Teacher’s Survival Kit

General English Teaching Tips

Planning & Resources

 Identify appropriate lesson aims - specific skills or functions

 Identify order and set time of lesson stages appropriately & in sufficient detail
 Conceptualise Instruction Checking Questions (ICQS) and Concept Checking Questions (CCQS)
 Select, adapt & design materials, activities and resources
 Anticipate the problems learners may have with the new language or skills => find solutions
 Anticipate managerial problems, e.g. uneven number of learners for the task => find solutions
 Present your classroom materials professionally, e.g. clear layout, visually-aided handouts
 Ensure balance & variety in materials, tasks & activities

Language Analysis & Awareness

 Analyse language with attention to meaning, form and phonology (M, F, P)

 Provide accurate and appropriate models of language
 Identify and sensitively correct learners’ errors
 Provide appropriate practice of target language

Teaching Skills

Establish a good rapport

Learn the students’ names, tell something about yourself, make sure the students in the group are
introduced to one another. Ice-breakers may help here.

Start with an impact

An engaging, visually-aided and well-related to the topic lead-in can raise learners’ interest into the
topic, warms them up before more complicated tasks and helps them detach themselves from the
daily issues.

TTT < STT

Aim at 20% to 80% ratio. You can achieve it through creating multiple opportunities for speaking
practice and eliciting extensively, e.g. in varied feedback to tasks, pair-checks, concept-checking the
meaning of lexis. This makes your lessons learner-centred and boosts their motivation.

Manage the group effectively

Pair students up consciously, swap them, use varied techniques to draw their attention, ensure equal
speaking time for all students.

Manage the time effectively

Keep control of stages timing but allow flexibility when necessary e.g. when planning speaking
practice or corrective feedback.

Monitor appropriately
Help the underperforming students. Extend the task if the better student finishes earlier.
Be responsive to arising needs from students but allow them to face challenges.

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Give clear instructions
Keep your instructions graded, simple and short. Check understanding with personalised ICQS.
Instruct before distributing handouts.

Provide learners with appropriate feedback on activities

Vary the forms, e.g. physical responses from students, peer-check with a mini-key. Use personalised
CCQS before giving answers to the task - particularly important with the lower levels. Allows time for
pair check before feeding back on the task as a group – students learn from peers and are ready to
answer more confidently.

Practice pronunciation
Set the clear aims for drilling the specific lexis and communicate them to students. Drill both chorally
and individually - especially when pre-teaching functional exponents.
Draw learners’ attention to word stress, sentence stress, intonation and features of connected
speech.

Elicit & check understanding

Elicit the meaning of the new lexis rather than give definitions. Use CCQS, timelines, non-verbal
responses, personalised examples, clines/scales, antonyms/synonyms, realia, mime, context in a
mini-story paraphrase/explanation by students, pictures/photos. Then focus on form and
pronunciation.

Contextualise the lexis, grammar and functions you teach

It increases the relevance of lesson content and makes it more of a real-life experience.

Give corrective feedback

When correcting think if the goal of the task is practicing fluency or accuracy. When performing tasks
or in feedback sessions at the end of the lesson, prompt learners to self-correct - it empowers them
and raises their awareness of accuracy.

Teach with awareness of learners’ needs, interests, learning styles and backgrounds

Business English Teaching Tips

Plan the course content
Analyse the client’s needs carefully and agree on goals for the training. When teaching groups
negotiate the content of topics and skills. Build a course programme to reflect needs analysis and
needs negotiation. Allow time for mid-course evaluation to guide the rest of the course.
Allow flexibility of the lesson content to meet the changing needs of clients.

Select materials carefully

Select the activities and tasks that are suitable for adults - think of fun games. Personalise your
materials as much as possible - every client wants to feel special. Use authentic materials. Consider
their appropriateness for the level. Adjust them to suit the level by setting the right tasks. Work-
experienced learners might be the source of language and skills too.
Use the output-feedback approach.

Teach the language lexically

Make sure students notice the collocations, fixed and semi-fixed expressions in the context rather
than providing lists of words. Work on the meaning of the language in context. Then explore the
grammar patterns and pronunciation. Allow much time for practicing fluent spoken production and

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pronunciation. Create opportunities for experimenting with the new lexis through reformulation and
extension. Clarify emerging problems.
"Grammar becomes lexis as the event becomes more probable." - Michael Lewis

Teaching Business Communication Skills

Factors to consider:
- job/pre-experienced learners
- priority of the skills
- language level

Approaches:
1. Good/bad model
View or listen to a good (or bad) model of a presentation, meeting, etc.
Focus on the key functions of the skill. Explore the functional exponents and the language.
Set up production practice -> Students deliver a presentation, participate in a meeting, etc.

2. Componential = build-up approach

Coursework focuses on different aspects of the skills (lexis, delivery, etc.) through presentation and
practice. This series of lessons culminates in a complete presentation, meeting, negotiation, etc.

3. Test-Teach-Test = Diagnostic
Learners first complete a task or activity without help from the teacher, e.g. fill in the gaps in the
transcript of a negotiation. Then, based on the problems seen reformulation and extension of the
language follow. Then the learners do another task to practise the new language.

4. Output-feedback
With minimal guidance from the teacher, the students prepare and give a presentation or participate
in a negotiation, etc. Feedback on the outcome and then on language points follow. The language
produced by the students is improved by reformulation and extension. Students have another go.

Business Skills: meetings

Sub-Skill: participating in meetings / chairing meetings
Language: agenda, Any Other Business, OHP
Function: disagreeing
Functional exponents: I disagree
Reformulation: I disagree => Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t agree
Extension: I disagree => I agree to an ___________ , but ...

Take different roles

Interlocutor, audience, facilitator, interviewer, coach, manager, source, partner.

Demand high
Challenge clients by demanding high. Set tasks that are slightly above their current ability.
Before giving the task communicate its purpose.

Focus on the writing skills

A lot of Business English teaching is writing skills. To increase training content relevance, work on the
clients’ emails, reports, notes and memos.

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Teach the semi-formal language
The language of business has become semi-formal and aims at transparency. However, make
students aware of different registers.

Raise cultural awareness

Introduce it as a topic or general thread in communication skills. With B2/C1 students explore sayings
& metaphors of language - they help understand values and attitudes. Make students aware of the
tentative language. Highlight the varieties of EIL/ELF English and encourage accommodation skills.

Show progress
Use the output-feedback approach to teaching skills. Record students’ performance.
Recycle the skills taught earlier. Test the skills and language.

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Teaching and Learning Resources
http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-podcast-english-listening-downloads-homepage
(Listening practice for Business English. Recommended.)

www.englishclub.com/grammar/
(Grammar explanation and practice)

www.learnenglish.org.uk/grammar_home_frame.html
(Look for the ‘grammar games’ link.)

www.edufind.com/english/grammar/index.cfm
(Guide for grammar and writing)

http://a4esl.org/
(Grammar and vocabulary quizzes)

www.languageguide.org/english/
(Vocabulary – low level)

www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/
(Vocabulary explanation and practice)

www.nonstopenglish.com/allexercises/business_english/
(Business English vocabulary tests)

www.better-english.com/vocabulary.htm
(Business English vocabulary exercises – advanced level)

http://eleaston.com/biz/home.html
(Business English resource with links to other sites)

www.englishclub.com/business-english/vocabulary.htm
(List of key business terms – no exercises)

www.netlanguages.com
(An online IH language course. Fees apply.)

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

www.macmillanenglishcampus.com/
(Another online language course. Fees apply.)

The following internet sites have material on cultural differences.

 www.cyborlink.com International business etiquette, culture, manners, etc.
 www.videojug.com/interview/manners-and-verbal-expressions-across-cultures
 www.projectbritain.com/behaviour no video, lots of reading material.
 http://www.youtube.com/user/Speakfirst#p/u/3/ZDvLk7e2Irc 4 tips on dealing with cultural
diversity
 http://www.worldbusinessculture.com 39 countries – text on everything from management
styles to successful entertaining

Materials to take with you

1. The Resourceful English Teacher, Delta publishing
2. Good grammar reference book such as Practical English Usage, OUP
3. Five Minute Activities, CUP
4. 700 Classroom Activities, Macmillan
5. Roleplays for today, DELTA publishing
6. A few maps, postcards, photos etc. of the UK.
7. A learners’ dictionary such as Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, OUP

EFL Bookshops
If you are interested in buying EFL books while you are abroad, we recommend you contact BEBC,
based in Bournemouth. The website address is [email protected] or phone 01202 712394. You can
open an account for them and they deliver outside the UK.

If you have lots of children to teach try:

Teaching English in the Primary Classroom, Longman
Young Learners, OUP
Drama with Children, OUP
Language Activities for Teenagers, CUP
100+ Ideas for Children, Macmillan
500 Activities for the Primary Classroom, Macmillan

If you have lots of FCE classes try:

First Certificate Games and Activities, Penguin

If you have large classes try:

Teaching Large Multi-level Classes, CUP

If you have a lot of speaking classes try:

Speaking Extra, CUP
Keep Talking, CUP

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

If you have lots of Business people to teach try:
Market Leader series, Longman
In Company series, Macmillan

If you have lots of one to one classes try:

Teaching English One to One, Teach Yourself

Getting your First job

Where to find work

There are many websites you can browse for free. There is a selection below

1. www.tefl.com
2. www.englishjobmaze.com
3. www.eslemployment.com
4. www.tefl.net
5. www.eflweb.com
6. www.eslcafe.com

You can also try the Guardian on Tuesdays, the Times Educational, EFL Gazette and many more
publications and websites.

Top Websites for materials

1. www.onestopenglish.com
Free downloads including lesson plans
2. www.bbc.co.uk
Has transcripts of radio programmes and lots more of course
3. www.penguindossiers.com
Downloadable worksheets
4. www.lyrics.com
All the lyrics you ever wants
5. www.its-teachers.com or www.its-online.com
Interactive and attractive site for students and teachers
6. www.breakingnewsenglish.com
A good source of material at different levels based on current affairs.
7. www.developingteachers.com
Well designed and easy to use site for teachers
8. www.esl-lab.com
Clearly designed exercises and simple to use technology
9. www.eslcafe.com
US website with lots of activities and links
10. www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/
Make your own puzzle or crosswords (criss-cross)

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

ADVANCED LANGUAGE & METHODOLOGY

Websites

- #ELTchat http://eltchat.org/
- #eltpics http://eltpics.com
- #eltpics photosets http://www.flickr.com/photos/eltpics/
- British Council Seminars http://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/previous-seminars
- IATEFL www.iatefl.org
- Dedicated to CPD http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org/
- Russell Stannard http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/
- Dedicated to CPD http://www.englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/continuing-professional-
development/cpd-teacher-resources
- http://www.teachitelt.com/
- http://www.onestopenglish.com

Facebook

Groups:
- #ELTchat https://www.facebook.com/groups/eltchat/
- IATEFL https://www.facebook.com/groups/iatefl/
- IATEFL Poland https://www.facebook.com/groups/107139292691760/
- #eltpics https://www.facebook.com/groups/eltpics/
- TESOL France https://www.facebook.com/groups/tesol.france/
- IATEFL BESIG https://www.facebook.com/groups/320393281327880/
- NNEST = non-native English speaker teachers https://www.facebook.com/groups/nnest/
- Cambridge DELTA (CELT Athens) https://www.facebook.com/groups/celtaathensdelta/
- 30 Goals for Educators https://www.facebook.com/groups/30Goals/

Pages:
- IATEFL Poland https://www.facebook.com/iateflpoland?ref=profile
- Centre for English Learning and Teaching at the University of Westminster
https://www.facebook.com/CELTWestminster?ref=profile
- Hugh Dellar and Andrew Walkley
https://www.facebook.com/HughDellarAndrewWalkley?ref=profile
- British Council https://www.facebook.com/britishcouncil?ref=profile
- Teaching English – British Council
https://www.facebook.com/TeachingEnglish.BritishCouncil?ref=profile
- International Teacher Development Institute (iTDi)
https://www.facebook.com/iTDi.Pro?ref=profile
- The Consultants-E https://www.facebook.com/TheConsultantsE?ref=profile
- Onestopenglish https://www.facebook.com/onestopenglish?ref=profile
- Lessonstream.org (Jamie Keddie)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lessonstream/143749975678567?ref=profile
-There are many more… The ELT Publishers have their pages as well, you just need to put their names
in the search.

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

Twitter
http://twitter.com/

- Twitter for beginners http://mashable.com/2012/06/05/twitter-for-beginners/

- How to build your PLN on Twitter by Shelly Terrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ekj_Ys4FM
- Twitter in ELT http://www.blendedmec.com/on-the-web/social-networking/twitter-in-elt
- Using Twitter and PLN in education http://ideasfactory.me/using-twitter-the-pln-in-education

Blogs
In no particular order:
- Sandy Millin http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/
- Hugh Dellar http://hughdellar.wordpress.com/
- Andrew Walkley http://blog.westminster.ac.uk/celt/
- Jeremy Harmer http://jeremyharmer.wordpress.com/
- Leo Sellivan http://leoxicon.blogspot.co.uk/
- Mike Harrison http://www.mikejharrison.com/
- Bethany Cagnol http://freelanceteacherinfrance.blogspot.co.uk/
-Demand High ELT (Jim Scrivener and Adrian Underhill) http://demandhighelt.wordpress.com/
- Rachael Roberts http://elt-resourceful.com/
- Marek Kiczkowiak http://teflequityadvocates.com/the-blog/
- Willy C. Cardoso http://authenticteaching.wordpress.com/
- Christina Rebuffet-Broadus http://ilovetefl.wordpress.com/
- Chia Suan Chong http://chiasuanchong.com/
- Laura Patsko http://laurapatsko.wordpress.com/
- Mura Nava http://eflnotes.wordpress.com/
- Jo Gakonga http://www.elt-training.com/
- Scott Thornbury – AN A-Z of ELT http://scottthornbury.wordpress.com/

Chiew Pang on his blog lists some more of recommended blogs:

http://chiewpang.blogspot.co.uk/

Web-tools
These can help you organize the information

- Netvibes http://www.netvibes.com/
- Diigo http://www.diigo.com/
- Evernote http://evernote.com/
- Pearltrees http://www.pearltrees.com/
- Delicious http://delicious.com/

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

Lessons and ideas

http://busyteacher.org/
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/
http://viralelt.wordpress.com/

Blogging

http://sixthings.net/
elt.oup.com/teachersclub/
http://digitaldebris.info/

Resources and development

www.macmillandictionary.com
http://www.eltteacher2writer.co.uk

Useful websites for teaching exams, one-to-one,

Business English and ESP

Cambridge Exams (IELTS, FCE, CAE…)

http://ielts.org/teachers.aspx
http://www.freeieltscourse.com/
http://www.onestopenglish.com/exams/
http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/teachielts
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/resources-for-teachers/

Business English
http://www.onestopenglish.com/business/
http:// www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/business-and-work

ESP and one-to-one

http://www.onestopenglish.com/esp/
http://www.onestopenglish.com/business/teaching-approaches/teaching-one-to-one/lesson-plans/

Favourite Business English Materials

Coursebooks

- Market Leader (Third Edition) – Cotton, Falvey, & Kent (Longman) range of levels
Good general balance of topics, texts, & skills. Excellent case study material.

- In company 3.0 (Third Edition) – Powell & Allison (Macmillan) range of levels
Lexical approach to communication skills, based on listening text.

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

- New Business Matters – Powell, Martinez, & Jillett (Thomson Heinle) intermediate
First Lexical Approach coursebook: business topics, based mainly on reading text.

- Business one:one – Appleby, Bradley, Brennan, & Hudson (OUP)

First coursebook written specifically for the context of 121 teaching, with the course syllabus doubling
as a needs analysis.

Supplementary books

- Five-Minute Activities for Business English – Emmerson & Hamilton (CUP)

- Presenting in English – Powell (Thomson Heinle)

Excellent material on structuring, rhetorical techniques, and use of the voice.

- Professional English in Use/(Marketing) – Farral & Lindsley (CUP) series of titles

Lexical approach to the technical language of many areas of business & professional life.

- In at the Deep End – Hollett, Carter, Lyon, & Tanner (OUP)

Variety of speaking activities for general Business English topics & skills.

- Business Builder – Emmerson (CUP)

Ditto, for business topics – based on student output.

- e-mail English – Emmerson (Macmillan)

Despite the title, a general book an all aspects of business writing.

- Telephone English – Hughes (Macmillan)

An update on standard supplementary materials.

- Grammar for Business – McCarthy & Clark (CUP)

The real grammar of business, mixed in with the more usual stuff.

- Intercultural Resource Pack – Utley (CUP)

Activities for cross-cultural awareness building.

Methodology books

- How To Teach Business English – Frendo (Longman)

Good general overview of all aspects of Business English teaching.

- Teach Business English – Donna, (CUP)

Thorough analysis of the administration of a Business English course.

- Implementing the Lexical Approach – Lewis (Thomson Heinle)

Standard reference work on working with language as lexis, with reports from teachers.

CoAction Szkolenia Językowe dla Biznesu www.coaction.pl [email protected] +48 669-418-765

- Teaching Collocation – Lewis (ed) (Thomson Heinle)
Overview of all aspects of lexical teaching, from a variety of writers.

- Doing Task-based Teaching – Willis & Willis (CUP)

A name change & an update on the approach, with reports from teachers.

Some post-course reading suggestions

The following are the most up-to-date books that will consolidate what we’ve covered on the course
and will give you an insight into what is currently going on in the ELT world.

Rules, Patterns & Words – Willis (CUP, 2003)

A good summary of how lexical descriptions of language fit into a TBL/T framework.

- Implementing the Lexical Approach – Lewis (Thomson Heinle)

The best summary of what lexis is and how to apply this in the classroom; it includes sapmle exercises
and reports from teachers.

Uncovering Grammar – Thornbury (Macmillan Heinemann, 2001)

The book that launched the word grammar as a verb.

See also his books How to Teach Grammar/Vocabulary (Longman)

Sound Foundations – Underhill (Heinemann, 1994)

The best book on working with pronunciation likely to be written, including how to teach the
phonemic chart.

Teaching Unplugged – Meddings & Thornbury (DELTA Publishing, 2009)

Dogme in ELT, i.e. how to work with a FonM & emerging language.

Doing Task-Based Teaching – Willis & Willis (OUP, 2007)

An up-date and change of name, with reports from teachers.

An A-Z of ELT – Thornbury (OUP, 2006)

All you need to know about English Language Teaching.

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