| If you get a job teaching English as a foreign language, | | | | Most Useful Words |
| most language schools will have some lesson plans | | | | With around half a million words in English, you are not |
| available for you to work from, but typically you will | | | | going to run out of words to teach. Select the ones |
| also have a degree of freedom to choose what you | | | | that are most useful. "Where is the bathroom?" is one |
| teach as well. Keep in mind that most students want | | | | of the most useful phrases you can teach. Beyond |
| some proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and | | | | that and some other obvious basics, tailor the words |
| listening to English. Some people may be more in need | | | | you teach to what your students are likely to need. For |
| of conversational skills, while others may expect to be | | | | example, if many in the class are likely to be applying |
| writing letters for a business. So think of all four | | | | for work in English, thinking about job interviews can |
| aspects as you choose vocabulary to teach. | | | | give you a lot of vocabulary ideas. On the other hand, |
| Here are two tips for how to select vocabulary: Begin | | | | if your class consists mostly of people who are going |
| with easier words. Focus on the most useful words. | | | | to travel on vacation to London, you would emphasize |
| Easier Words | | | | other terms. (And you would teach "Where is the |
| Depending on the level of your students, you may | | | | loo?") |
| have a class where they know virtually no English or | | | | Provide Opportunities for Conversations |
| you may have an intermediate or advanced class. In all | | | | This world is full of people who have studied quite a bit |
| situations, the guideline to begin with easier words is | | | | of English but can barely carry on a conversation. |
| important. They can put words together to make | | | | They may be self-conscious about their pronunciation, |
| themselves understood. Just for example, if you teach | | | | or the words that they recognize easily on a page |
| the names of parts of the body and the word "doctor," | | | | may not come to mind for them to use in speaking. |
| you do not have to teach "cardiologist" or | | | | The antidote for both of these problems is to give |
| "ophthalmologist" -- unless you happen to be teaching | | | | your students plenty of conversation practice time in |
| an advanced course for medical professionals! | | | | class. |