ESL Teaching: 10 Demo Tips

If you prefer listening or watching instead of reading, please click the link above!

Disclaimer:

My experience with ESL teaching has been in South Korea and Japan. So do keep in mind this list is not the end-all-be-all for all ESL demonstrations (if any), in the world!

Find the topics below and more in the playlist here

• Interview Questions Part I
• Interview Questions Part II
• Questions You Should Ask
• 10 Prepping (Preparation) Tips
• 10 Card Games

1. Mistakes while demoing

• Don't aim for not making mistakes.
• This will instead make you more likely to make a mistake because that is your focus.
• Focus, on making your demo a fun and effective lesson for learners.
• Tweaking the curricular requirements is okay (in a demo), as long as you have the gist down while teaching with confidence and energy.
• Recovery: brain freeze, if you forget a step etc. Don't try to look at any notes. FYI, for many companies, they don't allow you to have notes while teaching. If you end up in a company like that, just move on to the next step instead of trying to figure out what you missed by checking.
• Now, now some mistakes are unforgivable. Don't be dropping any F-bombs. And I have never witnessed it myself. But I've heard people tell me it has happened, and they were fired on the spot.

2. Confidence

• It's honestly about how confident you are.
• And, I am super confident in front of kids. Their kids, duh.
• But it's different with demos and adults pretending to be kids.
• A lack of confidence in front of adults doesn't mean it'll be the same in front of actual students.
• This for me came with time, I've gotten much better. But it's still a bit of a weakness.
• It is what it is, try your best if you're like me! It gets better.

3. Teaching Skills

• It would help if you follow the requirements of the curriculum of the demo.
• But what you bring to the table, energy, effectiveness, fun, and organization is far more important.
• Note on organization: like starting with an ABC song first thing, instead of a Hello song or any other warm-up song

4. Props

• Are always impressive for demos for offline or online teaching
• Especially with games (hangman isn't it)

5. TPR (Total Physical Response)

• Communicating with your whole body
• Gestures are key!
• Talk and move at the same time

6. Energy

• Loud voice
• Excited for mundane questions, "How's the weather?"
• With young children, pretend it's a long-lost friend or family member you're seeing after a long while asking them anything
• Ensure that your energy is age and level-appropriate

7. Smile

• This is quite self-explanatory
• Have a happy demeanor
• Even if you're having a bad day, don't let it show on the outside with students.

8. Songs

• Nursery rhymes!
• Singing in a demo is impressive
• I avoid it as much as possible unless necessary.

9. Speed

• How quickly you speak can make or break a demo!
• They might have good speaking skills, but that doesn't mean their still used to your speaking speed or have the best listening comprehension. Ease them into it, bit by bit.
• This also includes the kind of vocabulary or phrases you use
• Phrase: I say "Make a line" instead of "Get in a line"
• Vocabulary: "Phone" instead of telephone"

10. Speaking Correctly and Simply

• Keep it clear and concise.
• The point is, it took me a bit to realize that just as "No" is a complete sentence, so are other words.
• Using one or two words as responses or instructions is absolutely fine.
• Homework check instead of everyone take out your homework. The taking-out part is already implied.
• ABC song instead of let's do the so and so song. Getting in front of the poster is an established fact.
• I could keep going, but hopefully, you get the gist!

Note

The good news is, with these steps, I'll say you will have an 80-90% success rate. The bad news is, you just can't win with some interviewees or trainers.

I hope these tips help you with any future teaching endeavors.

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Bye For Now! ^^