Knowing how to teach ESL online to beginners is not as difficult as you might think if you know what you’re doing and relate to your students.
It helps if the students have a basic understanding of how to use a computer but even if they don’t, it can still be done if you take the time to build rapport with the class.
If they trust you and like you, they will learn no matter what method you use. That is, they will learn if they are willing to do the work and put in the time.
If they aren’t willing to do the work and put in the time it takes to learn, then, the opposite is true. In that case, it doesn’t matter how good a teacher you are. They must do their part if they plan to learn.
In this lesson, we will discuss what it takes to develop the rapport that is necessary to make students want to learn and to do what is necessary for them to advance.
Is There A Secret Sauce?
I believe the secret sauce is to use Google Translate or another translator and teach the class how to use it as well.
If you’re dealing with beginning level students, remember, they probably know little, if any English.
They are learning English as a second language (ESL). By using a translator, right off the bat you are providing a bridge to overcome the language barrier. By communicating with them in their language and teaching them to communicate with you in English, even though they don’t know the language, it is the first building block for establishing rapport and trust.
It baffles me that teachers try to teach English in English to people who have little or no grasp of the language.
They need to be able to understand what you’re saying to them and what you’re asking them to do.
By using a translator to help them get started, is the best way I know to do that. However, it’s important that they understand that a translator is to be used like the training wheels when learning to ride a bike.
Ultimately, the idea is to learn to ride a bike, or in this case, learn English. The sooner they can live without a translator the better. But in the beginning, I see it as a vital tool.
Read the lesson I did about how to use Google Translate website.
What Medium Will You Use?
I like to use Zoom. There are others that are similar, such as Google Meets.
I’m aware of YouTube Live but as this is written, I have no experience using it yet, and cannot comment.
For the purpose of this lesson, I will focus on my use of Zoom.
I like everything about Zoom. However, a possible drawback could be that students may have trouble downloading and using it, at least in the beginning.
Assuming eveyone is onboard with whatever medium you choose, the key is to create a sense of community. I’ve found that to be a relatively simple process.
I recommend that some guidelines are in place:
- Everyone remains muted unless speaking
- One person speaks at a time unless otherwise specifically okayed by the teacher
- Use the “raise hand” icon and wait to be called on before unmuting
- Keep camera on
I like being able to break up the class into groups and having them work together in breakout rooms. As the teacher, I can visit each of the rooms.
Another possible drawback is that some students don’t know how to type and may have never used a keyboard. In those cases, I always recommend that those students learn how to type using the free website Typing.com to help them learn how to type.
It’s easy to get the students set up and to show them how it works.
The chat function allows everyone to write their questions and answers so that everyone in the class can see. However, I copy and paste from the chat to a word document and enlarge the font so everyone can see.
There are many tools that make using it to teach and for students to correspond with the teacher and one another. Zoom offers tutorials about how to use the app.
Additionally, I use a class website as a virtual classroom. For example, the website you are on now is my classroom. I have another one as well. This site is still being developed. I’ve been using my other site for several years.
Some use Canvas and other sites and if that works, there’s nothing wrong with that.
I like to use my own website as class central to post all assignments, the Zoom link, and more. I try to keep to a minimum the number of passwords and other login information that students need to keep track of. If everything is accessible in one place, such as on a class website, it simplifies things.
What Activities Do We Do?
I often, if not usually, begin with a page in a picture dictionary that shows several words and terms in English accompanied by pictures. They can translate the English to their language.
As time goes on, I revisit pages in the picture dictionary and I ask the class questions about what’s on the page. I do this to assist me in teaching grammar and vocabulary.
Using the audio function in the translator, they hear how the words/terms are pronounced in English and they are to repeat what they hear. I usually have them do that at least three or four times for each word/term.
From there, they are asked to write at least one complete sentence in English, up to three if they can, about one or more of the words and terms they just learned in the chat.
When they finish writing, I have as many of them as possible read what they wrote as I display their writings on a Word document with enlarged font so everyone can see what’s been written.
We make the corrections in their writings
This usually takes 30-45 minutes.
From there, we generally use the warm-up activity just described to springboard into the day’s lesson that could be a variety of activities.
An English class generally consists of four main elements:
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
- Listening
We supplement those elements with:
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Pronunciation
As you can see from the above, we have already touched on all the elements.
Everything we do beyond that is about deepening and reinforcing their understanding, while introducing new material that further supports what is being learned.
All of the texts and programs we use are available online. We can work together as a class, they can work in groups, individually, or i can assign homework.
Some of those programs:
- Ventures
- Burlington English
- Side by Side
How Do We End Classes?
There are a variety of ways.
I try to allow the last 15-20 minutes of class to end with either a review activity or a game or both.
The most common endings:
- Students interview each other using a list of printed questions that pertain to our lesson that day or week
- Tic Tac Toe
- Four in a Row
- Kahoot
- Quizlet
Whether working with beginners online or in a traditional classroom setting, accomidations need to be made to address the fact that they probably have little or no understanding of English.
Other than that, there aren’t a lot of differences.
Either way, establishing rapport and trust is what’s necessary in order to create a functional community of learning.
To Put In A Nutshell
How to teach ESL to beginners online is not a lot different from teaching in a regular classroom.
Beginning students need extra help in the beginning to be able to understand the teacher. I recommend using a translator.
Using Zoom and a class website is my virtual classroom.
We do a variety of activities within the four elements of an English class and the activites that support those elements.
I like to end classes on a high note by playing a game if possible.
Leave comments and questions in the comments section below and I will promptly reply.
This was a great tutorial on how to teach ESL online to beginners. As an ex-pat for years, and having lived overseas in many places in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, I can attest to the influence that teachers bringing the English language to the masses have, and in a good way.
From another perspective, as someone who has taught college and university level courses for years overseas, under less than ideal circumstances in many cases, I can state that the advice and approach you expand on works and will allow students to excel.
The old days of a classroom, a pointer, chalkboards, and mimeographed worksheets (that smelled so good with the fresh ink barely dry in some cases) are pretty much gone. It is very useful to have teachers such as yourself showing the way in this new age.
I really enjoyed this article, thanks much! It helps to read about what other teachers are doing currently in the real world, As someone doing more and more long-distance teaching, similar to the ESL approach, your tips and advice are useful to me. My students are from all over the globe, and in many cases learning new concepts and tools that require gaining proficiency in English, so what you do is important. It is the foundation for their futures.
Hi Dave. Thanks for your comments. It’s always good to connect with other teachers and to learn how others do what I do.
Cool that you worked in different parts of the world. I’ve thought about doing that and perhaps I will someday.
I think you’re right about the old-fashioned classroom. The internet is here to stay and there are so many resources online, there’s no reason to not take advantage of them. As a teacher, I can set up a classroom wherever I am in the world.
Leave comments and questions here any time. I will promptly reply.
KBob