CONGRATULATIONS!

 

A young teacher asked me for advice.  This is what I wrote for her.

 

I hope that it helps you.

 

Les

 

�Do�s� and �Don�ts� for ESOL Teachers --- DO  by Les Douglas                  1                                      

SMILE.  (Look happy, contented, and relaxed.)  If you are happy, your students will be happy and will be receptive Learners.  Your Lesson should be �alive�, with action and interaction.  Activities should be fitting; focussed on Learning; and FUN.  Students WANT to come to your Class because Learning is so ENJOYABLE.

BE CONFIDENT.  (Fear of Failure is the biggest ENEMY, for both Teacher AND Students!)  Would you like to be taught �flying� by a nervous �pilot�?  No!  Lack of confidence breeds lack of confidence!

PROMOTE CONFIDENCE.   (Speak, smile and act with assurance.)  Confidence is infectious!  Confidence breeds confidence!  Give your Students �confidence-building exercises�.    ï¿½I CAN speak English!  I CAN!  I CAN !�  �Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better!�  �I know you can succeed!  The College knows � � The University � � The Government � � EVERYBODY knows you CAN succeed!�

AIM HIGH.  (Set tasks which challenge your students� ability, but which they can achieve.)  Students want to believe that they are in a �top� class, where their ability is recognised, not in a �baby� class.

MOTIVATE YOUR STUDENTS.  (Encourage them to learn.)  Tell them how happy they will be when �you can speak good English�; �receive your Certificate�; �get a job�, etc.  Tell stories about former students who entered the exam room like �prisoners to the scaffold� and came out �dancing on air�.

GIVE LOTS OF PRAISE.  (We all like it when our efforts are recognised.)  Write phrases like �Excellent�, �Good Work!� �Your writing is improving�, on Homeworks which achieve high marks.  For the work which is �not-so good� write: �Good!  Improve your Spelling, please�.  Say to your class, �Excellent � you are a VERY GOOD CLASS!  You are trying very hard.  Thank you!�

MAKE SILLY JOKES.  (The Computer fails you - �Naughty, naughty Computer!�)  A smile makes us relax.  A relaxed brain is a receptive brain.  A tense brain is a closed brain, because it foresees terrible problems!

VARY THE LESSONS.  (Don�t be afraid to change your Lesson Plan or to drop something which isn�t succeeding.)  Try to have Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing all in the same Lesson.  Try to do �different� activities � even impromptu � of about 20 minutes.  Vary the use of Handouts, Whiteboard, PowerPoint, Posters, Books, Dictionaries, Drawings, Maps, Pictures, CD, TV, etc.  Frequently, use Realia (real �things�) impromptu � bag, mobile, file, table, chair, coins, colours, Students, Man, Women, etc.

GIVE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES.  (This needs lots of practice!)  Student: �Teacher, how do you pronounce R-A-T?�  Teacher: Writing on the Whiteboard and Speaking � �Rat!  There are other similar words � At, Bat, Cat, Fat, Gat, Hat, Mat, Nat, Pat, Rat, Sat, Tat, Vat.  Does anyone else know any small words with this pronunciation?  Now Students, everyone, you pronounce those words, please!�
�Teacher, what is Transport?�  �Well, Student � a Car is Transport, and a Lorry, Bus, Taxi, Ambulance.  Students, do you know any other �Transport� words?  Write them on the Whiteboard, please!�

PLAY GAMES.  (Even impromptu games are good.)  A Quiz on Vocabulary: Fruit; Vegetables; Jobs; Professions; Family; Furniture; Food; Drinks; Towns; Likes; Dislikes; Greetings; Verbs; Prepositions; etc.  Whiteboard; vertical line down the middle; Men versus Women; each M/F student in turn says and writes on the Whiteboard; if a Student pauses too long, the other side writes.  Add up the score � FAST and FUN!

INVOLVE EVERYONE.  (Try to involve ALL students ALWAYS.)  They read the Handouts aloud, they read the instructions aloud, they write on the board, they check the Register, they give the answers to questions, and they repeat, repeat, and repeat!  We often learn more from our friends than we do from our teachers.

KEEP IT SIMPLE.  (In some ways, ESOL students are like �babies� with their �Mam�.  They don�t understand what the Teacher is saying to them � so they guess.)  Use short, common, basic words, with simple explanations and questions � �You go Reception?� �Yes? No?�  Use gestures, (thumbs up � good, thumbs down - bad); mime, (drinking, eating, sleeping, writing); pointing, (left, right; this, that); noises with the voice, (miaouw � cat); facial expressions, (happy, sad, angry); drawings � box with four wheels � car; pictures in a Picture Book, etc.  You must think � �How would I get this message across to a baby?� 

INSIST ON REGULAR ATTENDANCE.  (Be VERY strict about this!)  �Attend classes, or you�re out!�

�Do�s� and �Don�ts� for ESOL Teachers --- DON�T  by Les Douglas           2

DON�T WORRY.  (Fear and anxiety are the Great Enemies!)  You are a much better Teacher than you think you are.  University and College Examiners have decided that you are capable of Teaching and have given you a Teaching Qualification.  They are NOT wrong � you are a good, qualified, gifted Teacher!
Be courageous and try new teaching methods!  If your idea fails, only you know about it!  If the idea succeeds, you have earned the right to feel proud of yourself.
Think happy thoughts about yourself, your family and friends.  THEY are the important people in your life.

DON�T TALK TOO MUCH.  (It is the students who need practice, not you!)  Some Teachers feel compelled to talk.  They think: �I teach � you listen!�  You should be seeking every opportunity for the students to participate and to take control of their own learning.  You Point the Way --- They Find the Destination.
Talking too much is a sign of nervousness � �If I close my mouth they will think I know nothing!�
In reality, you are silently saying: �I have loads of information inside me, but I don�t feel the necessity to force it upon my Students.  I trust them to get on with their learning � if they have any questions, they will ask me.�  The silence gives the Students a chance to reflect on your words.  You are also silently saying to them that you trust them, and that you know that they are capable of learning, unaided.

DON�T TRY TO TEACH TOO MUCH.  (Do YOU enjoy being over-worked?)  If you cram too much learning into a Lesson, the Students will resent it.
Always have material available, but only for emergencies.  It is better to finish early and then recapitulate, or ask the Students for their opinion of the Lesson, or play a short Language Game, rather than work right up to �the bell�.  Or you can give them a �treat� and let them go home early.

DON�T BE INFLEXIBLE.  (Lesson Plans are not �carved in stone�.)  Some of the Best Lessons are those that occur because it is not possible to deliver the intended material.  The Teacher must think of an alternative Lesson at a moment�s notice.
These Lessons are �unplanned�, but they are not �unprepared�, because they come from the Teacher�s past knowledge and experience.  The very fact that they are spontaneous makes them absolutely fresh, new, and enjoyable.  When it succeeds, remember that Excellent Lesson, and repeat it in the future!

DON�T WORRY ABOUT PERFECTION.  (We can NEVER achieve perfection.)  Of course, try to do your best, but don�t worry if a Lesson isn�t as good as you expected.  Often, the same Lesson, on another occasion, is absolutely fantastic!  Reflect on why this is so � different students, different room, different day, different attitudes � a dozen good reasons.
Prepare your Lesson Materials well, but get your priorities right.  It is The Message that is important, not The Paper on which it is written.  If The Message is fixed in the Student�s head, you have achieved Success!

DON�T LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE.  (Time is the Enemy.)  It is much better to present Badly-Prepared Teaching-Material superbly, than it is to present Superbly-Prepared Teaching-Material badly.  If you haven�t sufficient time to prepare your material the way you want it � Stop!  Compromise!  Concentrate on delivering a good Lesson with the unfinished material as it is now.  Finish it for �next time�.

DON�T DESTROY YOUR TEACHING RESOURCES.  (Tomorrow is another day.)  Keep your Handouts on Computer file � scan them in, if necessary.  File everything � even �unimportant� items.  Store your Materials.  Eventually, you will have a Treasure Trove of Teaching Resources which you can use, re-use, alter, improve, copy, and make into a superb reservoir of Materials for your future Lessons.

DON�T PANIC.  (We ALL have panic attacks.)  When something goes wrong, try to correct it, but don�t allow it to become a Major Tragedy!  It is not!  Just say something like:  �Well, the Computer isn�t responding.  We�ll leave that for the time being and we�ll move onto something different�.

DON�T DO IT AGAIN.  (Learn from your mistakes.)  If something goes wrong, for which you are responsible, accept the blame.  Don�t make the same mistake again!

DON�T BLAME YOURSELF.  (You are NOT in absolute control.)  If something goes wrong, for which you are NOT responsible, Shrug It Off!  It is not your fault!

 

For the Teacher to give to the Students, here are some Tips on How to Learn English, which I use.

 

I hope that they help you.

 

Les

 

Œ �How to learn English� by � Les Douglas �  

�You Must � �

1.   Be CONFIDENT.  You are NOT too old to learn.  You CAN learn English.  YES, you CAN!

2.   Try to buy a good dictionary in your language and use it often to find new words.  Use it always!

3.   Buy a big A4 notebook and write down all the new words that you want to use and remember.

4.   Discover why you want to learn English, and write all your reasons in your notebook (in your own language).  Read this list often, especially when you are sad.  You will remember why you are trying to learn English.  It will make you work harder and make you try to read and speak better.

5.   RELAX and be HAPPY!  If you are unhappy or nervous in class, you will not learn English easily.

6.   Try to speak as much as possible.  If you speak English often, your confidence will grow and grow.  Every time you speak, your English will get better and better, and you will be happy and more confident.

7.   Always speak first to your teacher or friend.  Say, �Hello!� or �Good morning!  How are you?�  Then you can have a conversation.  Every time, it will become easier and easier to speak first.

8.   Try to speak slowly, with a clear, loud voice, and with your best pronunciation so I can understand you.

9.   When you read at home alone, speak the words out loud.  This is good speaking practice for you.

10. Find a friend to work with, and practise your spoken English often � every day if possible.

11. Discover how you like to learn and how you learn best.  Is this a good way?  Test yourself to check.  If it works, do it that way, (but if it doesn�t, STOP!)  Your learning-method must be good and be permanent.

12. Listen to the English radio or television news every day, and try to understand it.

13. Study regularly at home every day.  15 minutes is good.  30 minutes is better.  1 hour is excellent.

14. If you hear a new word or sentence, LISTEN, WRITE it, SPEAK it, and USE it, AGAIN and AGAIN.

�You Must Not � �

15. Work for a long time without a pause.  You must stop and do something different for 5 or 10 minutes.  Your computer-brain will continue working while you are resting (and having a cup of tea, for example.)

16. Try to go too quickly, because you will not learn properly.  Do try to learn slowly and correctly.

17. Worry if you forget something or make a mistake.  EVERYONE forgets and makes mistakes � even your teacher!  Do remember your mistakes, what they were, and LEARN not to do them again.

18. Worry if you don�t understand the grammar at first.  EVERYONE thinks grammar is difficult!

19. EVER say, �I can�t speak English.�  You CAN SPEAK ENGLISH!  You MUST be CONFIDENT!

20. Stop studying!  If you do, you will forget your English!  You must speak, listen, read & write every day.

 

 

 

 

�Good Methods ��

1.         Attend College regularly, every day if possible.  Do your homework and ask you teacher to mark it.

2.         Learn the words and sentences that are best FOR YOU, for YOUR JOB, for YOUR SITUATION.  Try to learn words that YOU can use.  Do NOT waste time learning words that YOU CAN NOT USE!

3.         Try to find words in English which are the same (or nearly the same) in your language � perhaps hotel, video, taxi � and write a very big list of them in English.  Repeat and try to remember all these words.

4.         Try to learn five new useful words every day, and use them as much as possible in your conversation.  In one month you will have 150 new words.  In one year you will know almost 2,000 new words.

5.         If you hear a new word or sentence that is useful, LISTEN to it very carefully and repeat it correctly.  WRITE it, SPELL it, SPEAK it, and USE it, AGAIN and AGAIN until it is part of your conversation.

6.         If you learn a new word, (�scissors�, for example,) draw a picture " and write scissors underneath.

7.         When you think of a word, (for example, �chocolate�,) close your eyes, SEE it, TOUCH it, SMELL it, OPEN it, HEAR it, TASTE it, EAT it.  REPEAT �chocolate, chocolate, chocolate�.  SPELL it.  USE it.  Do this with all words � door, �I am opening the door�; happy, �My friend is smiling.  He is happy�.  Always do this and you will quickly learn more words.  Use new words again and AGAIN and AGAIN.

8.         Learn a word and learn the names of its �friends�.  For example, work; works; working; worker; workers; work-place; workshop; part-time work; full-time work; My wife works at home; and so on.

9.   Learn a word and learn its opposite.  For example: good - bad; up - down; quickly - slowly; and so on.

10. Learn words in groups � father, mother, son, daughter; knife, fork, spoon; sun, moon, star; etc.

Games To Play (By yourself, or with your friend):

11. At home or in the street, talk to yourself in English (inside your head) and say what you can see: �I see 2 chairs, a sofa and a table�; �This is a red car�; �That is a blue bus�; �Here is Gateshead College�; etc. 

12. Ask questions in English and answer the questions: �How old are you?�; �Where do you live?� etc.

13. How many words beginning with �A���Z� can you remember?  apple, answer, ask; but, bat, ball; etc.

14. Repeat lists of words: �1,2,3�100�; �Monday�Sunday�; �January�December�; �Spring�Winter�.

15. See how many fruits (for example) that you can remember: apple, peach, banana, pear, orange; etc.

16. Repeat with other words: transport/vegetables/clothes/animals/jobs/family/food/drinks/colours; etc.

17. How many verbs do you know?  To go (I go, I went, I have gone); to do; to have; to be; and so on.

18. Think of three different words � cat; banana; helicopter; for example � and try to tell an interesting story for two minutes, in English, which uses the three words.  You must speak for two minutes!

19. Say what you did yesterday � at home, in the supermarket, at College, etc.  Say what you are doing today.  Say what you will do tomorrow.  You must talk for two minutes!

20. When you go to bed, repeat the lesson you have learned today in College, or at home.  Say the new words and sentences out loud.  Repeat them several times.  Give yourself a test, a little examination, to see what you can remember.  Before you sleep, say out loud, �I can speak English, I can speak English, I CAN speak English!�  Then go to sleep.  Your computer-brain will continue working as you sleep!

The only advise I could give you is to be passionate about being a teacher. This profession is very time demanding and it implies a lot of other things, but I have read all of the posts before mine  and I thought you have a lot to think about now. 

Good luck !! 

Well, you could probably start by having a looking at the English that you wrote and try to make it better: