How can you teach English to non-native speakers?

The only way to learn how to speak English is to speak, not matter how much grammar or vocabulary you learn. You must be brave even when you know you are making mistakes when you are speaking. I understand this deeply now because I lived and worked in China. When I was learning Chinese, I didn't speak. I felt people would think I was dumb if I made a mistake, so I didn't speak. Until one day I realized that I am a teacher and I know the key to learning a language is to speak no matter how low you level is. So I started to speak and my Chinese got better and better with each day. I am only about 30% conversational level but it's more than enough to start any conversation in Chinese. If I could do it, anyone can!

During a free trial class with a student, I will start our session with simple questions to warm up the student and get them comfortable with interacting with me. A smile always helps a first-time student to feel welcomed. I will also encourage the student to express themselves despite insecurities they may have with their speaking abilities. Next, I walk the student through a Needs Analysis Assessment in which I assess their abilities in speaking, listening, reading, and grammar.

-After assessing your learners, choose appropriate materials that match the level, goals and needs of your learners -There is no one best way to teach English to non-native speakers. You need to USE A VARIETY OF METHODS and techniques to address the different skills, topics, and objectives of your lessons such as communicative language teaching, task-based learning, project-based learning, or content-based instruction Develop communicative competence to help them communicate effectively in different situations and contexts Encourage your learners to use English outside the classroom by providing them with authentic and meaningful tasks and situations to help them develop their confidence and fluency in using English in real-life situations.

Understanding your students is pivotal in teaching English, especially when instructing adult learners. Conducting a needs analysis is instrumental in gaining insights into the students' specific requirements. Additionally, being aware of their backgrounds and nationalities can aid in addressing language errors effectively, as it provides context for these errors. Familiarity with their language learning preferences is crucial when choosing appropriate materials and teaching methods. For instance, in my CELTA class, students expressed a strong preference for activities that allowed them to engage in extended conversation.

I use a multimodal approach with my students depending on their English-speaking level. A thorough interview process also allows me to hone in on their goals and targeted area of English practice. I then use a variety of resources including English grammar textbooks, Business English textbooks, video content, and customized presentations to meet the student's needs.

Communicative Activities: Engage students in interactive activities that promote communication in English. For example, pair students up and give them a task to complete, such as describing their favorite hobbies to each other or discussing a given topic. This encourages speaking and listening skills. Visual Aids: Utilize visual aids like flashcards, charts, and pictures to support comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. For instance, when teaching vocabulary related to animals, show pictures of different animals and ask students to name them.

One thing I've found to work is start with the basics of grammar, for e.g., sentence structures (Simple Sentences, Compound Sentences, Complex Sentences and Compound-Complex Sentences, with examples) to set the tone for their English journey to begin. Then, give them a book and ask them to read through a chapter, say on Active/Passive Voice, along with home assignments (homework) which should contain some exercises. Follow this up with checking their responses the following day and guide them to not only the correct answers but also make your session(s) an engaging one through having the student(s) participate actively.

El inglés no deja de ser un idioma que se guía a base de reglas gramáticales, así que la parte gramatical es imposible de escapar (recalco esto ya que a la mayoría, incluyéndome a mi en su momento, no nos gusta aprender gramática). Pero también es de vital importancia mantener viva la chispa del alumno para aprender el idioma trayendo mucha variedad de actividades que no sean solo de la gramática, sino también el habla, la escucha, la lectura, etc.

Listen to what your clients want to achieve, listen to what they tell you tare their language problems, listen to their business and professional interests. Design your course appropriately!

I use a mixed approach of learner-centered activities, communicative language teaching, and content-based instruction. My immediate goal is to encourage communication with the student to engage them in the lesson and build their confidence in their English-speaking abilities. Also, I almost always end the class with a brief homework assignment for the student to do their own self-guided practice.

In my teaching experience, I have learned that there is no one method that can work for all groups. We always have to be keenly aware of our learner demographics as well as the settings in which the training is taking place. Are we teaching at a relaxed work retreat? Or, is it in the office boardroom? Are their primary goals, English that they can use while on vacation? Or, for their work performance/promotion? If your students mainly need English for writing emails for work related topics then a tasked-based approach with writing heavily focused on would be most useful to this group. And that's the key work "useful". We should always want our content, structure and strategy for the class to be the most "useful" to our target learner.

Coaching English to non-native speakers involves understanding each learner's unique cognitive style. I adapt to individual needs. Emphasizing immersive communication, I create a supportive environment for learners to actively engage in conversations, breaking language barriers and fostering cultural understanding. We explore the rich cultural nuances of the language, embracing diversity and idiomatic expressions. This holistic approach enriches communication abilities and fosters authentic connections. Regular self-assessment and goal setting help to meet learners' changing needs. My approach combines science and empathy, adapting to learners' neural pathways, fostering confident, culturally aware English speakers.

Teaching and learning strategies differ from group to group, depending on learners’ levels, learning styles, culture, needs, age, etc. It’s a good idea to always start with a warmer/ starter activity to set the scene. Then move on to building up knowledge block by block, using a variety of methods. This includes different skills of speaking and listening, reading, and writing. It is always advised to end a lesson with a Recap activity to give learners a sense of achievement and assess learning at the same time.

Authentic Materials: Introduce authentic materials like songs, videos, and news articles to expose students to real-life English usage. For example, play a popular English song and provide the lyrics for students to listen, sing along, and discuss the meaning of the song. Error Correction: Provide constructive feedback and correct errors gently to help students improve their language accuracy. For instance, when a student says, "I have 10 years old," correct it by saying, "I am 10 years old."

Make sure you teach them not just textbook material, but the phrases and structures that are actually used and will come in handy in real life communication.

One of the most effective ways to become proficient in English (or for that matter, any language) is to think in English (or that language). This thinking only begins to happen when the student(s) uses English in their day-to-day conversational language. An added caveat is to have the students practice Speaking/communicating not only in class (in front of you) but with someone at home/work for at least 30, ideally 60 minutes, a day. When normal conversations begin to happen in English, vocabulary and grammar also begin to become better. Of course, this is a process and will take its own due time, but it is absolutely critical to instill this practice into students.

I cannot imagine any of my lessons without communicating with my students. Sure, sometimes we focus more on me instructing how to use grammatical structures and during reading and listening communicating would make it difficult to understand the text. However, during most of my lessons, I communicate with my student(s) at pretty much every point in the lesson. They learn the language for what it is this way: a means of communication.

communicate with students about their → problems → struggles → their point of view because teaching a non-native English student from level 0 is very tough because of the language barrier expose them to more real-world situations, so they can better adapt. Pronunciations and vocabulary are the main pillars of the English language. help them through this and they will be able to understand 90% of English.

I agree completely with this, the most important aspect of learning a new language is that we need to be able to communicate and understand each other. Non-natives put so much pressure on themselves to be perfect, and I have found that my students always do better in our sessions when I tell them that there is no pressure, and all I want is for us to be able to understand each other.

Integrating culture into our classrooms and developing students' cultural awareness and fluency involves moving beyond just factual knowledgeable items (e.g., food, music) towards a more dynamic view of culture that understands it as the most authentic way to connect students to the broader target language community. To take a more dynamic approach to culture teaching, you can include cultural exchanges with foreigners to gain firsthand exposure, showing an evocative image, film clip or poem, and having students write a descriptive response capturing the individual's perspective. Finally, empathy journaling, where students write journal entries reflecting on cultural similarities/differences studied and how they shape our perspectives.

Developing intercultural competence by integrating culture into the classroom enables learners to better understand the differences between their own culture and the foreign culture and language they are learning. Moreover, in order to develop students’ cultural and language awareness, lessons need to contain more than just a superficial acknowledgment of grammar and its applications but a deeper understanding of the linguistic and cultural adjustment that implies learning language. In that sense, integrating the learners’ own culture may allow them to communicate more effectively as well as to develop autonomy in the learning process and to become more culturally-aware.

What I've found useful is engaging students in discussions about expressing their own culture in English. For example, getting the students to describe how they celebrate a Haldi (turmeric) ceremony can be a great way for them to assimilate their own identity with the English language. It reduces the distance they may feel with the language when they've incorporated English with their local customs.

Teaching learning is an approach of applying strategies to develop knowledge base .There is a wide gap between language acquisition and language application.So it becomes difficult to make students learn about a language which is not their first language.With the technological advancement nevertheless it’s important to learn English to communicate effectively and create an impact in the ever changing scenario and handle technology.So students need to be to enhance their LSRW skills by inculcating reading habits , listening to videos lectures and practicing. So adapting to various ways where students can be involved and develop an interest to learn a foreign language.The communication apprehensions should not widen the learning process.

One of the challenges English teachers face is the need to explain a textbook example that focuses on a specific skill or figure of speech, and they end up explaining a cultural feature of a different country. This process can be time-consuming and might confuse the students, diverting their attention from the skill being illustrated. However, it can provide the students with a new perspective and broaden their horizons. What I sometimes do is add an example from our Lebanese context which always sparks students' interest, especially with a figure of speech like irony, that can be found in many situations in my country and around the world nowadays as well!

For me, the key is competency-based lessons because they emphasize communication, real life scenarios and the teaching of culture. It is also important to be patient and do a lot of repetition, with different types of activities. As mush as possible, keep it fun, also, engaging and interactive, and create an immersive environment when possible, and be supportive and tactful when students make mistakes. The goal is not perfection at first, but communication.

Focus on results. Quick wins to motivate them. Help your students achieve tangible results. If they see results, they feel more motivated. Communication is key in a professional setting, so, focus on creating opportunities and providing them with resources so they can have meaningful quick wins in daily situations. This way, they will improve and gain confidence and as a consequence feel motivated and engaged with their learning process.

This has maybe been the biggest challenge. I've taught many different groups that finding a good way of teaching each of them in particular was a trial and error. However, eventually one small change may lead to the solution to the entire problem. It's about experimenting with different activities until we find the right one for that specific group, and once we find it, we can revolve our lessons around that type of activity.

always experiment till you see great results with 1 method over a long period of time evaluate your methods over different groups of students to see what methods fit best for them Always A/B test everything to small details, and always make your classes interactive take feedback from students on what activities they find most productive and fun

This is great! Everyone is encouraged when they feel they are improving, so giving them ′quick wins′ is a great idea, they will come away from the class feeling more motivated.

Keep It Simple to Start. I use groups of 10 words. Small and simple words. We use the words to make simple sentences orally. Then the students have homework between lessons to gain experience combining words to make personal thoughts relating to each individual's interests. I encourage creativity (a blue cat) because creativity makes exercises more enjoyable and challenging. At the next lesson, feedback on their assignment. And then we repeat the process with ten new words. I also mix in past participles because students want to speak about what happened yesterday.

If possible, consider your students' mother tongue while creating the learning path: for instance, some languages do not have auxiliaries, and speakers of those might need more time to get their heads around certain topics. Knowing that, you'll be able to set more realistic goals and offer some students extra support they need.

Using music is one of the best ways to teach ESL learners. Producing the lyrics, learning the vocabulary, singing to the song, moving to the best. It all makes for memorable lessons.

Teaching English to non-native speakers since 2009 has honed my approach to be both effective and engaging. Key to this is understanding students' cultural backgrounds and proficiency levels. I start by establishing a strong foundational knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, often using real-life scenarios to make lessons relatable. Encouraging regular practice and immersion, such as through conversations, movies, and reading, helps solidify their understanding. It's also crucial to adapt teaching methods to individual learning styles, whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Regular feedback and positive reinforcement boost confidence, while interactive and practical activities keep students motivated and interested.