Teaching in Your Second Language – You’ve Got This!

Let me start with the most important thing: your school employed you because they have confidence in you. They know you’re working in your second language. They know this adds an extra layer of challenge to an already demanding first year of teaching. And they want to support you.

Being a new teacher is actually the perfect time to ask questions, seek help, and learn from more experienced colleagues. Everyone expects you to need support—that’s completely normal and professional. So please, ask for what you need. That’s not a weakness; it’s how good teachers develop.

Now, let’s talk about some of the challenges you might face, and why they’re nothing to worry about.

You’re Going To Be Exhausted (And Here’s Why That’s Normal)

In your first few weeks, you might be surprised by how tired you feel. By mid-afternoon, you might be completely drained. By Friday evening, you might barely have the energy to do anything except sleep.

This is completely normal—and it’s not because you’re not good enough.

I remember when I started teaching, every evening after work, I’d wander aimlessly round my local supermarket in a complete daze because I couldn’t physically process any more information and just needed to walk, alone. I didn’t even have the energy to buy anything! And I was teaching in my first language!

You’re teaching in your second language, so in reality, your brain is doing two demanding jobs at the same time: figuring out how to teach AND figuring out how to do this in a different language! Every lesson, you’re listening to young children speaking (often quickly, unclearly, sometimes all at once), finding the right words to explain things at their level, telling stories, singing songs, giving instructions, and staying alert for any miscommunication.

That’s exhausting mental work. Your brain is working overtime, every single lesson, every single day.

Be kind to yourself about needing rest and downtime. Don’t feel guilty about going home and doing very little in the evenings at first. Your stamina will build over the term as your brain adapts, and your school understands this is part of the process of starting out.

The Vocabulary Gap: When you Know It but Can’t Explain It

You understand what you want to teach. You could explain it perfectly in your first language. But finding the simple English words that a 5-year-old or 7-year-old will understand feels surprisingly hard.

Sometimes you know the “school” word for something but not the everyday word that young children use. Or you might not know the English words for common playground games, nursery rhymes, or children’s songs that other teachers mention.

What will help:

When you’re planning:

• Think about the simplest way to explain something
• Use concrete examples and objects rather than abstract explanations
• Have simpler words ready: “look at” instead of “observe,”; “sort” instead of “classify,” 
• Plan to use lots of visuals, pictures, props, puppets, and demonstrations
• Write down any stories or instructions—this takes away the pressure of finding words in the moment

When you’re teaching:

• Show, don’t just tell. Model everything, demonstrate it, act it out
• Use gestures and actions alongside your words
• Keep your sentences short and simple
• Repeat key phrases: “We’re going to sort the buttons. Sort means we put them in groups.”
• Use children’s books! Reading picture books aloud helps you build your vocabulary of child-friendly language

If you can’t find the English word:

Sometimes your brain just won’t give you the word you need, especially when you’re tired. Here’s a wonderful strategy that turns a challenge into a learning opportunity:

Ask the children!

Say something like: “I’m trying to think of the English word for…” and then describe what you mean, or use the word in your first language. You might be amazed at what happens:

• Children who share your language might know the English word—what a brilliant moment for them to be the expert!
• And even if they don’t, hearing that word can actually be really helpful—it connects their home language with their school learning.
• Other children get to hear you problem-solving with language and potentially  the whole class can get involved in working out the meaning together.
• You learn the word you needed, and the children feel proud that they helped their teacher – a win for everyone!

This approach values the children’s language knowledge, shows that we all help each other learn, and normalises the fact that even teachers don’t know every word. Plus, it’s genuinely good pedagogy—you’re creating a collaborative learning moment.

For very young children (4-5 year olds), make it more playful: “Can anyone help me? I want to say…” and then mime or show what you mean. They’ll love helping you find the right word.

Also helpful:

• Listen to how other teachers talk to young children
• Watch children’s TV programs or listen to children’s songs in English
• Ask colleagues about words for playground equipment, games, or activities
• Keep a notebook of useful phrases and words you hear

Remember: clear, simple language is exactly what young children need. Your focus on being understandable is perfect for them.

Classroom Management: Finding the Right Words in the Moment

When you’re teaching young children, things happen fast. A child might suddenly grab a toy, or the class might get very noisy, or someone might do something unsafe. You need to respond quickly—but finding the right words when you’re stressed can be really difficult in a second language.

You don’t need perfect, eloquent English for good classroom management. You need clarity, consistency, and confidence. Simple, clear phrases work brilliantly.

What will help:

Before you start: Create a mental script of phrases you might need:

• “Eyes on me” / “Look at me, please”
• “Who can I see who is ready to listen?”
• “Let’s keep our hands to ourselves, please”
• “Sit down, please”
• “Let’s use our listening ears”
• “It’s time to tidy up”
• “Good waiting!”
• “Thank you for sitting so nicely”

You might want to ask or observe more-experienced teachers to find out what phrases they commonly use.

Practice saying them out loud before the term starts. This helps them become automatic. Prepare phrases for specific situations: fighting over toys, getting quiet for listening, transitions between activities.

In the classroom:

• It’s okay to pause before responding to misbehavior or giving an instruction. A pause can actually make you seem more calm and in control.
• Use lots of non-verbal communication: gestures, facial expressions, moving closer to a child, counting down from 5 to 1 for attention. Young children respond brilliantly to visual cues.
• Start with simple, clear language. “Stop” is a complete sentence when a child is about to do something unsafe.
• Be consistent. Using the same phrases repeatedly helps children know what you expect—and helps the language become automatic for you.
• Use routines and songs for transitions: a tidy-up song, a line-up rhyme. The music and rhythm help you too.

If a word slips out in your first language: Don’t worry! This happens when you’re tired or stressed, and it’s actually not a problem. Children who share your language will feel a lovely moment of connection with you. Children who don’t speak your language will understand from your tone and body language. It reminds all the children that speaking multiple languages is normal and wonderful. You’re in an international school—many of your students are also working in their second or third language.

Talk to a colleague about challenging moments. They can suggest phrases that might work better. You’ll get better at this—finding the right words will become quicker and easier as you practice.

You’re Not Alone

Your school wants you to succeed. Your colleagues want to help you. Being a new teacher means asking questions, seeking advice, and learning from others. That’s what professional development looks like.

So please: ask your mentor for support when you need it, request to observe experienced teachers, seek clarification when you don’t understand something, and share when you’re finding something difficult.

You’re doing something remarkable. You’re teaching in a second language. You’re learning a new profession. You’re managing a classroom full of young children. That takes courage, intelligence, and dedication.

You’re going to have hard days and feel tired. But you’re also going to have moments when a child finally understands something, when story time captivates every little face, when a shy child holds your hand. Those moments are coming, and they’ll make all the hard work worthwhile.

Once you’re feeling less exhausted and more settled into the term, you might want to listen to my podcast series about bilingualism in the classroom—it explores how your multilingualism can be a real asset in your teaching.

You’ve got this! Welcome to teaching!

What are you noticing as you spend time in the classroom? Please share your experiences so that we can publish them to help other teachers in your position. Contact me here.