Demo EFL Lesson Tips & Advice [video]

Many EFL schools now ask teachers to conduct a demonstration lesson as part of the application process. While most teachers find this part of the process to be more nerve-wracking than the interview, it needn’t be that way. You just need to prepare like you would for any lesson.

So, why a demonstration lesson?

The school wants to see how you ‘perform’ as a teacher as a demo lesson can tell (and show) a lot about you. They want to see how well you prepare and follow your lesson plan; that you are confident in front of learners, able to speak clearly and grade your language to the level of the students; how you gauge student comprehension; and what activities you use to get students using the target language and keep them engaged. It's also a chance for them to see the person behind the CV, so smiling and clothing are really important.

How to prepare for your demo lesson

The more information you have, the better prepared you can be. Ask the school about what you need to cover in your demo lesson, the level of the class, age of the learners and how long the lesson should be. Some schools provide a resource they would like you to follow, whilst others are looking to see how creative you are. You may be given free rein to choose what you to teach in your demo lesson, whether it be a particular grammar point, new vocabulary or skills-based lesson. Either way make sure you research your topic carefully, and that you have sufficient time to cover all aspects of the lesson plan within the set time.

It's also worth knowing who will be observing you in your demo lesson. In most cases it will be the director of studies, head of English, an English teacher at the school, or a combination of the above. At the end of your lesson, you may be asked some questions about your lesson plan and the activities that you chose.

Some demo EFL lesson preparation tips

• Put yourself against the clock – time your mock lesson to make sure that you aren’t under or over
• Get on your feet and practice out loud
• Invite some friends or family to ‘sit in’ on your lesson – stand in front of them, make eye contact and smile
• Find the best spot to stand so that they can clearly see you from the waist up – you want your interviewer to be able to see your facial expressions and gestures
• Depending on what you cover in your lesson, prepare some hand-outs or make a make-shift whiteboard

The demo lesson itself

So the day has come to deliver your demo EFL lesson. Before your arranged timeslot, check your microphone and camera are working properly, you are dressed appropriately and there is enough light in the room.

Have a copy of your lesson plan and any student hand-outs that you have created. You may be asked to send these documents to the school before your demo so they also have a chance to review them and prepare any questions.

Watch this demo lesson our classroom tutor Kirsty has prepared.