Nevertheless, not only is it possible to teach beginners only through English, but it can also be one of the most rewarding levels to teach.

To help you succeed in setting your learners firmly on the path to increasing proficiency, here are seven tips for teaching English to beginners.

However, a student who has only a few words of English, if any at all, wont appreciate the courtesy of (or even understand), OK, so now what Id like you all to do, if you dont mind, is just to stand up for a moment and come to the front of the class.

Everybody take your book, please.

Stand up. Now, come here, please.

Thank you.

However, it takes a while for ones ear to acclimatise to the sounds of a new language, and not everyone will be so keen; dont pressure students into speaking before theyve had lots of opportunity to listen to you using it (which doesnt mean you should just be rambling on at the front of the classroom with beginners more so than with other levels, you really have to consider what you say and grade your language accordingly).

It might seem boring to go over the same sentences again and again, but it is necessary.

For example, break down Would you like a cup of tea as follows.

What does mean How do you say in English is usually associated with teaching children, but it really helps with adult beginners as well.

No matter how friendly and relaxed you make your classroom atmosphere, learning a new language can still be daunting, especially when you feel youre not completely following whats going on, or that you might be called on to say something that you dont feel ready to say.

Its much better to equip students early on with classroom language that will help them navigate the lesson smoothly.

Furthermore, make sure you check they have understood by asking questions that test their comprehension never ask Do you understand as a) many people are reluctant to let on that they havent understood and will pretend instead that they have; and b) a student may think they have understood when in fact they havent.

After all, even from the very first lessons, from the A in the alphabet and the am of to be, communication is the goal.

The possibility for confusion at this level is much greater than at higher levels, and sometimes even harder to disentangle.

This means that the onus will largely be on you to keep them talking.

Although in many ways the hardest level to teach, it can also be one of the most satisfying.

Seeing your learners go from knowing nothing to knowing a few words to knowing a few sentences and structures to being able to hold rudimentary conversations can be incredibly rewarding, and if they enjoy their initial exposure to the language, and feel confident and inspired to continue, then you will have helped pave the way to their further success.

To read more excellent strategies and tips for teaching English, check out the blog here: eltlearningjourneys.com.

Having taught in England and Spain, he has experience in the public, private and state-assisted sectors and has taught young learners, teens and adults.

Michael is also a teacher for Pearson and BBC Live Classes: online lessons which bring together groups of teenage students from all over the world.

In this post, she explains what critical thinking is and how you can start to.

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Spoken English Doc