First week of class should be used for developing seating charts as this will help you remember students’ names and maintaining discipline within the class. Try starting off in rows with alphabetical order and make adjustments and switches where necessary.
With this size class and the importance of listening skills in English, any form of disorder within the class should be swiftly dealt with. Expect to be pushed by the students. It will be to your advantage to have an iron fist inside the classroom. Outside of the classroom, have fun with the students.
Depending on the school you work in, you may be working in the classroom with a Chilean teacher. This is beneficial for both teachers as it is a wonderfully dynamic relationship that both parties can grow and learn from. Team teaching keeps and ever changing pace for the students and gives you a break from the masses every now and again.
Test early and test often. Keep the students engaged with activities, especially the younger children. This will take a lot of pressure off of you as a teacher. Idle hands are the ones that will send you to the padded room in a straight jacket.
Test them on the same things over and over again until they are sick of it and can spout it of right when you ask them without having to think. The students will complain, but it is to their advantage to know something and know it well.
The students in general are wonderful and are quite bright. With so many, it’s hard to get to know them all, but you will pick up immediately on the ones that shine and the ones to watch out for.
