What Every New TEFL Teacher Should Know

Join a global community of over 200,000 TEFL teachers working throughout the world! Enrol me!

Starting out as a TEFL teacher can be incredibly daunting. Standing in front of a class of thirty people is not suited to everyone, but as a TEFL teacher this is something we deal with every day. That’s just one aspect of EFL teaching which can be challenging. If you are a new TEFL teacher and are finding it a bit rough, don’t worry. It’s a steep learning curve for most people in the beginning. To help you out, here are a few tips from some more experienced TEFL teachers:

You’re not expected to know everything as a TEFL teacher

Possibly the most frightening aspect of teaching English is, well, teaching English. It is a complicated language and there are so many aspects of the language to be aware of – pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and much more. Getting your head around the language is one thing in itself, but teaching it to other people is definitely challenging.

You must remember though that even though you are the teacher you are not expected to have all the answers. Even experienced teachers use reference books when they are not sure of the answer to a student’s question. Just don’t pretend you know the answer and try to bluff your way out of the situation. If you do, there’s a good chance your students will walk out of your classroom with the wrong idea!

Planning is key for a TEFL Teacher

It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, planning is essential to the success of a lesson. You might need a plan that’s short and sweet or you might want a more in-depth plan, but you should always walk into the classroom with a plan. A plan for activities during the lesson and extra time, a plan for your teaching methods and a Plan B for just in case.

If you find your planning taking hours when you first start teaching, that’s normal. Planning is a skill that can take some time to get the hang of. Planning will come more naturally with you and be quicker the more you do it.

Teaching should be fun

Teaching should always be fun and if you’re not having fun then neither are your students, and that’s a problem.  If you are not enjoying your lessons, you should rethink your teaching methods. Get to know your students so that you can identify what you can do in the classroom that would interest them. Think of activities that will both stimulate and be educational.

Most important of all, though, is to relax and have fun. If your students enjoy your lessons they are more likely to invest in their learning and look forward to coming to your lessons.

Being a new TEFL teacher can be tough, but hang in there – it will get better!

Get Social

Follow us on social networks, join our newsletter - get the latest news and early discounts

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us on social networks, sign up to our e-newsletters – get the latest news and early discounts

Accreditation Partners

The TEFL Academy was the world’s first TEFL course provider to receive official recognition from government regulated awarding bodies in both the USA and UK. This means when you graduate you’ll hold a globally recognised Level 3 (120hr) Certificate or Level 5 (168hr) Diploma, meaning you can find work anywhere and apply for jobs immediately.

Product added to your cart

You have added to your cart:

Request call back

    Please leave your details below and one of our TEFL experts will get back to you ASAP:

    captchaType characters on the left:

    Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

    Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

    Thank you! Your message has been sent!

    Download the TEFL World Factbook

      Please enter your details in order to download the latest TEFL World Factbook.

      Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

      Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

      Thank you for downloading the TEFL World Factbook!

      If the TEFL World Factbook did not download
      > Click Here To Download <

      Download the Online Teaching Guide

        Please enter your details in order to download our Online Teaching Guide.

        Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

        Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

        Thank you for downloading our Online Teaching Guide!

        If the Online Teaching Guide did not download
        > Click Here To Download <

        Download Prospectus

          Please enter your details in order to download our latest prospectus.

          Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

          Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

          Thank you for downloading our prospectus!

          We hope you enjoy reading our prospectus, we have tried to make it as useful as possible! Please get in touch if you have any questions.

          If the prospectus did not download automatically
          > Click Here To Download <

          $
          $