Tongue twisters are a fun way to start the class or to give students a mental break during the lesson. They are silly by nature and usually don’t make any sense at all which allows you to use them to practice pronunciation while having a good laugh!
Barnyard Dance
Join us for a farm adventure as I read aloud Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton. This book is perfect for young learners ages 2-6 since it incorporates movement, sounds, and vocabulary. Plus, it’s a great story to use when learning about farm animals, sounds that animals make, and action verbs!
The Ants Go Marching On Action Song and Finger Play
The Ants Go Marching is a fun action song and finger play that assists with numeracy skills (counting to 10), learning action verbs, and even recognizing rhyming words (for more advanced learners).
NEXT! – An A-Z Vocabulary Game Based on Pasapalabra
Part of the Teaching Tool Thursdays Series I am always searching for new games that can engage and motivate English Language Learners. A few weeks ago, fellow teacher, Hannah R. and I were discussing the games we were playing in…
Spring Baby Chicks Craft
Have a fun by making your own baby chicks hatching out of their eggs. This craft is really simple and allows for plenty of personalization. I have found it to be a great craft for groups of children varying in age.
Warmer: Mystery Magnified Pictures
Magnified pictures are one of my newest favorite activities to start class and generate discussion. I have been using magnified pictures with students 8 and up, including teens. As long as students have an A1+ speaking level, you can use these images to generate discussion.
Using Popular Songs
Use popular songs with fun choreographies to get kids of all ages moving while associating vocabulary to actions. Teachers can use them to introduce or close units related to the human body, action verbs, popular culture, and hobbies. They are also fun to learn and perform in summer camps. Finally kids can also learn them on their own (or with 1:1 teacher support) by watching videos and learning the steps. Then, they can even record a video of themselves doing the dance and challenge a friend to do the same!
Scented Play Dough
Allow your imagination to go wild with scented play dough. This play dough “recipe” is my own little creation which you can modify and make your own.
What the Ladybird Heard
Listen as I read aloud What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson. This is a versatile story that can interest children 4-6 years old when listening to it, and can also be good reading / listening practice for children 7-9 years old. It is a great story to practice any of the following: farm animals and the sounds they make, how to give directions in English (prepositions), and advanced adjectives practice. Some suggested supplementary activities for each age group can be found below.
Hand-washing Finger Play and Sing Along
Hand-washing has always been important! But right now, teaching kids how to properly wash their hands is even more important with the pandemic we are experiencing. This song and finger play is designed to practice hand-washing in a fun way and help kids remember all of the steps!