Want to be a Successful TEFL Teacher: 5 Awesome Tips to Follow

So, you have finished your TEFL teacher training course from a reputed institution and got a teaching job abroad – congrats! But are you wondering how to be a successful teacher with a zero teaching experience? Fear not. There is always the start of something and your teaching profession too.

And you can also teach English as a foreign language to students successfully, and to do so, all that you have to do is to follow these tips –

1. Know your roles and duties

Teaching English as a second language is a demanding career option. But to be a successful TEFL teacher, you have to familiar with your roles and responsibilities, as well as everyday chores. If you ate not sure about this, talk to the director of the Institution you work at, and consult with the more experienced teachers, who are working there. Get to know the strength of your class, the kinds of students you are going to teach, and everything in between. Talk to your colleagues, read relevant websites, and visit teachers’ forums or blogs so that the possible questions that you have about your roles and responsibilities can be resolved.

2. Follow the rule of 3 P’s

The 3 P’s are plan ahead, prepare, and practice. Plan ahead and write a lesson plan before every lesson. Consider your students, the available time, and the resources that you have at your disposal. Keep this in mind that the more detailed your lesson plan will be, the more effective and less stressed you will feel. And to make your plan more effective, preparation and practice are a must. Prepare yourself through practice. And to do so, go through the major talking points and estimate how long time it will take your students to understand, absorb, and complete certain lessons. Time yourself to make sure your classes never run short or long.

3. Motivate your students

Knowing how to motivate your students is crucial for a good classroom experience. Learning anything new and learning anything as complex as a foreign language, is a process that demands serious time and effort. No matter what is the age of your student (young learners or adult ones), motive him or her to be successful. Know their needs and desires. Why do they want to learn English? What is their goal? Knowing these will help you to keep motivation levels up.

4. Build a supportive learning climate

Students need a safe and supportive learning environment, especially when they are learning a foreign language. They might hesitate to read aloud or speak in English in the classroom as it will expose their weakness to their peers. And it will ultimately prevent them from improving their skills. Being their teacher, it’s your responsibility to create a supportive climate that will help them to learn, practice, and flourish without any fear. When it comes to drawing attention to certain language errors, don’t be too critical or judgmental. Give constructive feedback and encourage them to go further.

5. Perk up your classroom management techniques

Time management and classroom management are two basic notions that you have to familiar with. But how will you apply these to your ESL classroom? Managing your classes and dealing with problems need patience and creativity. The more challenging, engaging, and fun your lessons are, the lesser discipline problem you will face. And for this, include all your learners in the lessons and, take their various learning styles into consideration.

So, know your roles and responsibilities as a TEFL teacher, prepare your lesson plan and practice it, motivate your students when possible, prepare a supportive learning climate, and improve your classroom management techniques to be a successful TEFL teacher. And if you need further support, you can get assistance from the professionals of APTTI; they are always there to help you.

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