Sidd S. Shares His First Day as a TESOL Instructor

Even as a native speaker, teaching someone a new language isn’t easy. Prior to starting my TESOL course, I thought, “I’ve got this! How hard can it be to teach English? I’ve been speaking it my entire life!” Well, it’s a lot more challenging than I expected. There are many factors that go into teaching a language course.

Getting to Know Your Students

The first lesson can be nerve-wracking, but the key is to stay calm and confident. I had 12 students on my first day. Some of them knew each other from previous classes, and some didn’t.

I decided to break the ice by asking the students to write down three interesting facts about themselves on a piece of paper. The folded pieces of paper went into a box, and then the students each chose one and read out the facts while the rest of the class guessed who it was about. It worked out great!

This activity served two purposes for me: first, we all got to know each other a little better, and second, it gave me an idea of each student’s level of English. They had a good laugh at some of the more interesting facts — someone said they liked to climb trees! (I mean, who doesn’t?) I included myself in the activity too. I remember my TESOL instructor saying that people love to talk about themselves. It was amazing to see the students get excited and engaged with such a simple activity.

Down to Business

Prior to my first class, I had prepared a detailed lesson plan. My first lesson was on should / have (got) to / must and when to use them correctly. I found that about a third of the class had some idea about the topic, while the rest did not.

One of the things I learned from the TESOL course was how to illustrate meaning in context and use gestures and body language to convey meaning to students. I asked students to use the new vocabulary and grammar by forming sentences on their own and by working in pairs and groups. It was important for me to ensure that the lessons were more student-led than teacher-led. This gets students talking and practicing more — and also keeps them from falling asleep!

Time Management and Adapting to Situations

While planning my lesson, I thought I wouldn’t have enough activities to cover a two-hour session. I soon realized the opposite was true. What I thought would take only five minutes ended up taking twenty. I hadn’t fully accounted for anticipated problems and solutions during the lesson — something my TESOL instructor had always stressed, and she was right.

My students had questions about each new topic. Instead of answering them myself, I used a typical TESOL technique: getting students to figure out the answers on their own or in groups. This facilitated more student talk time and adopted a more inductive approach to teaching.

Students aren’t always used to this type of methodology, so sometimes you do get those deer-in-the-headlights stares. But eventually, they start thinking more about the language for themselves. Additionally, I had to adapt when new students arrived midway through the lesson. I made sure they didn’t sit together but paired them with students who had been there from the start.

Reflections on My First Day

My first day as a TESOL instructor went smoothly — and a lot better than I expected. I felt ready and prepared despite the jitters. Honestly, I’m not sure whether I would’ve been able to pull it off without the TESOL training!

Following basic TESOL techniques, applying a bit of each methodology, and tweaking them to fit my personality made my first lesson a fun and successful experience. Yes, there were some minor hiccups, but I’m proud of my first lesson!

Final word: This is definitely something I see myself doing for a long time to come!

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