You have completed your TEFL course, you are searching for or have found a job and you are ready to make TEFL a reality. You are going to experience learning curves on the job, culture shock and make great memories. Teaching will be your anchor wherever you call home, so while you are meeting new people, taking photos and making memories, reflect on how you can become a great English teacher, too.
Contents
- 1 Why Become an English Language Teacher?
- 2 Learning Does Not Stop After You Are Certified
- 3 Plan, Prepare, Praise
- 4 Be Reflective and Journal
- 5 Be Yourself, Not Keep to Yourself
- 6 FAQs
- 6.1 What qualifications do I need to become an English language teacher?
- 6.2 Do I need to be a native English speaker to teach English?
- 6.3 How can I gain practical teaching experience?
- 6.4 What are some effective teaching strategies for English language learners?
- 6.5 How can I incorporate technology in my English language classroom?
- 6.6 Why is cultural awareness important for English language teachers?
- 7 Conclusion
Why Become an English Language Teacher?
Before diving into the specifics of becoming a great English language teacher, let’s explore some of the reasons why this career path is so appealing:
- Make a difference: As an English language teacher, you have the opportunity to help students improve their language skills, opening up new opportunities for them in their personal and professional lives.
- Travel the world: English is a global language and there is a high demand for English teachers in many countries. This means you can potentially teach English abroad, experience new cultures and broaden your horizons.
- Develop transferable skills: Teaching English requires excellent communication, organization and problem-solving skills, which are valuable in many other professions.
- Enjoy job flexibility: English language teaching offers a variety of employment options, from full-time positions in schools to part-time tutoring or online teaching.
Now that we’ve established the benefits of becoming an English language teacher let’s explore the steps you can take to excel in this field.
Learning Does Not Stop After You Are Certified
Great work completing your TEFL course. The learning does not stop once you have a certificate. TEFL is a profession where researchers, scholars, professors and teachers constantly develop new teaching techniques and contribute new research and data regarding language learning. This does not mean you have to read scholarly articles or become an academic. Your TEFL course provided you with a strong foundation for teaching but there is much more to discover.
The best way to become familiar with other teaching methods and techniques and become familiar with language learning theories is to do a simple online search. If you are looking for ways to teach vocabulary, enter “teaching vocabulary” into your preferred search engine and see what comes up. Reading blogs and websites related to TEFL is also useful for getting familiar with terms and finding new ideas to try in your lessons. Your host country has many places to explore and so does the world of TEFL!
Plan, Prepare, Praise
Don’t rely on your English-speaking skills and knowledge of grammar as the foundation for being a great teacher. There was a reason you took a TEFL course and now is the time to apply what you learned to the real classroom setting. A great teacher plans their lesson taking into consideration the level, interests and personality of their class.
Your lessons should have clear objectives and step-by-step procedures to meet the learning objectives. What vocabulary will you teach? Is there a grammar point you need to teach or review? Have you catered to the different levels in your class? Is the topic age, level and culturally appropriate? Are the students engaged in hands-on activities and inquiry-based learning or is the teacher doing most of the talking and explaining? Are you checking comprehension and reviewing as needed or are you rushing through the lesson? Is the lesson worksheet dependent or are students creating and communicating? It’s easy to print a worksheet from the internet, but a great teacher will take the time to create their own materials from time to time. Creating your own materials enables you to control the level, language and content of the materials.
When you teach, are you going through the motions or are you passionate and positive? A great teacher encourages, praises and smiles even when students are not paying attention or participating. You’ll experiment with various classroom management techniques and research ideas on how to achieve more learner engagement. A great teacher is always evolving and applying new ideas to the classroom.
Be Reflective and Journal
Not every lesson you teach will turn out the way you planned. This is not the time to feel disappointed or doubt your skills. Learn from your mistakes. Why did the lesson fail? What did you forget to prepare or consider as you delivered the lesson? Then, modify the lesson and teach it again if possible. Keep a journal to note the things that didn’t work and what you did to improve the lesson. The improvements you made for a previous lesson should be applied to future lessons.
Don’t feel ashamed to talk to fellow teachers. No one is perfect and the fact that you stepped up to ask for advice shows you are taking your job seriously and care about your students’ progress and engagement. Be humble enough to take and apply the advice provided. Your experience will help other teachers one day so appreciate the process of learning and applying.
Be Yourself, Not Keep to Yourself
Many teachers forget to be personable and relatable. Teaching is also about building relationships and creating a comfortable and enjoyable learning environment. Share photos of your family, friends and pets. Share your personal stories if applicable to the lesson. Ask questions about the student’s culture and language. Demonstrate you are interested in learning about your students as people more than you are interested in their ability to utter words in English.
If you have a talent or are skilled at something, bring it into the classroom. Are you good at juggling, magic, art, music, singing or acting? Your talents can become part of the lesson or be used to deliver the lesson in a fun and interesting way. You can write a song to help students remember a grammar point or draw a picture to help them remember a vocabulary word. You are more than an English speaker in the class.
FAQs
What qualifications do I need to become an English language teacher?
Do I need to be a native English speaker to teach English?
How can I gain practical teaching experience?
What are some effective teaching strategies for English language learners?
How can I incorporate technology in my English language classroom?
Why is cultural awareness important for English language teachers?
Conclusion
Becoming a great English language teacher is a journey that requires dedication, lifelong learning and a genuine passion for helping others succeed. By developing a strong foundation in English, acquiring relevant education and training, understanding language acquisition theories and employing effective teaching strategies, you can make a significant impact on your students’ language learning and personal growth.
Remember to integrate technology, promote cultural awareness, engage in professional development, cultivate essential teacher qualities, build positive relationships with students and collaborate with colleagues and the community. As you navigate this rewarding career path, embrace the challenges and opportunities that come with being an English language teacher, knowing that your efforts have the power to transform lives and open doors to a world of possibilities for your students.
