10 Prepping Tips For ESL Teachers

I've worked as an ESL teacher in South Korea (4 years) and Japan (9 months), and these preparation strategies have been useful for me across the borders. So maybe they might help you out in your teaching journey in or out of Asia and ESL classes.

If you'd prefer to listen watch the video at the top!

Activities

Look for activities that kids will have fun with. Then modify them to include the learning goal and concepts. I think it's more time-consuming and perhaps even fruitless trying to look for ready-made or pre-made games that fit particular concepts.

Don't Procrastinate

Bills! Bills! Bills! That's the mantra that keeps me from procrastinating, despite it being my natural inclination. I try to prepare and plan out for my classes a month early. In other words, it is December now, and I am already prepared for January. And in January, I will prepare for Febraury. I try to hit 4 weeks, but I have a goal where I have to prepare for at least two weeks. So far, I have been successful and I think it's because I am not worrying about the present month too much. But most importantly, I am really stress-free.

Google Drive

I think Google Drive is a great free resource, and teaching (unlike studying) does not require anything fancy. What I am saying is if I am making a ppt for teachers (aka adults), I'd probably invest in Microsoft Office. But since my audience these days are kids (aka children who are easy to amuse, just be silly), all I need is some funny pictures, colorful backgrounds, and easy-to-read text. The point is, that Google Drive is great for that and more!

PDF

Microsoft documents and iOS pages, sometimes the formatting gets lost in the translation. You can avoid this if you convert everything into PDF. It hasn't given me any issues this far. It's also, imo ofc, easier to print if your device is not set to English which is likely if you come to Asia.

Blueprint The Lesson

Plan out the timing for your lesson. What does a 30-minute lesson look like, what does a 45-minute lesson like, what does a 60-minute lesson look like, and what does a 90-minute? Even if your school gives you one, soon you will realize no class is always the same, one class may need 2 minutes to clean the other 5-6 minutes. Worse yet some schools may ask you to plan it all.

Let's take 30 minutes for example. Some schools will do this:

• 5 minutes: Greeting
• 2 minutes: Attendance
• 3 minutes: Song
• 8 minutes: Lesson
• 4 minutes: Bookwork
• 10 minutes: Activity

This for me is overwhelming and unhelpful. I tend to make more mistakes with a pre-made schedule like this. The below schedule is my modified version of the above one and helps me better.

Heeta's 30 minutes:

First 10 minutes: Greeting, attendance, song...

Second 10 minutes: Teach the Material (by using activity), bookwork

Last 10 minutes: Review (by using activity), clean up...

And it's okay if you're off by a minute or two. You will always have to cut back time for bad behavior, clean up, settle down, something unexpected, etc. So if the first 10 minutes take you 8 minutes that's okay. If it takes you 12 minutes it's okay. Newbies might have to be more careful with this one. All I can say is if it flows well and kids are enjoying the lesson they probably won't notice. Still, if you're floundering because of undergoing or overgoing time (you finished early and don't know what to do) or you overwent (and forgot some key element).

Creative Block

Generally, I am a creative and independent person. Teachers kind of have to be. But sometimes I have blocks. I don't hesitate to ask for help anymore. I am doing it for the kids.

Notes About Students

Having notes on students helps you make better lessons and helps you be prepared for tough days. Unless you can remember these details at the top of your head.

Local Language

It is very important for me to know what my students are saying. Are they helping each other understand my instructions? Are they bullying each other? Are they saying something to me that is important (i.e. health issues)? Because the truth is my students speak their local language even if they aren't "allowed" to. And as such, I need to be aware. So, I am trying to pick up the basics.

Know Your Curriculum

Obvious enough, I think.

Supplies

Planning for your lessons a month early, I think is a good step. And planning or getting your supplies in line about a week ahead is a good rule of thumb. If I need color paper and we are out, I'd let my bosses know on Friday, so they could have it for me on Monday the following week even if I might be using it on a Wednesday. If I was giving my homeroom student a birthday present on a Friday, I would have purchased it on the weekend instead of waiting until the middle of the week.