Teaching English as a second language to an absolute beginner can be a challenging task. How do we communicate with individuals who don’t speak a word of English? It can be a significant obstacle, but also an exciting opportunity to facilitate language acquisition from the ground up.

Guiding absolute beginners in ESL lessons demands a specialized approach, considering their initial lack of language skills. 

As a teacher, your challenge is to get your students excited about their language learning journey, laying strong foundations for building their English proficiency and keeping them motivated about taking the first steps in learning a new language. Let’s take a look at some tips which can make the process easier and more effective for these learners. 

Understanding the challenges of beginner level English

Teaching ESL to an absolute beginner has distinct challenges depending on the context of your classes. For instance, some beginners may have recently arrived from abroad, eager to learn in a foreign classroom. In this context, your role is to help them bridge the gap between their basic English skills and the proficiency required for their studies and for daily life in an English speaking country. You’ll need to help them build their confidence in communicating in English from the first lesson, as they’ll be applying what they’ve learned outside the classroom from day one. 

In another scenario, beginners opt for online lessons, where they must interact in a new language through a digital medium, often for the first time. The absence of face-to-face communication can be intimidating, and some students might even feel overwhelmed by the challenge of digital instruction in a new language. Here, the your role will extend beyond language instruction, as you find ways to create an engaging virtual learning space that helps students feel enthusiastic about learning English online. 

Additionally, beginners can be found in local schools, often in beginners’ groups. These students typically have limited exposure to English in their day-to-day lives, and their proficiency levels may vary. In this type of setting, your challenge will be to create an inclusive learning environment that provides adequate learning challenges for students with some prior knowledge of English, while accommodating the needs of complete beginners in mixed level groups. 

As you balance the needs of these different groups of learners, you might have to use a mix of English and their native language to facilitate understanding and gradual language immersion.

In all these scenarios, you will be the primary source of linguistic input and support for beginners. In many cases, you’ll be providing students with their first experience of learning English. So, you’ll need to approach these challenges with patience, creativity, and – most importantly – a structured strategy to ensure that the learning process is both engaging and effective. 

So, let’s take a look at ten tips which will help you connect with your students, build their confidence, and start them on their English learning journey!  

Tips for teaching ESL to beginners

1. Establish a supportive learning environment

For beginner students, creating a supportive classroom is probably the most important thing you can do. Learning a new language can make people feel vulnerable as they make mistakes and struggle with comprehension. It’s important for your classroom to feel like a safe space where students know that errors are part of the learning process, and every win is celebrated. You’re on their side, and your classroom is somewhere that you want them to feel good about speaking English, taking risks and pushing their language skills. 

How can you achieve this? An important strategy is to teach words of praise in the first few lessons. Using positive words can increase student motivation and make them feel more confident. For example, when they try to speak English, we can say, “Good job!” or “Well done!” You can encourage them to support one another in this way too, and support your words of encouragement and praise with physical gestures like thumbs up, smiling or clapping. 

When students know it’s okay to make mistakes, they become more willing to practice, take risks, and learn. So, creating a friendly and encouraging classroom where students feel comfortable to push themselves out of their comfort zone is key to supporting their language learning progress. 

2. Use visual aids and realia

Visual aids, such as pictures, are like windows into the world of language. When you show a picture of something, like an apple, it’s as if you’re showing them the real thing. It makes it much simpler for beginners to connect the word “apple” to the actual fruit they can see. 

Pictures are like friendly guides that help learners bridge the gap between words and the things they represent.

Flashcards are excellent teaching tools at this level. These special cards carry pictures that instantly convey the meaning of words. For example, if you show a flashcard with a cheerful sun on it, beginners quickly grasp the concept of “sun.” It’s a speedy way to say, “Hey, look, this is what a sun is like!” You can also create vocabulary games where students have to match pictures and words, helping them to identify new words and build up their vocabulary for everyday objects. 

And then there are real things, or “realia.” These are like treasures in the classroom. Let’s say you’re teaching vocabulary related to fruit and vegetables. You can bring in a bag of fruit, and let students touch it, pass it around – you could even cut it up and share it as you practice this new vocabulary and simple phrases to express liking.  

This type of activity gives your students a chance to explore and interact with real objects while they’re learning English. It adds a layer of excitement and interaction to the language learning process.

3. Simplify your language and instructions

When you’re teaching beginners, it’s important to keep things simple and easy to understand. Imagine you’re giving directions or explaining something. Instead of using big, complicated words or long sentences, use simple and clear language.

Think of it like this: if you were giving someone directions to your favorite park, you wouldn’t say, “Proceed northeast for approximately two kilometers.” That might confuse them. Instead, you’d say, “Walk straight for a little while, and you’ll see the park on your right.”

So, for beginners learning English, it’s like giving them easy-to-follow directions. Break down what you want to say into smaller, simple parts, and support your spoken instructions with exaggerated physical gestures and expressions. This way, they can understand what is expected of them in each part of the lesson, and follow along without feeling confused or overwhelmed. It’s all about making the learning journey smooth and enjoyable for them.

4. Incorporate total physical response (TPR)

Total Physical Response, known as TPR, is a powerful teaching method, particularly advantageous when working with beginners. What sets TPR apart is its clever fusion of words and actions. 

Let’s take an example: when you’re introducing a new word, like “jump,” you don’t just say it – you perform the action of jumping while articulating the word. This approach transforms the learning process into a mini-performance, and its impact on beginners is striking.

The beauty of TPR lies in its ability to engage multiple senses simultaneously. When students hear the word “jump” and see the associated physical action, it’s like creating a vivid mental image. You could even encourage them to perform the action as well to really cement their understanding and memory of new vocabulary. This sensory-rich connection can help students to expand their vocabulary rapidly. 

5. Implement repetition and practice

Revisiting and practicing previously learned concepts helps strengthen your students’ language skills by building on solid foundations. It’s crucial to create opportunities for them to speak, listen, read, and write in English regularly. 

This ongoing practice is like a workout for their language abilities, enhancing their proficiency and confidence in using English. By encouraging repetition and consistent practice, you provide your students with a valuable tool for their language development.

At the end of each lesson, review all new vocabulary in your wrap up activity to make sure your students remember the new language that they’ve covered in the class. Then, at the start of the next class, go over these new words again, making sure that your students have retained them before you start teaching them something different. 

6. Use games and engaging activities

Using games and fun activities works wonders, both for younger learners and adult students. Games like charades, bingo, or memory games are fantastic ways to help students practice their language skills and build their vocabulary.

Not only do games make learning enjoyable, they also help beginners with vocabulary retention. In charades, they act out words, which is super fun and helps them understand the words’ meanings. It’s a good activity to inject a little energy into your classes. Bingo is another fun game, where your students can match words to pictures. And memory games are like little puzzles that sharpen their memory and language skills. Add a competitive element for extra motivation. You could even reward students with a small prize, like a chocolate bar, if they win. Games like these ones are a great tool for engaging beginners and making your classes exciting and memorable.

7. Encourage pair and group work

Collaborative activities encourage students to talk with each other in English, making conversations feel like a fun game. When students work in pairs or small groups, it’s like having friendly allies on their language journey, and it takes away the fear of learning.

This teamwork approach makes learning less scary. It’s like sharing a task with a buddy, and that makes it easier to practice speaking English. What’s more, peer-to-peer learning can be a powerful way of boosting language skils. So, as a teacher, using collaborative activities is a great approach, helping you to build a friendly and supportive learning environment. It’s a fantastic way to help students become more confident and skilled in using English.

8. Recommend the ELSA app for your students

To help your students practice their pronunciation and speaking skills in between classes, recommend using the ELSA Speak app. Elsa Speak is like having a virtual language coach in their pocket. It provides personalized feedback and exercises to improve pronunciation and fluency. In fact, 94% of ELSA users expressed more confidence when speaking in English, and 90% saw an improvement in their pronunciation skills. 

Encourage your students to make it a daily habit to practice with ELSA, and they’ll see significant progress in their spoken English. It’s a fantastic way to boost their confidence, practice their language skills between classroom sessions and turbo-charge their progress. 

9. Provide constructive feedback

Constructive feedback is like a friendly road sign on the journey to improvement. When your students make mistakes, it’s essential to guide them with kindness and positivity. Think of it as offering a helping hand rather than pointing out errors. 

Encouraging their efforts and gently correcting them without making them feel discouraged is the key. It’s like being a supportive coach, helping them get better while keeping their spirits high. This way, they’ll feel motivated to keep trying and growing in their language skills.

10. Adapt to individual learning styles

Each student learns differently.. So, as a teacher, it’s vital to adapt your teaching methods to suit these diverse learning styles, and find the most effective way of teaching each individual student.

For visual learners, use pictures and diagrams; for auditory learners, engage in conversations and listen to audio materials; and for kinesthetic learners, encourage hands-on activities. This way, you’re like a flexible tour guide, making sure each explorer in your class finds the path that suits them best. It helps them understand and enjoy learning while making your teaching an exciting and inclusive adventure.

Be patient and it will be okay

Teaching ESL to an absolute beginner is a journey that demands patience, innovation, and adaptability. By implementing these tips and continuously refining one’s teaching strategies, educators can help students progress from being newcomers to English speakers with confidence. 

Remember, your goal as an English teacher is not just language proficiency. It’s also about sharing your passion for teaching, learning, and embracing a new world of communication.

Useful further reading: 5 writing activities for ELS lessons