Being an English Teacher can be a challenging task. You need to keep the class orderly while making sure your students master the language. These top 10 tips will guide you on how to be the best English teacher you can be, from start to end.
1. Define Learning Objectives
One of the fundamental rules of teaching is to define learning objectives. When planning your lessons think about what you want to cover in that lesson and what your goals at the end of it are. This will help give you clarity in your teaching and ensure that you follow a smooth process throughout the academic year.
Once you have defined these learning objectives, share them with your students so that they too get clarity and can stay motivated to learn. At the beginning of each lesson, you can write down these learning objectives on the board, let them know what you’ll be covering in that particular lesson and what they can hope to achieve by the end of it. At the end of each lesson, reflect on these objectives with your students to see whether they are on the same page and whether you have achieved your goal.
2. Create a Routine
Having a routine in the classroom helps keep the students engaged throughout the lesson. When you plan your lessons, plan a routine that you would like to follow. How you would like to start your class, proceed with it, and then how you want it to end. For example, a good routine would be greeting everyone and then asking each person how they’re feeling that particular day, you can then go on to tell them the learning objectives, start with a lecture than an interactive question-answer session and perhaps end it with a class activity. This helps avoid the lessons from getting too monotonous, as there’s a routine being followed, which is well structured and planned. The students are familiar with and expect this routine, so they feel safe and comfortable in your class.
Make sure that your routine is mixed with breaks and fun interactive sessions or games to keep them interested. You can change the routine from time to time when you feel like it’s getting mundane and the students are losing interest.
3. Give Good Feedback
To help your students do better, give them good and detailed feedback. Observe their progress over a period of time and take notes on the side about their strengths and weaknesses, and then let them know. Millennials need to receive regular feedback to be aware of their progress. They need your constructive criticism and feedback to grow and prosper.
Always start by telling them their strengths, where they performed well, and then go on to tell them the mistakes that they are making and where they need to put in the extra effort. Make sure you do this individually and don’t embarrass them in front of the class.
4. Have a Healthy Learning Environment
To stimulate learning it is important to create a positive healthy environment in the classroom. This includes the way it looks as well as the energy inside it. Make it visually appealing by using your creativity to the max.
The environment in the classroom should be comfortable and friendly, and as an English teacher, it is your job to create and maintain that. Make sure that you are approachable to your students, keep smiling at them, and encouraging them so that they come to you. Get your students to communicate with you and each other, a good way of doing this is by assigning group projects, it helps them use their creativity as well as bond with their peers.
5. Motivate Your Students
For students to do well they need to feel like you as their teacher fully believes in them. Keep giving them words of encouragement that will motivate them to do better. Show them their progress and how far they’ve come. Tell them you are proud of them and know that they are on to big things.
You can even motivate them by giving them rewards, e.g. if they finish reading a book they get candy. These little incentives can go a long way.
6. Use Technology
Don’t be the outdated English teacher that your students can’t relate to. Get with the times and use technology as much as you can in your lessons. This can include a recitation of a poem, presentations to teach your classes instead of a whiteboard, videos, podcasts, songs, and so on. You can even have an online group with your students where they post related stuff, share their work, and have discussions with each other.
7. Let Your Students Speak
One mistake that English teachers often make is doing all the talking and not giving their students a chance to speak. As an English teacher, it is not only your duty to make sure they master the language, but also to instill confidence in them. Instead of giving lectures, make your lessons more interactive to give your students a chance to participate. Make sure that each of them has contributed to the discussion. Get them to read out something to the class or share their stories with everyone.
8. Be Up to Date
As an English teacher, you must stay up to date with the latest teaching methods, content, and technologies. You need to be fully prepared to give the best possible answer when your students ask you a question. For that, you need to know the latest books, writers, teaching apps, methods, etc. Keep learning and staying up to date in your field as it will equip you in your teaching strategies.
9. Classroom Management
For your class to do well you as the teacher need to make sure that there is order in the classroom. Set some ground rules for the students to follow to ensure discipline and a smooth running of classes. Make sure that the students don’t speak out of turn and raise their hands before doing so. If they are failing to adhere to the rules, talk to them nicely, and if that doesn’t work give them small punishments such as extra homework that will enforce them to follow the rules.
10. Be Creative
Last but not the least; be creative and innovative in your teaching strategies. Incorporate games and other fun elements into your lessons, such as competitions and activities that enhance student’s creativity. It is the best way to keep your students engaged in the subject and to keep them working hard.
These top 10 tips for English teachers are everything you need to be the best one out there. We hope it benefits you!