User:Yeganeh Yousefi

How to Teach English As a Second Language to Beginners

Teaching English as a second language for beginners is a challenging task for anyone. No matter what your background, or experience level, you will encounter constant new challenges when teaching English as a second language. Like teaching other subjects, you’ll find that every student learns differently. At the same time, depending on the primary language of each student, you’ll face new challenges unique to that language. However, with some work and knowledge, you’ll be able to gain the skills you need to teach English as a second language to beginners.

1

Start with the alphabet and numbers. One of the first things you should start with is to teach the alphabet and numbers. By teaching the alphabet and numbers, you’ll create a great foundation for everything else that your students will learn.

• Have your students learn the alphabet to a certain point. You can start at "a" and go to "m," if you want. Have your students finish the alphabet at a pace you are both comfortable with. The point is to push your students but to not push them too hard.
• Ask your students to work on numbers. As with letters, start them and stop them depending on their capabilities. Consider creating a worksheet on which students can practice writing letters and/or numbers.
• Use flashcards with a word that begins with each letter of the alphabet to reinforce your lesson.
• Learning the alphabet might be easier to speakers whose native language uses the Latin or English alphabet.

2

Teach pronunciation, especially for difficult sounds. Teaching pronunciation is extremely important when teaching English as a second language. Consider focusing on sounds that are particularly hard for English as a second language students like:

• The "TH." The "TH" (like in "theater" or "thing") does not exist in a number of languages. As a result, it's relatively hard for some ESL students (such as those from Romance or Slavic language backgrounds) to pronounce.
• The "R." The "R" sound is also difficult for many ESL learners for a variety of reason including the fact that it is pronounced differently depending on regional dialects.
• The "L." The "L" sound is another difficult one for ESL learners, especially those from east Asia. Spend extra time on the "L."
• The "H." The "H" sound is difficult for many ESL learners, especially Spanish speakers who are used to the letter being silent. In English, it's usually pronounced, but it may confuse students when it appears in "gh," as in "laugh," or "sh," as in "fish.