How do I teach English online to absolute beginners?

Absolute beginners share no language with you yet, so every technique has to be visual, physical, or contextual:

• Use Total Physical Response (TPR). Model the action, do it with them, then have them do it alone. Build a base of action verbs first: stand, sit, point, jump, open, close.
• Teach in chunks, not isolated words. "I want pizza" before "I" / "want" / "pizza" as separate items. Chunks transfer to real speech.
• Pair every word with a visual. A flashcard, a real object, a gesture. Never just a written word.
• Avoid translation through a third language. Let context, gesture, and repetition carry the meaning. Translation is faster in the lesson but slower to build real fluency.
• Cap new content at 5-8 words or one structure per lesson.
• Repeat across lessons. Beginners typically need 7-10 spaced exposures to a word before they own it.
• Honor the silent period. Many beginners — especially young learners — listen for weeks or months before they're ready to speak. Pressuring early speech often produces shutdown.