How can we approach teaching vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation to young learners? How can we create a supportive environment that encourages young learners to learn about and reflect on their learning? Simply by considering the use of topic and activity-based teaching; in other words by planning activities across topic areas.
Planning activities...
Teaching junior classes! Some of us love it, others dread it. In the latter case, kindly abstain from ever getting involved with it, lest you discover that it is not the nightmare you feared it would be! No, dear colleagues, I am pulling your leg. Whether you find it is worth your energy or you prefer to teach older students, it is entirely up to you to do...
When teaching young learners there is one thing I want them to feel; safe. Vocabulary, grammar, and skills are important. But nothing really matters, if our students do not feel comfortable in their learning environment, if they don’t feel safe making mistakes, if they don’t feel comfortable using the language. So, my first and most important advice for all...
What do you do when off-task behaviours and student disruptions occur? Here are some things you can do to establish procedures and avoid disruptions.
Greet students at the door and give them a piece of construction paper in a specific shape and colour. The paper matches the different symbols that are hanging above each group of desks -call them your...
The enormous amount of existing materials for the teaching of English to young learners might lead us to think that everything has been invented and nothing is left to be discovered in EFL. But when you are in a real classroom working with children you realise that not all existing materials are equally successful in the class. Why is that? Why do children...
Fun, fun, fun! This is one factor that really matters to kids. And that goes for kids on the playground as well as those in the classroom. Many educators believe that kids learn best through play. And what is true of English-speaking children, in this case, will also be true of English-learning students. Here are some ways you can make learning more fun...
In the current issue of ELT NEWS, we focus on teaching young learners. A teacher of young learners, especially of those aged below 10 years ultimately takes on the role of children’s entertainer. For kid’s classes, you need to have a lot of different activities planned beforehand because if you are left thinking on the spot trying to come up with...
Rhymes and chants bring energy and joy to the learning experience of kids, add variety to our teaching materials and practices and help the class bond. Rhymes usually tell very short stories in verse and are the bread-and-butter of early child literature. When children act rhymes out, they imagine the characters and paint pictures in their minds of the...
Classifications generate expectations. The expectation is a risky state of consciousness, as it sets precarious standards. It’s easy to lose sight of what is important when assessing against quantitative grids.
Classification of learners according to age groups is convenient and cost-effective. A question on the reliability of this categorization is an...
