Teach English in Saint Césaire - TEFL Courses

I have personally gained a greater understanding of the most effective way to teach english to non-native speakers. I have been teaching english in japan for 2 years now, but, having no previous teaching experience, this course has been very helpful as I reflect back on the classes of 2 years. I can now understand why some things worked well and what didn't. It was very helpful for me to learn more about general teaching methods and how to keep control in the classroom. It was particularly useful to learn about the different roles the teacher can adopt, and how they don't always have to be in the “controlling, lecturer” role but at other times it is important for them to be standing back and monitoring. I have taken this into account in recent classes in the activate stage of the lesson. In the past I may have over-corrected, so I am reluctant to do so now and take more of a back seat in these activities. It has been very useful in considering my explanation of activities. I always try to speak slowly and clearly, and students seem to be able to understand without the need for a translation. Additionally, the course has helped me to realize that the use of the native language (in my case, japanese) in the classroom should be very limited, and in my remaining time I will make more of an effort not to resort to japanese but use a lot of simple english and gestures first. The course has also been helpful in understanding the various english grammar structures, and I realize how the system could be intimidating to an esl learner, due to the many rules and exceptions. However, I have been reminded about how important it is to be patient and encouraging, and not rush through things too fast, particularly with beginners. I have found that things usually take a bit longer than I anticipate, but I will not worry about this.