Organisation TESOL TESOL

The most important things for me personally have been the brush-up on grammar, the training in how to plan lessons according to a method that is tried and tested and known to be successful, and the help in learning to do that, and the general effort in thinking about all aspects of teaching english, both modeled in the course and required in taking it. Other things that have been helpful: the reminders that students must talk as much as possible, the mention made regarding certain things a teacher must take care to do, in particular in controlling or directing students or the class. Also the previous unit, on teaching different kinds of students. I am presently planning a lot of lessons on my own, with whatever materials I can find on the inter-net. It is a huge challenge, time-wise. I have noticed that when I don't use the ESA method, it doesn't work very well. Sometimes I think I am generally using it, but do not plan the lesson out carefully enough and there is trouble. My issue is time! I would be doing it right, if I weren't panicking and up late. I plan to communicate more with my students about my methods (I was aware that this is necessary, but in my newness at this work and my lack of time, and the student’s expectation to just start right in, I forget). I also plan to try to create more of a plan ahead; based on what they tell me they need, and communicate that to them, as well as to revise it with them. One of my biggest challenges will be to be more insistent or basically just to speak up. This is a personal/personality issue, not specific to teaching but it influences it. It means students always tell me I am nice and respectful of them, and treat people equally, but if it means pushing up against someone else's will/manner/differing opinion or strong suggestion, I do not always make sure to get across what I need to get across, or make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. This includes backing down during individual study type exercises and not insisting a student stops to use the language in the way the exercise requires, it includes speaking in the L1 when I feel pressure from the student for an immediate translation, rather than insisting they suffer through a slow explanation with me attempting to find words they might know! Another one is that when my busy and distracted business students evidently have no time to think about the english course overall and give me clear signs they are trusting and depending on me completely, and would rather not bother thinking about it, I should bring up the subject anyways. This course has not helped or changed my own personal issue, per se, but it has reminded me that this is something I need to think more consciously about, in order to achieve certain things that have been discussed.