Conquer your first class: 5 tips for new ESL teachers
1. Yes, you need to know how to explain grammar. Okay, obviously. However, most TEFL certification programs are condensed and don't have in-depth grammatical instruction built in to their syllabi. For my fellow native English speakers, many of us were not actually taught grammar in school--one's first language is learned through immersion, right? In that case, you'll have start from zero and learn how the English language is constructed, what each piece is named, and how it is manipulated. Your students will expect (and deserve) adequate responses when they ask questions like, What's the difference between "well" and "good"? and What's a phrasal verb? Furthermore, your response to a why question should never be because it sounds right or that's just the way it is. If you don't know how to respond to a question, though, don't panic. It happens to all of us at some point. Be honest, and tell the student you'll have an answer ...