Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Dummies

Teaching English as a

Foreign Language

FOR

DUMmIES‰

Teaching English as a

Foreign Language

FOR

DUMmIES‰

by Michelle Maxom

A John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, Publication

Teaching English as a Foreign Language For Dummies®

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About the Author

Michelle Maxom
began teaching part-time in 1997 after doing an intensive Trinity TESOL certifi cate. She later moved to Italy where she furthered her studies in EFL and honed her skills working with students of all ages and from a wide variety of backgrounds. She toured secondary schools and gave seminars in Caribbean literature and Britain’s multi-ethnic culture showing how the English language can open doors and minds. On returning to the UK

she took on the post of Director of Studies at a central London EFL school, bringing it to accreditation by the British Council for the fi rst time and learning how to work behind the scenes in the industry. She has made an instructional fi lm for Thomson ELT and become a specialist in one-to-one courses. Since becoming a freelance teacher/trainer Michelle has delivered work experience programmes for trainee TEFL teachers, taught on intensive TEFL courses in person and tutored those taking distance learning courses.

She is a member of the College of Teachers.

Michelle loves voluntary work, fi nding out about other languages and working at home by the river Thames.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Mrs Keturah Samuels, her children past and present and all my family members who approach life with such faith, courage and grace.

Author’s Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my colleagues and students who responded to this project with such enthusiasm. You truly inspired me.

During my career there have been certain TEFL people who have given me special support. These are the folks at Salisbury School of English, Oxford School Mantova, Avalon School of English and TEFL Training. Thank you for giving me one stepping stone after another while allowing me to be myself inside and outside the classroom.

The input from Wejdan Ismail, Simon Bell and Kathleen Dobie at John Wiley has been invaluable. I certainly could not have written this book without you.

Last but not least, thanks to Mum, Monique and all my dear brothers and sisters for constantly egging me on and for putting up with me.

Publisher’s Acknowledgements

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(www.the5thwave.com)

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Simon Bell

Composition Services

Content Editor:
Jo Theedom

Project Coordinator:
Lynsey Stanford

Acquisitions Editor:
Wejdan Ismail

Layout and Graphics:
Reuben W. Davis,

Christin Swinford

Publishing Assistant:
Jennifer Prytherch

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Susan Moritz

Copy Editor:
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Indexer:
Cheryl Duksta

Technical Editor:
Chris Groves

Production Manager:
Daniel Mersey

Cover Photos:
© avatra images / Alamy

Contents at a Glance

Introduction ................................................................ 1

Part I: Getting Started in TEFL ..................................... 7

Chapter 1: Discovering the Wonderful World of TEFL .................................................. 9

Chapter 2: Looking at What TEFL Teachers Actually Do ............................................ 19

Chapter 3: Examining Courses, Qualifi cations and Jobs ............................................ 31

Part II: Putting Your Lesson Together .......................... 47

Chapter 4: Starting from the Beginning: Planning the Lesson ................................... 49

Chapter 5: Standing in the Spotlight: Presenting to the Class ................................... 67

Chapter 6: Holding the Reins and Letting Them Loose –

Giving Students Practice .............................................................................................. 85

Chapter 7: Giving Correction and Feedback .............................................................. 101

Chapter 8: Being Materialistic! Using Course Books and Other Materials ............. 115

Chapter 9: Who’s The Boss around Here? Managing Your Classroom ................... 125

Part III: Teaching Skills Classes ................................ 137

Chapter 10: Taken as Read: Teaching Reading Lessons ........................................... 139

Chapter 11: Write or Wrong? Teaching Writing Lessons .......................................... 157

Chapter 12: What Accent? Teaching Pronunciation.................................................. 171

Chapter 13: Setting Their Tongues Wagging: Speaking and Discussion ................. 183

Chapter 14: In One Ear, Out the Other: Learning To Listen ..................................... 195

Part IV: The Grammar You Need to Know –

and How to Teach It ................................................. 209

Chapter 15: Stop Press! Student to Deliver Sentence ................................................ 211

Chapter 16: Feeling Tense? Sorting Out Verb Tenses ............................................... 227

Chapter 17: Exploring More Important Verb Structures .......................................... 247

Part V: What Kind of Class Will I Have? .................... 263

Chapter 18: Putting Students to the Test.................................................................... 265

Chapter 19: Getting Specifi c: Teaching Just One Student and Business English ... 275

Chapter 20: Getting Youth on Your Side: Coping with Younger Learners ............. 283

Chapter 21: Making the Grade: Handling Exam Classes ........................................... 299

Chapter 22: Distinguishing Monolingual and Multi-lingual Classes ........................ 317

Part VI: The Part of Tens .......................................... 333

Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Liven Up an English Lesson .............................................. 335

Chapter 24: Ten Great Resources for TEFL Teachers ............................................... 341

Appendix A: Lesson Plan Templates ........................... 349

Appendix B: TEFL Locations around the World............ 355

Index ...................................................................... 363

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................. 1

About This Book .............................................................................................. 1

Conventions Used in This Book ..................................................................... 2

Foolish Assumptions ....................................................................................... 2

How This Book Is Organised ......................................................................... 3

Part I: Getting Started In TEFL .............................................................. 3

Part II: Putting Your Lesson Together ................................................. 3

Part III: How to Teach Skills Classes .................................................... 4

Part IV: The Grammar You Need to Know – and How to Teach It ... 4

Part V: What Kind of Class Will I Have?............................................... 4

Part VI: The Part of Tens ....................................................................... 4

Icons Used in This Book ................................................................................. 5

Where to Go from Here ................................................................................... 5

Part I: Getting Started in TEFL ...................................... 7

Chapter 1: Discovering the Wonderful World of TEFL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Understanding Why English ........................................................................... 9

Looking at the TEFL Marketplace ................................................................ 10

Considering countries – both home and abroad ............................. 10

Changing with the seasons ................................................................. 12

Teaching trends ................................................................................... 13

Getting Out There .......................................................................................... 13