How can I best teach English to complete beginners?

In English language learning, Beginner level is usually known as Pre-A1 (CEFR framework). Or in the ESOL framework it’s known as Pre-Entry. pre-entry as used in the UK ESOL framework. 

Many classes in the world of adult-focused ERM (English for Refugees and Migrants) are for Beginners. 

However, this level is nowhere near as straightforward as it may seem at first glance. 

Let’s explore a little. 

When I first started teaching back in Barcelona in 1989, I was given an adult beginner level class to work with. They hadn’t studied English at school and this was of course before the days that English was everywhere across major European cities. However, they were quick to learn. 

They knew the alphabet, many words were familiar from having similar Latin roots, and they’d all finished high school at a minimum, so had good study skills. Moreover, their approach to education was similar to mine. They were happy to volunteer answers, ask questions, make mistakes and work with their peers in small groups and pairs. 

What it’s like teaching beginners English to refugees

Fast forward to many years later, when I was responsible for a programme teaching English to beginner level young Syrian adults. Many of the students had grown up in a deeply traumatising war-torn environment, often with significant internal displacement before resettling the UK. Many had very little or at best a very disrupted education, so lacked study skills and an understanding of a classroom dynamic. 

Not only did students have no English and no knowledge of the Roman alphabet, but many were also illiterate in their own language. Culturally, Syrian education is top down, with teachers performing a more authoritarian role than those in the UK. 

Clearly this presented a very different set of challenges than those I experienced in Barcelona over 30 years earlier. 

Why beginners English is the most difficult level to teach.

These are two ends of the pre-A1 spectrum, and there are many shades in between. This is particularly the case with ERM students. 

You may have learners who have completed their education to a relatively high level but don’t know Roman script. You may others who have learnt the alphabet but find it difficult to read and write from left to write. 

Others may have Spanish or Portuguese as their first language and can recognise words and sentence structures, but struggle with pronunciation. Experiences of education may differ widely, as may cultural approaches to schooling such as the role of the teacher and expectations of what a good class looks like. 

The best way to teach English to complete beginners.

Working with such differentiated pre-A1 learners is part and parcel of what being in ERM teacher involves. These can be highly challenging classes. However, with knowledge and insights from teachers who have been there, teachers can navigate these challenges successfully and provide effective, tailored and rewarding learning. 

Teaching pre-A1 learners is a key part of our Core Skills in Teaching English to Refugees & Migrants course. On the course you look at how to approach these classes, including syllabus design, what materials and activities to consider, and how to use translanguaging. 

For more details here, visit the course page.

To join the next course in September, book here.

Get info on the course