How to Teach English to Young Learners?
Teenagers, children and kids, who are called ‘young learners’, comprise some of the most common demographical units of the TESOL/TEFL industry. It is quite a challenge to teach this group in online settings in Asia and Europe.
With more countries around the world putting much value on the learning of the English language, there is a burgeoning demand for teachers who can teach the language to young learners. The main qualification to teach such learners is TESOL certification.
A young learner is typically any student under the age of 18. But some institutions extend the term to students above 18 also. There exist certain sub-groups within this broad grouping. These include teenagers (13 -18), children (school kids under 12) and very young learners (kindergarten and Pre-K). Similar to all learners, such sub-groups each have their own unique features linked to their stage of development.
Where to Teach Young Learners?
There is a demand to teach English to young learners around the world. In certain regions, it is common for TESOL teachers to teach or assistant-teach in K-12 (private or public schools), while in others, they work on weekends or after school, either online or in language centres.
Certification Required For Teaching
Most TESOL/TEFL jobs around the world need teachers to have at least 120 hours of online or in-person TESOL certification, like through the TESOL course in Sydney. Such courses introduce TESOL methodology and theory, besides English grammar.
Top Tips for Teaching Kids
Teaching English to young learners is challenging but also rewarding. Following are some useful tips:
· Organise activities: The mind of young learners is amazingly open, and they learn by absorption of concepts and ideas in a direct manner. They need to be involved actively. Get the kids to move around in the classroom. Play games and sing songs.
· Avoid boring monologue: If you deliver lessons in a boring monologue, you will find the energy levels of your young students plunging to minimal levels. You must explain the activity in a fast manner and start with it as quickly as possible. If one activity flops have plan B in place. Young learners need lots of stimulation.
· Maximum interaction: Make attempts to interact with every child in class. Organize them into groups or pairs.
· Conduct continual review: For new information to be assimilated, it should be related to information already learnt by students. So, it is good to conduct a quick review of concepts at the start of every class.
· Promote self-correction: Self-correction is a vital component of learning. Young learners must be encouraged to pose questions to themselves like ‘Am I doing this right?” or ‘How am I faring?’ etc. This must be done in a non-judgemental, open atmosphere. Kids who are brought up in a culture with authoritarianism might require extra reinforcement.
· Use varying contexts: It is good to use varying contexts and even better when the contexts are ‘real life’ and concrete. Provide real-life contexts by discussing them as well as their lives.
· Be generous with praise: It is good to build –up and encourage students in a natural way. There is maximum learning when students feel innately good and are motivated.
· Establish routines for class: A great tip for teaching young learners is to maintain structured and predictable routines for classes. It enhances the confidence of students and makes for a positive environment for learning when they know what is to be expected daily in class. This way, you can avoid downtime when students are unsure about activities.
· Make students a part of lesson planning: Get students to plan and organize classroom activities. This provides them with a sense of involvement and keeps them intrigued about the outcome of the class.
In sum, while preparing for a new TESOL position, it is vital to know how well to lesson-plan and prepare for the particular kind of students you will be teaching. You will be ready to teach young learners by using the best kind of engaging activities and strategies for classroom management.