If English isn’t your first language, it’s still helpful for a child to hear you narrate situations to the degree that you can do so. It’s a good way to help you improve your English as well! If you don’t speak English, ask any family members or friends who do to act as a narrator when they’re around.
With young kids, point to the pictures so they associate the words they hear you say with the items you’re pointing at. When they’re ready to be introduced to reading, you can start pointing to the words as you read them. Encourage your child to participate. For instance, when you say “the red bird,” ask them to point to the bird (if they’re able to do so). Be prepared to read the same books over and over again!
Sing nursery rhymes and silly songs together, and then try to come up with your own songs to sing together. If the child knows or is learning another language with an alphabet that suits the “ABCs Song,” like Spanish or French, you can sing both versions and point out the similarities and differences.
In a game of “I Spy,” for instance, you might say, “I spy something green,” and they have to guess what it is.
Aim to have short sessions every 2-3 hours throughout the day. Try having sessions right after a snack, not right before naptime—you want them attentive, not cranky! If you’re not available to provide frequent sessions throughout the day, work with the child’s other caregivers to develop a consistent learning routine. If the child is eager to extend a session, keep going! Just watch for signs that their interest or energy levels are waning.
For example, sing songs that cover the days of the week and months of the year at the start of each day. [7] X Expert Source Courtney CoprivizaElementary School Teacher Expert Interview. 18 June 2021. Turn fun dances like the “Hokey Pokey” into vocabulary exercises.
Build up a stockpile of coloring papers, activity sheets, craft supplies, and other similar materials. With a bit of searching, you can find many of these resources free online. [10] X Research source
In a classroom setting, it works well to have all the kids sit on the floor while you stand, read the book, and point to the pictures. You might ask the kids to bring in favorite books for you to read to everyone.
You can also let them be Simon! Musical chairs is another good option since the kids have to listen closely to the song. It also helps them release some pent-up energy!
Some games can also serve as learning assessment tools for your use. If you only have access to one or a few tablets or computers, you may want to set up activity stations. That way, a few kids can use the computers while others do vocabulary themed art projects and group games. Then, everybody gets to move on to the next station. [14] X Expert Source Courtney CoprivizaElementary School Teacher Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
While it’s obviously your job to be in charge and keep things moving in the right direction, let the kids know and see that you’re having a good time, too. If the kids are losing interest or focus, be ready with another learning activity. Shift from a flash card game to a sing-along, for example.
Submersion is also known as “sink or swim” since instruction is done entirely in the second language (in this case, English). Some students learn faster this way, while others struggle. Immersion instructs in the second language (English), but the teacher knows the kids’ first language and can engage in it as needed. This helps some students along, but may unnecessarily slow the progress of others. Variations like “Structured Immersion” and “Two-Way Bilingual Immersion” combine aspects of immersion, submersion, and other methods.
Don’t worry much yet about explaining particular grammar rules. Again, focus on introducing basic concepts in context: “I have one straw and you have 2 straws,” or, “I had a straw and now you have a straw. ”
For example, if you’re introducing color names, you can also reinforce their number vocabulary by counting and identifying the colors of a rainbow. You might ask them to remind you what you learned last time: “Before we start our word song for today, can you remind me of the words we sang about yesterday?”
Numbers (1-10, etc. ) Colors (red, blue, green, etc. ) Foods (toast, cereal, milk, etc. ) Toys (blocks, trains, dolls, etc. ) Clothes (pants, socks, coat, etc. ) Animals and pets (cow, bird, cat, etc. ) The body (arms, head, feet, etc. ) Adjectives (big, small, fast, slow, etc. )
You might create a chart that the kids get to add stickers to whenever they become a “word champion” by achieving a specified goal.
One child may be an auditory learner and thrive when songs are used frequently, while another may be a visual learner and prefer flash cards and picture books. [23] X Expert Source Alexander Ruiz, M. Ed. Educational Consultant Expert Interview. 18 June 2020. Another child might be a kinesthetic learner and prefer to learn things in a more hands-on way. [24] X Expert Source Alexander Ruiz, M. Ed. Educational Consultant Expert Interview. 18 June 2020. When you’re working with a group or a classroom, mix and match the techniques you utilize to help you reach all the students.
There’s no doubt that the unpredictability of preschoolers can be frustrating, but it’s also one of their endearing qualities—you never know what you’re going to get!
