| Teaching ESL to children is | | | | groups |
| challenging but also very rewarding. Before I walk | | | | and in pairs.4. Review, Review, Review. New |
| into a | | | | information is absorbed and |
| class of 10-year olds, I take a deep breath. | | | | has meaning when it is related to information |
| Children have | | | | students have |
| no attention span AT ALL, and so I tell myself | | | | already learned. Quickly review new concepts at |
| to slow right | | | | the beginning |
| down before I start. Teaching children requires | | | | of each class.5. Encourage students to correct |
| patience and | | | | themselves and other |
| a sense of fun and playfulness. Even though it | | | | students. Self correction or self-regulation is an |
| seems | | | | important |
| obvious, a common mistake is to think that | | | | part of learning. Students should be encouraged |
| children are | | | | to ask, "How |
| simply 'short adults!' This is sure to get you off | | | | am I doing?" and "Am I doing this right?" in an |
| on the | | | | open and |
| wrong foot!Here are some tips for teaching ESL | | | | non-judgmental environment. Children raised in |
| to children:1. Involve Children in an hands-on | | | | authoritative cultures may need additional |
| Activities. Children's | | | | re-inforcement.6. Use what is learned in different |
| minds are incredibly open and they learn by | | | | contexts. The more |
| absorbing ideas | | | | contexts used the better, and the more |
| and concepts directly. Children need to be | | | | concrete and 'real |
| actively | | | | life' the contexts the better. Make it real for |
| involved. Get students up and out of their chairs | | | | students by |
| and moving | | | | talking about them and their lives.7. Praise, Praise, |
| around. Sing songs, and play games.2. Avoid | | | | Praise. Encourage and build students up |
| talking for long periods of time. I find that the | | | | in a natural way. Learning occurs when students |
| energy level of the classroom drops lower and | | | | are |
| lower. Explain | | | | motivated and feel good about |
| an activity quickly and then go to it. Keep the | | | | themselves.Looking back on my years of |
| energy | | | | teaching, the children's classes |
| moving! If your planned activity is a flop, move | | | | took a bit of getting used to, but were the most |
| on. Keep a | | | | memorable |
| few extra activities handy for this purpose. | | | | and fun!George and Daisy Stocker have traveled |
| Children need | | | | the world teaching |
| lots of stimulation all the time.3. Children learn by | | | | ESL to children and adults. Their website, offers |
| interacting with each other and with | | | | ESL curriculum, including textbooks and |
| the teacher. Try to talk to each child individually | | | | Storybooks for children age 7 - 12. Their adult |
| each | | | | ESL site, offers ESL activites and curriculum for |
| class. Whenever possible, have children working in | | | | adults. |