As a teacher, you must help your students set off on the right foot from the first class.
You must lay the foundations for a fulfilling and challenging learning experience for all of your students from the beginning.
Students may be anxious in the first class thinking about how to keep up with their classmates, wondering what the new teacher will be like and whether they will do well in the course.
Here are the best 4 things you must do to deal with these worries and fears:
1. Smile
It may seem silly but powerful as well in terms of putting the students at ease and setting the development of student-teacher and student-student rapport in action.
Smiling can also help you and your students to relax.
A smile is the magic stick that can turn your students from some stranger individuals to a united group of friends.
2. Listen To Your Students
This will help you discover what their goals are, what they expect from you and the course, and what they’re worried about or fear of.
This valuable information will help you provide them with better learning and deliver a successful course.
3. Encourage Autonomous Learning
This means that you develop your students’ capabilities of learning outside the classroom and help them to recognize the areas that require further development.
To encourage autonomy, you need to motivate students to explore and learn how to practice the language outside the classroom.
4. Tell Students Where To Start From
Clarifying things from the start is very important. So, it would be very helpful if you tell your students from the first class about what they will learn, how to study for the course and the important points to focus on.
Final Word
The first class is a special day for students and teachers. It is a day full of emotions.
The first impression usually counts, so, as a teacher, it’s necessary to plan for a successful first class that will set a good tone for the rest of the classes of the course.
Having a great first class sets a great tone for future classes and makes the students look forward to your classes.
All you need is a good attitude and following the tips mentioned beforehand.
Treat your first class as a meet-and-get-to-know session rather than a boring tell-instructions lecture.
And be sure to have fun! Enjoy and let your students enjoy, too.
That’s ALL.
Thanks For Reading
Your Next Step & You Won’t Regret It
If you see the content I write is valuable, don’t wait too long or hesitate to subscribe to my ELT Premium Content to read more in-depth articles and get more benefits.
Click Here To Subscribe
EFL teachers, who are already subscribers to my premium content or got one of my ELT Publications have a competitive advantage over their peers as they regularly gain valuable and practical ELT knowledge.
Looking For The Best TEFL Courses?! Your Search is Over!
Start With ITA Now!
The ELT training that you will receive at ITA is invaluable in that you will prepare yourself effectively as an EFL/ESL teacher.
I’m sure you will be amazed by their:
- Countless TEFL courses,
- Course structure,
- Alumni community,
- A high number of practicum hours,
- Customer service,
- Lifetime TEFL job assistance,
- Reviews and credentials.
Start now with ITA to make a difference in your TEFL journey teaching online or abroad.
You can also join my email list not only to be notified of the latest updates on elttguide.com but also to get TWO of my products: Quick-Start Guide To Teaching Listening In The Classroom & Quick-Start Guide To Teaching Grammar In The Classroom For FREE!
Join My Email List Now (It’s FREE)!
Want to Continue Your ELT Professional Development?
I offer various ELT publications on teaching English as a foreign language.
In these publications, I put the gist of my experience in TEFL for +20 years with various learners and in various environments and cultures.
The techniques and tips in these publications are sure-fire teaching methods that worked for me well and they can work for you, as well, FOR SURE.
Go ahead and get a look at these publications to know more about each one of them and the problem & challenge each one focuses on to overcome.
Then, you can get what you have an interest in. It is very easy and cheap. You can afford it and you’ll never regret it if you decide to get one of them, FOR SURE.