DICAS PARA PROFESSORES DE INGLÊS
TIPS TO START WITH
Being a teacher requires some extra care that starts with the class preparation and goes on up to the contact with the students and their evaluation.
There are many different ways of delivering a class and many important books can be used as a model to get the best out of it – I would indicate “Teaching by Principles – An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy” by H.Douglas Brown, published by Pearson Longman, a kind of a Bible on the subject.
Even though it's an old issue, the contents are still modern and can help a teacher to focus the student's learning appropriately, through both old-fashioned techniques and the contemporary and technological ones.
However, in order to standardize the teaching methodology and outline some major points, we understand that it’s important for a teacher to observe the tips below.
This report summarizes and stresses these tips to help the teacher improve his teaching techniques.
There are many different ways of delivering a class and many important books can be used as a model to get the best out of it – I would indicate “Teaching by Principles – An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy” by H.Douglas Brown, published by Pearson Longman, a kind of a Bible on the subject.
Even though it's an old issue, the contents are still modern and can help a teacher to focus the student's learning appropriately, through both old-fashioned techniques and the contemporary and technological ones.
However, in order to standardize the teaching methodology and outline some major points, we understand that it’s important for a teacher to observe the tips below.
This report summarizes and stresses these tips to help the teacher improve his teaching techniques.
1. PLANNING THE CLASS
It is mandatory that a class should be prepared in advance. While doing this, the teacher must take into consideration what is the aim of the class or, in other words, what the student is supposed to have learned when the class is over. This should be the teaching target.
The didactic books usually present on their first pages the scope and sequence of the topics for each lesson and give suggestions about class planning. These topics may include useful vocabulary for the subject, grammar points focused on the lesson, pronunciation, reading, writing and speaking aspects.
Therefore, prior to the classes, the teacher should read thoroughly the introduction of the didactic book for the unit to be acquainted with the methodology and follow the instructions about the best way to deliver each particular class.
It is mandatory that a class should be prepared in advance. While doing this, the teacher must take into consideration what is the aim of the class or, in other words, what the student is supposed to have learned when the class is over. This should be the teaching target.
The didactic books usually present on their first pages the scope and sequence of the topics for each lesson and give suggestions about class planning. These topics may include useful vocabulary for the subject, grammar points focused on the lesson, pronunciation, reading, writing and speaking aspects.
Therefore, prior to the classes, the teacher should read thoroughly the introduction of the didactic book for the unit to be acquainted with the methodology and follow the instructions about the best way to deliver each particular class.
Important:
* Remember that at the same time the teacher is planning and preparing a class he is improving his own knowledge.
* Remember to predict what could be the students’ questions about the topic and be prepared to answer.
* An unplanned class may give the students the impression that the teacher is lost and doesn’t know what he is doing. It’s your reputation (and the school’s, in consequence) that is at stake.
* When planning and preparing a class the teacher should trace his own strategies like the use of the board, the use of like pictures, objects, etc. and other resources, including the technological new trends.
2. STARTING THE CLASS
In the first day of class, the teacher must get involved with the students by asking general (not personal) questions and showing a genuine interest in their comments. This practice will make students feel comfortable and start appreciating the teacher.
In the first class for new students, it’s important that the teacher writes his name on the upper side of the board. For the lowest levels, he should also write the date, including the weekday so that the students can practice the English way to tell the dates.
In the first day of class, the teacher must get involved with the students by asking general (not personal) questions and showing a genuine interest in their comments. This practice will make students feel comfortable and start appreciating the teacher.
In the first class for new students, it’s important that the teacher writes his name on the upper side of the board. For the lowest levels, he should also write the date, including the weekday so that the students can practice the English way to tell the dates.
Important:
* The teacher must use a clear and adequately loud tone of voice. For the lowest levels, he must speak slower and articulately, to help students familiarize with his accent and sound of the voice and better understand the "music of the language".
* The teacher must avoid using vocabulary, structure, grammar or verb tenses that are not familiar to the students at their current stage.
* An English class should be developed in an immersion environment. So, even for the lowest levels, the teacher should avoid speaking Portuguese. It´s natural to use Portuguese for specific and special instructions in order to make them clear, but commands ("open your books", "go to the board", "work in pairs", "sit next to him") should be given in English.
3. GIVING THE CLASS
The teacher must have in mind that to work with the contents of the book is more important than just covering its pages.
The teacher must have in mind that to work with the contents of the book is more important than just covering its pages.
He also must have in mind that at the end of the class the students should have learned something new.
Therefore, when beginning a new unit, the teacher should provide an adequate warm up with the students by discussing the lesson topics while the students have their books closed.
Obviously, respecting the level of each group, the teacher must encourage the students to talk in class.
The teacher should explore the pair-work conversation as much as possible and monitor/correct/explain eventual mistakes.
Therefore, when beginning a new unit, the teacher should provide an adequate warm up with the students by discussing the lesson topics while the students have their books closed.
Obviously, respecting the level of each group, the teacher must encourage the students to talk in class.
The teacher should explore the pair-work conversation as much as possible and monitor/correct/explain eventual mistakes.
Important:
* The teacher must make a good use of the board, writing topics, words, expressions or sentences in a neat and orderly way.
* New words or expressions must be written on the board when they show up, and if the teacher has some artistic skill, he can draw or outline on the board simple objects and write their names in English, avoiding translation into Portuguese.
* The teacher should use the art of miming and gesture for the same purpose.
* The teacher should change the pitch of his voice according to the emotion required, having in mind that his place in front of the students is like a stage for the actors.
* The teacher should avoid "giving lectures". He should keep in mind that he is a teacher, not a lecturer. The purpose of a teacher is to teach. The purpose of a lecturer is to make a presentation or clarify and open discussion regarding a given subject. They work for different audiences.
* The teacher must be honest and prepared to tell the students he doesn’t know at the moment something that is being asked, and return with the explanation during the following class.
* The teacher should avoid sitting down during the classes. When he is standing, the teacher can move around and observe the students closely, therefore giving motion to the class. While standing the teacher can make a better use of his voice and gestures.
* The teacher should always wear a happy face and show a genuine disposition to keep the motivation of the group. The motto is "Leave your troubles outside the classroom!"
* The teacher must be honest and prepared to tell the students he doesn’t know at the moment something that is being asked, and return with the explanation during the following class.
* The teacher should avoid sitting down during the classes. When he is standing, the teacher can move around and observe the students closely, therefore giving motion to the class. While standing the teacher can make a better use of his voice and gestures.
* The teacher should always wear a happy face and show a genuine disposition to keep the motivation of the group. The motto is "Leave your troubles outside the classroom!"
4. DEALING WITH STUDENTS
There are many different people and personalities in the same group and the teacher needs to know how to deal with this fact. The teacher has to exert control over the students’ behavior and commitment inside the class. Some students are talkative, others are shy. Some students are flashy, others are discreet. Some students learn easily, others don’t. The teacher must have the talent to give all of them the same attention and care.
There are many different people and personalities in the same group and the teacher needs to know how to deal with this fact. The teacher has to exert control over the students’ behavior and commitment inside the class. Some students are talkative, others are shy. Some students are flashy, others are discreet. Some students learn easily, others don’t. The teacher must have the talent to give all of them the same attention and care.
Important:
* The teacher has to treat each and every student equally.
* The teacher should not allow the “smart” students take over the class.
* The teacher must keep the discipline and the good atmosphere in the classroom.
* The teacher has to move around showing a genuine interest for all students by observing what the student is doing and how it is being done, in order to correct any mistake on the spot.
5. EVALUATING STUDENTS
The teacher must evaluate the student's production on oral communication, writing tasks and written tests results. Evaluating is something difficult because it involves subjective decisions, and the teacher must be fair without being lenient.
The evaluation of a student is not a judge's sentence. It is a tool which works as a feedback to show the student where to improve.
Important:
* For the oral communication, the teacher must encourage students to talk in the classroom and make it clear that mistakes are naturally accepted. The students should follow the practice of "learning by doing". Communication is the target and the teacher should grade the student accordingly.
* For the written performance (dictation, compositions, board exercises, etc.) the teacher must check if the student's message has been received/delivered, even if it contains grammar, structure and/or spelling mistakes. The mistakes must be corrected on the paper and the paper should be returned to the student so that he knows where he went wrong. Students should be graded accordingly. Students that missed doing writing tasks should be given another chance to do it.
* For Written Tests the teacher must be assured that the students fully understood what they are supposed to do by explaining the wording of the questions. Most of the tests evaluation is objective, which makes it easy to print the final grade.
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