Posts Tagged ‘EAL’
Game of the Week – Count and Balance
Sometimes the simplest games are the most fun. Count and Balance (suitable for children 4+) You’ll need your trusty magic wand for this game. – Have everyone standing in a circle. – Explain that they are going to count to 50 (10 for younger children) standing on one leg with their eyes closed! – If…
Read MoreStart Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
While I was studying acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (over 25 years ago!) my tutors were exceptionally demanding and would constantly push me out of my comfort zones.😱So much so that I vividly remember once, walking down the street at the end of a particularly disastrous movement class with tears rolling…
Read MoreThe Power of Praise and Encouragement
I have to laugh when parents sometimes tell me “ Miranda, I’m sending my child to you because he/she hates English!” Thanks very much! It’s not ideal starting sessions surrounded by frightened little faces, who already have preconceived negative vibes about language learning. But, when it happens and I know I have a tiny window…
Read MoreHow to Connect with Young Language Learners
When I first started teaching young learners my main concern was not being able to connect with them. 😵I was young at the time, I had no experience teaching children and I felt self-conscious and wooden communicating with them. But, as soon as I let myself go and entered “kids kingdom” I really started enjoying…
Read MoreCharacter Walks – English Drama Game
👣Character Walks👣 This simple drama game (ages 6+) is great for practicing questions and reviewing vocabulary. It also encourages children to develop their imaginations and boost their self-confidence by play-acting in front of an audience. 1) Have everyone standing in a large circle 2) Children are secretly given a character for example: ballerina, cowboy, queen,…
Read MoreStorytelling with young language learners
I used to really dislike storytelling with my young language learners. Why? Because it was such hard work! I would find it exhausting maintaining children’s attention for longer than a “page” and it crushed me when I saw eyes rolling 🙄or heard little voices exclaim “when is it finished?” or worse still “this is BORING!!”.😴 I…
Read MoreSinging with young language learners
A question I often ask teachers is “do you sing in class?” Answers vary… 🗣 “Perhaps, if there’s time at the end of the lesson” 🗣“No, I’m a terrible singer!” 🗣“Yes, but I sing the same old songs” 🗣“I’m too embarrassed to sing” 🗣“I only sing songs with very young learners. Older kids get bored” 🗣“No,…
Read MoreWhy do English lessons flop?
Have you ever prepared an activity for your children based on what you’ve read somewhere or seen someone do? But when you introduce it, it completely FLOPS?😢 Why is that? A lot comes down to how we communicate. I often see teachers with impressive qualifications, knowledge and experience but with something fundamental missing: Effective communication…
Read MoreTeddy Bear, Teddy Bear… English Drama Game
This afternoon I’m teaching a new (mixed level) group of 7-8 year- olds.🇬🇧🇬🇧 Some have already participated in my Mummy & Me courses and are therefore more confident speakers while others are completely new to Drama and English and are a bit apprehensive about what to expect (quite understandably so). If you are starting with a…
Read MoreEnglish drama game of the week
Theatre warm-up games are perfect in helping to break-the-ice with a new langauge class🇬🇧 and set a playful tone to sessions. They instantly create a pressure free setting where children feel open to join-in, get-to-know their classmates and try new-things. A fun drama starter game is: CREATE AN OBJECT/ANIMAL Age: Children 5-99 Level: beginner- advanced Print…
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