1. Prepare yourself
This preparation should be detailed
a. Decide what you are going to teach
b. Make sure you have the necessary materials – books, tapes, pictures etc.
c. Check the practice details – have you enough copies of a stencil? Does the tape recorder work?
d. If are you going to use machinery, or example, the tape recorder
e. Of particular importance is preparing any textbook material you intend to use
f. The well prepared teacher always has two or three “five-minute filter” items prepared so that if there are a few minute at the end of the class the teacher has something useful and different to fill the gap.
3. Don’t let the book dictate
It is very rare for a teacher to be completely happy with any textbook. A particular feature of the book many be inappropriate to the situation in which you are using it to there may simply be a feature of the book you dislike.
Do not afraid to change the order of the material presented in the book, omit particular item, or supplement the book by providing additional practice, or practices of a different kind, such change must, however, be planned in advance. The best lesson will usually be those in which the teacher uses the book as a support for a course which is centered on the students’ needs.
5. Preparation must be concrete
There are many reasons may be unable or unwilling to contribute to a discussion or conversation in the language classroom. They my know nothing about the topic, or not be interested in it they may not have the language to say what they wish; they may care deeply about the topic.
The ideas and language that may be needed to discuss a particular topic.
Positive/Negative
Students are asked to write down three positive ideas, and three negative ideas; which they associate with a particular question
Best/Worst
Again, the idea is to encourage a wide spectrum of concrete ideas
Word ladders and word roses
In general, a few minute concrete preparation at the beginning of a conversation lesson”, will be rewarded by a livelier discussion, with more participants, and a greater range of ideas.
