Teaching ESL to Children

Teaching ESL to children isgroups
challenging but also very rewarding. Before I walkand in pairs.4. Review, Review, Review. New
into ainformation is absorbed and
class of 10-year olds, I take a deep breath.has meaning when it is related to information
Children havestudents have
no attention span AT ALL, and so I tell myselfalready learned. Quickly review new concepts at
to slow rightthe beginning
down before I start. Teaching children requiresof each class.5. Encourage students to correct
patience andthemselves and other
a sense of fun and playfulness. Even though itstudents. Self correction or self-regulation is an
seemsimportant
obvious, a common mistake is to think thatpart of learning. Students should be encouraged
children areto ask, "How
simply 'short adults!' This is sure to get you offam I doing?" and "Am I doing this right?" in an
on theopen and
wrong foot!Here are some tips for teaching ESLnon-judgmental environment. Children raised in
to children:1. Involve Children in an hands-onauthoritative cultures may need additional
Activities. Children'sre-inforcement.6. Use what is learned in different
minds are incredibly open and they learn bycontexts. The more
absorbing ideascontexts used the better, and the more
and concepts directly. Children need to beconcrete and 'real
activelylife' the contexts the better. Make it real for
involved. Get students up and out of their chairsstudents by
and movingtalking about them and their lives.7. Praise, Praise,
around. Sing songs, and play games.2. AvoidPraise. Encourage and build students up
talking for long periods of time. I find that thein a natural way. Learning occurs when students
energy level of the classroom drops lower andare
lower. Explainmotivated and feel good about
an activity quickly and then go to it. Keep thethemselves.Looking back on my years of
energyteaching, the children's classes
moving! If your planned activity is a flop, movetook a bit of getting used to, but were the most
on. Keep amemorable
few extra activities handy for this purpose.and fun!George and Daisy Stocker have traveled
Children needthe world teaching
lots of stimulation all the time.3. Children learn byESL to children and adults. Their website, offers
interacting with each other and withESL curriculum, including textbooks and
the teacher. Try to talk to each child individuallyStorybooks for children age 7 - 12. Their adult
eachESL site, offers ESL activites and curriculum for
class. Whenever possible, have children working inadults.