Introduce your partner (warm-up activity, 10-15 minutes)
This simple activity is great for the first day of class and can be adapted to many different lessons by changing what the students are saying about each other.
Put the students in groups of two (some boy-girl combos usually make for a few laughs along the way). Explain that each student must introduce his or her partner to the class. Give them guidelines such as “name, age, hobby, and something unique” (teach the word unique). Give them 5 minutes to talk and plan their introductions then have each group stand one-by-one and introduce each other. It’s that simple.
In general, you’ll want to start most classes with some action (e.g. a very simple speaking exercise or silly free-speaking activity). Don’t start with bookwork. This activity is great in that it gets students to warm up for class and makes them feel more comfortable, especially if it’s the first week of class with a new foreign teacher. You’ll also be able to pick out any class clowns, which will certainly be helpful in the future.
Resources:
For first-time and veteran ESL teachers alike I’ve put together a short list of my favorite websites offering ESL lesson plans, games, activities, grammar tools, and more. Whether you’re looking to build your already strong ESL teaching curriculum or just seeking a good idea for your class tomorrow morning these sites hold an enormous number of resources for all your ESL teaching needs. As many of you reading this already know, teaching can be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. The quality of your class will aid in connecting with your students, which can make all the difference. Don’t be shy to share these with your fellow teachers. I hope it helps!
The Internet TESL Journal – http://iteslj.org/
English Club – http://www.englishclub.com/webguide/Games_and_Quizzes/Games/
ESL Gold – http://www.eslgold.com/index.html
Daily Grammar – http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml