Quick answer: To ace the first few minutes with a new TESOL class: walk in looking more confident than you feel, smile, stand and speak clearly; practise your opening beforehand; cut out nervous habits; and get students speaking to each other within minutes. A simple ‘facts about me’ guessing task breaks the ice, teaches question forms and buys you time to relax.
Beat those first lesson nerves by getting off to a great start. Here's how...
No matter how prepared you are as a teacher, your first few minutes with a new TEFL class are likely to be a nerve-wracking experience. However, with just a bit of prep, a fun first task and a few fantastic ideas from us at Global English TESOL, you can ace this important initial stage of your first lesson…
(This article zooms in on the opening minutes. For the bigger picture – planning and surviving the whole lesson, what to find out about your class beforehand and what to do if things go wrong – see our companion guide to your first TEFL class.)
To start, it is crucial to get your approach right. There is no getting around the nerves and so here’s how to beat them:
How do you look confident when you don’t feel it?
1. Confidence Inspires Confidence
We don’t mean you need to pretend to be a teaching expert from day 1. It’s just that confidence inspires confidence and so it is good to appear bolder than you perhaps feel. So, when you first walk in to the classroom, do the following four things:
- Look around the whole class.
- Smile and speak clearly.
- Stand (don’t sit).
- Keep sentences short and instructions clear, easy to understand.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice
Before your class, practice walking into the room with confidence. Smile, stand in one place and say your first sentence clearly. Do this exactly as you would if the students were there. Get used to what your voice sounds like. It will really help to give you confidence when you do it for real.
3. Cut Out the Collywobbles!
What do you do when you are nervous? Scratch your ear? Fidget, play with your hands, pace a bit, focus your gaze on one spot? These are all small things to try to get out of the habit of doing. You want to start strong to give you and them confidence.
4. Get Students Speaking Early
You are nervous, but your learners are likely to be nervous, too. Set students up with a meaningful pair or group work task as soon as possible, and believe me, everyone will relax a bit. A bank of reliable openers helps here – keep our 5 TEFL warmers up your sleeve, and there are plenty more no-prep icebreakers at ESL Games.
What should you do in the first 15 minutes? A minute-by-minute outline
Here’s a potential outline of your first 15 minutes. See the task we recommend you do and watch Louisa’s accompanying ‘how to’ video at the bottom of this article.
| Time | Stage | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 min | Enter and open | Walk in, smile, greet the class, write 4 facts about you on the board |
| 2–7 min | Elicit questions | Students work out the questions behind your facts |
| 7–15 min | Pair interviews | Students interview each other, then introduce their partner |
First 2 minutes:
Walk into the room.
Smile and say: Hello everyone, ensuring even eye contact with the class as you look around. Say your name. Perhaps get class to repeat it if it is unusual.
Write 4 facts about you on the board. E.g.
- Louisa
- 49
- married
- I love chocolate and my dog
Next 5 minutes:
Say: This is me, and point to the facts on the board.
Say: These are the answers. What are the questions?
Elicit the correct question formation from the class. You don’t need to write the questions out.
You can add some more prompts - or adapt them depending on the dynamics of your class. but for a lower level class we suggest keeping it simple and getting to the next stage as quickly as possible.
Next 8-10 minutes:
Put them in pairs.
Tell them they are going to find out more about their pair: Partner A will ask their partner some of the questions on the board and any other questions they want to ask.
Say: You have 2 minutes, then you will change: partner B will ask A. After, you will introduce your partner to the class.
Set your watch or clock for 2 minutes. Say: Change, when it is time to change.
Remember to breathe. You’ll start to relax and the heart rate will begin to drop a little. It’s going to be OK!
Now bring the group back together and have them introduce their partner. Make a note of their names and see if you can remember them. Thank each student for their contribution.
Why does this opening task work so well?
Keep it moving and enjoy listening to your students introduce each other, showing interest, smiling and encouraging them. This is a great way to start your class by teaching a little, ensuring your students get talking early and for you to exude confidence while building a rapport with your class. It also quietly shows you each student’s speaking level within minutes – useful intelligence for pitching the rest of the lesson (see how to select material at the right level). Enjoy…
Once the ice is broken, keep the conversation going: our tips for TEFL discussion classes show you how to run speaking lessons that fill the rest of the hour, and our ready-to-print instant lessons give you a follow-up lesson for every level with zero prep.
Frequently asked questions
How can I adapt this opening for beginners?
Keep your board facts very simple (name, age, city, one like) and model the first question yourself: point at your name and ask ‘What’s your name?’. Drill the questions chorally before pair work, and let beginners write their own four facts first so they have support during the interviews.
Does this first-minutes routine work in online lessons?
Yes. Type your four facts on a slide or whiteboard, elicit the questions in open class, then send pairs to breakout rooms for the two-minute interviews. Bring everyone back to introduce their partners. Cameras on if possible – your smile and eye contact matter just as much through the screen.
What if students are too shy to speak in the first lesson?
Lower the stakes: let them interview in pairs before anyone speaks in front of the group, give thinking time, and start with the more confident pairs during feedback. Praise every contribution warmly. Shyness usually melts once students realise the first task is about each other, not about being tested.
How do I stop nerves ruining my first class?
Preparation beats nerves: rehearse your entrance and first sentence out loud, script your first instruction, and have your opening task ready on the board plan. Once students are talking to each other – usually within five minutes in this routine – the pressure moves off you and your heart rate drops.
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You might also like:
- How to survive and enjoy the whole of your first TEFL class (the perfect companion to this article)
- 5 essentials to remember when leading a TESOL class
- How to select material at the right level for your TESOL class
- our accredited 120 hour teaching English course online. Learn more top tips. Qualify to teach English
- Already TESOL qualified or want a short, interactive course? Check out our live, tutor-led class on Zoom on warmers that work