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As an ESL teacher, I have found these to be solid 'basics' of any good ESL program:

1)Ice breaker

As in any newly formed group, an icebreaker is needed to establish a sense of comfort among its members. Often a time these individuals enter the group lacking confidence, as English speaking may be a source of embarrassment for them. Icebreakers provide an excellent opportunity for each individual to introduce themselves in a very informal manner. These exercises, which may take the form of games, also provide the teacher with an idea as to the verbal skill level of each member.

2)Assessment Checklist

I have always found it beneficial to draw up a needs checklist prior to the first session. It is always best to make the list as exhaustive as possible. By doing this you can be somewhat sure that you have covered the majority of problem areas that may concern the individual members (eg. idioms, slang, metaphors, popular culture, customs and traditions etc.) It is important to keep in mind that every individual is unique, and thus ESL students often vary quite drastically with regards to needs. The checklist provides the basis for a good program by which the teacher is able to design their program accordingly.

3)Moderate the Conversation

As in any group dynamic, you will often have those members who are more outgoing and enjoy speaking their mind, and others who prefer to remain quiet and prefer not to engage in heavy conversation. Often, it may also be the case that the more quiet members feel threatened by those with more confidence. As a teacher, it is important that you balance the speaking time among the members. During discussion, make a point of including those who are shy, by non-threateningly directing questions at them (eg. 'what are your thoughts on this?', 'do you agree?'). Further, as was the case in my experience, you will be facilitating sessions among those of different backgrounds; as a result, there are sometimes topics which can create a lot of hostility between members (i.e. religion, politics). If you choose to explore these ideas, be aware that depending on temperament of members, critical examination of these issues could lead to hostilities. Be prepared to deal with these events, and if at all possible, attempt to change the topic of conversation when things become too heated.

4) Have Fun

Remember, this is the key to successful learning. Try to incorporate enjoyable activities into your program. This provides for a nice break from the monotony that some members may feel as a result of more formal exercises.

Learn more about this author, Wally Snake.
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