When Viv first started teaching professionally, he used to spend more time planning his classes than actually teaching them!
If you are just starting to teach English as a foreign language, it's essential that your first classes should be planned in detail. You should know what you are going to do in every minute of the class you are going to teach, including what you are going to say and the types of activity the students will be involved in.
In June 1989 Viv passed the RSA Diploma in the teaching of English as a foreign language to adults. This diploma was only open to teachers who already have considerable teaching experience and involved a year of preparation studying linguistics and teaching techniques. The examinations were both written and practical, with an external examiner evaluating the preparation and execution of a lesson plan.
Here is the plan for one of Viv's practical externally observed lessons.
Viv's RSA externally observed lesson plan
In order to improve as a teacher, it's useful if you can observe other teachers and be observed yourself. Here is an example of a checklist for the teacher making the observation to complete while sitting in on another teacher's class.
If you are thinking of teaching English as a foreign language, but don't want to work for a language school, Viv has started designing his 'English as a Foreign Language for Teachers' course. As he completes more worksheets he'll add them to this section of his site.
Introduction to teaching English as a Foreign Language
This material may only be used for the improvement of English language teaching practices. If used in training workshops, please inform Viv by leaving a message in his guest book.
Viv's Teacher Training Programme