Common Teaching MistakesCommon Teaching Mistakes

Presented byPresented by : :Hadar Ahmed FarajHadar Ahmed Faraj

It's ok. Teachers make mistakes too.

OutlineOutline 1.1. Introduction Introduction 2.2. Too much teacher talking time Too much teacher talking time

33 . .Giving a running commentaryGiving a running commentary 44 . .Echoing your studentsEchoing your students

55 . .Completing their sentencesCompleting their sentences 66 . .Giving unclear instructionsGiving unclear instructions

77 . .Not checking their understanding of instructionsNot checking their understanding of instructions 88 . .Asking: Do you understandAsking: Do you understand??

9. Suggestions9. Suggestions 10. Video 10. Video 11. Conclusion11. Conclusion

Introduction:Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is not easy. Scratch that, it's real easy. Let’s face it! Nobody is perfect! Although there are many excellent teachers out there that know their job very well through experience, asking teachers, reading, attending workshops … , there are still things that need to be given a second thought

throughout a teaching career !

In this presentation, we are trying to show some of the mistakes that an English teacher might make in or out of the class and sure there will be more to add to them ! Here are the most common ones that we hear, see and sometimes do .

Mistake #1: Mistake #1: TTTTTT ((Teacher Talking TimeTeacher Talking Time))Taking up all of the talking Taking up all of the talking

timetimeThe title in bold speaks for itself. In an ESL class, what The title in bold speaks for itself. In an ESL class, what

is the most common reason students are enrolled? is the most common reason students are enrolled? They want to SPEAK English! And what happens They want to SPEAK English! And what happens when the teacher speaks most of the time? They don’t when the teacher speaks most of the time? They don’t have enough chances to actually practice their have enough chances to actually practice their speaking skills. They take up too much of the talking speaking skills. They take up too much of the talking time, either because they feel uncomfortable around time, either because they feel uncomfortable around silence or long pauses, or because they are over-silence or long pauses, or because they are over-

enthusiastic to share their knowledgeenthusiastic to share their knowledge . . More importantly, students need time to think, More importantly, students need time to think,

prepare their thoughts, translate, and decipher how to prepare their thoughts, translate, and decipher how to say it out loud. Embrace silence in the classroom as a say it out loud. Embrace silence in the classroom as a good thing, and give your students time to thinkgood thing, and give your students time to think..

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Mistake #2:Mistake #2: The Running CommentaryThe Running CommentaryTeacher: Teacher: Okay class, for this activity we are Okay class, for this activity we are

going to play a game using this marker. I would going to play a game using this marker. I would usually use a ball, but I couldn't find one, it used usually use a ball, but I couldn't find one, it used to be behind my desk...oh well. Taking this to be behind my desk...oh well. Taking this marker, I'm going to draw two circles, like this, marker, I'm going to draw two circles, like this,

maybe a little smaller, okaymaybe a little smaller, okay......Seriously? Students don't need to, nor do they Seriously? Students don't need to, nor do they

want to hear your entire thought process of past, want to hear your entire thought process of past, present, and future activities out loud. For ESL present, and future activities out loud. For ESL learners, this can be boring, extremely hard to learners, this can be boring, extremely hard to comprehend, and just plain unnecessary. This comprehend, and just plain unnecessary. This goes hand-in-hand with TTT. Tell the students goes hand-in-hand with TTT. Tell the students what they need to know, then save these for the what they need to know, then save these for the break roombreak room..

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- -Mistake #3: EchoMistake #3: EchoStudent: Student: I went to the parkI went to the park

Teacher: Teacher: Good! You went to the park. Okay great. Good! You went to the park. Okay great. You went to the parkYou went to the park..

Quite simply, you want the student to talk more than Quite simply, you want the student to talk more than you. When you echo what they say, it gives them you. When you echo what they say, it gives them less talking time. In addition, when you echo, they less talking time. In addition, when you echo, they start to learn that they don't need to listen to anyone start to learn that they don't need to listen to anyone but you (the teacher who repeats everything). If you but you (the teacher who repeats everything). If you catch yourself doing this, stop itcatch yourself doing this, stop it..

  

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`̀ - -Mistake #4: Mistake #4: Helpful Sentence CompletionHelpful Sentence CompletionStudent: Student: Eating fruits and vegetables is goodEating fruits and vegetables is good……

Teacher: Teacher: …for your …for your healthhealth. Definitely, I try to eat at . Definitely, I try to eat at leastleast……

When a teacher is trying to elicit particular When a teacher is trying to elicit particular vocabulary from the student, he/she is eager, often vocabulary from the student, he/she is eager, often too eager, to hear the correct answer. If you start too eager, to hear the correct answer. If you start predicting the words a student is going to say, and predicting the words a student is going to say, and blurting out the tail-end of a sentence, you are taking blurting out the tail-end of a sentence, you are taking away from the student. An ESL learner, as away from the student. An ESL learner, as previously mentioned, needs time to think and previously mentioned, needs time to think and produce their own words and ideas. Taking that produce their own words and ideas. Taking that away from them by doing the sentence completion away from them by doing the sentence completion for them is counter-productive, and actually pretty for them is counter-productive, and actually pretty annoyingannoying..  

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- -Mistake # 5:Mistake # 5:Complicated and Unclear Complicated and Unclear InstructionsInstructions

This is a potential problem that can easily be fixed This is a potential problem that can easily be fixed beforehand while beforehand while lesson planning. . Poor planning and Poor planning and loosely structured instructions can be very confusing loosely structured instructions can be very confusing to English learners. Even for a fluent English speaker, to English learners. Even for a fluent English speaker, instructions can be hard to grasp. Try to be as clear instructions can be hard to grasp. Try to be as clear and concise in your instructions as possibleand concise in your instructions as possible..

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- -Mistake # 6:Mistake # 6:Not Checking the Understanding of Not Checking the Understanding of InstructionsInstructions

""Ok class, ready…beginOk class, ready…begin "! "!Ending your instructions with something like this will Ending your instructions with something like this will

often leave you with a classroom full of whispering often leave you with a classroom full of whispering students, marked by looks of bewilderment. A simple students, marked by looks of bewilderment. A simple way to double-check is to ask a few students to way to double-check is to ask a few students to repeat the instructions back to you. If the activity repeat the instructions back to you. If the activity includes a question set, do the first question includes a question set, do the first question together as a classtogether as a class..  

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- -Mistake # 7: Mistake # 7: Ignoring boundaries between Ignoring boundaries between

teacher and studentsteacher and studentsESL teachers should be friendly and strive to bond ESL teachers should be friendly and strive to bond

with students in order to achieve the best learning with students in order to achieve the best learning outcomes. But there’s a line between being friendly outcomes. But there’s a line between being friendly and being a friend. and being a friend. A teacher is meant to be an A teacher is meant to be an authority figure, one that is most definitely not authority figure, one that is most definitely not on equal terms with studentson equal terms with students. It's all right to share . It's all right to share some personal things and talk about family, cars, some personal things and talk about family, cars, interests or hobbies. But you must interests or hobbies. But you must never let it get never let it get too personaltoo personal. Any personal information shared . Any personal information shared must be supplied to give students context when they must be supplied to give students context when they are learning something new. It is not meant to be are learning something new. It is not meant to be shared so you may be accepted by studentsshared so you may be accepted by students..

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Mistake # 8:Not asking others if they do not know something

When a teacher does not know the answer to a question or something, he or she must just say “One of my co workers will know it and I should walk to his class and ask now!” Teaching is not going to the classroom, shutting the door and be alone! Teachers need support and guidance from other more experienced ones.

Mistake #9: Get stuck in a rutMistake #9: Get stuck in a rutSome instructors teach a course two or three Some instructors teach a course two or three

times, feel satisfied with their lecture notes and times, feel satisfied with their lecture notes and PowerPoint slides and assignments, and don't PowerPoint slides and assignments, and don't change a thing for the rest of their careers change a thing for the rest of their careers except maybe to update a couple of references. except maybe to update a couple of references. Such courses often become mechanical for the Such courses often become mechanical for the instructors, boring for the students, and after a instructors, boring for the students, and after a while, hopelessly antiquatedwhile, hopelessly antiquated..

- -Mistake # 10:Mistake # 10:Teacher: Teacher: Do you understandDo you understand??Student: Student: YesYes?…?…

99 times out of 10, the student will answer yes; and 9 times out of 10, the student will answer yes; and 9 times out of 10, the student doesn't understand. times out of 10, the student doesn't understand. Why? Well, nobody likes to feel like the dullest knife Why? Well, nobody likes to feel like the dullest knife in the drawerin the drawer..

In fact, a much better way to check and see if In fact, a much better way to check and see if they understand is through example. Have them use they understand is through example. Have them use the just learned language in a sentence, repeat the the just learned language in a sentence, repeat the instructions, or have them explain the idea further. instructions, or have them explain the idea further. Try your best to never end a topic of study with, "do Try your best to never end a topic of study with, "do

you understandyou understand "? "?

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SuggestionsSuggestions

1 .Students should speak for 70% of the class time, while teachers speak for the remaining 30%. These percentages could be tweaked in cases where students are absolute beginners (50-50), very advanced learners in need of intensive speaking practice (90-10). This means that in most cases, your participation should be limited to giving instructions and

explaining essential points .2 .Be on friendly terms, talk about your car or

what you did last weekend, but make sure students feel there is a boundary that can’t be

crossed .

3.Do not make major revisions in your course every time you give it. Rather, just keep your eyes open for possible improvements you might make in the time available to you. Go to some education sessions at professional conferences; read articles in educational journals in your discipline; and commit to making one or two changes in the course whenever you teach it. If you do that, the course won't get stale, and neither will you.

44 . .Teachers can try these classroom tested Teachers can try these classroom tested techniques which work with all age groupstechniques which work with all age groups . .

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A. Just whisperA. Just whisper . .Interestingly, whispering is a very effective way of Interestingly, whispering is a very effective way of

enabling students to enunciate more clearly. enabling students to enunciate more clearly. Students who are having difficulty pronouncing Students who are having difficulty pronouncing words or letters correctly often benefit from trying to words or letters correctly often benefit from trying to say the same phrase or letters in a whisper first. We say the same phrase or letters in a whisper first. We naturally make a more conscious effort to form the naturally make a more conscious effort to form the letters more carefully when we whisper. Whispering letters more carefully when we whisper. Whispering also softens the pronunciation slightlyalso softens the pronunciation slightly

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B. Tongue twistersB. Tongue twisters Alliterative phrases where every word starts with the Alliterative phrases where every word starts with the

same letter can be a fun and useful way to practice same letter can be a fun and useful way to practice clear pronunciation and enunciationclear pronunciation and enunciation..

“ “ Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppersPeter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”.”“ “ Sally sells seashells at the seashoreSally sells seashells at the seashore.”.”

And other tongue scrambling phrases make a And other tongue scrambling phrases make a delightful break to text book work. Introduce a new delightful break to text book work. Introduce a new tongue twister once a week. Search the internet using tongue twister once a week. Search the internet using the keyword “tongue twisters” to find lots of possible the keyword “tongue twisters” to find lots of possible

tongue wriggling phrasestongue wriggling phrases . .

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33 . .Make it applyMake it apply . .If you have adult working students, practice the If you have adult working students, practice the

vocabulary of their professions. Include practical vocabulary of their professions. Include practical everyday situational vocabulary as well like check everyday situational vocabulary as well like check writing terms and spelling out numbers, driver’s writing terms and spelling out numbers, driver’s manuals, and forms they might have to fill out to manuals, and forms they might have to fill out to apply for a job, visa, bank account, and so forth. apply for a job, visa, bank account, and so forth. Students are highly motivated by being able to Students are highly motivated by being able to handle daily living languagehandle daily living language..

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44 . .Exposure is a keyExposure is a key . .Just as with so many other skills we learn, exposure Just as with so many other skills we learn, exposure

and practice are critical for enabling learners to and practice are critical for enabling learners to develop their budding language skills. In addition to develop their budding language skills. In addition to practice in class, assign listening “homework”. practice in class, assign listening “homework”. Listening is such an important part of learning a Listening is such an important part of learning a languagelanguage..

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5.Do not be afraid to introduce some game playing to your adult students, particularly if you are teaching evening classes for working students. Introducing short, active periods to breakup the textbook subject matter reawakens (literally) tired students and freshens their interest and motivation in the class .

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ConclusionConclusion

In a nutshell, I must say we can In a nutshell, I must say we can be better teachers and impart be better teachers and impart better knowledge to our ESL better knowledge to our ESL learners if we can overcome all learners if we can overcome all above mentioned mistakes.above mentioned mistakes.