Reading for Kindergarten EFL

 So much to read on this topic that can be useful to our particular English Language Learner that is in Kindergarten and learning to read their own mother tongue language and attempting to read another new language. I just gathered a few statements and tips to get you started. 

That's a picture of me during a read aloud activity at a local school many years ago. The editorial had these big books which are wonderful for big classes.

Teaching to read in English to these very young learners start with learning the sounds. Do you have the instruction for reading the sounds? Then, just fine. If you don't, then read a little about it to gain the knowledge to help your students as much as you can.

As I create the lesson plan, I put a big emphasis on listening and speaking activities, new vocabulary and using it along old vocabulary.  I also plan a reading activity for each unit as a book that students put together. It can be read in class and sent them home for the students to read with their parents. You won't have to worry about the book getting lost or damaged. Read the book that you made in class or any other that you have from your library. Here is an example of one of the books, you can reread the books over and over again.

                         This is how the big book looks inside.

It is important to show the students the pictures and ask questions, such as What is this? and show the print as you read, point to the words.  Many students are able to memorize parts of the story and encourage them to read with you. There is always a prediction part in each story, just point it out and have your students predict what will happen next.

                 Hope these tips will help you out in your class to understand and use the language. 

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Speaking Skill for the Kindergarten English Language Learner.

 There is a lot of information, research and more for adults on the speaking skill but for our young learners it is hard to find. I have been reading and I guess that by my experience is what I will write about a few ideas.

Children will start speaking English at their own pace, just like the way they speak their mother tongue, some do it so fast that it is amazing, others take more time. I have twins, both would understand and speak Spanish which is our Mother tongue and English came easily for one twin and not for the other. Today, both are fluent in both languages. As for my students I have had the opportunity to see them older and be amazed at how well  they can speak English.Even some students that didn't speak a thing in class were very fluent in English.

 My advice, keep doing all you can in class for the speaking skill, it will be different for each of your students. They will speak at their own time, be patient. Here are some things that you can do!

1. Use the responsive speaking as your students give short replies to questions. 

Teacher: What color is this?

Students: Yellow!!

2. Engage students in speaking activities. Have them name patterns, such as boy, girl, boy, girl.

3. Use short and simple drills. It can be anything. My example: look, a pencil. Look, a book. Look, a chair. Look, a table. 

4. Use extensive speaking and prepare show and tell activities. I always include a draw something about the unit worksheet which are perfect for the show and tell. Let me add one here.

5. Use props to aid students into speaking. It can be I like bananas as in the picture. Puppets are useful, too.

6. Promote interaction through pair and group work. I can't say it enough, games are a must for the younger stduents. It makes them speak without knowing! Here is one of the games taht I include in each unit.

7. Use short and simple sentences that you can model for them to repeat at their own pace.

I am sure that you have more ideas to comment below!

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Listening in the kindergarten EFL class

 Listening is a much debated topic for the teaching community. Do you do a lot of listening with your kindergarten students? Do put a lot of viseos to keep them busy? Do you use the CD that comes with the book series that you are using ? Or, are your speaking all the time and your students just listening?

It is said that usually students do more listening in class that speaking. And, yes, it is important that students do a lot of listening before they start speaking. Open with model sentences that they can recreate with other vocabulary.

There some types of classroom listening performance that we should include in our lesson planning.

Reactive listening in which or students will listen to any word, stucture and repeat it.Great for choral drills.

Responsive listening where you want a response from your students. 
When you greet them at the door, you say Hi! and they inmediately answer: Hi! 

When you give them commands such as: stand up,sit down, come here, color, cut, show me, draw!

When you check comprehension as you dictate something for a worksheet or activity book: Color the square yellow!

Play games where students have to point to a picture or flashcard as they listen to what is said.

Have students draw, or color to what you say.

Model sentences, phrases for your students to repeat as you show flashcards.

Ask questions about any drawing, something on the student book or flashcards.

As you write your lesson plan, make sure to include listening activities. Plan any listening resources that will be of interest of your young learners.There are many games that make them speak and have others listen.

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Direct Metod for Teaching Kindergarten English Language Learners

 A lot has been said about the direct teaching method or the natural learning method as many name it for teaching early childhood English Language Learners.

We all do Direct teaching with the little ones, we don't teach them grammar such as saying this the noun, the plurals and so on. We just model sentences and the students repeat and then substitute with new words and structures and language just evolves.

Provide dynamic interaction with activities that you can include in your lesson plan.

A kindergarten class is always full of flashcards, puppets and many props. Games and activities are done without translation, it is more with imitation, miming and students just get it so fast.

Children learned their native language at home in a natural way, the same method works for them.

Of course, many techniques and practices should take place to execute the direct method.In future posts I will add some ideas but my other blog there are many ideas on how to use flashcards, small cards, cutouts, worksheets and games for speaking and listening opportunities.

Take a look: www.eflpreschoolteachers.blogspot.com

                                                 

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Is translation necessary for teaching Kindergarten English Language Learners?

A common question that everybody has a different vision on. Is translation necessary to teach children? Books, articles and more have very different views on this. Basically it is more based on your students, your situation and where you teach.

As an English as a Foreign Language Teacher, meaning that I have taught in a country where the language is not spoken, in Venezuela, my experience is different from many teachers.

Starting teaching I would speak in English all the time, I only spoke in Spanish when I saw that whatever the message was not delivered.

I had plenty of visuals: flashcards, realia, cutouts and more. I tried to make myself understood first in English and if mission imposible I would use Spanish. The focus is on effective communication.

Modeling the classsroom commands was a must from the beginning of the school year, I would use flashcards, TPR and any other practice that could come to my mind. When I started creating resources, the first one that I did was the commands set.Wish I had such pretty cards back then, but I made my set out of magazine pictures, yes! I know, no Internet back then. You can get the resource here.   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Commands-Flashcards-1816475

Mime whatever and whenever to get the message across your students. I would even mime their answers when they weren't enthusiastic.

Pairing students is great because there is always a students that gets you at the first sentence and becomes your translator and doesn't interrupt the class.

Scaffold! Read about it and practice it with your students. "Support every student by breaking learning up into chunks and providing a concrete structure for each."

 https://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber

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Methods for teaching Kindergarten EFL

 There's a wide variety of methods for teaching adults that teachers use for teaching the little ones. The knowledge of some of them or all become part of your teaching repertoire. Trying out some practices is part of your lesson plan, some will totally fail and some will be very sucessful with the kindergarteners. Use the metods, techiniques and best practices that are suitable for your specific group that you are teaching. In the end, you are making the decision of what is the best for your class based on your knowledge, your experience.

Experiment with different materials and resources with your early childhood students. I know, it's hard! That's why I have a variety of resources. I never went into a preschool class without a big bag of games, flashcards and more. 

I use a very eclectic method for teaching, I try new and different things that lead me into new experiences. I also keep up the true and tried practices that never fail.

So, remember you are the expert, pick what is right for your kindergarten class.

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Making the best choices for your Kindergarten English Language Students

                 As a teacher of Kindergarten English Language Learners you are up to make the decisions of how, what and more when planning the lesson for your students. I am sure that you are choosing nothing but the best. Here are a few reflections.

1. Expose students to language as muchas you can. Use books in English. If you can, starting a library for your classroom or academy would be great. Prices can escalate when the school is not in an English speaking country. I created a book for each unit just because of that. It's a book that they can make by themselves, take home and read with the parents and you shouldn't be too worried if it's going to get lost and more.  Videos are great. I had a collection of videos, such as Muzzy!, Disney and any other that I could buy. Now, you can find lovely videos on youtube to show in class and recommend to parents.

Here is an example of the family printable book.

2. Help students remember language facts. Experiment with sorting and matching activities.

Here is an example of a sorting activities with several gardn or nature flashards. Students can sort the trees abd flowers accoriding to their shapes. They will have to use the language fact of the adjective + noun phrase.

Students: a triangle tree!

3. The best way for students to communicate is through games and activities that focus on interaction between peers and you.

An easy one: the magic box! You can use it for almost anything and have the students guess what's inside.

or do the show and tell! I always include in all the resources a worksheet  for the students to draw, glue a picture of their favorite of their own item. It's wonderful for a short and tell or an exhibition in class.

4. Audit your best and not so good practices. Monitor and adjust. Check if your students were engaged with the material or activity. Did they like it? Were they bored? Can you do the activity in a different way? Just observe, take notes.

5. Lower the student’s anxiety. Make paper bag puppets, craft stick puppets to help students speak and make them feel more comfortable with the new language.

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