If you are one of the many school-leavers who are looking to fund their travelling by teaching English, you have come to the right place, as we explore various ways that you can teach a language. Of course, a lot depends on the environment, where the teaching takes place. With that in mind, here are some of the ways that you can teach English effectively.
Distance Learning
Zoom can be effectively used to teach English; indeed, many native speakers make a living teaching English to Thai and Chinese students via Zoom. Teaching online demands the right props; a whiteboard, webcam and mic are must-haves, while there are some useful features with Zoom, such as a virtual whiteboard and file sharing.
One On One
The most effective way to teach a person how to speak English is one teacher-one student; both can focus on the other and if the course is structured, the student will steadily develop their English language skills. If you would like to become a certified TEFL teacher, you can get a certification for TEFL in Thailand or in your country at a reputable teaching academy, where you will learn how to teach one on one and groups.
Classroom Teaching
This is the traditional method where the teacher stands at the front of the class using the whiteboard, while students look, listen and copy text into their exercise book. This is the format you find when you work in Thailand as an English teacher, with perhaps as many as 50 students per class! Don’t worry, part of the TEFL course deals with teaching classes, so you will be equipped to manage the class.
Paired For Conversation
This is a great way for two students to practice speaking; each has a dialogue and they go through the conversation, while the teacher listens for pronunciation. After a few times, the students swap and repeat the activity, while also learning new vocabulary.
Developing 4 Skills
The 4 skills you need to develop when learning any language are:
- Speaking
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
If the student wishes to focus on one of the above skills, the teacher creates a lesson plan to tailor to that need.
The Importance Of Free Practice
One of the critical processes for speaking is free practice; by that we mean having the opportunity to converse with native English speakers in a natural environment. This allows the student to use the vocabulary they have learned in the classroom and without free practice, development is slow.
Project-Based Learning
Most language schools use project-based learning and the students choose their project topic, while all communication is in English. This is a lot more fun than traditional classroom learning, both for the students and the teacher. If you would like to become a competent English teacher, enroll in a TEFL course and once you are certified, the academy finds you a job teaching English at, for example, a Thai school.
Taking the TEFL course equips you for later life, as this qualification allows you to work as an English teacher wherever you happen to be in the world.
