Hello all- I’ve searched this sub for a similar post but haven’t found anything. I am set to start teaching a class for English beginners during the day time. It will be open to everyone but will likely attract moms (with kids) and older people in the community. My question- how do I go about teaching a beginner English class for these distinct groups?
Adults (especially elderly) won’t want to play a fly swatter-type active game and kids (5 years to say 10) can’t read English. How would you go about teaching this class? Reading beginning story books and playing fruits basket? I’m seriously at a loss for what to do here.
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I’ve done something similar. Have them work in groups doing different things and bring them together at the end to do something together. Ideally, those things are complimentary
I’ve taught a mothers’ class before, though they didn’t bring their children with them. In my experience, this type of class is less about teaching English than it is about being a fun and constructive activity for people in the community. The adults will be interested in socializing, so gear activities towards that for them. The moms will also want to see how well their kids do while spending time with them; it’s probably a little introduction to English for them before mom and dad decide to invest in more serious lessons.
You’ll want to keep things light. Little activities where mom helps her child are a good idea. Some sort of art activity might be a good idea where the kids are keeping busy, but you’re teaching vocabulary and syntax along the way (Ex: This is a pencil). Participants in these kinds of lessons will keep busy and those that want to talk a lot can and those that might be shy don’t have to. Also, people usually want to know more about the teacher, where you’re from, etc., so build early lessons around that.
Just remember that these types of mom classes are about indirect English learning, rather than direct learning. You don’t want to stand there lecturing on a topic or doing drills…unless of course that’s what the participants want, but I don’t think that will be the case.
If it’s mom’s and kids (up to 4) then I have done that before.
Babies can play and you interact with them. Ask the mom’s questions during this time and have them ask each other. Write the questions on the board and then in two different colors write the negative and positive answer form if necessary or the only answer next to it.
Then clean up with a song and say goodbye to everything. Goodbye blocks, goodbye tiger. The Mum’s join in and help teach vocabulary. After hello song, book time (potato pals), drink time, energetic song, ABC song, bubbles, and 3 final songs (how’s the weather, colors, one little finger).
2-4 same but less play time
I’m doing this every Saturday but with the main target being 1st and 2nd graders that have their parents attend with them. Half the time it’s songs that’s fun for the kids and then very hands on activities involving the target language. It’s very structured towards the kids and the parents taking part in it.