6 ESL Classroom Tips You Must Know Before You Teach

Many people mistakenly believe that to teach English, it is enough to simply speak it well. However, knowing a language and being able to teach it are two entirely different skills. 

Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) is not like delivering a lecture at a university; it is a blend of coaching, psychology, and even a touch of acting. 

Before your first student opens their textbook—particularly in an online setting—and you click the ‘Start Meeting’ button in Zoom, there are several fundamental elements that remain ‘behind the scenes’ of standard teaching guides.

Let’s explore the fundamentals that will give you the confidence to embark on this journey.

First, ‘put on your own oxygen mask’ — managing your energy

Teaching is not merely about conveying information; it is a profound emotional and intellectual exchange. In the introduction, we noted that teachers are somewhat akin to actors and coaches.

If you enter a lesson feeling drained, you cease to be a mentor and become a mere function — a ‘talking textbook’. Students instantly sense this lack of spirit, and their own motivation inevitably begins to fade.

To avoid burnout, establish a few simple rules:

Never schedule lessons back-to-back without a breather. A minimum of 15 minutes between students should be treated as sacred time. You need this window to hydrate, stretch, and ‘switch gears’. 

If you don’t, you will unwittingly transfer your fatigue from one student to the next.

Establish ‘quiet hours’. If you answer homework queries at 11 p.m., your brain will assume that work is never-ending and will struggle to switch off. Believe me, the distinction between the Present Perfect and the Past Simple can always wait until the morning.

Learn to separate your efforts from the student's results. Occasionally, a learner progresses slowly simply because they are overwhelmed at work or facing personal challenges. 

You provide the tools, but it is ultimately up to the student to walk the path. Do not carry the burden of someone else’s responsibility.

Why is this necessary? 

Your internal well-being is the "hidden" part of the curriculum. A happy, rested, and curious teacher inspires others through their own vitality. You are not just teaching English; you are modelling the lifestyle of someone who is passionate about living and lifelong learning.

The plan is merely a hypothesis, not a law.

However, real people are always more important than presentations. If a student arrives feeling upset or, conversely, particularly energized, you must adapt accordingly.

If a grammar point isn’t landing, stop. Switch to something that interests the student in the moment. If possible, find a game, an article, or a joke related to the conversation right then and there.

If a lively discussion breaks out, do not interrupt it. At moments like these, students stop ‘learning the language’ and start living it.

Your job is to help the students express themselves. Forty minutes of sincere conversation is far more valuable than simply finishing a section of the coursebook.

Why is this necessary? 

It comes down to basic psychology. When you truly listen to a student, they relax and begin to trust you. In such an atmosphere of trust, language is acquired significantly faster.

Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know’ 

Many novice teachers freeze up when a student asks a challenging grammar question. There is often a fear that if you don't answer instantly, your authority will collapse. 

In fact, the opposite is true: attempting to invent a rule on the spot does far more harm than an honest admission. How should you handle such a situation?

Pause for a moment

Use this reliable formula!

Adopt the mindset of a researcher

Turn the query into a joint investigation. You are not a ‘guru’ who must know everything, but rather an experienced navigator who knows exactly where to find the correct answer.

Note the question down

When you provide the answer in the following lesson, the student will see that you genuinely cared and have prepared thoroughly for your sessions.

Why is this necessary?

It demonstrates that you are a genuine individual and a responsible professional who cares about the quality of education.

You create an environment where learning is a natural process and not knowing something is never a cause for embarrassment.

The Principle of Micro-learning: The Power of Small Steps

In a world where attention spans average only 8–10 seconds, traditional, ‘voluminous’ homework assignments are becoming increasingly ineffective.

Today's students are overwhelmed by information; a long list of exercises in a notebook often leads to procrastination rather than a genuine desire to learn.

Instead of long lectures or extensive assignments, students receive ‘micro-doses’ of information that take between two and ten minutes to complete.

Tip: Introduce ‘Micro-doses’ of Language Shift a portion of the learning process to where your students already spend the majority of their time: on their smartphones.

Post one question a day or challenge them to record a short, 30-second voice note.

Rather than assigning a chapter from a textbook, suggest watching a specific TikTok or Reel in English and having them post three new words in the comments.

A link to a five-minute study set on Quizlet or an interactive game on Wordwall is far more effective than engaging with dry text.

Why is this necessary?

A Note for Teachers: Microlearning is not a rejection of in-depth study, but rather a way to maintain ‘linguistic momentum’ between main lessons. 

It transforms English from a daunting subject into a natural, integrated part of everyday life.

Leveraging neuroplasticity: Debunking the myth of ‘untrainability’

Adult students often arrive at their first lesson burdened by a host of self-limiting beliefs: ‘My brain isn’t as flexible as it once was’, ‘I have a poor memory’, or ‘I should have started when I was a child’.

What is the secret of the multisensory approach? For an adult brain, simply seeing a word in a textbook is rarely enough. For new information to ‘stick’ in the long-term memory, it must pass through several channels of perception simultaneously. 

We aren’t just teaching a word—we are creating a neural imprint for it.

Use vivid, sometimes absurd images instead of translations. The brain retains information more effectively when it evokes a visual response or an emotional reaction.

First, listen to the rhythm of the phrase, then repeat it aloud—varying the intonation—before finally writing it down. Writing by hand (even on a tablet) engages fine motor skills, which are directly linked to the brain’s speech centres.

This is a critical factor for adult learners. The brain instantly filters out abstract information as ‘extraneous noise’, yet it readily retains information that is linked to personal experience.

Example: Instead of memorising the textbook example ‘He is a doctor’, ask the student to describe a real acquaintance. 

If the word ‘lawyer’ is associated with the student’s favourite TV series or a personal experience, it is far more likely to stay with them.

Why is this necessary? 

Engaging different parts of the brain (the visual cortex, auditory apparatus, motor memory, and emotional centre) creates ‘cross-references’ in the mind.

This approach does not just teach a language — it restores an adult’s confidence in their own abilities.

Instead of asking students, “How do you translate this word?”, try asking: “What does this word remind you of? What colour is it? Which of your friends or family members does it bring to mind?”

Record your lessons 

Once a month, film one of your lessons. While it may feel uncomfortable — or even ‘painful’ — to watch your own gestures and hear your voice, this method is invaluable. It highlights the ‘blind spots’ that are impossible to notice in the heat of a live session.

What should you look for when watching?

Use a stopwatch. Who spoke more? If you explained a rule for 15 minutes while the student merely nodded twice, you’ve delivered a lecture, not a lesson. Your goal is for the student to be speaking 70% of the time.

Do you rely too heavily on ‘Okay’, ‘So’, or ‘You know’? These "filler words" clutter the airwaves and distract the student from the core message.

Pay close attention to how you set assignments. Did the student have to ask, ‘What do I do now?’ The more concise your instructions, the more time remains for practice.

Are you smiling? Do you appear engaged? If you have an expressionless face, the student may involuntarily clam up.

Why is this necessary?

Recording a lesson is your personal professional ‘check-up’.

The aim isn't to be self-critical, but to ensure your classroom delivery becomes more precise and your communication more dynamic with every passing month.

Do not strive to be an infallible source of knowledge; instead, strive to be someone with whom people truly want to engage.