1.Start each lesson by asking students about their week, weekend or previous evening. Talk about yours in a natural way: “Did anyone see that funny film on TV last night?”
2.Ask students about their area or information you may need to know. Simple requests for help, such as: “Does anyone know if there is a bank open on Saturday here?” Ask for suggestions for places to visit . Even with beginners, opportunities can arise: ask for the time, the date, how to get to places nearby etc.
3.Ask for explanations in English whenever students are able. This stretches students.
4.Involve students in board work, asking them to spell aloud a word you are writing, inviting younger learners to complete a summary, write a question or correct a mistake on the board.
5.Avoid asking “Do you understand?” Try to get more comments with questions to check understanding: “Why is there an 's' on this verb?” or “Can you pronounce this word?”
6.Get students to refer to an English-English dictionary (take your own if necessary). Play games involving definitions (eg. Guessing a described object; animal, vegetable or mineral?; or What’s my line? with job descriptions.) Do simple crosswords with clues.
7.Play games where use of the mother tongue loses points for the team.
8.Practise and encourage all common classroom requests: “Can I have another piece of paper?” or “May I go to the toilet, please?” - Students may not use English requests amongst themselves but insist they do with you.
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