You are going to be an English teacher in a kid’s classroom. You are nervous and don’t know how to deal with them.
Well, you don’t need to worry. Because teaching English to kids is not rocket science. You just need some patience and tricks, and everything will go smoothly.
First of all, you need to know that you can’t let kids learn different vocabulary words in a go as this page has. You can’t have them sit for a long time and learn English with enthusiasm.
There is a major difference between giving an English class to adults and teaching youngsters.
So, you should have a completely different strategy in their classroom. We are going to discuss it in detail in this article.
1. Give them Visuals
Young kids have a low attention span so you need something to sustain their attention throughout the session. In this regard, visuals will help you a lot.
You can have coloring books, flashcards with vocabulary words, pictures, and videos for this purpose.
Colorful words and cards will gain their attention and they will keep learning new English vocabulary words with enthusiasm.
2. Use Songs
You may notice that in English books for kids, there are a lot of rhymes, poems, and songs. It means that you need songs to teach them English in a better way.
We recommend you start your English class with an opening song. Then, turn your vocabulary, grammar, and dialogues into different tunes for kids to learn.
Also, try to add different actions in it so that kids remain energetic and learn English easily.
You can make your tune for different English content or can get help from YouTube. You may find different songs and videos there.
Also, try to sing and do actions with the students. They will enjoy it and you will have a deeper connection with them.
3. Read Stories
Kids love fantasy worlds and like to imagine different scenarios of life. So, reading various stories to them will keep them engaged in the learning process.
Reading stories will help them in learning pronunciation, expressions, vocabulary, and dialogues. They will learn how to express themselves in a better way in English.
While reading, you should try to read dialogues in different voices. It will make the reading session interesting.
Also, try to make the session interactive. Ask kids what they think about the story, what lessons are they learning, and what is happening in the story.
4. Play Different Games
You should introduce different games in each English language classroom. It will make the session interesting for kids, and they will remain on their toes throughout the session.
There are different online English language learning games that you can try. Moreover, there are some physical learning games too which should be a part of your class.
Some of the games are Memory, I Spy, Charades, 20 Questions, Hangman, Simon Says, etc.
5. Role Playing
You should try role-playing activities in your English classroom. This is also a fun interactive game that will help kids develop confidence and speaking skills.
But, you need to consider a few things while doing this activity. Give different role options to kids and let them take one of their choices.
Also, add some costume elements to give the classroom a theater-like look. These elements can be a dress, hat, or sunglasses.
You should also give relaxed rules to the students so that they don’t get anxious. Remember that this activity’s purpose is to build the foundation of their communication skills.
Let them brainstorm dialogues and get comfortable in their role. Don’t correct their grammar while they are doing role-play.
You can always correct other activities.
6. Have Comfortable Conversations
One of the biggest enemies of learning a language is not having a relaxed classroom environment or relationship with kids.
To overcome this issue, you should have a relaxing time in the classroom where you ask different general questions to the kids.
Ask them about their weekend, their likes and dislikes, and other questions related to their life or personality.
Let the kids express themselves in English. This activity will also enhance their speaking skills, confidence, and vocabulary.
Final Thoughts
Teaching kids can be a fun activity if you remain relaxed and optimistic. Try the different strategies we discuss in this article.
You will notice that kids start learning English quite easily and you will also start enjoying this teaching process.