Jelo, jaguar llu?

Nerdy corny childish song to say hello
Time for the songs! children love them. and you must be practicing each of them at least 5 or 6 classes before they actually learn it. But that's perfectly fine! less class preparing after all. This is not the only song for saying hello. But if your 4 neurones handled to bring you here, they can bring you to the fabolous world of internet.

Hello is a meaningful situation, the problem is it's being a very short one. How R you gonna have students practice it without feeling like idiots if they are too old to sing hello hello? by giving them options.

hello- hi, or even howdy. If you tell them that it's like "quiubo" or some kind of slang, you're gonna have them in your hand if they are teens. Then, give situations.

The phone: any object (even a real cellphone) works. The message is simple, they don't answer so, every student must* say "hello +this is + his name + I call you later + my number is 555-5555 + call me when you're hot and ready" (last part a joke, but if you have a cute friend I WILL facilitate my real number)

The different names: make cards with lots of differents names, and everybody pics one, walk around the calssroom meeting everybody and saying his name.

*Natural approach tells in its overrating wisdom that we should avoid writing before speaking. Both, you can give certain permission. Not only because it's easier to check if it's done, but also will help Ss feel comfident about their performance. So, writing first it's ok for people older than 11.

Don't forget that greeting and saying bye are the combo, you can't talk about one without the other one.

Behind them In this lesson you actually start with the situations. From now on, everything must be said in context and within a communicative situation. Otherwise, Mexico no va a progresar nunca. tichers, está en sus manos!

ei bi si di i ef lli.

The ABC.
Ok, so you all can marrymade-ly sing that song even being in comma. But your students can't, or (even worse) they may think that they can, but they do a horrible, deaf chicano accent that is harder to erase than my sins. Learning the abc must be fun (as everything you do, otherwise you'll hate your job, Ss will hate you and life will be hell for a year.

Nametags. Maybe by now you can identify the names of most students, or maybe you don't have an idea. you MUST NEVER say "you" to a student. That word is processed as impersonal and may do something in the affective filter, something so subtle that won't be seem till it's too late. Give them a nametag and ask them to write their name. Then, teach them the basic things about spelling "with A of analfabetiano garcia, with B of babosa dejadecomertetulapiz, etc" Then tell them to exchange names.
Then they hide the one they're holding and go aroun the classroom.
Is your name E-U-F-R-O-S-I-N-A? no, it isn't (PLEASE, avoid explaining the grammar behind it. Children don't care about grammar and if you know your job you shouldn't either).
If they are too noisy, make two lines and have them face each other so you keep them controlled and change places when you clap.
They won't get it the first time and make sure you have repeated the complete alphabet before going into this activity.

But, but, what about those beautiful posters of animals, objects, etc that I made for the ABC? (or that I bought because I'm not into crafts (as if there were a teacher bad at ccrafts, believe me, you'll learn)) easy. Students will not learn the complete alfabet in one day. So it must be clung somewhere visible in the classroom. And if you don't have one, better! Homework can be for each of them to bring a sheet size illustration of something that starts with one letter (or more, if few students). Ss will feel the classroom is theirs, practice, and you will have something to stop looking at those dull walls.

Behind them The ABC must be meaningful for Ss. But what can be meaningful in another language for students that don't know a word in English? their own name. it's too early for start introducing themselves. It's input, it's meaningful, and works.

ais breiquin

The first class of an English course is absolutely vital. Because every student, male or female, 5 or 40 yrs old, has a a deadly bitch inside. If half of the first class is not spend in some sort of game / ice breaker they will never forgive you and every class will turn harder. U must show them the nicest you, and this is not only for the first class of the first course, is for every course you do. First language must be permitted if they are novice, but after a 50 hours course, Ss must be able to do this simple things in English.

Therefore, here are the activities:

Ice breaker: tell-about-each other game. Everybody says his name and one thing he likes, the second says his and the ones of the previous and you go acummulative. the mere fear of not remembering something about one of the classmates will get attention from them, you get to know them, to memorize the names and to throw away 25 minutes. Isn't it perfect? you can add a thread and make it in aleatorial order.

another Ice Breaker: this works better for kids. You give them a famous Character name in a fold paper. They must talk like the character introducing themselves (for novice) or introduce the character (if their level allows it)

Behind them The objective of an Ice breaker is merely paralinguistic. describing something about themselves, ss realize the class is gonna be about them, are integrated as a group. Other ice breakers must be fun, motivational, and help you and the group to know each other.