Since I’ve been an EFL/ESL instructor for a decade, I know that my fellow instructors constantly look for English expressions that they can use as their ice breaker on New Year’s day. Teaching English for a decade means teaching online English to Koreans and Japanese, tutoring Filipinos and Koreans in English academies, and giving a lecture on linguistics to college students.
With that dynamic experience (with tons of enthusiasm)), I want to help teachers like me on being more creative in leading their class. Again, this is about creativity coupled with enthusiasm ^-^
Here are the expressions that I hope will be of great help to all of you in teaching English all year round:
After New Year’s Day:
A good question to ask your student is:
1. Have you made your New Year’s resolutions this year?
The next question can be about whether or not he/she is able to fulfill them all every year.
2. Are you successful with them every year?
Another Option:
Open the conversation for the day by introducing an idiomatic expression which is:
ring in the new year – to celebrate the new year
So you can ask this question:
1. What did you do to ring in the new year?
Since most people complain about the cold weather I came up with this expression that you can introduce to your student.
2. bundle up – This idiom means to wrap and protect yourself by thick clothing before you go outside when it’s freezing cold.
E.g. Make sure to bundle up before you go outside.
Having this expression, you can then talk about winter warmer inventions to keep people warm such as neck and hand warmers, and what have you.
photo credit to Mhai ©2017 Language Stratagem. All rights reserved.
The next day:
You can use another expression which is still related to the season. Ask the student if he/she will be snowed under.
1. Will you be snowed under today?
What does snow under mean? It means you will be crazy busy.
E.g. Your Dad will be snowed under with his new project.
I hope I was able to help you start your class during the winter period.
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