Teach English in Xinchenglu Jiedao - Shanghai Shi

Teaching english in KindergartenSeven years ago when somebody asked me if I could teach in a kindergarten, I said, ?No way!? I always thought it was a really difficult job. One day the principle of my daughter?s kindergarten asked me if I could teach english there. I decided to try just to be closer to my child. Now my daughter already goes to school but I still teach in kindergartens. Teaching young children is a difficult but very rewarding job. Children learn faster than adults but they need much more attention. At first, before my classes I had to spend many hours cutting out flash cards, thinking about new games, preparing materials. I was so much worried. What if my classes won?t be that interesting and the kids will be bored? It is easier now, but I am still learning. Teaching kindergarten kids is very different from teaching older ones. It is very important to facilitate a learning atmosphere that can motivate children. I think a teacher has to show an interest in children?s? lives. If a teacher tells a bit about him/herself it will be also interesting for children. Children are not adults, but they want to be them, and teachers shouldn?t treat them as little babies all the time. They should know that they are expected to behave like adults. young learners cannot be concentrated for a long time and lose their attention easily. So, changing activities would help to keep their attention. Children attention is at a peak for the first 15-20 minutes of a class. It is better to use this moment to present new language. A teacher should be prepared to make fun of him/ herself. It increases children?s motivation and also there is nothing better than listening to their laughter. Dancing, jumping, singing and making funny faces, everything would be good. Children really like to draw and color pictures. If there are activities when children can draw what they learn in the class it would be fun and very useful. For example, they can draw their families and then tell about them. I sometimes let them draw on the white board, for example, faces with different emotions ? angry, happy, sad, etc. While teaching we should speak clearly and slowly, using gestures and mimes. We should use a high pitch. When we teach young learners we should use different games, because children learn much better playing than just listening and repeating after a teacher. I often divide my kids in groups or teams when we play games. They really like to compete and try to do their best. The games should be simple. Simple oral exercises can be turned into games, too. Giving awards and praising children help to encourage and motivate them. I always give the children stickers. They gather them and when they fill up their sticker pads I give them some small presents which they like so much. However praising a kid that has done something very easy is patronizing. Misbehavior is one of the problems which should be solved at the beginning of the course. Children should know the rules and what would happen if they break them. A teacher should firmly give penalty if some student misbehaves. It is important to keep promises, or the rules wouldn?t be taken seriously. Punishments never can be physical and raising voice never helps to solve behavior problems. In Korea children are very busy studying many things. They study in kindergartens a lot and are always tired. english is not their native language and it is not easy for them to get used to this new environment. So, in my classes I try to make them feel comfortable and use fun activities.