March 2026 · Lesson Resources
The first lesson sets the tone for everything that follows. A great first class builds rapport, reduces anxiety, establishes expectations, and gives you valuable information about your students' levels and needs.
| Time | Activity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | Teacher introduction + icebreaker | Build rapport |
| 10-25 | Student introductions | Assess speaking level |
| 25-35 | Needs analysis questionnaire | Understand goals |
| 35-50 | Fun activity (game or task) | Positive first experience |
| 50-60 | Course overview + expectations | Set the scene |
Each student says three sentences about themselves — two true, one false. Others guess the lie. Works at all levels.
Give students a list of characteristics and they must find classmates who match. Great for mingling and practicing questions.
Quick preference questions: "Coffee or tea?", "Mountains or beach?", "Morning or evening?" Students move to different sides of the room.
Use Edooqoo's Welcome Placement Test for objective assessment. Supplement with a short questionnaire about goals, preferred learning style, and topics of interest.
Not formally. The first day should focus on building rapport, assessing levels, and establishing expectations. Light, communicative activities that reveal language levels work better than formal grammar instruction.