11 Strategies to teach English to absolute beginners

Over the past century or so, English has become the universal language of communication has risen in prominence as more and more countries emphasize its usage. In order for ideas and inventions to transcend borders, English is the driving force and hence no one misses out on learning this language no matter which corner of the world they live in (if they have the means to do so). 

By absolute beginners, we do not necessarily mean babies or young children. This could also apply to adults who happened to be not as educated or even those who might have studied something else other than English as their second language. There are different approaches to teaching English to different types of beginners. 

For very young children who are just starting their education, it is the easiest job of all for teachers because the mind is still very fresh and hasn’t had any exposure thus far. For young children who have just moved to an English-speaking country with their family, it might be a slightly trickier situation because the child may feel insecure having to learn a language starting from square one when his or her peers are ahead. A good English tutor would assess the learning capacity of the student, his mentality, and analyze the strengths and weaknesses. As such, a tutor will craft his teaching methods and tweak his approach to adapt and suit his students accordingly. It’s a tricky job and a risky one, and hence tutors feel apprehensive when taking up students who are absolute beginners.

So, let’s take a look at 11 strategies that can be followed to teaching English to absolute beginners!

#1: START WITH PHYSICAL LANGUAGE

Starting off with gestures would be the best. Sign language is universal and using that as the base, simple words can be taught in the initial stages. Lessons may seem to be like a mime class because there will be quite a lot of silence, but this situation will be temporary. Once students start to pick up on simple words, though they may not be able to make up full sentences, they will be able to somewhat understand when you as the tutor, conversate with them. 

#2: SHOW AND TELL

This is one of the most famous and traditional methods of teaching language purely because of its effectiveness. The ultimate aim of this is to put learners in a situation in which they have to force themselves to form coherent sentences to talk about something. Thoughts and opinions may be stored in the head perfectly but they need to be translated into words. Moreover, this experience will help learners overcome “stage fright” and it will teach them the importance of being uninhibited. 

#3: SING IT AWAY

A great way to enable learners to get comfortable with a language is to make them listen to songs of the language and even better, to get them to sing along. This way, learners will come across different words which they may not have heard of before and this will spark curiosity in them to find out. Moreover, learning something with rhythm and tune will help with better storage of information in the mind!

#4: WATCH MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES OR NEWS CHANNELS

This may seem like such an odd piece of advice but this is something very important for beginners. Let’s just clarify what we mean by this; it’s not about lounging back, chewing on popcorn and watching a movie or a documentary ‘leisurely’. This is part of the learning process, whereby learners have to be attentive, by paying attention to the way people conversate or the way information is being constructively expressed. As a tutor, you need to select what they should watch (something that is easy to follow) and at the end of the session you need to start a conversation and ask your students about their opinions on what they have watched. 

Hearing a language more and more often will subconsciously develop one’s English language skills so it’s essential to always stay exposed to it in order to continuously learn!

#5: START CONVERSATIONS

Practice makes perfect, and we all know this done-to-death quote, but not no one takes it seriously. Beginners have to try their best to start a conversation and hold it for as long as they can. With every try, they have to be able to maintain a conversation for a longer period of time than they did before. Practicing the use of different words to express different thoughts is essential and under a tutor’s guidance, mistakes can be rectified immediately and the rate of improvement will be much faster. 

#6: ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BE CONFIDENT OF THEMSELVES

It is unfortunate that many people who don’t speak English well feel embarrassed about it. Instead of looking at it as something that they can potentially learn and get better at, its being looked at as an embarrassment. Teach your students to think of it this way: an English-speaking man does feel embarrassed to mispronounce a word in your mother tongue and neither are others judgmental towards him. So, why do non-English speaking individuals have to feel embarrassed mispronouncing an English word?

 Power, money and the skin-color superiority are factors in the larger political scheme that have caused these feelings of insecurity and inferiority among non-English speaking individuals. Encourage beginner learners to be uninhibited and stay confident!

#7: PRACTICE IN WRITING

Speaking is one thing and writing is a whole different space and it has its own challenges. Mastering a language includes being able to communicate effectively, as well as to write well. This, again, comes with practice. For a start, you can set your students on a task for them to write a daily journal in a diary. Get them to write about simple things, like what they had done in that day, what they were feeling throughout the day or maybe about things that generally make feel happy or things that make them feel upset. With your students' permission and with them seated right beside you, read through the writings and review them, giving them immediate feedback.

#8: READING

Learners will eventually get to the stage where they are comfortable enough to read an article or a short story. Reading is one of the best ways to learn a language after listening and practicing conversing. It is important to look out for the way sentences are structured, the kind of words that are being used, and the way stories are being told or the way history is being told in a gripping manner.

When students seek out more books with their tutor’s advice and help, they will have a continuous thirst for knowledge and to quench that thirst, they will want to read more and more. This loop of reading and wanting to read some more will help them to grow their language skills tremendously.

#9: ENCOURAGE TRAVELLING

We’ve already established that fact that English is the universal language for communication in this day and age. If you happen to travel around the world, you will place yourself in situations where you have to speak in English to function in the country you have visited. From asking for directions to speaking to locals and introducing yourself to new people, you will have to conversate in English. Compelling oneself or creating a situation to speak in the language will help greatly in developing language skills. 

#10: BE PATIENT WITH YOUR STUDENTS

Your student may not be a fast learner or may not be one who takes much interest in the subject you teach. However, putting all that aside, you need to maintain patience and assure your students that nothing is permanent and things will change for the better. You should not molly-coddle your student and neither should you go too hard on them. Acknowledge the fact that you understand your student’s concerns and help them to work on getting better.

#11: BE TENACIOUS

Never give up on your students and remind your students to never give up on themselves. It’s a laborious process and it can be extremely exhausting. It’s of paramount importance to stay motivated consistently throughout the journey and never give up. This quality of determination and persistence is essential to keep going no matter how arduous the journey may be. 

BOTTOM LINE

Yes, learning a language from the bare bottom can be challenging; but it’s not impossible. Remind your students that they are well-equipped and that they have all the resources they need to excel. There is no one particular way to get better at something; it’s always a culmination of many strategies. So, never lose your patience with your students, be motivated and keep your students motivated to learn the language with passion, persistence, and determination. The journey may be an uphill one but the view at the top will remind you that everything you’ve been through is worth it!