Relaxation seems like a funny word to use when talking about public speaking, doesn’t it? They don’t seem to go together – do they? Well you certainly aren’t going to be as relaxed as you would be at the beach or taking a bath – but you can use some techniques to calm yourself and make yourself more serene so that your nervousness is held at bay and under control.

Many people advise you to just think about the fact that the audience is just filled with human beings like you. So try to picture them without their clothes or in comical situation so that you bring them down to your own level.  Most of the people there have come because they want to hear what you have to say so concentrate on your ability to get your message across and think of the audience as your friends so that you can loosen up and not be too stiff and formal – that will relax the audience as well.

Use little techniques to calm you when you first are introduced by taking time to thank your host and take a drink of water if necessary before you start off. Many people have a dry mouth so lubricate it and then begin talking. Look at the audience and move your body in different directions so that you include the whole audience – not just a few in front of you. Once you take control you will find that most of the fear goes away and you being to relax more and more – until you are finished – and everyone is clapping!

Like everything else there is plenty of information on the internet about just this sort of thing. And, in fact you can even find translations of idioms from English to say Chinese or Italian so that you can know exactly what is meant. It’s actually funny when you think about things that we say every day that if you translate it literally into another language it would be a totally different topic many times….for instance if you say one of the following, your ESL student might have difficulty understanding the meaning:

à Put it on the back burner – this might be said often in business but the reality is there is no stove in sight so it makes no sense.

à The best thing since sliced bread – what does bread have to do with it? Why is that so important?

à In inverted commas – this one would be really difficult to know because you really mean parentheses but who knows what that is??!!

à Off the cuff – this would be difficult to understand because there is no connection to a cuff that would make sense.

As you can see, some of these phrases that we use every day would really confuse an ESL student because most of the time, the words have little connection to what is really meant by the comment. It is therefore important for ESL students to ensure that they get some additional schooling in these idiomatic words or phrases that might trip them up and cause embarrassment unnecessarily.

Students in every country of the world have ideas and beliefs about the way things should be done. They enjoy expressing their thoughts with their friends in a restaurant, with their family at home or at an outdoor game in a field or inside an arena. In those venues they would be speaking their own language. Let’s talk about boosting their self confidence and fluency with the English language.

At what Level of English are the students ready for debating?
As a general rule it’s likely that the class would need to be at a high intermediate or advanced level, but there are factors that can alter that.
All groups of students are different as are the expectations of different cultures. Another factor to consider is the subject of the debate. Have the students had exposure to any of the required vocabulary in previous lessons?
If the teacher feels that the subject is of particular interest, then he or she can introduce the background information in one session and have the debate in the next. The students can be encouraged to consider their point of view outside of class or some time can be provided during the English session.

Who will profit from debating experiences?
The discussions and arguments that debates promote are well suited to students over sixteen. The younger ones often feel strongly about athletics; the rules of a game, the way the referee calls it and any inequities that exist between the opposing teams. The more mature students are likely to have a strong bias for one side. They might want to discuss the details of how their favorite team played. Who is the best player? Why their team won or lost.

How does it help their English?
When the content of the English lessons deals with subjects of high interest, the students become engrossed in the discussion. They think of things that they want to add to the discussion and are motivated to look in their dictionaries for the words they need to explain their idea. Although they may tend to discuss the topic with their friends in their own language, they will also help each other with the way to express their thoughts in English. Cheerful reminders are usually enough to keep the English flowing.

Debating is an exciting activity that requires students to think in English. They laugh among themselves, they feel a sense of success when they express an idea that is new the group, and they leave the class talking about the classroom events or arguing about the topic. A teacher can judge the effectiveness of a lesson by the students’ level of enthusiasm as they leave.
Debating is a great way to get students talking. You’ll enjoy your debating classes. Perhaps you’ll wish you were a participant rather than a supporter and cheer leader!

Most ESL materials are prepared to meet the needs of a diversity of cultures. It is a financial necessity for companies that are publishing printed books and selling them worldwide to include a wide variety of content. Due to the differences in cultures not all content can be appropriate for all countries. Many children in some Asian countries begin English classes at the age of three. The emphasis is on learning facts and producing perfect work. Alternatively, in the South American countries the children start learning English between the ages of seven and ten if it is offered at all. The emphasis is on building positive social relationships through language, music and art.

How can you adapt a curriculum to make it reflect your culture?
When you download ESL material online, you can print the entire book. Usually if you download a book, there aren’t any restrictions on how many you can print for your school. This gives you an opportunity to review each page and decide whether its content is appropriate for your children. There will be some limitations – you will need to see that the storyline in maintained and the necessary phonics and grammar is intact. Considering these basics as you work, you will likely find some pages that aren’t necessary or relevant for your students. Remove these from your printed copy. You now have a children’s ESL textbook that is shorter, consequently cheaper to photocopy and more appropriate for your children. Your book will have some page numbers missing. You can ignore this, you can print the numbers by hand or you can type them on a label(s), cut them and place them over the originals.

What about the time required to make these changes?
Your administrative staff and / or teachers will need to take time to decide which pages are to be omitted. Volunteers, parents or older students can save your time and your money. They can adjust the page numbers as needed, photocopy the books – printing on both sides of the paper – and bind the books. Staples will be the easiest, cheapest and the most efficient.

How can colorful activities be used many times?
Although laminating is quick, efficient and durable it is also very expensive. We were surprised to find that the equivalent dollar price was the same in Canada and Mexico! We suggest that you try using transparent sheet protectors for full page activities such as Picture Bingo. These are clear plastic envelopes that are open at the top and usually have loose-leaf binder holes at the side. Print the colorful page on one side of the paper only, insert it into the clear envelope and seal the top with scotch tape.
To further cut costs, it is possible to insert two consecutive full page games back to back. If you have a set of Bingo 1 and another set of Bingo 2 then place Card 1 of Bingo 1 back to back with Card 1 of Bingo 2. This allows you to use one envelope for two cards without any conflict as you wouldn’t be playing two different games at one time.

What about games that require a number of small cards?
Rather than going to the expense of laminating these, try to find an outlet that sells clear contact paper – it is available by the roll, by the meter or in large sheets. The small cards can be placed face down on the contact paper and cut.

All of these suggestions will be facilitated by using volunteers or older students. Asking parents to help not only saves you time and money, it has the added benefit of enhancing your community relationships.

We hope that you will be able to adapt these suggestions in a way that will assist your school and the families of your community through these difficult economic times. Consider these ideas and then – Do It Your Way.

Textbooks for Adults or Teen-agers
Some programs suitable for teen-agers and or adults offer a separate student reader, student workbook and teacher’s guide. Although many organizations print a student book and workbook for every student, some schools cut their costs by printing the lessons onto transparencies and using an overhead projector. The students make notes and complete the written exercises in an exercise book. There may, however, be some assignments such as crossword puzzles that need to be printed. The conversational activities can be followed with the same efficiency as if they were provided in a printed book.
Only one teacher’s guide is needed for each teacher. It can, of course, be used many times. Activities provided in the guide can be printed once and laminated, allowing teachers to use them again and again.

Textbooks for Young Children
Young children need to have a book for writing and drawing. Depending on their age the use of the overhead projector might prove to be too abstract. A teacher’s guide for a children’s program, however, usually provides many colorful pictures for games and activities. These can be printed once and laminated in order to preserve them for many uses. This simple adaptation allows for savings in both time and money.

English Second Language Storybooks
Storybooks are an important part of any English second language program. Many of those that are written for children of seven to twelve years provide a separate storybook, workbook and teacher’s guide. Children of that age will enjoy reading the story on a screen but may have some difficulty doing the workbook exercises in an exercise book. Assignments such as crossword puzzles would need to be printed. The student’s ability to adapt to the use of an overhead projector will vary from group to group.
Some storybooks videos are available. They also provide the written story and a workbook. These can be a refreshing change for young students.

These suggestions for cutting costs can save a considerable amount of money. Every organization, school or teacher will need to assess the needs of their classes before adopting any of these cost cutting adaptations. The necessity of following through with these suggestions will change with the ups and downs of each country’s economic prosperity.

What Are Some of the Students’ Daily Circumstances?-
- There are those who live in isolated communities where no English is spoken.
- Others living in large cities work all day and are needed at home with their families in the evening.
- English classes are too expensive for some or maybe they are too far from their home or work.
- Some people spend long hours commuting to work by bus or train. Being able to use that time to study would be of benefit to them.

What’s Out There That Can Help Students to Choose and Enrich Their Lives as They Seek to Listen and Understand English?
The communication systems of the twenty-first century have made our planet seem like a smaller place. There are wonderful films made in many different countries of the world plus chat rooms on the Internet about almost any subject. There are places on the Internet where we can share our ideas, knowledge and concerns with others. It makes us feel like we’re part of something exciting when we can participate. The Internet hosts most of the major languages but English has become the international language of communication – the one most often used.

Who Are Some of the People Needing to Speak and Understand English?
- Travelers will want to know how to register at a hotel, how to order in a restaurant and how to follow oral directions to find a place in a city.
- High school and university students need English in order to progress with their education and attend international conferences in other countries where English is the dominant language.
- Many employers hire only those who speak, read and write English. As communication improves, more and more companies are doing business beyond their own borders.
- Large English speaking manufacturing companies in Europe and North America are establishing their factories in other countries where the labor is cheaper.
- Salespeople who travel from country to country need to be fluent in English.

What Types of Programs Are Available for Students?
There are many programs in a variety of settings that would allow an individual to understand and to speak English. Let’s talk about several kinds.
- There are complete interactive programs that allow anyone with a computer to learn English at home. These interactive programs provide sound, graphics, text and tests that allow the student to check on their progress. Students can return to a lesson as often as they like and can progress at their own rate. They also offer the advantage of working with a friend as two people can share one computer.
- Many people have learned to read and write English but don’t speak or understand it. Some programs provide listening, oral answers and text as required, plus tests to guide the student’s progress. The student can hear the content spoken by a native English speaker and see the text at the click of the mouse. He or she can listen and repeat as often as necessary.

As our world becomes a smaller place communication is easier. Although there are many languages used on the Internet, English is the most frequently used as it is essential for business. As each year goes by the services of the Internet become available to more people and the need for English increases.

Let’s Look at Possibilities for Finding Computers at a Reduced Price
Some computer companies that specialize in educational products are interested in providing a number of computers at a reduced price. This opportunity varies from country to country but perhaps it is worth investigating.

Used computers are available in many computer stores. Contacting them and asking to be notified when some become available might be worth trying. Even though this would mean having computers of different ages and types, it’s likely that the same programs could be loaded into them. If these were available at a very reasonable rate then they would be better than having no computers at all.

Children love to work at a computer. They will put a great deal of effort into their work in order to have a chance to use one. There aren’t many things that can compete with the effectiveness of a computer as a motivator and a teacher. Although it can’t replace a teacher it is a magical teaching aid. A computer program can hold a student’s attention more effectively than a classroom teacher. Even those with a short attention span will stay with a good program for perhaps ten to twenty minutes.

What Types of Programs Are Appropriate for Young English Second Language Students?
Listening to and watching a video that presents a story is a good approach. If a series of pictures or videos accompanies a narrated story then the story becomes real for them and they understand the English without thinking about it. Have them watch and listen to a story a number of times, then help them to retell the story in very simple sentences.

Ideas for Teachers Who Don’t Have Access to Ready-made Programs
Perhaps you have a classroom computer but limited software that allows only the writing of English plus some spell checking capability. Take advantage of the motivational capacity of even the most basic computer. You might be surprised at the students’ responses.

Look on the Internet for Free Material
You will find free samples of:
- printable ESL material
- on-line ESL programs
Although these may not be as complete as you would like they are a beginning and will help with the selection of programs when your organization is able to purchase them.

Types of Assignments
Most of the assignments listed below will require the students to cooperate in small groups, use dictionaries and request some teacher assistance. All planning and draft copies would first be done on paper. It’s best if their paper work is checked before they do the typing.
Some types of assignments to try:
- students working to write a paragraph
- students working in pairs to write a story
- students can plan role-plays in small groups

Adapt any of the ideas outlined in this article to meet your needs. If you have very limited resources, you are not alone. Many unique approaches to computer use have evolved from a very simple beginning.

The Advantages of a Classroom Computer for Teaching ESL Language Writing Skills.
- your classroom gains credibility for providing an up-to-date environment
- the students respect your knowledge of its use
- students may learn a new aspect of its use, especially if computer games are their usual type of program
- it helps students with their spelling and grammar
- it promotes creativity by making the mechanics of writing easier and faster
- it holds the students attention
- it allows two, three or four students to work together

Role-plays
These are a very successful way of teaching written and oral language. Most programs provide the role-plays for the students to practice, but the computer provides incentives and programs that help the students to write their own conversations, basing them on topics that are of interest to them.

In preparation for their work at the computer the students will need to work in a group of three or four to decide the topic of their role-play, the characters, roles that each of them will take and a brief outline of what they will say. Next they will work together to identify the vocabulary they need. They will likely need a dictionary that supplies their own language and English. Their ability to write their conversation in correct English sentences will vary according to the approach taken in their previous courses. If they have learned to speak in sentences then the word-order won’t be a problem. This is an area where a group of students can help each other.
When they have completed the draft copy of their role-play and the teacher has checked it, they will be ready to use the computer to type it and record it. Having them demonstrate it for others can lead to interesting group discussions.

Possible benefits
English second language students living in an environment where computers are readily available may have been using programs that provide games or others that don’t require written language. They may be sending e-mails but these would likely be in their first language. If they aren’t comfortable with written English it’s unlikely that they are familiar with the advantages of a program designed for writing. The role-play assignment requiring them to use such a program could be an important step in their written language development.

Learning to speak English while working with a group helps to provide them with the skills for working together that many jobs require. The planning together in English provides essential practice in conversation.

This article has stressed the advantages of a classroom computer. It outlines one type of assignment that gives the students control over the content of their work. It suggests a method that allows for computer sharing. The activity provides for plenty of discussion in small groups and teaches group cooperation. Finally it leads them into an aspect of computer programs that can help them with their written English.

The Computer Lab
It is assumed that your class(es) will be assigned specific time periods for using the lab. This setup that offers the use of a number of computers seems like pure magic! It’s an exciting place for teachers and students because it provides so many new possibilities for teaching English. The students can follow ready made programs working at their own level or they can work together to create English skits, role-plays or stories.

Depending on the size of your class there can be a computer for each student or two can work at one computer. I found that it was usually a combination of both depending on the numbers. Two or even three students sitting together doing an interactive assignment can be very effective as they help each other with the language. The danger here is that one of them will do everything while the others watch.

A computer lab allows each student to work at his or her own English language level. Even if the teacher has a very limited supply of software, students can be assigned to different levels. The teacher can enjoy spending time with individuals and facilitating their progress.

One Computer in a Classroom
This requires more complex organization. Every student wants to use the computer – it’s a great motivator. In view of this it’s important that every student has an equal chance to use it as planned on a daily or twice weekly or weekly basis. One approach is to establish a timetable that leaves plenty of unassigned spaces. These will be needed for a variety of situations.

Rewards for Improvement or Good Work Habits
Students of all ages will work hard to earn time at a computer. Even for those who have one at home, the high interest level and personalized approach that is offered is special as compared to the large group classroom situation. The programs or assignments are a refreshing change from their regular routine.

Computers for Advanced Students
A computer can help to solve the problem of finding effective assignments for advanced students. It is often very difficult to meet their needs in the classroom situation. This is especially true when teaching English, if several students already know the oral work that the others need to experience.

Computers for Students Having Difficulty
The same situation is true for these slower moving students. Being able to progress at their own pace gives them confidence and success, whereas while working with the whole class they often feel discouraged and inadequate.

Whatever your situation, some of these ideas may make a difference to your day. Choose any of these suggestions and adapt them to your needs and your teaching style. Whatever you decide will be the best for you and your students.

Advanced students may:
- learn quickly without needing to work at it
- be reliable conscientious workers
- be interested in only one thing
- not have good work habits
- have a negative attitude to school
- be very talkative and social
- be very quiet and withdrawn into their field of interest
- complete their assignments ahead of the others

Teachers are faced with these variables plus many more. Let’s discuss some ideas that will help these students and you, the teacher. If they can be offered a program that is right for them, many of their negative attributes might disappear.

The Student Who Learns English Quickly Without Much Effort
If the student is more competent than his or her peers then try any of these suggestions according to the materials available to you.
- have the student work with another advanced classmate on a creative project related to their interests
- provide English material about subjects of interest to the student
- make use of a classroom computer program that will be challenging
- provide English books for them to read independently

The Student Who Learns Quickly but Has a Negative Attitude and Poor Work Habits
These students are sometimes bored. They have stopped caring about school.
Try to:
- identify something that they are interested in
- encourage them to bring English books that interest them to class and assign a research project to be done in English.
- have them use the computer to research their subject
- encourage them to help others with their English

Students Who Complete Their Assignments Ahead of the Others Need to Have Something of Special Interest to Do.
Create a situation where they can:
- work with another English language student on an English project such as writing a role-play to perform for the whole group
- find English books in the classroom or the school library
- help other students
- work on an on-going English language project such as writing a story

These advanced students are a very important part of the class. They often have suggestions that spark ideas in the other students. They are often natural leaders so it is especially important that their needs be met. Spending a little extra time adjusting their program can help to create a harmonious ambiance within the class.

This article has listed some of the problems encountered when teaching advanced students within the framework of a regular ESL class. Try any of these approaches for helping advanced students to adjust to the classroom situation in a positive way. Establishing an effective program for these students will benefit them, their classmates and you, the teacher.