June on the TEFL Times has been set aside for a series of articles from Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator and writer for TEFL Tips.

As teachers it can be frustrating to teach beginners, everything seems to go painstakingly slow. But think how difficult it would be for you to learn a completely different language. Below are some tips to help you out when teaching beginners.

● Explain things again and again. Most people aren’t going to grasp a concept on the first try. Be patient and be prepared to explain it again, but in a different manner.

● Provide lots of review activities. Try reviewing a little bit each day. Also allow for different situations in order to practise what was learnt. Think of different grouping, such as individual, pairs, small groups, and whole class.

● Be patient and don’t pressure students. While some students are ready to make mistakes and start talking, others are perfectionist who want to make sure they can say something perfectly before they say it.

● Give students more time. Wait and then wait some more. Don’t worry if you have to wait 30 seconds or a minute to have someone respond. It’s not because they’re not interested. It’s simply because they’re thinking of how to say it.

● Give homework. It sounds bad, but if you give homework, the students will open their books and be forced to review what they’ve learnt in class. The majority of students won’t open their books unless they have to.

● Forget the slang. Learn to speak properly and enunciate your words. Say something and stop, don’t keep rephrasing what you’ve said. It will only confuse your students.

● Give compliments. Let your students know that they are doing well. Have them save their past work so that they can see the progress they’ve made.

● Make learning fun. Let’s face it, most of us would rather do something fun than boring, so apply this concept to your classes. There are plenty of websites and material out there to make your class a blast.

● Use technology. There are websites that allow students to practise their English online. From games to online tests, there’s loads to choose from. Try assigning an online test or game for homework and you’ll see that most of your students will do it.

● Enroll in a language course. This is the best way to empathize with your students. You’ll know how they feel if you feel the same way. You’ll understand that learning a language requires a lot of time and effort.

About the author

Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa is the creator and writer for TEFL Tips, The LA Job List, and The Ultimate Peru List. She enjoys answering people’s questions about TEFLing and Peru.