranging from A1 for novices to C2 for those who have mastered a language.

A1 Beginners.

At the end of English level A1, you will be able to,

  • Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases.
  • Introduce yourself and others.
  • Ask and answer questions about personal details (for example, where you live, people you know and things you have.
  • Interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

A2 Elementary.

At the end of English level A 2, you will be able to,

  • Understand statements and terms that are commonly utilized in common places. This includes fundamental personal and family information, as well as shopping, local geography, and work opportunities.
  • Easy and everyday actions requiring a direct and simple exchange of information.
  • Describe your background and present concerns in simple terms.

B1 Pre Intermediate / Intermediate.

At the end of English level B 1, you will be able to,

  • Understand the essential points on topics that you encounter on a regular basis at work, school, or in your own time.
  • Deal with the majority of problems that may occur while traveling in an English-speaking location.
  • Create simple linked text about topics that are familiar or particular to you.
  • Describe your experiences and events, as well as your dreams, hopes, and objectives, and briefly explain your ideas and plans.

B2 Upper Intermediate.

At the end of English level B 2, you will be able to,

  • Understand the essential points of a complex text on a wide range of topics, including technical talks in your field of expertise.
  • Interact with a level of fluency and spontaneity that allows for regular interactions with native speakers without putting either side under stress.
  • Produce clear, informative literature on a variety of topics and express a point of view on a current situation, including the benefits and drawbacks of alternative options.

C1 Advanced.

At the end of English level C 1 you will be able to,

  • Understand and recognize underlying meaning in a variety of challenging, longer texts.
  • Express yourself fluently and naturally without obviously searching for expressions.
  • Use language in a flexible and effective manner for social, intellectual, and professional reasons.
  • Produce clear, well-structured, thorough text on complicated issues using organizational patterns, linkages, and cohesive devices in a controlled manner.

C 2 Proficiency.

At the end of English level C 2 you will be able to,

  • You can understand almost anything you hear or read easily.
  • Summarize information from a variety of oral and written sources, putting arguments and accounts together in a logical order.
  • Even in increasingly difficult situations, express yourself freely, fluently, and precisely, distinguishing finer shades of meaning.

You can find some great resources at British Council, including lesson plans for each level from A1 to C1.

Points to Remember.

Be Nice.

If your student is having trouble grasping a subject that you believe is straightforward, make sure you reply with patience and respect. Your attitude will be revealed through your tone, body language, and behavior. This is understood by the students, regardless of how little English they know.

Remember that learning English is only a small part of their lives, and while you may have greater skills in this area, they may have more professional and life experience. Maintain a courteous demeanor.

Make it Fun.

Everyone likes to laugh, and while your classes will be more structured than a children’s or teenagers class, don’t forget to have a bit of fun at the same time.

Some of the best social interactions I have had with my students is when we have gone out to a restaurant or even just for a coffee.

Your students are Adults and you can be a little more risque. Just make sure you are culturally appropriate and your comments or attempts at humor don’t come across as inappropriate or rude.

Make it age-appropriate.

Make sure your courses are relevant to your adult students’ life, even if they are complete beginners. While it is simple and effective to use children’s books and materials, it may appear patronizing to them.

Plan your courses instead around their current objectives, such as how to fill out a job application, study for a citizenship test, or practice interview questions for a new job.

Provide Positive Feedback.

Adults require a lot of encouragement. If they struggle or take a long time to remember something, they may become disheartened.

Get a comprehensive picture of your pupils’ language level before you start teaching, and leverage what they already know to help them gain confidence. You may start introducing new language from there, and they’ll feel more confident knowing they have a solid base.

Take it slowly and don’t try and rush, we all have different styles of learning and some may take longer than others. It is not a race, sometimes I have found the slower student becomes the most proficient in the long run.

Talk Slowly, Clearly and Directly

Quite often ESL students do not comprehend nuance, and there may be moments when you need to discuss a sensitive topic like personal manners or healthcare. In these situations,

I’ve found that role-play is one method to get the idea across in a non-threatening yet direct manner. Also, body language is something that is easily understood and should be made use of if you are having trouble getting the students to understand.

And sometimes it is even worth translating a word into the students native language if nothing else is working.

Conclusion.

It is also critical for the teacher to remember that the lessons that the students learn will be used outside of the classroom at some point. We must keep it relevant to what the student needs, whether it is traveling or work or whatever the students needs are.

There are a slew of issues that come with studying English as a second language. The language barrier is perhaps the most difficult, which is why many teachers still struggle to correct the pronunciation of some English terms, grammatical faults, and so on.

However, it is still the teacher’s obligation to make an attempt to break down these barriers and establish a positive learning atmosphere for the students.

Learn how you can make money as an ESL teacher by visiting my post ” How to Make Money Teaching ESL”

Who Am I?

My name is Stephen, and I’ve been teaching English as a second language/English as a foreign language for over 15 years and own a school in Vietnam. I am also the proprietor of this website and the author of this post.

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to Teach Grammar to ESL Students.

Teaching Grammar to ESL students.

Teachers frequently shy away from grammar lessons because they are not fun to teach and can be immensely boring for the student.

Before they can do anything, the students must sit silently and listen to a lecture on the present perfect, present simple, past participle, or whatever grammatical topic you are addressing.

For a variety of reasons, it can be difficult. Lessons can be tedious. It’s possible that the grammar is too difficult for the students. Or they become bored and lose focus.

As a result, the teacher may become overwhelmed when attempting to present and explain all of the complicated rules.

How do we overcome this and make it a bit more fun and understandable?

Continue reading to learn a few tips about teaching ESL grammar classes.

Some Tips On Teaching ESL Grammar.

Let’s have a look at how to organize and deliver a good and pleasant grammar class.

We’ll walk you through a step-by-step teaching procedure that will fully engage your pupils in the lesson and ensure that they comprehend the rules without the need for lengthy, confusing explanations. And have a bit of fun at the same time.

1. Learn the rules yourself first.

If you grew up in an English-speaking household, you most likely picked up on grammar principles without even realizing it. While this makes you a natural speaker of the language, it might cause some difficulties while teaching it.

It is claimed that it is impossible to properly teach something that you do not understand yourself.

To put it another way, who would you choose as your teacher? Someone who knows what they’re talking about, or someone who is just pretending to know what they’re talking about?

2. Traditional approaches to teaching Grammar.

When it comes to teaching grammar, there are two main approaches that have been traditionally used. The two approaches are the deductive and inductive learning approaches.

Depending on your ESL student’s background, teaching inductively may be far more effective than teaching deductively.

Inductive learning.

The bottom-up method is another name for inductive learning. This strategy is widely used by teachers to help students especially those without recent educational backgrounds, such as adult learners, to learn more quickly.

To apply it, you teach grammar through a discovery process, in which students learn how the rules work through a series of tasks.

Deductive Learning.

The more traditional teaching method is when the teacher first explains the particular rules that govern each aspect of the grammar lesson then the students practice or do exercises.

Or, to put it another way, the teacher first explains the rules, after which he or she gives lessons based on those rules.

Although the deductive method is tried and tested, it is arguably less successful. Take the time to experiment with both and see what happens.

You can learn more at Udemy about teaching grammar.

3. Mix it up.

Create your own way of teaching Grammar by mixing both approaches and then adding your own unique touch.

For younger learners, you could use the inductive method and incorporate it in a TPR ( Total Physical Response ) style of teaching. Think outside the box and be creative in your approach to teaching grammar.

But first and foremost before you walk into the classroom prepare a lesson plan.

4. Do a Lesson Plan.

Far too many first-time ESL instructors enter the classroom without properly planning their lessons. Simply speaking the language does not guarantee that you can teach “off the cuff”.

Proper planning will allow you to avoid a lot of bad situations such as giving an explanation “off the cuff”, only to find out it is wrong.

The English language is complicated, and many rules include more exceptions than we would prefer. You don’t want to be caught off guard by one of those exceptions while speaking in front of the class.

Planning allows you to lay out the direction of your class ahead of time, including any relevant examples, ensuring that you have a flawless path for your students to follow. Let us go to the classroom.

5. Do a Warm-Up Activity.

Start your lesson by getting students engaged by playing a topic-relevant game.

For example, you can read out an article and ask your students how many times did you say the word “the”. ( You can also say pronouns or any point you wish the students to focus on )

You will quickly find them listening intently. You will probably need to read the ( short ) article 2 or 3 times.

Then ask them to give you the answer, you can turn this into a competitive game if you wish.

Most students will be wrong, but watch while they scour the text looking for the word “the”. You can also do it with punctuation. How many full stops, commas, etc. Now you have their attention, make the most of it.

6. Keep it Real.

Present the grammar in a way that has meaning and relevance, the students can start to understand what the structure means and why it’s used if they can relate it to a real-life situation.

Presenting the Grammar.

You could use the same article you used for a warm-up and highlight some examples of the target grammar topic.

Use a sentence containing the grammar items you are teaching and have students put it into their own words. But changing the meaning with their word substitution.

For example, if you’re teaching comparatives and superlatives and the sentence is “He is taller than his brother,” students might practice comparative adjectives by replacing “taller” with “larger,” “shorter,” “fatter,” “smarter,” and so on.

You can also include students’ names to make it more personal, just make sure you do not criticize any students accidentally.

7. Doing the Boring Bits.

Your goal is for students to be able to use the grammar taught after you teach it.

In order to do so, students must be taught the form, meaning, structure, and pronunciation correctly. This is where many teachers begin their lessons.

They believe it is their obligation to provide all of this information to the students in one foul sweep.

If you’re not careful, this stage can quickly devolve into a protracted, teacher-led rant that the kids have trouble following.

 Use a guided discovery process to help your students understand that boring grammar stuff.

Grammar Instruction Using Guided Discovery

Guided discovery is a worksheet or activity that guides pupils through the understanding of a grammar structure.

The beauty of guided discovery is that it encourages students to figure out the rules on their own rather than having the knowledge spoon-fed to them by the teacher.

This means that students will be more engaged, empowered, and invested in the learning process as a result. The following is an example of how a guided discovery works.

Example of Guided Discovery in Teaching irregular Verbs.

Despite the fact that there are only about 180 past tense verbs in modern English, they are the most regularly used verbs.

Almost seventy percent of the time, we use an irregular verb. The implication for grammar instruction is that irregular verbs are an extremely important area to cover.

So, how would I go about doing it?

I would pre-teach the words I was going to use and practice the pronunciation at the start, this should only take 15 minutes.

If it is taking longer you are trying to teach too many things or not explaining them properly. Then review quickly by asking questions.

If only one person doesn’t understand then it is probably that person. But if 50% of your class doesn’t understand it is definitely you.

Which means you have not prepared your lesson properly. Sorry, but true.

8. Introduce the activity.

Now, get the students to practice what they have learned. You can get them to do it individually or some people recommend pairing up your students. I have found by pairing up students they have a lot of fun talking to one another but don’t do much work.

My preference is to get them to work independently and concentrate on their own learning. This is also easier for you to check if they understand by asking them to put their name on the sheet and checking it later.

So what activity or study tool, I hear you say?. If we wanted to teach irregular verbs we could use something like this.

Here is an example of a word cloze activity.

Now get them to practice after completing.

9. Practice the Target English Grammar

Now the students need a chance to practice what they’ve learned. Here are a couple of fun, interactive practice ideas for irregular verbs you can use.

Class Survey.

Get the students to write two or three questions they would like to ask all of their classmates, using irregular verbs.

For example: What did you eat for breakfast. And the answer could be, I ate cereal for breakfast. Etc.

Allow pupils to ask any questions they wish.

As students prepare their questions, keep an eye on them to assist them and fix any problems that arise.

Then tell the kids that they must collect information on the questions they wrote from all of the other pupils.

They should all stand up and mingle, asking and recording questions from other students in the class. Getting them walking around also helps break the monotony.

Comic strip writing

This is a fun exercise, as there will be a variety of answers that may turn out to be hilarious.

Show the original comic and write it on the board. Then teach the target grammar item as above.

After verbally guessing the speech and learning the grammar from the original comic, have students fill in the speech bubbles on their own.

But only using the target grammar to make the content different from the original.

This is more suitable for flyers to intermediate-level students. You can tweak the activity for beginners by getting them to fill in the blanks.

For intermediate students, you can give helping words to guide them in their writing.

And there are many online resources you can use, here is a list of some of my favorites. ” My top 10 ESL Websites”

Conclusion.

So there you have it: some ways for keeping your grammar pupils engaged and motivated.

By adding a variety of activities and resources, you may make grammar more enjoyable for both yourself and your students.

Spend some time gathering your resources, and you’ll be glad you did when you notice a difference in your students’ motivation levels in the classroom.

Your students and the school with which you work will see you as an excellent teacher.

Who Am I?

My name is Stephen, and I’ve been teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) for over 15 years and own my own school. I also place teachers in both private and public schools throughout Vietnam.

I am also the author and owner of this website.

You can check out TET in HCMC on the YouTube link below.

TET 2022

Disclosure

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

What are the Common Problems of ESL Students?

This is about understanding the students feelings in the ESL classroom and it may help you teaching your students more effectively.

Common problems of The ESL student

For a variety of reasons, the English language is regarded as one of the most difficult to master. There are many reasons why English as a second language (ESL) students fail to acquire the language. It can be from the complicated spelling and phrasal verbs to pronunciation and strange grammatical structures.

However, this article is not focused on the technical aspects of teaching, it is more about the students feelings, but it may help in you teaching your students more effectively if you understand their fears and needs.

Things to Keep in Mind

There are several things you can keep in mind as a teacher while planning your classes and one of the most important is to make the learning environment comfortable and stress-free.

Learners will be less likely to become frustrated and more likely to comprehend what you’re teaching them if they are relaxed and having fun for a start. However, there is so much more.

Understanding some of these problems comes some way in helping solve these problems for the student.

Here are some of the problems I have found that students encounter in the classroom and online.

Embarrassment

Learning English can be a daunting task. It’s common to feel self-conscious when practicing, especially in the presence of native English speakers.

These emotions occur when ESL students believe they are unable to effectively express themselves. Things that are ordinarily simple to ask for, such as “may I go to the bathroom,” become considerably more complex when they have to consider each phrase and how to integrate them.

It’s critical to practice as much as possible to assist overcome this fear of embarrassment.

Classroom practice.

The simplest method is to help the student practice in the classroom. I always start the English learning process by teaching basic and easy-to-understand phrases. I will teach things like, “Teacher I want a glass of water”. “Teacher, I want to go to the bathroom”. “Stand up”, “sit down”, “open your book” etc.

With a bit of work upfront not only will it instill confidence in your student, but it will also make it easier for you as the teacher. Once your students gain confidence in their capacity to communicate, they will be able to speak more effectively with others.

Another thing I like to do is say “you are better at speaking English than I am at speaking your language”. A good idea is to get them to teach you some basic words in their language as it shows that you are not scared about making mistakes.

Boredom

Children and adults are frequently exposed to a “new language” in a classroom setting, which can result in an overly structured approach to learning the language.

in my opinion, there are better ways of doing it. There are now lots of different ways to make the learning experience fun and interesting. My ethos is “laugh and learn”

There are a few different teaching styles and techniques you can use in the classroom and online to make sure your students aren’t bored.

Teaching Styles.

The teaching style I follow is TPR or total physical response. In my opinion, it brings a lesson alive and is much more fun for the student. This is a little of what it is about.

Total Physical Response.

T.P.R is a language acquisition method developed by psychology expert, Professor James Asher. TPR uses a combination of language and physical actions to engage students in the language learning process.

Total Physical Response has a lot of benefits, particularly for beginners and young learners.

  • The pairing of movement with language is innately associated with effective learning
  • Students actively use both the left and right sides of their brains
  • It works with both small and large groups
  • It sharpens students’ listening skills
  • Students are not required to speak until they are ready to, therefore creating a “safe zone” that greatly lowers inhibitions and stress
  • Students will appreciate the change of pace and potential for humor.
  • Kinaesthetic learners (who respond well to physical activities) and visual learners (who learn best with visual cues) will get a lot out of TPR.

You can find out more about the other teaching styles in my post, Teaching English Abroad.

Student Topics.

You can start by selecting a topic that your students enjoy. It may be movies, video games, or anything else, and you’ll use it as a springboard to create your own “learning” around it. It’s critical to pick something that the pupils, not you as the teacher, are interested in.

Playing Games.

Bring your classroom alive by playing learning games. Make sure your games are both age-relevant and lesson-relevant. They should not be used as just having fun, there should be some learning intent involved with the game or activity itself.

So use some of the free resources you can find online and integrate them into your teaching, whether online or in the classroom.

Here is a link to my favorite top 10 websites for teaching English, which includes sites for games and other activities.

It also provides additional links to other online and classroom games and activities.

There are also the more traditional games that don’t need extra resources. This can help when you are teaching a lot of classes with many students in each class.

If you teach in Vietnam, class sizes can get up to and above 50 students per class, it can become expensive if you are constantly handing out paper-based activities.

you can play more traditional games like “Hangman” or “Charades” and “Stop the Bus” and so many more. Have a look here to find some more ideas. How to Engage Your Students

Practice.

There’s no shortage of places for people to practice their English, from English coffee clubs to online communities like Facebook and Twitter. Furthermore, they may make a great friend along the way. (But please teach some internet safety rules).

Assign a homework assignment in which your student must join an online group to practice English. They may also be able to provide language exchange lessons. Obviously, this is intended for older students and is not suitable for younger students.

You can also get them to watch a movie with English subtitles in the classroom and then ask them to tell you what is happening.

Or translate a comic book into English so you can understand as well. 8-))

Conclusion.

There are a lot of things that we can do to help our students, we are only limited by our own imagination.

Who Am I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching ESL/ EFL for over 15 years and have my own school in Vietnam. I am also the author of this article and the owner of this website.

You can look at my last YouTube Vlog about TET in Vietnam below.

TET flowers

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

What are the common problems of an ESL Teacher?

So you want to travel and teach English.

Teaching English as a second language is a difficult but rewarding professional path. You must learn to adapt to your students’ demands as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher.

This frequently entails dealing with a wide range of issues in the classroom, many of which are all too typical. A qualified ESL instructor should be able to spot these typical issues and attempt to solve them.

Even a minor change in your teaching methods can help you and your students work in a more productive and relaxed setting.

Put it in Perspective.

Consider the difficulties you’re encountering in your ESL classroom as opportunities to improve as a teacher and as a person.

When you reflect on your time teaching English in a foreign country, the more difficult aspects of the work will fade away, but the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of your pupils will remain.

Here are some problems you will face.

Whether you are teaching online or teaching in the classroom here are some problems you will definitely come across.

Lack of Resources

So, you’re sitting in your classroom in Vietnam, South Korea, or Argentina, staring out at a sea of eager children. You want to make an impression on them with your lesson planning and teaching abilities.

But there’s one minor stumbling block: a scarcity of resources. If you’ve taught before, you’ll be familiar with the fact that you’re only as good a teacher as you are at adapting to your environment.

Use such recyclable resources instead of store-bought craft supplies, and conduct your lessons with chalkboard drawings rather than sophisticated computer applications.

You can also use printouts from online resources, but if you teach a lot of classes and a lot of students, this will get expensive.

Students don’t know what to do.

When teaching English as a second or foreign language, this happens far too frequently. The truth is that it is frequently the fault of the teacher.

Don’t fret if your directions for an assignment result in puzzled looks and whispers among classmates; there is a solution.

It is critical to ensure that your instructions are clear in order to avoid this issue. Make use of body language, and short, brief statements. Speak loudly and clearly.

And use examples. Model the entire action exactly how you want the students to perform it, you can utilize drawings, gestures, and so on. For example, if you want your students to write, mime writing on paper.

Students are bored.

It is frequently the fault of the teacher that class is boring. Fortunately, this issue may be resolved with good planning. Choose a topic for the class that is relevant to the students and one you are confident they will enjoy.

Make sure it’s acceptable for the child’s age and level. Cooking and recipes are not something you can teach a 7-year-old.

Your classes will be more enjoyable by introducing games, regardless of students level or age. This will naturally pique their interest and motivate them.

Also, try to know your students and determine their interests and requirements before planning your lesson.

Lack of student self-assurance

This is a very prevalent issue among ESL students. Many students lack the courage to improve their speaking skills.

When it comes to learning a new language, extroverted pupils may not appear self-conscious, but they can also experience the crippling effects of shame and lack of confidence.

Students’ growth can be impeded if they lack the confidence to take risks and make mistakes.

Asking your kids about their original language is one method to assist them to overcome this.

Allow them to teach you a few words in their native tongue.

Not only will this instill confidence and pride in your kids by allowing them to share a piece of their own language and culture.

It’s also a terrific chance for you to demonstrate to them how to deal with the inevitable blunders that come with speaking a foreign language. Laugh it off and keep trying.

Student Misconduct.

This will happen in every classroom, no matter what. If the entire class is behaving badly, it could be the teacher’s fault, such as a boring subject or poor classroom management.

If it’s just one pupil, you should move quickly to demonstrate who’s in charge. In order to tackle the problem, an ESL instructor must be stern and, if necessary, impose discipline.

Use peer pressure and make the entire class write lines to punish them. They’ll make sure the student doesn’t do it again.

They’ll make sure the student doesn’t do it again. If this behavior continues, you may want to talk to your school support.

However, I have found if you keep the classroom activities fun and interesting you will not have many problems. And once you have set the ground rules the students know how far they can go.

Every now and again you may need to pretend to be angry to bring the class back in line. This is something you will learn in time.

No English in class.

ESL teachers appear to want their students to speak English in the classroom all of the time for some reason. Teachers refuse to acknowledge that an ESL class is a long way from a natural language learning setting. And if the “English Only” notion rears its ugly head, take a deep breath and relax.

Consider the following before getting all worked up because your pupils aren’t fluently conversing in English all of the time in your class. They can certainly make you feel better by explaining a word, and this will inspire students to use English more often.

Using a translated word is also often faster than trying to explain a difficult word or concept, regardless of what you’ve been taught.

Conclusion.

It can be challenging to stay motivated and interested in your class. What’s more difficult is being in charge of keeping pupils interested and motivated. This is, first and foremost, an ESL teacher’s task.

To be an excellent ESL teacher, you must not only instruct but also motivate and encourage your students. The purpose is to motivate pupils to want to learn, speak, read, write, and understand English.

Who Am I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching ESL/ EFL for over 15 years and have my own school in Vietnam. I am also the author of this article and the owner of this website.

You can look at my school below, before opening, after being locked down because of Covid sanctions.

My School

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to use Gamification in the Classroom.

Make your classroom fun with gamification

What is Gamification?

Gamification is the process of turning a classroom and normal activities into a game. It is a basic concept that uses a practical, applied, and hands-on approach to learning to increase student engagement, modify views and attitudes, and develop abilities.

It necessitates imagination, teamwork, and fun. There are a variety of ways to include games and gameplay in the classroom to increase learning and deepen student knowledge.

Why Use Gamification?

‘Gamification of learning may help you generate dynamic, instructional, and entertaining content regardless of your audience or topic matter.’ It’s not meant to transform work into a game, but it does tap into the psychology that motivates people to engage.

One of the main advantages of gamification is that it makes learning more interesting and instructive, owing to its interactivity. Role-playing and competitive components offer an immersive element that, when done right, may make learning more enjoyable.

How Gamification Works.

Finding the determination and endurance to complete a challenging assignment might be difficult at times. Gamification encourages people to participate in a process by making it more pleasurable. As a person becomes more involved in a course or project, their favorable feelings toward the experience grow, and they are more willing to engage on their own.

Gamification has grown in popularity in areas like health care and the workplace during the last decade. Gamified learning has also been a popular teaching approach as students embrace technology in the classroom at a greater rate than before.

When employed in schools, however, gamification, like any other method, has advantages and disadvantages.

Gamification Traps to avoid.

When implemented incorrectly, gamification in the classroom can lead to students being driven by prizes but disinterested in the learning process, which is the exact opposite of what is expected. It’s critical to grasp the distinction between internal and extrinsic drive in order to avoid this.

Intrinsic motivation occurs when students love studying for the sake of learning, such as the thrill of grasping a new concept or mastering a new ability. When pupils are motivated by external rewards or penalties, this is known as extrinsic motivation.

By selecting intrinsic rewards as a teacher, you can help students avoid being extrinsically motivated.

Instead of throwing a class party, consider devising prizes that will encourage pupils to build a passion for learning English or any other subject that is being taught.

Ways to Gamify Your Classroom.

How can we re-imagine and accelerate the learning experience by leveraging this pervasive and compelling gaming phenomenon? Here are a few ideas for gamifying your classroom, whether it’s online or in-person, to increase participation, cooperation, and learning.

Adapt old-school games for use in the classroom.

Scavenger hunts, bingo, dice games, hangman, and Scrabble have all been around for a long time and can be used in the classroom. Place vocabulary words on bingo cards and see if students can match the words to the definitions after hearing them.

Students can play Scrabble together in groups by spelling out responses to content-specific questions. Consider a scavenger hunt. If students are online, you may give them a list of items to look for around their house, which they could then present on Zoom or during a Google Meet.

Online games.

Students adore Kahoot!, Quizizz, Quizlet Live, Gimkit, and Blooket, the newest online trivia and games platform. Teachers can use these free platforms to design multiple-choice questions that students can answer on their own devices.

Teachers can also construct content-specific questions to serve as pre-assessments, quizzes, or exit tickets by selecting from the thousands of quizzes already uploaded on these sites.

Breakout EDU also features an online learning collection of digital games, riddles, and ciphers that teach critical thinking.

Kahoot: For both formative and informal quizzes, Kahoot allows instructors to create their own multiple-choice questions. Students were required to participate by answering timed questions and were ranked based on their speed and correctness. It’s available through the Kahoot! app or a web browser.

TEDEd: TEDEd is an online video library with an accompanying app that allows instructors to build interactive video lectures based on their course themes, complete with quizzes, discussion prompts, and other activities.

Gimkit: Gimkit allows instructors to construct their own game shows that students can participate in and answer on their own devices. Students work through question sets at their own pace until they master them, ensuring that they have thoroughly grasped course contents.

Find out more about my favorite online tools here ” Teachers tools to make life easier

Award badges of honor

Badges can be used to recognize mastery and accomplishment. Badges, which go beyond grades because they indicate more than just academic progress, can be used by teachers to recognize student accomplishments and mastery.

Students strive toward earning various badges in order to demonstrate mastery of a subject, standard, or ability. Once students have learned a specific ability, badges can be distributed digitally or displayed in the classroom for all to see.

Battle the boss.

A “boss” is a villain in video games who the hero must beat in order to rescue the day. The same as the monster at the end of each level in the original Super Mario game, which must be defeated before proceeding to the next level.

Teachers can design their own boss battles and quests using questions from any curriculum area on the gamification platform Classcraft. Teachers can also build their own fictional boss by utilizing Google Forms or Google Slides to create boss battles.

Freshworks can help.

Who are Freshworks, and what do they do? They are a company that will assist you in making the move to creating a loyal online following or improving your classroom experience.

Freshworks makes it simple for teachers to delight their pupils. They achieve this by employing a new strategy to designing and delivering cost-effective and user-friendly software-as-a-service.

They design technology that everyone can use, making it simple for you to create a stimulating learning environment in your classroom.

Find out how Freshworks can help you by clicking ” Freshworks for fun“

Conclusion.

Students can fail, conquer, and persevere by using games. They are given a sense of control over their learning.

your students will have influence over the decisions they make, and the more ownership they have, the better.

Instant feedback and little rewards (or large rewards, such as winning) are effective motivators.

If you like the notion of using points and badges to motivate your students, gamified learning might be for you.

However, if you have trouble prioritizing your time when it comes to course development, gamification might not be the best option. The secret to success is to start modestly and give yourself plenty of time to plan.

Are you using gamification in the classroom and is it working for you, let me know.

Check out my other stuff on Vietnam Esl.

Who am I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching EFL/ ESL for over 15 years. I have my own school and I am both the author of this article and the owner of this website.

You can check out my school here, prior to opening, after being closed due to Covid.


Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

“

How to Improve English Speaking Skills | ESL

Improve your students’ English Speaking Skills.

Many students can master the finer parts of English grammar but struggle when it comes to actually converse with native speakers. The only method to improve their speaking fluency is for them to do a lot of listening and then practice speaking.

Remember, listening is the foundation for speaking. And learning and teaching the listening skill is an important component in your students’ success in their ability to speak effectively.

Here are a few pointers on how to improve their English speaking abilities. But first, let us look at how the students feel.

Students concerns.

Why do students frequently cite listening and speaking as their primary concerns? Partly due to the demands of listening and speaking, and partly due to the manner in which speech is frequently taught.

It frequently includes language practice activities (discussions, information-gap tasks, and so on) or is used to drill a specific grammatical point.

Neither teaches real-world interaction patterns. So, how can we prepare students for real-world interaction in the classroom?

Real-Life Dialogue.

Many linguistic and ESL instructors now believe that students acquire a second language by “interacting.” This is best accomplished through communicative language instruction and collaborative learning.

The teaching of communicative language is based on real-life situations that necessitate communication. Students will be able to communicate with each other in the target language if this method is used in ESL classes.

In summary, ESL teachers should develop a classroom climate that promotes oral language through real-life dialogue, authentic activities, and meaningful work. When students work together in groups to achieve a goal or complete a task, this can happen.

Age and Level Relevant.

Before we get into the teaching tips, let us look at the level and age of the student we are teaching. As some ages and levels will not be able or understand some of the following practices.

For the younger learners, you will no doubt be using a book similar to “Family and Friends” This is text-based with a CD or downloadable audio file. They come with “Flashcards” which make the understanding of a new word a lot easier with a visual representation of the word being taught.

Mix it up for the younger learner with games and other material with both online and paper-based resources.

You can find a lot of material to help in my post “Top ten ESL websites“

Once your students are older and have some basic skills on board you can then start using the following classroom tips.

Teaching Tips.

Here are just a few ways you can mix up your lessons to make learning the speaking skill more interesting.

Role-Playing

Role-playing is one approach to getting pupils to speak up. Students act out a range of social scenarios and take on various social roles.

The teacher provides information to the students in role-playing activities, such as who they are and what they believe or feel. You may, for example, have your pupils practice a job application role-play. One is the employer, while the other is the job seeker.

Storytelling

Students can give a quick summary of a narrative or story they heard previously, ( See my post on Listening Skills ) or they can make up their own stories to share with their classmates.

Telling stories encourages creative thinking. It also aids students in expressing ideas in a formalized format. It has a beginning, middle, and end, as well as the characters and setting required to complete the story.

Students can also ask questions or tell jokes. For example, the teacher might invite a few pupils to ask him or her a question or share a joke at the start of each class session.

Telling jokes in a foreign language is very difficult, so reserve this for your more advanced students.

Use Pictures

Use pictures in speaking activities. Give pupils an image and ask them to explain what they see. Students can work in groups for this assignment, with each group receiving a different picture.

Students discuss the image in groups, and then a representative from each group describes the image to the entire class. This activity encourages learners’ originality and inventiveness, as well as their public speaking abilities.

Spot the Difference

Students can work in pairs for this task, and each pair is given two distinct photographs, such as a picture of a bedroom with different items in them. Students work in pairs to discuss the pictures’ similarities and differences. This is also great for teaching prepositions of place. For example, in, on, under, etc. In picture 1 the toys are on the rug, but in picture 2 there are no toys on the rug.

Information Gap

Students are meant to work in pairs on this exercise. One student will have information that the other partner does not, and the two students will share their information.

Reasons for using the “information gap” technique serve a variety of functions, including problem-solving and data collection.

In addition, each partner has a critical role to perform because the task cannot be done unless the partners offer the knowledge that the others require.

This gives everyone the opportunity to speak extensively in the target language. I personally find these activities very effective.

And More.

You can find out more about teaching Speaking skills at ” Teaching English Organization“

Points to remember as a Teacher.

If there are only two things you take away from this article, it would be this.

1. To ensure that your ESL students understand, speak slowly and clearly. Choose words that are less difficult for them to understand. When appropriate, use flashcards or illustrations so that your students may more easily understand the words or phrases being taught. Understanding and learning are enhanced when two or more techniques are used in the classroom.

2. Do not over-correct. If you continually correct their dialogue they will become too scared to talk in the classroom. They will “lose face” if you are teaching in South East Asia. Be aware of the social differences when teaching in a foreign country.

As a teacher, if you constantly correct your students’ you will disrupt the flow of the speech. Whether or not it is a great speech, they will become unmotivated to learn unless you provide positive feedback.

You can critique your students’ speech, but try to do it in a positive way. For example, you could say, ” Wow your speaking has come a long way in the last two months but be careful how you pronounce “said” etc.

Outside the Classroom.

Your pupils want words in order to communicate, and while class time is ideal for learning vocabulary, there are other opportunities for them to improve their speaking abilities outside of the classroom.

They can do so through viewing movies, listening to music, listening to the radio, and listening to podcasts.

They have access to books, periodicals, and blogs as well. They should listen and read for new and interesting idioms, slang terminology, and synonyms.

Then they should jot down this new information and look up anything they don’t understand. After that, they can either bring it to the following class or search it up on their own. This might be turned into a homework assignment.

Tips for the student.

Turn your thoughts into words

Speaking English can be practiced by saying your thoughts aloud or narrating your actions (“I’m washing the clothes, then I’ll make lunch”). You can improve your ability to translate your ideas into spoken words by chatting to yourself. Because no one will hear your blunders, practicing alone is also a low-pressure approach to practice.

Label everything.

Put “post-it notes” around the house with the name of the item you have labeled. For example, you can put a label on a desk with the word “desk” on it. Then you can practice your speaking by saying something like; I am walking to my desk.

Join an English coffee club.

In most countries, you will find like-minded people who wish to communicate in a social real-life situation. By joining a coffee club you will be given the opportunity to speak with native speakers as well as fellow countrymen.

An example of what you can expect can be found in various Facebook groups. You can find an example here. English clubs of Ho Chi Minh City.

Make a recording of yourself.

Most people dread having their voices recorded, but it’s a great method to develop your speaking skills. Hearing yourself on tape reveals things you would not have noticed otherwise.

You might be pleasantly pleased to learn that your speaking abilities are significantly greater than what you previously believed. You can also show your tape to your teacher or a native speaker friend and get feedback from them.

Instead of learning single words, learn sentences.

Speaking phrases rather than individual words is another way to improve your fluency.

Instead of asking, “Hello, how are you ?” use different expressions like “What’s up, buddy?” to spice things up. “How are you today, sir?” or “Hey dude, what’s up?”

When it comes to using informal dialogue, be cautious. Choose a greeting that is appropriate for the situation.

Conclusion.

Overall, remember that using language in conversation is not the same as practicing speaking in the classroom.

Developing the range of skills required to be a “good speaker” necessitates you as a teacher to focus on how your students talk to people and how they deliver it as spoken content.

Who am I?

I am the author and owner of Vietnam ESL. My name is Stephen and I am an EFL teacher who has been living in Vietnam for 15 years and now have my own school.

I also do teacher placements in Vietnam and Thailand. If you want to look at my school click on the YouTube button below.

My school.

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to Improve English Listening Skills for ESL.

The Four English Learning Skills.

When learning a language, there are four abilities that we must master in order to communicate effectively. Listening is usually the first skill learned when learning a new language, followed by speaking, reading, and lastly writing. The four “linguistic skills” are as follows.

  • Listening: People who are learning a new language hear it spoken first.
  • Speaking: At some point, they attempt to repeat what they have heard.
  • Reading: They later see the spoken language symbolically represented in print.
  • Writing: Finally, they write these symbols down on paper.

Today we are going to cover the listening skill and how to help your students learn this skill quicker.

The Listening Skill

There are a few things that make mastering listening difficult. It is not enough to have a vast vocabulary and solid grammar to understand speech and recordings in English.

You must also know how to pronounce English correctly. And that is not enough either, accents and styles of talking bring their own problems.

Each speaker lends their own quirks to the language: their accent, how clearly they speak, and how quickly they talk. Even if you have a high level of English, comprehending a native speaker can be difficult if you have never heard them speak before.

It is not made any easier by the language itself.

There are many terms in English that change significantly in spelling and sound. And then there are some words that sound the same and are spelled the same yet have different meanings and can only be recognized in the context of the whole dialogue. It’s nearly impossible to recognize such words in conversation if you’ve only ever seen them in a book.

How to improve your Students Listening Skills.

If you want to improve your students’ English listening skills, you must utilize a strategy that is most effective for them. Some people study best in a classroom setting, while others prefer to practice alone.

You may develop your students’ English listening skills quickly if you’re in they are in the proper environment with the right tools. Some may like learning in groups and some may like learning alone.

Are you ready to begin? We need to figure out what type of learners your students are first.

Learning Styles.

The following are the three primary types of learning situations:

You’ll need to talk with your students about which option they prefer.

Independent lessons. This entails studying English at their leisure. If they are easily distracted in a classroom, are too busy for a traditional class, or have to move around a lot for work, this may be a good alternative for them. Online lessons work well with this type of student.

The classroom. If they enjoy talking with other students, are uncomfortable alone with an instructor, or have difficulties focusing on their own, this might be the choice for them.

Individual Tuition. If they’re hesitant with other students or find it easier to ask questions of a teacher or discussion partner, these lessons might be for them. Teaching one-on-one presents its own problems, mainly solved by good preparation and good content.

Whatever style of learning your new ESL student prefers, there are ways you can organize lessons for them and boost their listening skills progress.

Tips for students Listening outside the classroom.

Make a schedule for practicing on a regular basis.

For example, aim for a manageable amount of time each day to listen to something in English, such as 15 minutes at lunch, 15 minutes before breakfast, or 15 minutes in the evening

Indulge your passions.

When you’re listening to something that interests you or that you appreciate, you’re more likely to be inspired to learn. If you want to watch movies, that’s OK. But keep in mind that you won’t be able to see the person speaking in an exam.

So nonvisual listening is also an excellent practice option. Short audio news bits are frequently found on podcasts, online radio stations, and foreign news websites. Select the stories that spark your interest.

Practice on a regular basis.

You will hear more if you listen more. Return to a text you’ve already listened to and practice listening for new ideas. If you are studying with a book, this can be a terrific way to listen to the texts. Keep track of new terms and phrases you come across; this will help you improve your reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills.

Subtitles.

Use subtitles for TV programs and films in English. Your learner will pick up a lot of English just by watching or listening to English-language shows or films. Avoid dubbed shows and listen to the original soundtrack instead.

Tips for teaching Listening skills.

When teaching listening skills it is a good idea to pre-plan your lesson well. This is one way I teach English listening skills.

Introduction and Discussion.

Introduces the listening topic’s theme. If your listening topic is food, for example, you may ask your students what their favorite food is and when and where their last restaurant meal was. And, more importantly, did they have a nice time?

Alternatively, if your theme is travel, you may ask students to list five things they take with them when going on holiday. It’s preferable to have students discuss the question with their partner for a few minutes before immediately eliciting some responses from the class.

Pre-Listening Exercise

After that, assign a pre-listening exercise to the students. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Predicting what will happen by providing an image on the topic or outlining the benefits and drawbacks of various options are two of my faves. For example, if the topic is going out to restaurants, what are the benefits and drawbacks, as well as any potential problems?

This will serve as a natural transition into the listening activity.

Listening for the first time.

First, get the pupils to listen for the broader picture. If you utilized a pre-listening exercise, you can have them check to see if their predictions were correct. Give them some basic true or false questions at the end of the first hearing. This will determine whether or not they comprehended what they had just heard.

And it will help you, as the teacher, evaluate your students listening skills.

You can also get the students to paraphrase what they have just heard.

Have students compare answers with a partner and then quickly go over them together. Don’t spend too much time with this because they’ll listen one more time before more discussion.

Listening for the second time.

Give students some more challenging comprehension questions after they have listened again, double-check answers with a partner, and then with the rest of the class.

If required, you can spend a little more time discussing the responses than you did in the previous phase.

Another option is to read the text out loud slowly and have the pupils record what they hear. Remember, this should only be used by people with fair to good writing skills.

Pronunciation

There are always some words that are difficult to pronounce for your students. You will want to focus a little on pronunciation.

Choose the words that your students had problems with pronouncing and write them on the board. A good way to help your students with pronunciation is to break the difficult words down into syllables. For example; Pro/nun/ci/a/tion.

Keep it Fun.

My classroom ethos, whatever level of the student, is Laugh and Learn. Mix up your lesson with some listening games and your students will be only too happy to learn.

One of the best games that involve the students and get them to concentrate on the listening skill lesson is “How many times”

It is very easy and you simply choose one word from the text or script the students will listen to and count the number of times it has been said. After listening you ask the students how many times has the word “the” been said. ( It can be any word ).

Make sure you have counted correctly as it can be embarrassing if you get it wrong. This works best if you have a transcript of the listening exercise.

Sit back and watch them intently read the transcript to win points for their team. Yes, I turn it into a full-on game.

Conclusion.

Remember that the best listening tasks for ESL students are those that are just slightly beyond their level. This is how students improve their listening abilities.

Remember to have fun and enjoy yourself. A fun teacher who assists them with their studying will be well-received by the students.

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching ESL for over 15 years and have my own school. I also place teachers across Vietnam into both private and public schools. I am also the author and owner of this website.

You can check out my school on the YouTube link below.

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

 

The top 10 Websites for new ESL teachers

Teaching ESL.

If you’re new to teaching English, you’ll need to find the greatest teacher materials to help you get started. With the widely available lessons and PowerPoint on the internet, teaching ESL has never been easier.

Teachers can use these ESL websites for assignments, lesson plans, and game ideas. It will halve the time you spend preparing to teach.

Even if you’ve been teaching ESL for a while and have a lot of resources, it’s always a good idea to go back to the basics and revisit the websites that were helpful when you first started.

My top 10 ESL websites.

Lantern Fish/ Boggles World

Many ESL teachers throughout the world consider Lantern Fish to be one of their favorites. I still use it after 15 years in my sector for a variety of reasons. For the busy instructor, it includes a variety of worksheets and lesson plans.

Worksheets on grammar, vocabulary, speaking, reading, listening, writing, and pronunciation are available to download.

You can also create your own worksheets and download or print crossword puzzles and “wordsearches” for those last few minutes in class.

Busy Teacher



BusyTeacher is greatly useful since it saves you hours of preparation time and helps you become a better teacher.

About 17,300 free printable worksheets and lesson plans are available to assist in the teaching of English to children and adults, beginners through to experienced students.

There are sections on vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Almost always, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for here.

MES English

MES-English is a fantastic resource for teachers of young students of all ages and levels.

It provides free online worksheet tools and templates that you can use to create and print customized resources for your classroom.

All of the images from MES can be used to create spelling, reading, and writing tasks, as well as crosswords, wordsearches, flashcards, mazes, and other classroom games.

There are also talking worksheets, worksheets for introducing grammar points, a phonics workbook series, reward certificates, clip art to design your own worksheets, song sheets, nursery rhymes and chanting cards, and vocabulary building worksheets.

iSL Collective

ISL Collective is a global network of language teachers who freely share their own worksheets. The site is designed for all language teachers, whether they work in schools or provide private tutoring.

For teaching English classes, there are over 70,000 ESL, EFL printable worksheets, activities, and exercises.

In addition to English, training resources are available in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.

English Club.

English Club is an all-in-one ESL website that covers all aspects of the language from beginner to intermediate.

They even go up to near-fluent levels, so if you try one of their more complex ESL crosswords, you could find yourself fumbling a little.

From their webpage, English Club offers two options: Teach English for teachers and Learn English for students.

ESL Games Plus.

ESL Games Plus provides learners and teachers with engaging online games. Their learning games are primarily designed to teach ESL to children and teenagers. Grammar, vocabulary, sentences, listening, and pronunciation abilities. And are all taught and practiced through activities.

Students learn English vocabulary, sentence structures, grammar, listening, pronunciation, and phonics by playing educational games.

This website has a large number of ESL activities available online. Memory games, spelling games, interactive board games, hangman games, and many others are examples. They also have games for iPad, iPhone, and Android phones and tablets.

Dream English

Dream English songs are used to teach English to youngsters all around the world.

DreamEnglish has a song for almost everything. He’s a touch odd, but he has a knack for writing songs that are appropriate for children.

He also has fantastic music videos for each tune. If the song contains key language, you can sure he’s included it prominently in the video. This is an excellent location to look for songs that can assist your children to learn English.

There are kindergarten songs, sing-a-longs, flashcards, worksheets, and more.

You can download free mp3s of children’s songs and chants. Lyrics are available on all free song pages.

Merriam Webster Learner Dictionary

This dictionary will provide ESL students and teachers with clear and simple definitions. Simply insert a word into the search box to get a definition and an example phrase. When you’re trying to explain something, no more rambling and trying to explain in a long-winded fashion.

British Council; Learn English Kids.

Learn English Kids is a fantastic resource for both kids and parents. The students will have a variety of learning alternatives, including games to study vocabulary, grammar, writing, spelling, and punctuation in a fun and interactive way.

Worksheets, flashcards, crafts, and coloring pages are also available at Learn English Kids. They provide support to parents, as well as articles on a variety of themes to assist your children, videos on how to use English at home, and face-to-face training.

An excellent resource in whatever Country you work in.

DuoLingo

This free English learning website and app is designed for youngsters aged 13 and up. It’s a fun and interactive approach for older students to improve reading, listening, speaking, and writing abilities.

Duolingo’s lessons are packed with core methods; it tracks your progress, provides feedback when you get an answer wrong, and keeps your child motivated with a lives’ system that requires you to start again if you lose all of your lives’.

My top Websites for teaching online.

Teaching OnLine

For both the teacher and the student, online teaching and learning can be boring. However, with a little forethought and the use of some of the tools accessible, you can go from zero to hero in no time.

Thousands of digital education tools have been created to provide students greater choice and improve the learning experience. These tools encourage collaboration and promote teacher-student communication.

At the same time, both the teacher and the students will find the lessons more engaging.

These resources can be found on several of my favorite online teaching websites. OnLine Teachers Tools.

Conclusion.

ESL websites are fantastic for getting some fresh ideas to help you make your classes exciting and interesting. With a little casual surfing, you can find a variety of worksheets, handouts, entertaining exercises, and interesting activities.

These ESL websites are excellent for both you and your students, whether you’re a rookie ESL teacher or have plenty of experience in the classroom.

I have used these websites personally and still find them a great tool for both the classroom and online. Share these entertaining and educational ESL websites with your students to introduce them to a new method of learning English in class and at home.

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching ESL for over 15 years and have my own school. I also place teachers across Vietnam into both private and public schools. I am also the author and owner of this website.

You can check out my school on the YouTube link below.

My School

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.