New teachers, understandably, want to know 'What should I do in my first class?'.Here's some simple advice that will ensure you walk in confident your lesson is going to work. Your students will have a great time. They'll leave happy, looking forward to your next class. The secret is having activities ready to go that get students talking to other students.(The big mistake is to go in and talk, hoping you can engage students with...

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So as not to overwhelm you, here's part 2 of the previous blog... •    Be prepared for questionsThe key is not simply to describe your personal qualities, but rather show how you can provide students at the school with what they need.Why do you want to teach here?Again, show your knowledge of the school. Explain why the particular type of teaching interests you. Describe (genuine) positive comments you've heard regarding the school's educational quality. Mention...

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You've made it to the interview - congratulations!Interviews vary greatly in the TEFL world. They can be anything from a quick chat with the person who does the scheduling, to a formal interview before a panel of senior teachers. However, whatever the situation, a few pointers will help make the experience a success. •    Be enthusiasticA positive attitude is likely to be more important than technical expertise. Schools are looking for a teacher who'll enthuse...

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There's a handful of issues that TEFL teachers raise again and again. They're certainly problems I faced when I was starting out in the classroom.•    Why won't my students talk?•    Why do my students seem unmotivated?•    Why doesn't the class understand what to do?•    What if I run out of materials?Happily, there are some pretty simple techniques you can use to solve them. I wish someone had told me about them before I started teaching!1....

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Language quiz (1 = moderately easy, 2 = tricky, 3 = hard) What's the difference between 'skinny', 'slim' and 'thin' (to describe a person)? (1) What's the difference between 'very' and 'too'? (1) Why is this weird: 'If you don't mind my asking, where's the bus stop?' (2) What's the difference between 'remember to' and 'remember +ing'? (2) What must always come before a singular, countable noun? (3)Roll up, roll up with your answers below!

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  Does the world need TEFL teachers?Yes! Over a billion people worldwide are learning English. There's a need for every conceivable type of TEFL teacher in almost every country, from kindergarten teachers in Korea, to summer camp instructors in Turkey, to Business English teachers in Brazil. Which places have the best jobs?It depends what you're looking for. It is possible to make a decent salary and save money in TEFL, especially in North Asia and...

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  Happily, yes! TEFL is about the only job in the world that allows you to travel almost anywhere, and support yourself at the same time. In most destinations you’ll earn something comparable to a typical local salary – or even higher. You’ll certainly earn enough to be comfortable, if you live as the locals do. If you’re wanting to save money or pay off the mortgage, you’ll have to choose your country carefully. But...

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Most school teachers in the UK or Australia would kill for the students we TEFL teachers are lucky enough to have! That’s not saying all your students will be angels. Some classes will be hard to control (especially if there are 40 or 50 students!). You may have discipline problems. However, don’t let it get you down. Don’t feel negative towards your students – it may be, for example, they just get excited because they’ve...

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Sometimes getting your students to talk in the classroom is like pulling teeth. We want them to talk, we love seeing how they are developing, but we can’t get past the awkward silence stage… Fortunately it doesn’t have to be this way…there are tried and tested solutions that I’d love to share with you now. If your students haven’t had a warm up, chances are that they haven’t even spoken a word of English for...

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People often raise these concerns about TEFL teaching, and I'm happy to say they're completely untrue!And they seem to be invented by people who want to make you less sure about teaching. Understand why they're wrong, so you can go into a classroom full of confidence.1. You need to stand out the front talkingIn fact, the less time you spend out the front talking, the better.Most of your lesson should be students practicing with each...

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