My English blog

How to Start Your First English Lesson: Breaking the Ice

The first lesson is a great opportunity to create a comfortable learning environment and help students feel at ease. A strong start can boost engagement and make English learning enjoyable from day one.

WARM-UP: LET’S GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

So, the first warm-up task is prepared in such a way so that you as a teacher will learn about your new students, whereas the second one is for your students to learn about you as their new teacher. We believe that it’s very important that students can also get to know their teachers. And, obviously, it’s perfect time for them to practise making questions and for you to check whether they are good at it.

In the first task, students have to take one card from a stack of cards and talk about the topic for about 30 seconds. After that time, other students (or you in the case of one-to-one classes) should ask some follow-up questions. In the second task, you have to write on the board some words and phrases connected with your job, personal life, hobbies, etc. Students need to ask questions connected with specific words on the board. So if you write chess on the board, students may ask: Do you like playing chess? If it is the right guess, you can tell them something more about this part of your life if you have some time. 

Photo of Ask your teacher! Task: Guess what those things mean to the teacher!