Tips for teaching English to second language learners
Teaching English to second language learners is not an easy task. In the USA alone, there are a huge number of students whose home languagesis not English and for them, learning ESL can be a particularly challenging task. It is up to the teachers to ensure that the ESL learners receive the training that would make them enjoy the process while at the same time improve their communication skills. Here are some tips to teach English to second language learners, whether it is in speaking or in writing.
1.Knowing the learners
The first tip for any teacher is to know her class and that means knowing the students she is to teach. Speaking and writing in English requires communication skills and it is up to the teachers to instill the learners with it. For English skills training to be a success, it is important that ESL learners are understood. As a teacher, she should know the ESL students and their backgrounds, what languages they are comfortable in, whether they have been learning English for a number of years or whether they are new learners. When one knows the ESL learners, teaching to them becomes easier.
2.Meeting emotional and social needs
As learners of ESL, it can be a tough challenge to meet specific social perceptions and as such it is up to the teacher to ensure that the learners’ emotional and social needs are being met. Do the learners have additional responsibilities that may be keeping them from doing their English homework? Do they have people at home for communication? Understanding this will help one engage them in English speaking and writing and thereby achieve a successful ESL skills training process.
3.Speaking, writing, reading and listening
Incorporating speaking, writing, reading and listening skills sessions in English training classes is essential for proper ESL learning. Let the learners learn the language with these sessions. Teaching English to second language learners is definitely not an easy task but by making sure that each learning session incorporates all these 4 principles will lead to faster English language communication skills. ESL can be tough to grasp but when these 4 principles are used by a teacher in her class, training becomes easier.
4.Increase understanding of English
Learning English is something that teachers impart to students. But to teach English to second language learners, teachers need to understand the difference between English communication skills socially as compared to academically. For English to second language learners, it may greatly differ; some learners may be highly proficient in one while some may need training in others. That is why teaching English to second language learners can be so challenging. Understanding what is important to certain English to second language learners and what not, is the teacher’s job. While some ESL learners may not be interested in doing academically well in ESL, some may. Teaching English to second language learners is thus essential to the needs of the learners concerned.
5.Paying attention to the language of the content
When teaching English to second language learners, it is important to pay attention to the ESL training material. When teaching communication or English to second language learners, it is important to make sure that the content is easily understandable. This is because English to second language learners is not easy and they may have trouble comprehending the training material. Unless the ESL training material is easy, the English communications of learners will not improve, whether it is for writing or reading.
There are many other tips for those teaching English to second language learners, but the most important thing to understand is that empathy is essential. When teaching a new language, taking into account the communication skills of the learners in other languages is necessary, both in reading and writing. ESL speaking and writing is not difficult if the teacher puts in her communication skills training together to come up with content that is understandable.
English to second language learners may not be an easy subject but with communication skills so necessary to do well in every field, training is very important. The good news is that teaching English to second language learners can be easy when mixed with the right amount of effort. It is a great idea for teachers of English to second language learners get together and share notes. Good ideas can be developed by discussing communication skills problems that teaching to English to second language learners has brought up.