11 Steps to Teaching Confidence in the ESL Classroom
The teacher with no experience or little experience can face issues like fear of teaching, lack of confidence, or empowerment. This can happen to the experienced teacher as well, especially in the situations of changing jobs, type of the group, institution, or topics he/she is accustomed to teaching.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Olena O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
To gain more confidence during your lessons there are few tips and words of advice to bear in mind:
1. The teacher is the center of the lesson.
No lesson can be conducted without a teacher. This means that everything you say to students is important, they have no doubts about the information you deliver to them. So even if you don't feel it, show your confidence and positive attitude.
Also Read: How do I choose a TEFL course?
2. Work on your special 'teacher's' voice and intonation.
Once you start to recognize it, try to practice this intonation outside the school to be able to repeat it during the lesson. This simple tip will allow you to 'perform' as a teacher easily.
3. Find an online or offline course about developing effective presentation skills.
The skills developed for public speaking are universal for many activities when you have to perform in front of the audience. This may include confidence, enthusiasm, friendliness, voice and tone control, maintaining eye contact, body language, delivery of the speech, contact with the audience, control of performance anxiety, and many other skills. Be energetic: use humor, tell stories, and use effective language.
4. Be prepared for the lesson as much as you can, try to organize your material.
This will give you confidence in your knowledge and delivery and will save some time to activate the phase of the ESA lesson when students would have to perform and present their ideas themselves.
Also Read: Two Primary Modes of Learning: Differences Between Young Learners and Adults
5. You can ask your colleagues or any other teachers to share ideas, methods, techniques on how to win students' attention and love.
Attend your colleagues' lessons to gather hints or tips on how to perform during the lesson or deliver information most effectively. Support and empowerment from your environment are very important for gaining confidence.
6. Planning your first lessons, record yourself on video.
This will give you information on how to improve your performance.
7. When you speak, try to engage your students.
This makes you feel less isolated as a speaker and keeps everyone involved with your lesson. Watch for feedback and adapt to it.
Also Read: A Sample ESA Lesson Plan
8. Build a positive rapport with the students.
Learning English can be fun, entertaining, and a motivating activity. Use warmers before the first lessons and try to find out information about the students as much as you can. Make sure they share information about themselves easily with no pressure from you.
9. Don't forget to smile.
10. Remember yourself being a student.
How would you like to improve the lesson, what kind of information delivery and activity would you prefer?
11. Don't forget that you are just a human with your ups and downs, good days, and bad days.
Think of some of your teaching mistakes and failures as a good experience for improving your teaching style.
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