So you have successfully passed all the requirements to become a certified and accredited TESOL teacher. You are fully competent to show up in an ESL classroom, as you are now qualified to teach anywhere in the world! Your C.V. has been updated and your TEFL certificate is printed and allocated accordingly. You send it out to companies or register for online teaching positions that are in need of TEFL teachers and are ready to pay you that extra income you always wanted.
The Hiring Manager calls you days after waiting for a reply and they ask you to prepare for a TEFL demo class on the day of the interview. At this stage, you need to know that the TEFL teachers are very high in demand but the competition is fierce! Therefore, you need to be ready with an immaculate lesson to keep your audience engaged and happy. Online classes should be fun and interactive to keep students attentive. This will be your chance to impress the recruiters! Therefore, you need to make sure you are fully prepared before proceeding. It can be a live teaching demo in front of an interviewer or through a recorded video that you create during your own time and pace. In some cases, you get to choose how you would like to demonstrate your lesson.
Teaching a demo class can sometimes be challenging and crucial, as it might even determine your compensation based on the teaching style or performance of your class. During the teaching demo, the interviewer will also be looking at your overall appearance and teaching style, so it is advised you wear smart casual apparel as you would during a live interview. One of the best approaches for a demo is to use lots of TPR which reduces stress for the students by using physical movement to react to verbal impact.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE DEMO
Research is a very important part of preparing for the demo class. Before you begin any teaching plan or lesson it is vital that you research the company you will submit your demo to. Different parts of the world require different teaching styles and methodologies, while always keeping in mind culture and beliefs. Therefore, it is important for you to be familiar with the company’s values and approach to their students. The best way to look up a company is through its website or LinkedIn page. Study their clients or students and what is the age group they are focused on. You can also read their testimonials or look up videos on YouTube that can help you ace your performance.
FOCUS ON THE TOPIC
Make sure you choose a topic that is relevant to the age group you will be teaching. Don’t get distracted if your interviewer is twice your age and looks nothing like a student. Make sure you remain focused and vision the learner you are supposed to be teaching. Focus on a subject that you are comfortable with and interesting to you, as this will help you ace the demo. Make sure you have a clear lesson outcome and objective hence this will help give a higher rating to your demo. Don’t use words or vocabulary that is not relevant to your lesson just to show off for the interviewer, as this will downgrade your mark. Remember that the students are in class to learn and not for the teacher to make the students feel inferior. Try to minimize teacher talk time and engage the learner just as you would in a real live lesson. Create fun tasks and give time for the learners to complete them.
Create a Classroom Environment and Props
Make sure the background you will have your demo class falls in line with a real classroom environment. It can be a colorful and friendly environment that will make it fun for the learner to interact with you. Depending on your lesson the demo should be at a suitable place away from loud noise or distractions. You may use a whiteboard or online teaching tools that are easily accessible for online classrooms. Make sure that your phone is turned off to avoid any unwanted interruptions, as this may make the learner lose focus on your lesson. Stick to your time! As students do not want to spend more time than needed in a classroom the same goes for the interviewer. If your lesson is too short you may be penalized. If the lesson is too long the recruiter may stop you at a certain time and this will not allow you to complete the demo lesson.
Practice Makes Perfect
As practice is the philosophy of continuous improvement, the more you practice the better you will be every single day. The more you practice, the more natural you will become at teaching in front of others either online or in class. Get family and friends to help you with your demonstration and invite them for a class either on ZOOM or TEAMS as these are the most popular for online students. Get their feedback and ask them for comments on how you could improve and make your lesson more interesting. Try to record yourself prior to submitting a demo video and see what you look and sound like behind the camera. Try to have a clear tone and keep it simple. If there is something you don’t like, change it into something else. We are usually the toughest critics when it comes to observing ourselves, therefore do something you like and the others will love it too!
Tools To Use
Make sure you have a good web camera, microphone, speakers, and lighting. These items will make a huge difference to your demo class when it comes to sound and quality! If you are using a laptop, make sure you test the audio prior to recording any lesson hence make it worth your while. If needed, try to invest in some equipment such as lighting which is not expensive, but can make a world of difference to your video or online class. Try to look professional and pay attention to your surroundings and teaching space. Appearance matters, so ensure your background is tidy and organized.
Conclusion
Stick to your time limit and keep an eye on the clock and remember to practice, practice, and practice so more. Try not to have too much teacher talk time, as students and interviewers hate lectures! After all, it’s a class and not a university. Make it fun, engaging, and interactive. Use your teaching English as a foreign language course (TEFL) notes and resources along with reviews from your tutor. Be yourself and try to relax and speak slowly. Make sure you give step by step instructions and most importantly SMILE and be confident.
Other Related Articles:
8 Reasons You Need a TEFL Certification
How to Find Your First TEFL Job
14 Roles and Responsibilities of a Teacher
10 Characteristics of a Good Language Teacher
The Best Free Tools for Teaching English Online
Andrie Steliou
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