Best Recognized TESOL

How teachers can increase their confidence in the classroomFor teachers just beginning the profession, one of the scariest thoughts is the idea of getting up in front of a class of students and holding their attention for any length of time. But following the three P’s can assuage many of the fears of public speaking: Preparation, Practice and Presentation. The first thing any teacher should do is prepare for their class and for their lesson. For TEFL teachers, the first steps include learning about the culture they are about to immerse in. It is important to learn about the culture, because this could impact the way they should present material, including activities and presentation, and it would ensure that the teacher does nothing that would be culturally insensitive. First time teachers or teachers with little experience should feel able to ask fellow veteran teachers for advice and help as well. Asking for help from their coworkers could give them direction on how to act, what activities to do, how to manage the classroom, etc. With knowledge of their students’ culture (or cultures in the case of a multinational class), the teacher next must prepare lesson plans. Lesson plans are essential to giving a teacher confidence within the classroom as they let the teacher plan what is going to happen, for how long, and have a general idea of how things will progress. It also allows the teacher to prepare activities in case the class progresses faster than first believed it would. Lesson plans also give teachers confidence since they will show up to class with the right materials and the correct amount of materials. Most importantly, while preparing a lesson plan, teachers can prepare for possible problems and be ready with solutions. Making sure they won’t be stumped in the classroom will help the teacher have the confidence they’ll need. Teachers can also prepare themselves mentally to walk into the classroom. Many of the techniques a teacher would use to instill confidence in others they can use to instill confidence in themselves. Positive thinking is important mental preparation; focusing on the good things that will happen. Teachers should not focus on criticisms they’ve received in the past, but rather view them as a learning experience and decide how they can use that to improve. Teachers should set realistic expectations for themselves and what they’ll teach their students; for instance, they shouldn’t expect their students to walk out of the class on the first day speaking fluent english. All of this mental preparation will ensure that a teacher walks into their class with a confident outlook. After this preparation, the teacher should practice. Practicing their lesson in the mirror will make sure they won’t stutter or be unsure of what to say. They can practice their talking speed and make sure that the language they’re using will be appropriate for the language level of the students. Practicing the lesson can make sure that the teacher will use their time allotment to their fullest advantage. The way a teacher presents themselves to their class can do a lot to increase their confidence. If a teacher dresses professionally, they will feel professional and the image they portray to the class will affect how the class treats them. The way a teacher carries themselves when they walk into the classroom will not only show the class whether they are confident, but if the teacher carries themselves in a confident manner they will feel that confidence. The three P’s of Preparation, Practice and Presentation are important keys for a new teacher to remember. A teacher that prepares and practices, will present their self as a calm, confident teacher, and will also feel like a calm, confident teacher. Bibliography Ahmed, Norman. "Building Self-confidence in Teachers." Dawn.com. InPaperMagzine, 2 Jan. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. . Fifield, Adrienne. "TEFL Building Teachers Confidence in the Classroom." TITC The International TEFL Corporation. TITC, 10 Oct. 2006. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. . Guarany, Fernando. "Increasing Your Confidence as a Language Teacher." TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC. 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. . Watson, Sue. "Improving Self Esteem, Promoting Self Esteem." Special Education. About.com. Web. 16 Mar. 2011. .