５tips to become a proactive ALT

Japan schools have up to 7 periods a day and each period has up to 50 minutes in length. On average ALTs teach 3~5 classed per day. Free periods are teaching preparation time. Today, I want to introduce you to some free period ideas.

1. Create lesson plans, games, activities, and worksheets for future lessons and introduce them to your Japanese teacher. Show it to your Japanese teacher if it`s okay and has a short meeting on what to do. If they are too busy, you can put your lesson outline on their table and put a small note (Make sure it`s readable). If they have comments, they`ll put a note back on your table. If the Japanese teacher you’re your ideas or not, do not feel discouraged, just re-create.

You can use this lesson outline form to make it presentable and easy to understand. A step-by-step flow on how to do your lesson outline:

lesson_plan_template.pdf (sakura.ne.jp)

2. Create flashcards, power points, or things that you can use to introduce your target vocabulary.

Most of the schools have their flashcards ready but you can check the cards that you need to use for the next lesson. If you are good at creating PowerPoint presentations, use your skills in a way to help the students better understand English. Creative PowerPoints help the students to be more interested in the topic. Some examples are “Potato Roulette”, using popular cartoon characters, and the “Who wants to be a millionaire!” game. These are types of quizzes for students to practice through questions, multiple-choice, the grammar practice, and you can play the same game but change the topic.

Get free PowerPoint games:

Free PowerPoint Games | Games4esl

3. Create videos introducing the target grammar/vocabulary

During COVID it is hard to show the students your mouth with a mask on. Help the teacher or show the student your mouth with this special trick.

Check the video sample:

4. Design English Boards

Design interactive English Boards that create the interests of students in English, interactive activities, and put topics that may be related to your previous lesson and about the cultures and holidays.

Please note that you need to ask permission first before creating English boards.

Here are some ideas that one of our ALTs made for their English boards at school:

*Put Daily Word of the Day/ Weather/Days of the week/dates

*Target language

*Word/Phrase of the week

*Interesting Vocabulary with pictures

*Tongue twister challenge

*Sharing about your cultures

*Holidays

*Giving free fun worksheets

5. Join other subjects: (You will need the approval of the Japanese teachers and your Coordinator and schedule ahead of time) Join in subjects that you are interested in helping the Japanese students to better understand using English. Spark their interests in music, arts, P.E, etc. using English. Again, not do this without permission.

Be proactive and use your time to create something to help the students better understand English.