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In unit 19 I have enjoyed learning about the skills of teaching that are required for different groups of students. As an inexperienced teacher, the idea of teaching beginners can be daunting as there are a few different levels that the student can come under. An absolute beginner : these students gave nil English. False beginner : these students may have studied English but not retained the language and they may not be able to speak some simple sentences. Young beginners : they may require a little more motivation as it may not be their decision to learn English. However they seem to pick up the language far easier than adults. There are many skills to learn on how to teach these students ie: Give them simple but clear instructions. Be sensitive to their needs. Be as visual as possible with pictures, videos,DVDs. Make sure the lessons are not too fast paced. Use English and not their language. Go over the lessons repeatedly. Homework is important for the students but keep it within reasonable levels. Remember that it takes special skill and psychology to teach beginners. Teaching children is very rewarding as they have the ability to take in the lesson a lit more easily due to their curiosity. It is important to use a slower and more pronounced delivery of speech. Use lots of repetition for the students. Use a higher pitch and exaggerate the sounds of words as children enjoy that and stay engaged. Their attention span is a lot shorter so it is important the lesson time briefer and use a lot of different activities with them ie: short stories, quizzes, personal history, listening to tapes and music. Pronunciation using drilling techniques. Recording the student and replaying back. Come down to the students level by sitting or squat beside them. Drawing and colouring and getting them to label their work in English. Praising children in a positive way encourages them to do better. Smiley's and stickers are good to use for good work and rewards for behavior. Children have high energy levels and I have learnt how to channel this energy in a positive way in the classroom. By giving students little assistant jobs, having a group leader for the lesson can help children who crave attention. Praising them for things they do well instills confidence in the child. Don't have favourites. Always be fair to each and every child by treating each one the same. It is important to make yourself as the teacher familiar with the codes of conduct at the institution where you are teaching. I have also learnt about the role of teaching English to business people. Knowledge of the business can be useful but is not a prerequisite to teaching . The clients can vary in ages and their learning experience. They can often be tired as the class may be in the evening after work. Therefore it is important to make sure the lesson isn't too challenging for them. Sometimes a conversation class is needed instead. Attendance may be sporadic due to time constraints or other factors that arise at work or home. A needs analysis is important with the clients to plan the course and get an idea of their level. Having a needs negotiation session is a great idea as it helps the client to state what English they need for their work and future. They can all discuss openly in the classroom their common needs. Be considerate of the different people whom you are teaching as there could be workers,secretaries and bosses all in the same class. Remember the group dynamics, very important.
