Teaching ESL to children in Japan is easy with the right tools!

>dollar shop with crayons. I have them draw a big
Kids have the attention span of an ant! Whycircle, triangle and square. Next I have a hand out
wouldn’t they?and they say, “Give me one, please.” The
They have everything they could ever wanthandouts are letters with a matching photo they
given to them ina New York second.can color. But first they have to say, “Give me
Your biggest competition in keeping their attentionglue, please,” so that I can glue the handout
is their GAMEBOY and GAMECUBE and that isinto their sketch book. I do the gluing because
some REAL competition.I’m fast. The kids use too much glue and
Not to worry because I got this down big timeare slow and messy which is fine in art class but
and I’m going to give it to you. The Keyin a forty-minute class that only meets once a
points I will share with you are GOLDsoweek speed is essential.
don’t think because it’s simple you7. Next we have song time. Get them moving
can skip taking mental notes. This act could beafter sitting for some time.
fatal to your success in workingwith kids.You can use songs such as
Have you ever watched Sesame Street? I grew“Head-shoulders-knees and Toes”, “If
up watchingthat show.you’re Happy and you Know it.”
I suggest you watch it again to refresh your8. Vowel Drill time. I have a vowel poster with
mind. What you should be looking for is the flowwords and pictures glued to a big piece of
of how they educate you.cardboard and I drill the vowels. I say the sound
It’s very interesting.and word of a vowel and they repeat. Again
There is a theme for each show and all thespeed is the key. I also use a funny voice and
activities arewrapped around this theme.chant the vowel sound and word. Make up some
Each show may be only thirty minutes. However,silly chant and they will follow, loving it and you!
in this timethey manage to get about 11 to 139. Counting. I count 1 to 10 but it goes like this. I
powerful activities intothis short time frame!say one, they say two and so on.
I call this style “edutainment” - education /Do it really fast and they’ll like it.
entertainment.10. I throw about 25 cards all over the room.
In Japan the children English classes that are in theToday we are doing the vowel “a” so the
top 20%are very entertaining and educational.cards are all words and photos starting with the
If you feel you can’t teach kids,letter a. Each card has 4 to 5 of the same thing
don’t worry. On my first dayteaching kidsso everyone can get one. Then I call out
I came home after work and told my wife that“Ahhh” and then say the word apple! They
I would never do that again! But I learned and youhave to find all the cards with an apple on it.
will, too. Remember, too, that I had no one toOnce this is done they count the cards and tell
guide me back then but you’ve got meme how many they have.
!11. They sit down and we do a page from their
Let’s take a walk through one of mytextbook and workbook.
kid’s classes together.Next is the “Good-bye” song and a big
My kiddy class has 6 kids from three to five“See you next week!”
years of age.I change the procedure every six classes but the
The class is forty minutes, once a week, fourcolor handouts and textbook materials change
times a month.every class.
Each child has a nametag. If your schoolMost teachers will not put this kind of power and
doesn’t have them, you can make them.preparation into their classes and that’s
Before the class starts I’m playing somewhy they’re part of the 80% that are
kid’s music in the background (Ever beenjust getting by.
to Disneyland? The music you hear sets the toneWhatever… Here are the key ingredients to
as you approach that awesome place.).remember in order to be successful working with
The kids always come a little early, so before thekids.
class starts the music is playing and I toss aEvery activity should have a goal/objective that
balloon around with them. On the floor or tablecontains an educational and entertaining element
are their nametags. Help them put them on andto it.
soon they can recognize their own name inTime-wasting, meaningless activities are for the
English.weak and lazy. If you do this you are just
(You must, no matter what, remember all theiranother fly by night foreigner who will be found
names and use them through out the class atout and tossed out.
least five times per student.)Touch your kids. Shake their hands, give them
1. As soon as it’s time I put away the ball,high fives, tickle gently them and so on.
put on my hello song and start singing and wavingKids don’t have word power yet and they
my hand high in the air. They will follow because Idepend heavily on their feelings to guide them and
have built considerable rapport with them beforecommunicate with others.
the class started.Playing with them physically will build the rapport
2. I sit on the floor and pull out a card with thewhich is needed to guide them through your
letter I on it. I point to myself and say, “I amlessons.
Michael” and pass the card. Each kid will do the(Some schools have rules against physical contact
same and if one child doesn’t, then I justbut it’s mostly for adult students.)
move on to the next child. (I do this with YOURespect your kids by thanking them in advance
cards, YOUR cards, HE, SHE and so on.)for doing activities. Always use “Please”,
3. I pull out a bag and ask what’s in it?“Thank you”, “You’re the best”,
They have no idea. I put my hands in the air and“Good job” and so on.
say “I don’t know with a confused lookPraise them every chance you get and build them
on my face. They all repeat and they have justup honestly.
learned the expression, “I don’tIf you notice some of your activities are bombing
know.” I pass the bag to all the students, theyduring a class drop them, go into your next one
feel it and try to guess what’s inside. If a(always have one or two back up, sure-fire
child keeps it too long I say 3, 2, 1 pass!activities just in case) without missing a beat.
4. I tell them to go sit down please because weLater, figure out why the activities were bombing
are now going to play bingo.but don’t discard them. Don’t ever
Each bingo I do has a total of six pictures withblame the kids for your difficulties.
the English word for the picture under it.Join ETJ online discussion forum for teachers
For example I have vowel bingo that has onlyteaching in Japan.
“A” words with pictures of things like a ball,Here you can ponder with others over the
apple, ant and so on.activities you are trying to fine tune and find
5. After Bingo comes story time. I read a storyother related help.
book to them which has an easy sentenceEach activity should be done in a different part of
structure and the kids can repeat after thethe room. Keep the kids moving!
second time of reading this book to themOf course you should always take courses on
One book I use is called “I like.” I like to eat,teaching kids while you’re here and read as
I like to play ball, I like to read and so on. Thesemany books as you can on the subject.
books are a set fromYou can find books on teaching Japanese children
They are over-sized books and these are exactlyEnglish at any online bookstore.
the type of books you want to be using to keepThe following link has some helpful resources too.
the students attention. These books are by farIn Japan there are 100-yen shops. Back home
the best investment I have made in mythey’re called dollar shops.
teacher’s toolbox since I’ve beenHere’s where you can get ideas and great
here!material to create killer activities for the little ones.
5. Now I show them fish cards with many coolBut don’t spend too much. You many
colors. We flip them trying to make a set.want to put 2,000 yen away per month for this
(Always team the students up in pairs. If therestuff (2,000 yen is about US$19).
are not enough students you will need to jump inUse a lot of TPR in your classes with kids and
and play.) Before you do this game you mayadults.
want to drill the colors for a minute and ask themTRP stands for “Total physical Response
what the colors are. Now is a good time to teachTeaching.”
them to raise their hand saying at the same timeCheck out the following links for info on TPR
say “I know!” If they get it right give themTotal Physical Response
the card but get it back quickly so you can playFollow my instruction and you will be way ahead
the real game.of anyone just coming here trying to figure things
(While doing activities make sure you are workingout alone.
the room. Letting your students know thatTo your ESL teaching success and beyond,
they’re doing well, lots of give me fivesCraig Desorcy
and smiling! Encourage and support them and theyP.S. Want to live and work in Japan? Already in
will just love you and your class!!)Japan?
6. Color time! (Teaching them color time, storyWant to do really well in Japan as an English
time and other TIMES teaches them that there isteacher even with noexperience? If you
a time for everything.) With color time all theanswered yes to any of these questions,please
students have a sketchpad they bought from thego to Click Here Nowfor more info.