Starting ESL Teaching Job Mid-Year- SOS!!!

Hello, everyone... I need your advice!

I am going to be taking over for a middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th grade) ESL class in a week in Argentina. This will be the beginning of the second semester for the students (their previous teacher was offered a principal's position elsewhere). Despite the fact that this school is in Argentina, the students that I will be instructing come from 40+ countries, so they will not have the same native language.

I am anxious because I only know their ages (11-14), and the fact that they are divided into 3 proficiency levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). However, I don´t know how much of a beginner the beginners will be (False beginners? True beginners?), nor the other levels, because I still haven´t been shown the curriculum and the books that the students are using yet, and I can't get a hold of the previous teacher (long story- no fun to be left in the dark like this until the last minute!).

I am eager to begin to work on how I will introduce myself to the classes, and also a paper that I will distribute to the classes outlining my rules, expectations, procedures, etc. However, I don´t know the best way to go about it, because I don´t want to use vocabulary that is too simple or too complicated (perhaps I should create more than one?).

Is there anyone who might have an idea regarding how to create a thorough handout that my students will understand, and/or a good way to introduce myself (especially to the beginner classes?).

Moreover, if anyone has any good ideas for some icebreakers (the classes are 90 min in length), please share!

Thanks for reading!

This is not much help for this situation, violetablanca, but you might in future consider accepting jobs only when you are provided with some helpful information. Since you joined this site two years ago, you appear to have had similar problems with several jobs you have taken on.

I would also suggest that you think again about issuing handouts with your ' rules, expectations, procedures, etc'. If these are in English, they are unlikely to be effective with a beginner's class.

I would firther suggest that you keep yort lesson plans for future reference. After at least two years of teaching, you should have some ideas about icebreakers and introducing yourself.

No harm nor foul was intended.

I understand that my work history doesn´t have the best track record in terms of taking on positions of which I am well informed, and I admit that I can be slow at times to learn from my mistakes.

However, because this job is unique in the sense that it will be my first K-12 position, and I was under the impression that this site should be used for the purpose of exchanging ideas and thoughts in a respectful manner, I presumed that I was not out of line when asking for some general advice. Evidently I need some general feedback if I was foolish enough to believe that I should distribute a hand-out to my classes.

Don´t worry, I won´t bother this site anymore with my absurdities.

As you're joining mid-year, they shouldn't be complete beginners, unless they have allowed people to join late, but they may be close to total beginners, but should know some basic like numbers and identifying themselves. However, the first thing to do before planning things is to get hold of whatever reports the last teacher left.

What sort of school is it?