Starting as a new English language teacher can seem overwhelming. There are many things for you to think about before, during and after each class. Besides planning lessons, you also need to think about how to manage the classroom and handle different types of students. So, what is some useful new teacher advice to avoid common teaching mistakes? Let’s take a look.
1. Don’t have too many activities and worksheets
As a new teacher, you might think that having lots of activities and worksheets is better. However too much can make the lesson feel rushed and confusing for both you and your students. It’s better to have a few well-planned activities that lead on from each other nicely and can potentially be extended or developed.
- Tip: Prepare some quick and easy warm-up activities that can be used anytime, can be repurposed for different topics and need little preparation. This way, you can fill in extra time without rushing through important parts of your lesson.
- One example might be a quick vocabulary game like Back to the Board, where you divide the class into two groups and have a student from each sit at the front with their backs to the board. Write a word and have the class give definitions or clues to the words for their representative to guess. You can find some more useful examples of warm-up activities here.
2. Don’t worry about not knowing everything
It’s normal for new teachers to worry about not knowing all the answers to questions, but no one knows the answer to everything! What’s important is showing students how to find answers for themselves, and to learn together and from each other.
- Tip: Create a learning environment where students can teach each other and also teach you. This helps them become more independent learners and shows that learning never stops.
- One example might be to have students give a short presentation on a topic they’re passionate about or something they know about which might be surprising to the rest of the class.
3. Don’t rely on too many tech tools
Technology can help with teaching, but using too many tools can be confusing. What’s more, if your technology fails, you don’t want to be left panicking!
- Tip: Start with a few reliable tools and see how they work in your class. Using the same tools regularly helps you feel much more relaxed and comfortable going into your lessons. Remember, you don’t always need high-tech tools to have fun and engaging classes. You can read more about this topic here.
4. Think about classroom management
Managing a classroom can be tough. Whether it’s a noisy group of learners or a group of students who dominate the class, it’s challenging to keep everyone engaged and under control.
- Tip: Set clear rules and routines from the start. Use techniques to get students’ attention and smoothly change activities. Try different strategies to meet the needs of all your students.
- You could try tapping the board and having students stand up. The last student to stand up answers an English question. You could also have a traffic light system, where green means to do the activity and red means to stop. Read more about classroom management here.
5. Take time to reflect and relax
New teachers often spend a lot of free time outside of the classroom preparing for lessons. This can lead to burnout and make it harder to be an effective teacher.
- Tip: Make sure to take time for yourself; reflect on your teaching and relax. Taking care of yourself helps you stay motivated, inspired and ready to handle challenges in the classroom without sacrificing your wellbeing.
Teaching is rewarding, but like any job, it has its challenges. By avoiding these common mistakes, new teachers can create better learning experiences for their students and themselves.
What other teaching mistakes would you mention?
Share your experiences in the comments below!