Teaching One - To - One

[zorrasabia]

Hi all,

I'd like some advice, please, on how to approach both 'one to one' teaching to adults and on teaching small independent groups, (private tutoring).

Where would a new teacher start, re. choice of materials, content, practice exercises, testing etc?  (Non- Business students).  
 Would it be preferable to begin by following a standard course, with the use of course books, judged to be at the appropriate level, or would it be better to devise resource materials direct, adapted for the possibility of either individual students or else a very small group of learners?

How would a lone student practise language use in the session - would the teacher need to join in with the various  exercises, to give him/her a realistic opportunity of engaging in realistic conversation?

Thanks a lot,       :lol:  
Zorrasabia.
 

[sticky]

Hi there,

What are the students' levels? Are the students preparing for a particular exam? Also, what are their ages?

Here's a tip: I used to  listen to VAUGHAN RADIO to get ideas for conversation classes. There's a show called \"Cloverdale's Corner\" where they basically give private classes to a couple of students in the studio and broadcast it out over the radio.

Later gator,

Phil

[RebeccaG]

Hi Zorrasabia,

Those are good questions that you pose! Where in Spain will you be teaching? Madrid?

The first thing that I recommend you do when you get here, if you are going to be in Madrid, is to head to either Casa del Libro on Gran Via or Booksellers on José Abascal, 48 (my favorite) and familiarize yourself with the numerous course books available for adults. Be sure to pump the sales people with questions as well. They are especially helpful at Booksellers.

Reviewing the course syllabus of each book will give you a good idea of the competencies needed/achieved at that specific level. From there you can design a level test...testing the students on their knowledge of the materials set out in the course syllabus.

I recommend following a coursebook to offer structure and a learning path for the students. I follow a course book series and supplement the book with a lot of other materials....from newspaper articles to radio programs and other handouts. I also like using lateral thinking exercises in class to get the students thinking in English.

One on one conversation classes are challenging for the teachers who aren't so talkative or good conversationalists. Simply typing ESL conversational lesson plans in GOOGLE will bring up hundreds of pages with great ideas. I challenge my students with discussing current events and then depending on the grammar structure being taught, focus my classes/conversation to include use of those structures.

All of my classes are individualized, including my group classes which never exceed 6 students. This gives the students plenty of opportunities to participate and not hide in the back of the room which is typical for larger sized classes of 11+ students.

Hope this helps!

Saludos,
Rebecca

[zorrasabia]

Hola and thank -you to both Sticky and Rebecca for your very helpful responses! I'd been in Spain checking out the Oviedo area since I posted my request for assistance and hadn't read your answers till now - I really do appreciate your willingness to support beginners like myself!    :wub:

As I've posted elsewhere on this forum, I'm planning to be in Asturias, come September - still can't quite believe it, yet, but I'm packing up my stuff here in the U.K. nonetheless!
 
I found several language schools in the city of Oviedo and, on a day visit to Gijon on the coast, just 30minutes away by bus or train, located the same, there, too!  (I'd only ever seen two on any TEFL website, so was pleasantly surprised).  Of course, a third city, Aviles, is also within easy reach, but I didn't have time to get there, on my too short visit.  

I was asked by every school I dropped in on  to contact each once I'm resident, by which time, Oct. term's  student numbers will be known and there'll be plenty of work available for native speakers - only 400 Brits in Asturias, so not too much competition - and very few locals speak much English, but I was assured by many with whom I conversed, in my appalling Spanish, that they want and need to learn the language, especially as more tourists from outside of Spain are definitely on their way!

(BTW - each school had lots of C.V.s received, unsolicited, from hopeful English teachers - only those from available, resident individuals would be considered - which is why I'm so optimistic!  

 I was advised by one Principal that language schools'  written lists of 'essential requirements' were 'wish lists' only -  to impress the students' parents, particularly, so never to rule myself out, for any job, simply because I could not fulfil every  single 'requirement' - apparently, being resident, locally, would be far more important - given the scarcity within Oviedo/Gijon of English speakers/teachers generally!

 (I met several visitors from Madrid and Granada who all told me that Asturias is a favourite destination for Spaniards escaping the heat further South - imagine choosing a holiday destination precisely because it's cooler than your home region - unheard of in the U.K. LOL !
 
(Oviedo Airport now is 'international' and has a direct link with that at Stanstead in outer London, whilst a Spanish company has just initiated a new ferry route between Portsmouth, England and Bilbau - other such links already exist, including that between Plymouth, England - where I live - and Santander, Cantabria - an 18hour 'cruise' on a French ferry - very cheap, great service,  restaurant, cafes, shops, bars, cinema, pool, acceptable cabins etc!   B)

Re. teaching English, I would much prefer to teach private students, but might need to 'mix and match' with a salaried job, to begin with.  Your advice is very useful, for that purpose - thanks.  
I don't think I'd better post flyers in Oviedo, though - didn't see a single piece of litter on any surface, all the time I was there -  it has been voted the cleanest city in Spain - several times! LOL

For anyone else here, who'd be interested - the Asturian people I met were fantastic - so helpful, even to guiding me, personally, through the train and bus stations, purchasing tickets for me, finding the relevant platforms and then inviting me to their homes!   (In one case, I was even invited home 'for a siesta', by a concerned couple I met in Santander- I was lost and they thought I looked 'cansada!'  (I had to decline - my bus to Oviedo was due..!)

  I'd really love to believe they'd receive the same courtesies in my city in England, but they'd be very lucky to do so, I'm afraid.

So, I recommend thoroughly a visit to Oviedo and Gijon - especially their historical 'old cities',  as well as to the wonderful coastal and mountain towns and villages - even the Tourist Info. Officers barely speak English - which must be a very good thing - a province still unspoilt by over - development or too many expats;  determined to retain its heritage and beauty, yet with, apparently, endless opportunities  for English teachers - incredible!  

I believe Asturias won't succumb to the blight of unregulated coastal development, particularly in relation to European immigrants,  because most expat house buyers want permanent sunshine, so would always choose the South of Spain, in preference to the greener and wetter (tho' still considerably warmer than England),   North!   Thank goodness!  

Regards,
Zorrasabia.  

[Cadiz chica]

Hola, I was checking back through older threads when I  found this last message, posted by myself three years ago, in my previous incarnation as ´Zorrasabia´before I changed my ´name´, having learnt more colloquial Spanish - please don´t ask!

Anyway, I was interested in highlighting the issue again of private teaching to individual students - I already have two of these, since advertising my willingness to teach English, upon my arrival in CADIZ recently. Teaching individual students,  particularly adults, is often required here in Spain and I was fascinated to re- read the responses to my original plea for advice from both Rebecca and´Sticky´, all of which proved to be so useful once I started teaching in Asturias. As I now have had 3 years´experience of teaching in Spain, I can appreciate even more the value of the assistance given to me, via this thread.

 Perhaps we could now revive this heading and encourage more here to contribute, in the hope of supporting others responsible for teaching one-to-one?  Both of my own new students are Scientists and they each require help with English for conversational purposes, as they are frequently required to attend international conferences at which the language used is English!  They each already have a high level of Scientific English whether spoken, written or read, in their respective fields but they both tell me they struggle when they need to use and respond to ´small talk´  outside of conference sessions and after high level meetings!

 In fact,  I´m still amazed at the number of professionals I´ve met in Spain who can read easily a Scientific, Medical, Engineering or Legal journal / Research paper in English, but have very little command of the spoken language and therefore request conversational practice - much easier to organise in a group setting, but many prefer private lessons!
 
So,  now I´m very busy planning several hours a week of ´clases particulares´for each of these students,  for whom the typical course books don´t apply, as those assume a similar level at each stage across all four skill areas - thank goodness for the internet and all the TEFL resources available to download - I often use the various English language News websites for discussion material, once we,ve completed the basics - BBC, CNN, NCBC, EURONEWS etc.  We also choose topics from the Spanish media websites.  Luckily, the BBC  World Service/Learning English site offers plenty of resources for both students and teachers - and any further ideas or comments will be received with very grateful thanks!

Cadiz chica.