| On the ESL forums one often sees teachers asking | | | | element for the younger children even in one to one |
| for ideas to make their one to one lessons more fun. | | | | lessons. |
| Many teachers are brilliant in the classroom but are at | | | | And finally, always be sensitive: be careful that one |
| a loss for ideas when it comes to teaching children | | | | person does not always lose and only use competition |
| English in private classes, and that is a shame because | | | | if you see that it enhances the mood rather than |
| teaching one on one can be very rewarding, as well | | | | causes unnecessary tension or a loss of morale. With |
| as often being a good source of extra income. | | | | children between the ages of 3 and 6 any form of |
| By far the best approach for children for successful | | | | competition is best avoided. You can play the game or |
| and fun one to one teaching is to use games and | | | | use the timer as usual, but make sure that you play |
| songs. One of the tricks is to have a substantial library | | | | until the end so everyone wins - not just the person |
| of games that work for one on one teaching. Another | | | | who finishes first, and with the timer idea, it is essential |
| essential is to have a strong sense of fun and be | | | | that the child finishes before the time is up - even if |
| prepared to join in the games. | | | | you have to indefinitely extend that time. If a young |
| If you teach using games children will love your private | | | | child does not finish in the required time it really upsets |
| classes, and their parents will love you for the results | | | | them and they will probably cry - and that is not the |
| you achieve. A bi-product of this already very | | | | aim of the game. Rather you want the child ALWAYS |
| successful combination is that by teaching children in a | | | | to succeed, so that he or she feels great about |
| fun way, you establish an important link between | | | | learning English. |
| enjoyment and learning, which can enhance the rest of | | | | Watch the fun demo video on the Home English |
| that child's whole life. | | | | Teacher website for ideas on how to teach English to |
| Here now are some ideas to use games successfully | | | | your children. |
| when teaching one to one. Most games need more | | | | Teaching one to one is immensely rewarding, as |
| than one player, which means that you sometimes | | | | progress can be fast. In addition to games putting on |
| need to join in and play the game too. You could say, | | | | short plays with your student in front of their parents |
| "well then I'd just win all the time", and that can be true. | | | | or friends is also a winning activity. Children absolutely |
| So if you are playing a game that is not just pure luck, | | | | love to be the centre of attention and show off what |
| and where normally you would win all the time, then | | | | they have learned. One can write simple repetitive |
| you can do things like this: | | | | scripts with basic English, but with a funny twist in them |
| - Give your pupil a head start of 10 to 30 seconds. | | | | and this will give a great deal of pleasure to the child, |
| - Make your task harder. | | | | who will be happy to rehearse and perform, and for |
| - Double the task you must complete in the same time | | | | the parents who will be so impressed with your results |
| your pupil completes it once. | | | | that they will be sure to keep sending their child to the |
| - Award your pupil three points to your one. | | | | lessons. |
| - Award your pupil 10 bonus points at the start of the | | | | If possible lend or recommend films to watch for |
| game. | | | | homework, such as Spiderman, Batman, King Kong, or |
| - Lose deliberately by being slow (but pretend to hurry), | | | | Cinderella and Walt Disney movies - all in English with |
| or 'accidentally' drop your pen. | | | | NO subtitles. Your pupils will watch these many times |
| Another way of adding an element of fun to a one to | | | | over willingly and will absorb a huge amount of |
| one lesson is to use a stopwatch or timer to add | | | | language subconsciously, even if initially they cannot |
| excitement. This allows your pupils to race against | | | | understand the dialogues. |
| themselves rather than always being in competition or | | | | If you are thinking about the cost of buying videos then |
| playing against you. | | | | take heart. You can find very cheap second hand |
| Time your pupil each round of a game and see if they | | | | videos and DVDs on the Internet. |
| can beat their previous time. You can also use the | | | | You could also build a library of comic books to read |
| stopwatch to give a time limit to an activity, aiming to | | | | for homework. You would not expect your student to |
| allow only just enough time so that your pupil is more | | | | understand all that much initially but the subconscious |
| stimulated than if he or she were simply working | | | | will be absorbing the language all the time. |
| methodically through the exercise. | | | | Take a deposit for the replacement cost of the video |
| Oven timers that tick and have a bell that goes off | | | | or comic (including postage) to encourage return of the |
| after the given time is up are also good. Your pupil | | | | video or comic. |
| must complete the task before the bell goes off. | | | | The combination of giving fun classes with games, |
| Substitutes for an over timer could be an alarm clock, | | | | getting results and offering extra services such as a |
| a wind up musical box or an egg timer. | | | | video or comic library, will set you apart from your |
| Bells that you find on hotel reception desks are also | | | | colleagues and you'll be sure to get lots of |
| fun. The students race to tap on the bell when they | | | | recommendations from parents to you for private |
| have their answer. This is more effective when you | | | | classes. |
| have two or more students but is still an added fun | | | | |