Teaching groups: How to get them talking #9

Teaching English as a second language in groups isn't easy - for both teachers and students. One of the hardest parts is getting everyone to speak, practice speaking and getting a conversation going where everyone is involved and no one is left out. In this video I share some of the ways I get my groups to engage on my lessons and get them talking! What are some problems that you guys encounter on your group lessons?

[@mehmet.albyrk]

All tips great

[@andreamaldonado2109]

Your videos are very helpful! I’m from Argentina and I teach ESL here in my country. This is my first year so I’m learning a lot of new things

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Andrea Maldonado Hello from Poland to Argentina! Thank you for your comment! I’m really glad if I helped. Even if only just a bit! Enjoy your new teaching adventure and I hope you have fun!! ❤️

[@TheNPCShow]

I've been teaching business English here in Warsaw for about two months now and your videos have been very helpful with group teaching. I hate group teaching. -__-

[@cleonemusician217]

Thank you SO much for this video, Suzi. Most encouraging.

[@isabellagarcia535]

Hi Suzy! Thanks for all these tips, it will help me a lot with my students! You seem to be such a nice person, watching your videos is like listening to a friend, I'm pretty sure your students get really comfortble at the classes, congrats!!

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Hi Isabella! Thank you for your uplifting comment. :) I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I hope it helps on your lessons. Wishing you all the best in you teaching adventure!

[@thayventurin1]

Hi Suzi! love your videos! Can u make one about teaching teenagers? Me and many other teachers would appreciate that!

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Hiii! Yess! I think thats a great idea! Teenagers can be tough! I hope to get to that soon! I swear it's on my list! :D All my best!

[@ІринаЗлоба]

Thank you so much for your tips!

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Hi! :D I'm glad you enjoyed them. I hope they help!!

[@widialearningcentre1257]

Thank you. Your videos are very helpful.

[@nastiamarina4035]

Zuzia! Thank you so much for sharing and trying to spread your ideas. I always learn something new from your videos and I know for sure that they're going to be helpful on my lessons. This video is so informative as well but apparently, it's about more advanced students who actually can talk but have some sort of barriers. That's why I've got a question: what would be your advice for making young learners talk because they think only in their mother tongue and don't really know much vocab? Maybe we could play some language games? Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks a bunch!

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Hi Nastia! Thank you so much for your comment. :D I've actually used some of the ideas I mentioned in the video with kids and beginners, except in a different way. I use the envelope idea with random words with kids that already know how to read. They make really "basic" sentences with them but thats totally fine in the beginning and it gives them the feeling that they're actually speaking. If they don't know the word they've picked out you can go through the words with them first and give them some time to think about it. With my younger students, instead of asking "What did you do this week/weekend" I ask them "Tell me 3 things you did this weekend". In the beginning I help them a lot and give them ideas if they don't know what to say, but then I make sure that I do this on every lesson until they are able to answer on their own. I also suggest funny answers like "I sat on a chair, I kicked my sister, I drank water" so they don't feel the pressure that they have to tell me about something that's too difficult to explain in a foreign language - so they make use of simple words they already know.. ;) I will put together a list of things I do with my beginner and younger students and put it in another video! Wishing you the best of luck with your kids!

[@nastiamarina4035]

@@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi Thanks a lot!! Your ideas are great and sound fun. I'll definitely use some of them on my lessons starting from tomorrow haha. Good luck to you too and have a good week! :)

[@marievanboxel7271]

Thank you for this video! Very insightful 😊

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

You're welcome! :)

[@LindseyDara]

Suzi make more videos, we miss you!

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Aww! Thank you for this! Yes! I need to get my act together and get back to making videos! I'm currently on maternity leave and figuring out this whole "being a mom" thing. :D

[@doreanwhitehouse2938]

I am teaching two adults English at my home, I love your ideas on getting to know your students, How do you find out how much English they already know.

[@johnpullinger1800]

Great information

[@ibraa4020]

you're really sweet and very helpful. more power to youuu

[@amandakim2387]

Thank you so much!! :) i love your videos!!!!

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Thank you for the love! :D

[@Garczek]

I love your content and how you approach teaching! I would like to start teaching English in Brazil, I am from Poland. I have so many questions! How do you plan lessons? What if your student is an adult and he barely speak in English? How to help him open, how to start teaching him?

[@theresapaulse877]

Lovely video! Thank you! If you don't mind me asking, where do you teach? I've been seeking platforms to teach on that offer stable income.

[@luanaserra5908]

Hey Suzi! I'd like to suggest you to make a video about ''when students don't like me (the teacher)''. I've been struggling with problems like this one in one of my class, they really look like dont like me and this make the process of teaching very hard. Sometimes i doubt of myself and maybe the way that I teach is usefuless . Thank you

[@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi]

Oh man, I feel ya! I've been there too. I'll put together some tips on what worked for me and make a quick video. My reply is a little late, but I hope you're hanging in there and doing ok!! Just off the top of my head: I did a "DO and DON'T" // "MORE, LESS" list on the board asking the class what they want more of and what they want less of - this made them feel like they have a say in what we do in the class. Especially with older kids. I think that the key is getting to know your students and what interests them and trying to create your lessons based on that. Eg, they love MineCraft, do some minecraft vocabulary games, or let them create minecraft worlds on paper and label it. Or if their interests are "youtubers" get them to create a pretend channel and get them to present something in English while you record it.

[@luanaserra5908]

@@TeachingEnglishwithSuzi I'm doing ok yeah!! Thanks God. I talked with my coordinator and we did sth like your "more-less" thing and is working so far. I'm also trying to stay calm in some situations because my fears are clearly readable in my face and they talk about this (in front of me) making me more nervous then before. Thank you so much for your reply, wanting eagerly to watch your video. Bests regards 😘

[@doreanwhitehouse2938]

how much to you charge for teaching a one hour class with one student?

[@kusasirarehema3909]

Hi

[@asifmuniruniverse7732]

Hi, first I would like to thanks that you appreciated me

[@asifmuniruniverse7732]

2nd you using different type kinds stages and changing as you feel which will be better & useful for students for time to time doing modifaction in it I'm not good student but I saw here in surrounding good teacher they all doing better

[@analisamelculo4804]

i want to learn how to tech so baaad, im going to teach english to my classmate in january on saturdays, im 14.

[@piknick4315]

Problem = challenge….