How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Hi,
I would like to know if anyone can help me with becoming an english teacher. I was born in London and lived there for 11 years, then my family decided to come and live in Spain. Due to the economic situation, I see myself with the obligation of offering private english lessons to earn some money and not become homeless.
I have very little knowledge of grammar but I recently got Grammar in Use (Intermediate level) by Raymond Murphy and although I dont know why I say this and that in a particular way, if I look it up and read it several times I understand it without much difficulties, but I have to say...grammar is boring as hell.
My questions are: as a native with no experience teaching, How do I teach english? How do I structure a lesson? What do I focus on? and most important: Can I teach english without even mentioning grammar?
Many thanks.
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Hi Jeron, and welcome :hi:to the Forum.
If that's the case, I would not recommend that you teach grammar (teaching something you consider "boring as hell" will hardly get you long-lasting students).
However, I know there are people in Spain who are mainly interested in learning conversation. You could give it a try there: just teach what a native speaker would say in certain situations. This practical wisdom is quite appreciated by Spaniards who, just like you, find grammar is hard to swallow.
charliedeut
PS: Please keep in mind that "English" must always be capitalized.
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Thanks for the welcome, advice and correction!
I already have a student and have had 2 classes with him mixing basic vocabulary, how to say what time it is, greetings, personal introductions, etc.
He travels a lot and thats why he wants to learn english so this week I´ll prepare something related with the airport: vocabulary, how to check-in, how to deal with customs and so on.
Any more advice? :-D
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jeron 
Thanks for the welcome, advice and correction!
I already have a student and have had 2 classes with him mixing basic vocabulary, how to say what time it is, greetings, personal introductions, etc.
He travels a lot and that's why he wants to learn English so this week I´ll prepare something related with the airport: vocabulary, how to check-in, how to deal with customs and so on.
Any more advice? :-D
I was in much the same position. I have a TEFL but not a full CELTA and when I arrived in Madrid, I really wasn't interested in teaching full grammar classes. I was happy to teach basic grammar, of course, as I was more than capable of that simply being a native speaker who had studied grammar at school (unlike many of my compatriots). For my private students though, I was a teacher of conversational English or "use of English". I still corrected their errors of course but the majority of our classes were spoken with just a few written exercises. If they queried a particular grammar point and I didn't know the answer, I owned up to the fact and told them I would find out the answer and tell them at the next class. I think they were much happier with that than they would have been if I'd tried to fluff my way through it without really knowing what I was talking about.
Your students can study grammar in their own time, using any of the very good study books available. You can be responsible for hearing whether or not they are putting what they have learnt into practice when they speak. However, you have the added choice of making it clear to them that when natives speak, they don't speak with the rather formal, prescriptive grammar from textbooks!
Note again charliedeut's advice in his reply that "English" must always be capitalised.
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jeron Can I teach english without even mentioning grammar?
Grammar is an essential part of the language, but you can teach a lot without referring specifically to it. However, how do you answer their questions about why something is wrong when the problem is grammatical? Ultimately, the answer to your question is no IMO.
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
English! Got it!
emsr2d2
Nice to know that there are other people who were in the same position as I am. I plan to do as you say, focus on conversational english and let them study grammar at their own pace with my help.
By the way, how much did you charge for an hour of class? I´m currently charging 10€ an hour but I think its too cheap and might start charging 15€. What do you think?
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jeron English! Got it!
emsr2d2
Nice to know that there are other people who were in the same position as I am. I plan to do as you say, focus on conversational English and let them study grammar at their own pace with my help.
By the way, how much did you charge for an hour of class? I´m currently charging 10€ an hour but I think its too cheap and might start charging 15€. What do you think?
Whenever I teach (private classes at the student's home or wherever they say it's fine for them), I usually charge between 15€ (acquaintances and recommended students) and 18€ (complete strangers). Fees may vary, of course, depending on the number of classes each student wants/needs (the more hours, the lower the fee) and other such factors. But this is just my case/experience. Maybe others will consider it wrong/do it otherwise.
charliedeut
PS: As you see, you did it again :roll:
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jeron By the way, how much did you charge for an hour of class? I´m currently charging 10€ an hour but I think its too cheap and might start charging 15€. What do you think?
As you have no training as a teacher, have very little experience, have very little knowledge of grammar and find it boring as hell, don't seem to be aware that it's (it is) needs an apostrophe and can't remember to use a capital E for English, ten euros seems a bit on the high side to me.
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
I need English tattooed on my arm or something, I think I have ADD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
5jj As you have no training as a teacher, have very little experience, have very little knowledge of grammar and find it boring as hell, don't seem to be aware that it's (it is) needs an apostrophe and can't remember to use a capital E for English, ten euros seems a bit on the high side to me.
You forgot the native accent, it's valueble. (see the apostrophe? Yeah, now the world is a whole better place to be in.....haha)
I don't (world getting a whole lot better) know what price to ask for so I'll (there it is again) have to test what goes better.
Re: How to teach english as a native non-professional english teacher
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jeron You forgot the native accent, it's valueble.
Valuable.
