🎯 Goal: Get comfortable talking about your coding background
Teacher starts: "So, when did you first get into programming? I started back in 2010 when I wanted to build a website for my band..."
Then discuss naturally:
- What was your first contact with coding?
- Do you remember how it felt?
- Did anyone inspire you to learn?
📖 Essential Words for This Class
Teacher: Introduce these words through YOUR story first, then do the exercise:
| Word/Phrase | How to use it |
|---|---|
| get into | "I got into programming when I was 15" |
| struggle with | "At first, I struggled with understanding pointers" |
| overwhelmed | "I felt overwhelmed by all the frameworks" |
| breakthrough | "I had a breakthrough when recursion finally clicked" |
| looking back | "Looking back, I should have learned the basics first" |
| it took me a while to | "It took me a while to understand async/await" |
Complete this coding story with the vocabulary words:
Do these 3 quick scenarios (3 min each). Alternate roles with your teacher!
Scenario 1: Onboarding a Junior Developer
Situation: You're mentoring a new junior dev who feels overwhelmed. Share your own beginner struggles to help them feel better.
Use: "struggle with", "overwhelmed", "it took me a while to", "looking back"
Scenario 2: Tech Interview Question
Situation: Interviewer asks: "Tell me about how you got into programming and what keeps you motivated."
Use: "I got into", "breakthrough", your authentic story
Scenario 3: Networking at a Meetup
Situation: Someone asks about your coding background. Give them the quick version of your origin story.
Use: Natural mix of all vocabulary
Student prepares and presents (15 min) + Teacher asks questions during presentation (10 min)
Structure your story:
- The Beginning: How and when you discovered programming
- First Challenges: What you struggled with and how it felt
- First Project: What you built and what you learned
- Breakthrough Moment: When things started clicking
- Evolution: How you've grown from beginner to now
- Reflection: What you'd tell your past self
🎙️ How this works:
Student: Starts telling their story naturally (not reading notes!)
Teacher: Interrupts with genuine questions:
- "Wait, how old were you when that happened?"
- "That must have been frustrating! What did you do next?"
- "I had a similar experience with [topic]. Did you feel the same way?"
- "What was the hardest part about learning [concept]?"
This should feel like a podcast interview, not a formal presentation!
🎯 Quick reflection discussion:
Discuss naturally:
- Which phrase from today will you use in your actual work this week?
- What surprised you about telling your coding story in English?
- If you had to explain your journey to a recruiter tomorrow, how would you start?
Option 1 (Recommended): Record yourself telling your coding origin story (5-7 minutes). Listen back and note where you could improve fluency.
Option 2: Write your story (250-300 words) as if you're answering this interview question: "Walk me through how you became a developer."
Must include:
- At least 4 vocabulary phrases from today's class
- Specific examples and details (not generic statements)
- Your authentic voice and personality