How to Make TEFL Lessons More Effective & Successful
- 1). Ask your students why they want to learn the English language. Designing an effective and successful TEFL lesson plan starts with understanding the needs of your students and formulating class activities that prepare them to use the English language in the ways they desire. For example, some students want to learn English so that they can speak the language while traveling. These students will require basic language skills such for greeting people, ordering food and asking for directions, while students needing to know English for business purposes must gain advanced speaking skills to explain complex projects. Use your students' feedback to make a list of topics you will teach.
- 2). Survey your students to learn their preferred methods of learning. Everyone learns differently and there is no one way to properly teach a subject. For instance, some students find reading a textbook and lectures to be helpful, while other students prefer more practical assignments, such as reading an English newspaper or watching an English speaking film. Arrange your lesson plans with your students' preferences in mind, mixing the ways you teach English so as to accommodate all of your students, making sure that all of the lessons are simple. Teaching topics that are relevant to your students' needs, and in a way they can easily digest, ensures an effective lesson plan.
- 3). Require your students to speak English in class. When teaching a foreign language, it is critical that students be required to practice their language skills in class when asking and answering questions. For many students, this practice is how they work out any problem areas they are having difficulty understanding. Incorporate activities, such as debates and role playing (e.g., setting up a pretend restaurant), into your curriculum that put students in the position they will be at the end of the class. Initially, students may feel they do not know enough English to begin conversing, but over time they will begin to feel more confident as their skills grow.
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