ESL Teacher Interview Questions

"I started by helping a neighbour's kids with their English homework, and I noticed I enjoyed working out why something wasn't clicking for them. That pushed me to do a proper teaching certificate course, with observed teaching practice. The biggest thing it changed was how much I talk. My first observed lesson, I explained everything, and my tutor pointed out the students barely spoke. Now I plan every lesson around what the students will say and do, not what I'll explain. Since then I've taught small adult groups and one-to-one online, mostly general English and some conversation classes. I'm looking for a role where I teach regular groups over a full course, so I can see progress over months, not just single lessons."

"From your website and the course pages, most of your students seem to be working adults who need English for their jobs, and a lot of them take evening or online classes. That tells me they're tired when they arrive, short on time, and want English they can use at work the next day, like meetings, emails and phone calls. That's the group I've enjoyed most. In my last role I ran a business English group for staff at a logistics firm, and I built lessons around the emails they actually had to write that week. I also like that you run courses over several months, because I care about seeing a student go from nervous in meetings to confident."

"What helps me most is regular, honest feedback, ideally an observation early on, so I know I'm teaching the way the school wants. I also value a clear picture of each course, the level, the book, and what students should reach by the end, so I'm not guessing. From the team, I like a shared bank of materials and a staffroom culture where people swap ideas, like 'this warm-up worked great with my intermediates'. In return, I share what I make, I'm happy to cover when someone's ill, and I'll help newer teachers settle in. If a class isn't going well, I'd rather raise it early and ask for advice than wait until a student complains."

"Even with the same level, every group is different, so I try not to reuse a lesson without changing it for the people in front of me. After lessons I jot down a line or two on what worked and what didn't, and I actually read those notes next time I teach that unit. I also pick one area a term to work on. Last term it was getting more speaking out of lower levels, so I read about it, tried a new activity every week, and asked a colleague to observe one lesson. I like peer observation a lot, because watching someone else teach the same level always gives me ideas. Longer term, I'd like to do further training, possibly a diploma-level course, and maybe help train new teachers."

"I planned a lesson on second conditional for an intermediate group, with a speaking task at the end about what they'd do if they won a lot of money. Ten minutes in, it was clear most of them weren't ready. They kept saying things like 'if I would win, I will buy a house'. So I dropped the second half of my plan, went back to a few clear example sentences on the board, and did quick controlled practice in pairs until the form was solid. The speaking task moved to the next lesson. Afterwards I realised I'd trusted the level on paper instead of checking. Now I start new grammar with a short diagnostic, even two minutes of sentences to finish, so I know where they really are before I commit to the plan."

"My senior teacher observed an intermediate class and said my instructions were too long. I'd explain an activity for two minutes, and then half the class would turn to each other asking what to do. Honestly, I was a bit defensive at first, because I thought I was being thorough. But she was right. Now I plan my instructions word for word for any complex task, keep them short, show an example with one student before everyone starts, and then ask one or two quick checking questions like 'Are you writing or speaking?' and 'How long do you have?'. The difference was obvious: students started faster, and I stopped having to walk round re-explaining. I still write instructions into my plans now."

"I'd pick one small aim, something like 'students can make polite requests with could you and would you mind', because a big grammar point won't fit in ten minutes. I'd open with a one-minute context, for example a picture of a busy office, and get them guessing what people are asking for. Then I'd draw out two or three example requests from them rather than giving them, check meaning with a couple of quick questions, and drill pronunciation briefly, especially the polite intonation. Then a short pair practice with prompt cards, and to finish, a mini role-play where they make requests to each other while I note errors for quick feedback at the end. I'd time each stage, keep my instructions short, and make sure they talk far more than I do."

"I always start from one aim, written as what students can do by the end, like 'ask and answer about past holidays'. Then there's a short warm-up to get them speaking and to recycle last lesson's language. Next I set a context, maybe a short text or a picture, so the new language has a reason to exist. I draw the language out of the context, check they understand the meaning, and work on form and pronunciation. Then controlled practice, where they use it accurately, followed by freer practice, like a discussion or role-play, where they use it for real. I finish with feedback on errors I heard and a quick recap. For a skills lesson, like reading or listening, the middle changes, but the idea of building from support to independence stays the same."

"PPP stands for presentation, practice, production. I present a language point in context, students practise it in controlled activities, and then use it more freely. It's clear and predictable, which suits lower levels and new structures. A task-based lesson flips that. Students do a meaningful task first, like planning a trip together, using whatever English they have. Then they report back, and only after that do we focus on the language they needed or got wrong. It's closer to real communication and works especially well with higher levels, who already have a lot of language to draw on, though simple tasks can work lower down too. So with beginners learning a new tense, I'd lean on PPP. With an upper-intermediate group, I'd often go task-based, because I learn exactly what they're missing instead of guessing."

"I had an adult student, a nurse, whose grammar was fine on paper but who froze when she had to speak on the phone at work. We found out that what scared her was not understanding the other person and having to ask again. So we spent part of every lesson on phone role-plays, and I taught her a handful of phrases for checking and repeating, like 'Sorry, could you say the last part again?' We recorded a few calls so she could hear herself improve. After about two months she told me she'd taken a call from a doctor without panicking and asked him to repeat a dosage. For me the difference was finding the real fear behind the problem, not just giving her more grammar."

"In a multinational adult class, I set up a role-play where students had to disagree with their manager in a meeting. A few students went very quiet, and one told me after class that in her culture openly disagreeing with a senior person would be seen as rude, so the task felt uncomfortable, not just hard. I thanked her and, in the next lesson, I turned it into a discussion first: how do people show disagreement politely in your country? Students shared really different answers, and then we looked at softer English phrases like 'I see your point, but I wonder if...'. They practised those instead of blunt disagreement. Since then I check topics and role-plays for assumptions like that, and I give students a way to take part that doesn't force them against their own norms."

"With young learners, attention span drives everything. I change activity every few minutes, use movement, songs, games, pictures and real objects, and keep strong routines so they know what's coming. Grammar is mostly absorbed through chunks and repetition rather than explained. Classroom management matters a lot, so I set simple rules and praise good behaviour. With adults, motivation usually comes from a real goal, like work, travel or an exam, so I tie lessons to that. Adults often want to know why a structure works, so a short, clear explanation after discovery helps them. They also bring life experience, so discussions can go much deeper. And adults can be more self-conscious about mistakes, so I'm careful about how I correct in front of others. The basics stay the same: clear aims, lots of practice, and useful feedback."

"I had a group of twelve adults where a couple were close to beginners and a few could hold a real conversation. What worked was keeping the same topic for everyone but changing the task. For a reading, the stronger students answered open questions while the others matched headings to paragraphs. In speaking, I sometimes paired strong with weak, with the stronger one given the job of asking follow-up questions, and sometimes paired by level so the stronger pairs could push each other. I also always had an extension ready, like 'now write three more questions', so fast finishers didn't sit waiting. I checked it was working by listening in during pair work and by short exit questions at the end. Nobody felt singled out, because everyone was on the same topic."

"I'd start with the set-up rather than the student. Open questions to the whole class invite the fastest person to answer, so I'd switch to naming who answers, or to pair work where everyone has to speak. In a group task I'd give roles, and I might make the confident student the one who asks the others questions or reports back what the group said, which keeps them busy listening. If it still carries on, I'd have a quick, friendly word after class: I'd say I love how keen they are, and that I need their help getting the quieter ones to talk. Most strong students respond well to that. What I wouldn't do is cut them off in front of everyone."

"First I'd ask myself why it's happening. Usually the task is too hard, the instructions weren't clear, or there's no real reason to use English. So I'd check the task is at their level and give them the phrases they need on the board, like 'What do you think?' and 'I agree, but...'. I'd make sure the task has a clear outcome in English, for example they have to report back or write something at the end. With teenagers, I'd agree a class rule together about when English is expected, maybe with a light system like a point for the team that stays in English longest. And I wouldn't ban their language completely. A quick check of a word or instruction in their own language can save time, as long as the actual practice happens in English."

"I was teaching a one-to-one lesson and the shared slides froze completely, and my student's video kept dropping. Rather than spending ten minutes troubleshooting, I told her we'd switch to audio only and use the chat box. I had the key vocabulary in a document, so I pasted it into the chat and we did the speaking practice by voice, which honestly worked fine. At the end I sent her the materials and a short recap by message. Since then I always keep a plain text version of each lesson's key language and questions, and I know which parts of a lesson can run on voice alone. I also test my setup ten minutes before the first lesson of the day."

"With a seven-year-old, I'd first take it as a sign that my activity went on too long. So I'd use the toy instead of fighting it: 'Oh, who's that? Bring him here! What colour is he? Is he big or small?' Suddenly the toy is part of the lesson. Then I'd change the pace. Young learners online need activities of a few minutes each, with movement, like 'stand up and touch something red', songs, props, and a simple reward they can see on screen, like stars. If it keeps happening, I'd have a friendly chat with the parent after class about keeping the space clear, and maybe ask them to stay nearby for the first few minutes. I'd never tell the child off in a way that makes the lesson feel like a punishment."

"First, the basics: my camera at eye level, good light on my face, a decent headset, and everything tested before class, because students disengage fast if they can't hear or see me. In the lesson, I get everyone doing something every few minutes. I use the chat box a lot, so a whole group can type an answer at the same time instead of one person speaking. Students write or draw on the shared whiteboard, and in group classes I use breakout rooms for pair speaking, visiting each room briefly. I call on people by name, because open questions online often get silence. I also exaggerate my gestures and facial expressions a bit, because the screen flattens everything. And I keep slides simple, with more images than text, so students look at each other, not a wall of words."

"A parent of a ten-year-old emailed to say her son had been in my class for four months and still couldn't hold a conversation. I asked for a short call rather than replying in writing. I listened first, and it turned out she was comparing him with a cousin who'd lived abroad. I showed her his early writing next to a recent piece and played a short recording from class, so she could hear what he could now do. I also agreed with her that his speaking was behind his reading, which was true. We set a plan: more speaking in class, a short weekly speaking task at home, and a check-in call after six weeks. By then he was answering in full sentences, and she could hear the difference herself."

"I'd start by agreeing with them, because they're right that practice tests matter. They build timing and familiarity with the format. But I'd explain that a test measures your level, it doesn't raise it. If we only do tests, we'll keep finding the same weak spots without fixing them. So I'd suggest a deal. We do one full timed test now, I mark it carefully and show them exactly where they lose marks, say linking ideas in writing, or losing track in the longer listening. Then most lessons work on those specific skills, with a short timed section at the end of each lesson and a full test every few weeks so they can see their score move. Most adults are happy once they see the plan is built around their score."

"At the start I use a mix, because a written test alone misses a lot. A placement test gives a rough picture of grammar and vocabulary, but I always add a short speaking chat and a brief piece of writing, because some students test well but can barely speak, and others speak fluently with shaky grammar. I describe level with a common scale like the CEFR, from A1 up to C2, so the student, the school and I use the same language. Over the course, I keep short notes after lessons on recurring errors, use quick checks at the end of units, and keep a few recordings and writing samples so the student can compare early and recent work. I set two or three clear goals with them and review those every few weeks, so progress feels real to them."

"First I'd stop calling on them cold, because that's probably making it worse. I'd have a quick private chat after class, friendly, just asking how they feel the lessons are going. The reason could be shyness, a level that's lower than it looks, a culture where students don't speak up unless sure, or just a bad week. Then I'd change the set-up so speaking feels safer. More pair work first, so they speak to one person before the group. Thinking time: 'Take a minute and write two ideas, then tell your partner.' If I want them to speak to the class, I'd let them rehearse with a partner first. I'd also give real praise for content, not just correct grammar. Over a few weeks I'd expect longer answers, and I'd keep an eye on it rather than force it."

"A lot of it is what I stop doing. I elicit rather than explain, so I ask the class for examples instead of giving them. I keep instructions short and show an example instead of describing it. When a student answers, I don't repeat what they said. Then I build speaking into every stage. Warm-ups are in pairs, practice activities are done in pairs or small groups rather than one student at a time with the whole class listening, and I use information gaps, where each partner has something the other needs, so they genuinely have to talk. I also give students time to prepare before they speak, which makes their answers longer. Now and then I record one of my online lessons and count roughly how long I talk. It's always a useful shock."

"First I'd make sure they can hear the difference, because students often can't produce a sound they can't hear. I'd use minimal pairs, words that differ by only that sound, like ship and sheep, or bit and beat. I say one and they point to which it is. Then I'd work on making it. The sound in sheep is longer, with the lips more spread, and the sound in ship is shorter and more relaxed. I show my mouth, use a mirror or the camera, and let them exaggerate at first. Then we move from single words into short sentences, and then into a speaking task where the words come up naturally. My aim is clear, understandable speech, not removing their accent, and I'd tell the student that too."

"I'd say something like, 'That's a really good question, and I want to give you the right answer, not a guess. Let me check and I'll explain at the start of next lesson.' I'd write it down in front of them so they can see I mean it. Then I'd look it up in a proper grammar reference, and next time I'd open with a clear answer and a couple of examples. Students respect that much more than a confident wrong answer. If it's something I can partly answer, like 'both are possible but one is more common in speech', I'd say that much and be clear about what I'm still checking. And it's a signal for me to review that area, because if one student asked, others are probably wondering too."

"I'd pick one use first, say life experiences, rather than all the uses at once. I'd start with a context, maybe me telling them about some things I've done, and some I haven't, with a few of the sentences on the board. Then I'd ask them questions to notice the pattern: which verb comes first, what form the main verb is in, and do we know when these things happened? That draws out the form, have or has plus the past participle, and the meaning, that the time isn't important. I'd use a timeline to show it's somewhere in my life up to now. Then controlled practice, and after that a 'Have you ever...?' speaking activity where they find classmates who've done different things, with follow-up questions in the past simple."

"If I ask 'Do you understand?', almost everyone says yes. Some are too shy to say no, and some think they understand but don't. Concept-checking questions are short, simple questions that test the core meaning without using the new language itself. Take 'I used to live by the sea.' I'd ask: 'Did I live by the sea in the past?' Yes. 'Do I live by the sea now?' No. 'Was it once, or for a long time?' A long time. If they get those right, they've got the meaning. The questions use easier language than the target, and the answers are usually yes, no or a short choice. I plan them in advance for any new grammar or tricky vocabulary, because they're hard to invent well on the spot."

"I teach fewer words but more deeply. For each word, students need the meaning, the pronunciation including stress, the spelling, and how it's used, especially the words it usually goes with. So I'd teach 'make a decision', not just 'decision', because 'do a decision' is a classic mistake. I introduce words in context, like a short text or a story, check meaning with pictures or concept questions, and drill the pronunciation. Then comes the part people skip: using it. Students personalise the words, like 'Tell your partner about a hard decision you made'. Most importantly, I recycle. New words come back in warm-ups and review games over the following lessons, because nobody learns a word from seeing it once."

"It depends mainly on the aim of the activity. If we're in controlled practice and the point is to get the new form right, I'll correct quickly, on the spot, because accuracy is the whole point. If it's a fluency activity, like a discussion, I don't interrupt, because stopping someone mid-sentence kills the conversation. Instead I note errors as I walk around and spend a few minutes at the end on the most useful ones, without saying who made them. I also prioritise. I'll always deal with errors that stop people understanding the speaker, errors in the language we just taught, and errors a student makes again and again. A small slip from a nervous beginner who's finally talking, I might let go. Correcting everything just teaches students to stop speaking."

"My first step is to signal that there's a mistake and let the student try. If someone says 'Yesterday I go to the cinema', I might repeat 'Yesterday I...' and pause, so they fill in the gap. Or I echo the wrong bit with rising intonation, 'You go?', or point backwards over my shoulder for past tense, a gesture they learn early on. For a missing word or wrong word order, I use finger correction, one finger per word. If the student can't fix it, I'll ask the class, and only then give it myself. Recasting, where I just repeat the sentence correctly in a natural way, is useful in a conversation because it doesn't interrupt, but students often don't notice it, so I don't rely on it for things I really want them to learn."