49 Ways to Make your ESL Speaking Class

Awesome

Twitter: @bolen_jackieWebsite: www.eslspeaking.org

Introduction:Introduction:Your job as an ESL instructor or Your job as an ESL instructor or teacher is very vital to the students. teacher is very vital to the students. English is a difficult language to English is a difficult language to learn. Therefore, each student’s learn. Therefore, each student’s success in speaking fluent English success in speaking fluent English depends on your effective teaching.depends on your effective teaching.

Here are 49 great tips to successfully Here are 49 great tips to successfully teach ESL in class.teach ESL in class.

No. 1 Change Speaking Partners OftenChange Speaking Partners Often

It’s boring to talk to the same person all the It’s boring to talk to the same person all the time! Avoid it as much as possible.time! Avoid it as much as possible.

No. 2 Teach Students How to Ask QuestionTeach Students How to Ask Question

Take some off the Take some off the pressure off pressure off

yourself to always yourself to always be carrying the conversation.be carrying the conversation.

Check out this video:Check out this video:Teaching Students to Ask Questions.Teaching Students to Ask Questions.

((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrhochWfSeE) )

No. 3

Join this Facebook group if you teach Join this Facebook group if you teach preschool kids: ESL/EFL Preschool preschool kids: ESL/EFL Preschool

Teachers.Teachers.

No. 4Big Picture FirstBig Picture First

Give students Give students the big overview the big overview before you get before you get into into the finer points.the finer points.

No. 5Use Role-PlaysUse Role-Plays

They’re fun, They’re fun, student-centered and student-centered and

can help build can help build some confidence some confidence in your students. in your students.

I talk about using role-plays I talk about using role-plays in this short video.in this short video.

httpshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-e0FUoJhZk

No. 6Get this book: Get this book:

39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For Kids (7+)Activities: For Kids (7+)

No. 7Play a Warm-Up GamePlay a Warm-Up Game

How about Just a Minute?How about Just a Minute?

No. 8Give some FeedbackGive some Feedback

Your students will love it Your students will love it that you’re actually that you’re actually

helping them helping them get better at English speaking. get better at English speaking.

Whenever I’ve done surveys, Whenever I’ve done surveys, many of my students many of my students

have listed this as their have listed this as their #1 expectation of me.#1 expectation of me.

No. 9Use the textbookUse the textbook

You don’t always You don’t always need to reinvent need to reinvent the wheel. the wheel. There’s likely There’s likely lots of good stuff lots of good stuff in the book in the book that you can use in class.that you can use in class.

No. 10Play some Board GamesPlay some Board Games

They’re guaranteed to get your students engaged, active and They’re guaranteed to get your students engaged, active and having fun in English class. I talk about board games for ESL having fun in English class. I talk about board games for ESL

students in this short video.students in this short video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w77wZLq0vpY

No. 11Show and TellShow and Tell

It’s not just for kids! Everyone can do it.It’s not just for kids! Everyone can do it.

No. 12Practice Small Talk with Your StudentsPractice Small Talk with Your Students

Here’s my favorite ESL Small Talk ActivityHere’s my favorite ESL Small Talk Activityhttp://eslspeaking.org/small-talk-esl-activity/

No. 13Provide a demonstration of the Provide a demonstration of the

languagelanguage

Students learn best by Students learn best by seeing and then doing.seeing and then doing.

No. 14Join this Facebook group: Join this Facebook group:

Resources for English TeachersResources for English Teachers

No. 15Make Instructions ClearMake Instructions Clear

Use ICQs (instruction checking questions).Use ICQs (instruction checking questions).

No. 16Focus on Communication Focus on Communication

If students can get If students can get their message across their message across and be understood, and be understood, they’ve accomplished they’ve accomplished something.something.

No. 17

Get this bookGet this book

No. 18Use CCQ’s Use CCQ’s (concept checking (concept checking

questions)questions)

No. 19Don’t Correct All Errors Don’t Correct All Errors

Students will get Students will get frustrated and you frustrated and you

will too. Instead, will too. Instead, focus on those focus on those

that involve that involve the target language the target language

for that lesson.for that lesson.

No. 20Follow me on: Follow me on: 

@Bolen_Jackie

No. 21Focus on Fluency as well as AccuracyFocus on Fluency as well as Accuracy

Have some activities Have some activities where the goal where the goal

is to simply speak is to simply speak quickly and not quickly and not worry too much worry too much

about making mistakes.about making mistakes.

No. 22Correct Errors as a ClassCorrect Errors as a Class

Instead of singling Instead of singling someone out, someone out, you can say you can say at the end at the end of an activity, of an activity, ““I heard someone I heard someone say XYZ, but say XYZ, but it should have it should have been ABC.”been ABC.”

No. 23Use SurveysUse Surveys

They are one of the best ways to get your They are one of the best ways to get your students up out of their seats and talking to students up out of their seats and talking to

their classmates.their classmates.

No. 24Praise LiberallyPraise Liberally

Students respond Students respond well to well to positive positive reinforcement.reinforcement.

No. 25Follow this board on Pinterest: Follow this board on Pinterest: 

https://www.pinterest.com/jackiebkorea/https://www.pinterest.com/jackiebkorea/teaching-esl/teaching-esl/

No. 26Make a Lesson PlanMake a Lesson Plan

Use this ESL lesson planning template in this Use this ESL lesson planning template in this site: site: http://eslspeaking.org/esl-lesson-planning-template/

No. 27Have your Students do a PresentationHave your Students do a Presentation

Fun for you, useful for the students. Fun for you, useful for the students. (For presentation project Ideas: (For presentation project Ideas:

http://eslspeaking.org/presentation-projects/) )

No. 28Play CharadesPlay Charades

((http://eslspeaking.org/charades-esl-game/))

It’s a classic one for a reason!It’s a classic one for a reason!

No. 29Get this book:Get this book:

It’s available on Amazon!It’s available on Amazon!

No. 30Use FlashcardsUse Flashcards

For kids, For kids, fflashcards are pure gold in terms lashcards are pure gold in terms of what you can do with them.of what you can do with them.

((http://eslspeaking.org/esl-speaking-game-for-kids/))

No. 31Incorporate listening and reading into Incorporate listening and reading into

your classyour class

It’s all tied together andIt’s all tied together and you can’t really you can’t really

become fluent become fluent in speaking without in speaking without

a grounding in the a grounding in the other stuff.other stuff.

No. 32Give Students Thinking TimeGive Students Thinking Time

It’ll make that discussion time even It’ll make that discussion time even better.better.

No. 33Rock-Scissor-Paper Rock-Scissor-Paper

Kids love it and you can also turn it into Kids love it and you can also turn it into a fun ESL Speaking Activity.a fun ESL Speaking Activity.

((http://eslspeaking.org/rock-scissor-paper-esl-game/) )

No. 34Help Students Get to Know Each Help Students Get to Know Each

OtherOther

Use the “My World” introduction activity.Use the “My World” introduction activity.(http://eslspeaking.org/my-world-esl-speaking-activity/) (http://eslspeaking.org/my-world-esl-speaking-activity/)

No. 35Encourage RespectEncourage Respect

When you’re talking, everyone is listening. When you’re talking, everyone is listening. Same with another student.Same with another student.

No. 36Encourage StudentsEncourage Students

It’s hard It’s hard to speak in to speak in

English! Praise English! Praise even small efforts.even small efforts.

No. 37Attend a ConferenceAttend a Conference

Learn a few new tips and tricks from Learn a few new tips and tricks from experienced teachers.experienced teachers.

No. 38Do the CELTADo the CELTA

Learn how to teach so you can feel more Learn how to teach so you can feel more confident in the classroom.confident in the classroom.

No. 39Read How to Teach SpeakingRead How to Teach Speaking

By Jeremy Harmer, it’s a classic for those By Jeremy Harmer, it’s a classic for those new to teaching ESL.new to teaching ESL.

(http://eslspeaking.org/how-to-teach-speaking/)(http://eslspeaking.org/how-to-teach-speaking/)

No. 40Use Toilet Paper in Your ClassUse Toilet Paper in Your Class  

Click to know HOW:Click to know HOW:http://eslspeaking.org/ice-breaker-speaking-activity/ http://eslspeaking.org/ice-breaker-speaking-activity/

No. 41Teach your Students about Relative Teach your Students about Relative

ClausesClauses

Here’s a fun game you can play to practice Here’s a fun game you can play to practice them them (http://eslspeaking.org/relative-clause-speaking-activity/) (http://eslspeaking.org/relative-clause-speaking-activity/)

No. 42Learn a Language YourselfLearn a Language Yourself

Remember what Remember what it’s like to it’s like to be in the be in the student’s shoes.student’s shoes.

No. 43Like ESL Speaking on FacebookLike ESL Speaking on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/eslspeakinghttps://www.facebook.com/eslspeaking

All kinds of ideas for your ESL speaking All kinds of ideas for your ESL speaking classes.classes.

No. 44Maintain a Positive AtmosphereMaintain a Positive Atmosphere

Don’t let students Don’t let students make fun of make fun of

other students other students for their poor for their poor

English ability English ability in your class.in your class.

No. 45Make it Student-DirectedMake it Student-Directed

Let them have a say in the topics you Let them have a say in the topics you study.study.

No. 46Smaller Groups and Pairs is BestSmaller Groups and Pairs is Best

Maximize student talking time by generally Maximize student talking time by generally avoiding discussions with the entire class.avoiding discussions with the entire class.

No. 47Teach Formal and Informal Teach Formal and Informal

SpeakingSpeaking

Students will need to know both, Students will need to know both, depending on the circumstance so depending on the circumstance so

point this out, if relevant.point this out, if relevant.

No. 48Don’t InterruptDon’t Interrupt

If students are If students are doing an activity doing an activity

with a small group with a small group or partner, or partner,

just observe just observe but don’t get involved but don’t get involved

in the conversation.in the conversation.

No. 49Draw a PictureDraw a Picture

It’s a classicIt’s a classic  ESL speaking activity ESL speaking activity http://eslspeaking.org/draw-a-picture/ http://eslspeaking.org/draw-a-picture/

These are just 49 of the many ways to make your ESL Speaking Class more interesting, not to mention awesome! You might find them a lot and overwhelming but there is just one thing that I would like you to remember: Make your teaching a 2-way street—speak and listen to one another.

ConclusionConclusion

Twitter: @bolen_jackieTwitter: @bolen_jackieWebsite: www.eslspeaking.org Website: www.eslspeaking.org