How to Get to Know Your Students: First Day ESL Essentials

 Welcome to a 4-Part Series about Getting to Know Your Students! Getting to know your students, especially early on in the semester, will have immeasurable effects on the rest of your semester, for both you and your students.

Spending the first day introducing and answering questions about yourself can help students feel more comfortable with you. Asking them questions though, and starting conversations with them will help you break down barriers even further, get a preliminary understanding of their English level, and get to know them right from the start.

So what are the best ways to get to know your students on the first day?

1)   Talk to them. Duh. 

None of this has to be deep, life-changing conversation. Just start to put the name with the face. Ask them where they’re from and what they like to do. Compliment their hairstyle, their notebooks, anything is okay. Just start building these relationships.

2)   Play the 15 Questions Icebreaker Game, otherwise known as “My #1 Favorite First-Day-of-Class Game.”

Give students a list of things to find out about their classmates. Students will walk around asking questions like “Do you have a sister?” “Can you play an instrument” or “Have you ever visited Beijing?” While students are getting to know each other, you should join them! In just a few minutes, you can discover that Judy has three sisters and a brother, Tom’s family is originally from Beijing, and Eric can’t play the piano, but he can play the guitar. So many teachers ask me, “I don’t know what to say to start up conversations with my students.” After this game, you can walk up to Eric and say, “So, how did you learn how to play guitar?” and then turn to Judy and ask, “Hey, do any of your brothers and sisters have children?”

I’ve written an entire post about this game, which you can read here: https://www.atlasteaching.com/games/icebreakergamesesl

3)   Ask students to fill out a first-day-of-class “Get to Know Me” form. 

You’ll be able to get their names, where they’re from, and learn about their hobbies and dream job. All of these can be used to start conversations and help you remember them better from the get-go. 

If you’re teaching in China, download this form here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Day-Get-to-Know-Me-ESL-Student-4707508

If you’re teaching in another country, download this form here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Day-Get-to-Know-Me-Any-Subject-4707515

Hopefully you’ll be able to do all three of these on the first day and start out the semester building relationships and breaking down those barriers!