Dates All TESOL

Teaching EFL in KindergartenThe role of an EFL kindergarten teacher can be difficult but can also be highly rewarding. As it is often the first time the child has left the safety of their home, the teacher will make a huge impact on their first learning experience. Therefore it is essential to provide the kindergarteners with a supportive learning environment in which to begin their education career. The most difficult aspect of teaching EFL to kindergartners would likely be keeping their attention. children have very short attention spans, and thus it is imperative that a teacher conducts thorough lesson planning, plays fun and engaging activities and has bountiful amounts of energy to captivate the classroom. It has been suggested that the best way to go about teaching children is through numerous short themed activities using an assortment of teaching materials. For example, the theme of numbers can be taught by using picture books, flashcards, singing songs with actions, felt story boards, and colouring book activities. Other common topics of study for kindergarten age students include colours, family members, body parts, household items and rooms, food, clothes, nature and animals. Also, kindergarteners are kinaesthetic and audio learners and therefore it is important to provide activities that cater to the children’s learning strengths, in addition to other important learning techniques such as visual and solitary learning. TPR (Total Physical Response) has also become an important tool in teaching students english through movement and singing. It can be used to practice vocabulary by connecting certain words with actions, games, songs, dances and nursery rhymes to learn basic words and phrases. Specific TPR activities to try in the classroom would be a game of Simon Says to practice different movements, or singing ‘head and shoulders, knees and toes|’ to practice the words for basic body parts. It is also essential to give the kindergartners encouragement through the use of stickers, create a type of point system for each student for wanted and unwanted behaviour and constant congratulations on correct answers and small successes. Since this will likely be the children’s first time in an educational environment, it is important to make the adjustment to the classroom as easy as possible. Techniques for successfully accomplishing this include being aware of your students’ needs, pacing the lessons accordingly, being as visual as possible, using simple language and give clear instructions. Furthermore, the students will not have yet been exposed to rules that need to be adhered to in the classroom, including ‘don’t talk when the teacher is talking’, and it may be important to write a list of rules on the board and repeat them constantly. It is also important to discipline the children when they break a rule in the classroom. This could be accomplished by giving them a time-out, re-arranging the classroom, and removing points and/or stickers. Alternately, stickers and/or points could be the reward for good behaviour. Since kindergarten students are often tactile learners with very short attention spans and an abundance of energy, a great variety of games and activities are an essential component of the classroom. Thus it is important to have a collection of tools used for activities and games. A very useful tool in the classroom has been found to be a ball. For example, if you are practicing the names for items in the classroom, you can give the ball to a student and ask them to place it near or on an item that you mentioned. Teddy bears are another useful tool in the classroom as you can get the students to pass the teddy around to each other, practicing simple phrases like “teddy please”, “pass teddy” and “pat teddy”. In conclusion, teaching kindergarten can be a very difficult, but also very rewarding career choice. At the kindergarten age, the children are quite malleable and sensitive, and must be provided with an encouraging classroom atmosphere so that they can flourish in their first educational experience. Children at this age are enthusiastic, full of energy and hands-on learners, therefore must be provided with a plethora of interactive and engaging games and activities. With these points in mind, it should be possible to have a positive and rewarding experience as an EFL kindergarten teacher.