| Maybe it's the first time you've taught ESL, maybe | | | | than theirs, find out if they need any help settling in. |
| you've been doing it for a while - but every new class | | | | "What I Need", from Zero Prep, is good for this. Even |
| is a new challenge. How do you get it started on the | | | | immigrants who've lived in a new country for months |
| right track? | | | | or years may have questions they're embarrassed to |
| · Find out the basics about your students - | | | | ask anyone but their English teacher. |
| level, names, ages, occupations - if you can. But | | | | · Get materials at several different levels, even |
| remember, all of this can change without notice. | | | | if you're not supposed to be teaching a multi-level |
| · Get familiar with the classroom. You'll have | | | | class. Students do get placed in the wrong level |
| more credibility if you look at ease there. | | | | sometimes, and there may not be a class at the right |
| · Plan something the early birds can do as the | | | | level that they can go to immediately. Instead of |
| rest of the class drifts in. For example, write some | | | | sending them home, or having them hang around |
| simple questions on the board. As the students come | | | | feeling either bored or overwhelmed, give them a |
| in, give them copies of a short reading where they can | | | | activity at their own level. |
| find the answers. | | | | · Have a good reading ready. Besides letting |
| · Plan icebreaker activities, like that old standby | | | | everyone take a break from talking, this will help you |
| "Find Someone Who". There's a chapter full of them in | | | | assess the students' reading skills, vocabulary, and |
| Zero Prep: Ready-to-Go Activities for the Language | | | | interests. |
| Classroom, by Laurel Pollard and Natalie Hess. | | | | · As always, plan more activities than you think |
| · Plan an activity to find out what the students | | | | you'll need. It's a lot better to have something left over |
| want and need to learn. Have them chart where and | | | | for another day than to find yourself standing in front |
| how they use English in a typical day, or draw a map | | | | of the class wondering what to do next. |
| of the places where they use it. This will give you | | | | Follow these guidelines and your first class will be full |
| plenty of themes for future classes. | | | | of promise for the future. Your students will know |
| · If you're teaching in your own country rather | | | | they've come to the right place. |