Language assistant | Teaching English | British Council

First time on the site?

Welcome to the new Language Assistant site! Regular updates on the four areas of our site will start again in August:

Essential UK: lesson plans on UK topics
Games: fun ideas for all ages and levels
Primary Tips: ideas for primary age classes
Teaching Tips: activities for secondary classes

Be a Language Assistant

We can offer you the opportunity to work as a Language Assistant in the UK or in one of the 20 countries that are part of our scheme. In 2007-08 we sent nearly 2,200 English Language Assistants overseas.

Find out here how you can improve your language and teaching abilities while experiencing a different culture.

	Latest content from our editors
LA essential UK Bonfire Night Theme: Bonfire Night in the UK Lexical area: Festivals LA primary tips Drawing and colouring in the primary classroom Introduction Art is an important part of the young learners’ development at school and can also be part of their English learning. Colouring shouldn’t and needn’t however become simply a means to fill in time. Here we look at LA teaching tips Activities for first lessons 2 The following activities focus primarily on fluency and are suitable for intermediate level and up. They will give you a chance to get to know the class, break the ice and estimate their language level. LA games Stop the Bus This is a great game to revise vocabulary and you can use it with any age group and any level by changing the category headings. LA teaching tips Activities for first lessons 1 The activities that you use in your first lessons are very important and are likely to set the tone for the rest of your classes. In your first lessons, it is good to focus on two areas: LA essential UK Round-the-world travellers Theme: Round-the-world travellers, record breakers Lexical area: travel, running, sailing, cycling LA primary tips First Lessons Before you begin to teach: Teaching children takes a great deal of skill, patience and preparation, so this first tip is all about getting prepared and how to cope in your first few lessons. LA games In the Teacher’s Shoes This is great for the first class with a new group or when you come back to class after a holiday or even after a weekend.