TDA: Activity 1 “Sample Lesson on TDA”, Handout 4 Read the text.
Teaching preschoolers
This is for the very active, and teachers who prefer kinesthetic methods of teaching English. You need to have a sense of fun for this role, not to mention boundless energy! If you're employed full-time at a nursery school or kindergarten, bear in mind that you’ll probably be expected to multitask. Working as part psychologist, part nurse, part dinner lady, not to mention part language teacher!
Teaching primary/elementary school children
Children of this age are full of enthusiasm, and enjoy learning. Make learning English fun by including lots of games, songs and stories. Sometimes you may be required to team-teach with another class teacher. Remember: be patient, and don’t expect all your ideas to be accepted immediately. Concentrate on building a good working relationship with your class teacher and then suggest new ideas gradually.
Teaching secondary/high school children
Teaching this age group can be challenging, as it is the age where children often become shy and self-conscious. It can take time and patience to establish a relationship with teenagers, so you shouldn’t expect immediate results. No matter how hard they try to make you believe otherwise, teenagers of this age are still children, and enjoy competitive games! Teaching teenagers can be particularly rewarding as many have a genuine desire to learn English.
Teaching university students
This is a privileged position, and universities often expect teachers to have an MA in linguistics, although this is not always the case. You’ll need a thorough knowledge of the English language, a love of English literature and be prepared to do a lot of marking! That said, this probably won’t be your first teaching role!
Teaching adults
There are many benefits to teaching adults. For a start, you won’t have to worry about discipline as, having paid for the lessons; most adults are motivated to learn. However, even this age group has its disadvantages. Adults may have strong expectations and can even tell you how to do your job! Introduce new ideas slowly, and don’t be deterred if they don’t work out first time round.
