Tips To Helping Educators Teach English Easily
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
To someone who wants to learn to speak English as a second language, a good teacher is invaluable. To teach English to adults, an instructor has to have special skills and be able to come up with creative ways to put the language into context. In this article, we have some advice for anyone trying to help a student study English effectively.
The first step is to learn the alphabet. If you are teaching young students, then you should encourage bilingual friends and family members to join the classes for this time. That way the learner will also be getting support at home. At this time, you should also make a packet of beginning activities. Introduce colors, numbers, shapes, number words, body parts and survival vocabulary. Once your students know their color words they can do a variety of activities. This may sound simplistic, but it is a good way to build their confidence.
Flash cards are an excellent tool to teach English. Make cards for items found in a classroom, like desks, chairs, pens, school books or doors. Seeing the word frequently will help the student memorize its meaning and spelling without them even realizing it. As an exercise, remove the flash cards, point to the object and have the student identify it and spell the word in English. As the students expand their vocabulary, you can ask them to use the word in a sentence. Try to pick a topic or theme to work with for a lesson. For example, devote a day to learning the names of animals or colors. Do not introduce too many topics simultaneously. Think through the delivery of the content before you get to the classroom.
Hearing the English language spoken well is essential to learning to speak the language well. To help your students learn to speak English properly, read to them in a slow, clear voice and enunciate the words properly. The material should be accompanied by pictures, gestures and a dramatic voice to convey meaning. This will instruct your students on the correct pronunciation of words and how they are used in sentences. You can also encourage students to record themselves at home while reading aloud. Hearing their progress will encourage them to keep learning.
Studies show that students respond better to a ‘hands on’ approach to learning so do not be afraid to have them get out of their chairs and interact with each other. Do not be concerned if your students seem unresponsive at first. It will take some time to get them used to you and the language. Teach the alphabet with Boggle cubes, make simple crossword puzzles to show how words are made, or break out the Bingo cards for a fun way of getting familiar with numbers and letters. As the instructor, it is up to you to find fun and innovative ways for learners to learn the course of study. In the end, it will be enjoyable for you too.
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