With the summer fast approaching, we thought it an ideal time to look at something that many teachers will be doing, teaching at one of the countless ELT summer schools around the world. To get an expert’s view, we chatted with Adam Cookson, the Kaplan International Languages Director of Operations UKI about the different aspects of this rewarding ELT teaching experience…
How do you best build respect and rapport quickly with students in a summer school?
It sounds obvious but make sure you remember their names and interests. Most schools will expect your lessons to be fun and not too formal. You are the teacher and in control of the class but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a joke with your students. They should be laughing and learning!
It is important to find your own style and perfect it. It is always a good idea to do some peer observations and get feedback from your students whenever you can.
Try to be confident but never lie if you don’t know the answer, just tell them you will get back to them with an answer tomorrow (but make sure you do). Set rules on phone use and stick to them!
What is the difference between teaching classes of monolingual students and teaching students from multiple different countries?
Multilingual classes are often easier as if they want to speak to each other, they have to use English. There is also often more curiosity about each other’s culture so lots of differences to explore and discussions to be had.
In monolingual classes, you have to work harder to make sure everyone is speaking English. Explanations of vocabulary can be quicker though as often when one student gets it, they will say the word in their language.
What is the longest recommended commute time for a teacher teaching at a non-residential summer school?
It's difficult to say exactly, but I would say that a commute of more than an hour is probably too far for a non-residential teaching role at a summer school.
Roles teaching at a summer school available!
If you are interested in teaching at a summer school, there are non-residential UK summer school roles available with Kaplan, one of the world's leading educational providers. There are also similar roles available in Dublin. If these roles aren't right for you, please check out other available jobs on the TEFLwork website.
Apply for a CELTA!
We have a wide range of different CELTA courses for you to choose from from around the world. See more information on and apply to upcoming CELTA courses by date here. You can also find out more about the CELTA course in general. For those looking to take the next step up on the ELT ladder, you can see upcoming DELTA courses by date here. You also can find out more about the DELTA course in general.
