Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Start at the beginning
• Part 2 of 3: Best practices
• Part 3 of 3: Making learning English a fun activity
• Tips

Teaching English to beginners is a challenge for everyone. Regardless of your background or experience, you will always encounter new challenges when teaching English to non-native speakers. As with other topics, each person learns in a different way. The difficulties also depend on the native language of the student. Nevertheless, with a little knowledge and continuous learning, you can acquire the necessary skills as an English for beginners teacher.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Start at the beginning

1. Start with the alphabet and numbers. One of the first things to learn is the alphabet and numbers. By learning the alphabet and numbers, you create the basis for all other things that the students will learn.
   • Have your students learn the alphabet in parts. You can start from "a" to "m". This way they can learn the entire alphabet at their own pace. You have to motivate your students to move forward without forcing them.
   • Ask your students to learn the numbers. Just like with the letters, you can divide this up, depending on their capabilities. You can also make a worksheet on which the students can practice the letters and / or numbers.
   • Use cards with a word starting with each letter of the alphabet to support your lessons.
   • Learning the alphabet can be easier for students whose native language has a Latin or English alphabet.
2. Learn how to pronounce words, especially for difficult sounds. Pronunciation is very important when you teach English. Remember to learn how to pronounce difficult sounds properly, such as:
   • The sound "TH". The sound "TH" (as in the words "theater" or "thing") does not exist in some languages. This makes it difficult for certain students to pronounce this sound (such as students with a Romance or Slavic mother tongue).
   • The "R". The "R" is also often a difficult sound for various reasons. For example, it is sometimes difficult to pronounce depending on the regional dialect.
   • The "L." The "L" sound is especially difficult for Asian students. Make sure you pay extra attention to this.
3. Learn nouns. After you have given the alphabet and numbers, you can proceed to the nouns. This is one of the easiest lessons for students as they can use everything around them to learn.
   • Start with simple objects in the classroom.
   • Then switch to known objects in your town or city, for example: "car", "house", "tree", "road", etc.
   • Then discuss items your students encounter in their daily lives such as food, electronic items, etc.
4. Teach your students what verbs and adjectives are. After the nouns, the verbs and adjectives are discussed. This is a big step in the learning process as your students will learn how to make sentences (verbal or written).
   • Adjectives change or describe other words. Examples of adjectives include: "wild" (wild), "silly" (stupid), "troubled" (worried), and "agreeable" (friendly)
   • Verbs describe an action. Examples of verbs are: "to speak", "to talk", and "pronounce".
   • Make sure your students understand the difference between verbs and adjectives. If they do not agree, they will be unable to form sentences.
   • Spend enough time on irregular verbs. The word "go" is a good example of a difficult English irregular verb. The past tense of "go" is "used to". The past participle of "go" is "gone".
5. Explain the tenses and the articles. After seeing the nouns, verbs, and adjectives, you should teach the tenses and articles to your students. As long as they don't know how to use the correct tense and how articles are used, they can't make sentences.
   • Times indicate when something happens. You have to explain the past tense, the present and the future tense.
   • Articles are adjectives that provide additional information about a noun. These are in English: "a", "an" and "the".
   • Make sure your students have mastered the tenses and articles well, as this is crucial to be able to write good sentences and speak well.
6. Practice simple sentences. You can learn English by practicing and using simple sentences. This is an important step, as there are many sentences students cannot understand just by knowing the literal meaning of the separate words.
   • Tell your students to repeat and use these phrases until they feel comfortable using them in a conversation.
   • Start with a few simple sentences such as "Never mind" (never mind), "No doubt" (no doubt), or "Make-believe".
   • Provide your students with a list of simple phrases to learn and apply.
7. Learn to make simple sentence constructions. After you have learned the alphabet, verbs, etc., you should teach your students how to form simple sentences. This is important as it is the foundation of their writing skills. It also helps them read. Learn the five most important constructs of an English sentence:
   • Subject verb. These sentences consist of a subject followed by a verb. For example: "The dog runs".
   • Subject-verb-direct object. In these sentences, the subject comes first, then the verb and then the direct object. For example: "John eats pizza".
   • Subject-Verb-"Adjective sentences." In these sentences, the subject comes first, then a verb followed by an adjective. For example: "The puppy is cute" (the dog is sweet).
   • Subject-verb-"Adverb sentences". These sentences consist of a subject, a verb and an adverb. For example, "The lion is there".
   • Subject-verb-"Noun sentences". These sentences start with a subject, followed by a verb and a noun. For example: "Emmanuel is a philosopher" (Emmanuel is a philosopher).

Part 2 of 3: Best practices

1. Advise your students to only speak English in class. To speed up the learning process, you can encourage your students to only speak English in class. This obliges students to use and develop their knowledge of English. This also creates opportunities to explain certain aspects of English, so that students are constantly learning.
   • You can apply this tactic when the students have already mastered the basic elements (asking simple questions, greeting each other, the alphabet and the numbers).
   • When a student makes a mistake in English, correct it in a positive way.
   • Always encourage your students.
   • This tactic works well because of the "repeat me" and / or "answer me" approach. For example, you can make a statement or ask a student a question. This gives them the opportunity to answer in English.
   • Don't be a "language police". If a student is struggling for a moment and needs to speak in his or her native language, don't embarrass him / her, just listen to what he / she has to say.
2. Provide both verbal and written instructions. When explaining an activity or giving directions about their homework, group work, or a project, you should always do so orally and in writing. By giving both oral and written instructions, your students will hear the words and also see the words in writing. In this way you help associate words with their pronunciation.
   • Print out the instructions for an exercise and distribute them to the students before explaining the exercise. If you teach online, email the instructions to your students before teaching them on camera.
3. Constantly monitor your students' progress. Regardless of the topic or the exercises, you have to follow them all the time. This allows you to measure their progress and see where they are struggling.
   • If you teach in a classroom, go around the class and ask your students if they are experiencing difficulties.
   • If you teach online, send messages or emails to your students asking if they need help.
   • Be as available as possible when your students are doing class exercises.
4. Use different learning methods. If you teach English to beginners, you will have better results if you use different learning methods. This diversity is important as every student is different and learns in a different way.
   • Speak together.
   • Let them write.
   • Encourage them to read.
   • Use listening exercises.
   • Use all of these learning methods in a proportionate way.
5. Divide the lessons into small parts. If you are teaching beginners or very young students, split the lessons into approximately 10-minute segments. This way you can be sure that their attention is not lost and that they are not overwhelmed.
   • The different parts should not last exactly 10 minutes. You can talk a little about this if it helps you in your lesson.
   • After each mini lesson you start with a completely different lesson. In this way you help students to keep their attention.
   • Change your mini classes daily. Try to integrate as many different lessons as possible to keep the attention of your students alive and to challenge them.

Part 3 of 3: Making learning English a fun activity

1. Use games to illustrate the topic of the day. Playing helps students learn English because it is fun and it obliges them to think in a new and different way.
   • Use a points system to make your students compete with each other.
   • Use a different kind of game if you want your students to work together.
   • You can also use brain training games or guessing games with cards. For example, show a card with a tip and have your students guess the correct answer.
2. Use images to learn language. When learning a language, it is important to use images to reinforce word associations. By using images, your students can better relate ideas to new words they learn in your lessons. Use:
   • Photos and images.
   • Postcards.
   • Videos.
   • Maps.
   • Comics. Comic books are particularly suitable because image and text go together.
3. Encourage the use of targeted language apps on smartphones. A great way to learn English as a second language is to use targeted language apps on mobile phones. These apps will help you master what you have learned in class. Students can use them to practice their skills and learn new phrases and words.
   • Targeted language apps are available on the drivers of a number of smartphones.
   • Numerous free targeted language apps exist, such as Duolingo.
   • Some apps offer the possibility for different students to collaborate in the learning process.
4. Use social media. Social media is a great way to teach English to beginners. It offers students the opportunity to observe the language use and to practice what they have learned.
   • Integrate "the idiom of the day" into your lesson. For this you can choose frequently used idiomatic or everyday expressions and explain them to your students.
   • Have your students follow celebrities on Twitter and translate their tweets.
   • Start a social media group and let students share new texts and explain or translate them into English.

Tips

• Consider taking classes for a week or a month. This will allow you to master the basics and acquire ideas and techniques. These classes are organized all over the world.
• Make sure you have enough material to fill the class.
• Prepare all the materials for your lessons in advance and arrange them in the order you want to use them. Provide additional equipment in case you need it. Sometimes you get through the material faster than expected. Some subjects receive little attention from students, making ten minutes too long.