Get Prepared to Teach English Abroad: First Week Teaching Overseas

The first week teaching in an ESL classroom can be an intimidating prospect for many English language teachers. Here are some tips that can help you prepare:

• Get to know the school procedures; how they test a student’s proficiency level, attendance policies, etc.
• Understand your responsibilities
• Plan your lessons; research grammar points fully before attempting to teach them
• Be punctual, professional, and organized; your job is highly regarded in most cultures
• Arrive early to your classes so you can review names, test equipment, and go over your lesson plans
• Use the textbooks provided for specific curriculum; you can add your special lesson plans after you get comfortable with the students and the school procedures
• Keep a journal with thoughts on daily classes and a separate section for notes about students
• Get to know your students’ names as soon as possible
• Observe other classes

For more information on preparing to teach and travel abroad, print our Preparing to Go Checklist of things to do prior to your departure. For more ideas and resources for the classroom, visit ESL Teaching Resources.