TIPS FOR TEACHING ENGLISH (in no particular order) # 1 Dissolve those wrong beliefs about learning English.

                         

Tell your students that there are two things that are not true about English:

a. "English is too difficult to learn." 

Especially when you are working with teens or adults, they will tell you this more often than not. I always tell them that English is indeed difficult, but not much more than Spanish for example. Anyone can learn English, but perhaps the best thing to do is to start with the basics since most of your students will come to you after several failed attempts. I also tell them that we are in this together: we are a team and I need them to work with me so we can accomplish this objective as it should be.

b. "I am not good for English"

After years of trying to learn, many English learners conclude they are the problem, and perhaps they are right but not the way they imagine. Teach your students to see themselves as for what they really are: individuals with their own needs and with their own learning styles. Show them that English is another vehicle to be happy and successful in life.

These wrong beliefs are walls that our students have built themselves in their minds for any number of reasons, but they are not aware of that. We have to let them see and help them tear down those walls, real obstacles in their learning process.