What should I teach total beginners?

Teaching total beginners.

How do I get started with teaching students who can't speak English at all?

There are lots of resources out there and your mind is probably ready to explode, as you have seen so much but still have no idea about where to start.

Let me help you.

Firstly, lets look at it from our point of view. If this was me travelling to a foreign country to work, for education or just travelling , what would I want to be able to communicate first?

The answer is, I want to be able to let people know who I am, where I am from and introduce my family members. If i'm attending school or college I want to be able to use vocabulary related to school or college. So you get the idea.

Below is a list of the most important things to teach those learning English for the first time.

For children learning English as a second language, I would first teach them the alphabet using sounds and slowly introduce new vocabulary using images as aids (images are good for adults too).

1. Personal and family information

• name, address, phone numbers, age 
• spelling of the first and last names
• answering questions about grade, age, school, teacher and where they are from
• family members (words like brother, sister, mother, father, cousin, sibling, aunt, uncle, etc.)

2. Social interaction

• hello and goodbye
• asking questions and thanking people
• introductions to friends and non-friends; hand shaking, kissing, etc.
• yes/no questions and answers
• asking for help
• expressing emotions 

3. Classroom and school

• items such as books, desks, whiteboard, pens, computer, etcs
• Class directions (point to, print, copy, turn the page, etc.)
• People who work at school
• Places at school (library, cafeteria, gym)
• Class procedures (announcements, pledge of allegiance)
• School subjects

4. Time, calendar and weather

• days of the week, months, seasons
• say and write the date
• yesterday, today, tomorrow
• what is the difference between a weekday and weekend
• telling time as well as concepts such as beginning and end, opening and closing, etc.

5. Body parts

• names of body parts
• verbs that are related to the movement and body functions (run, walk, eat, taste, etc.)
• clothing can be included here as well

6. Food

• groups of food (grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables, fats and proteins)
• foods in each of the above-mentioned groups (no need to teach EVERYTHING because there is just so so much. Food that is common in the students’ country and in their new country are perfectly fine)
• breakfast, lunch, dinner and what is typically consumed.
• table manners, restaurant manners

7. Home

• rooms in the house
• furniture
• kitchen tools and appliances

Hope this helps your focus.