Child english word learning

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Learning a language is impossible without mastering lexical skills, i.e. without memorising words. The minimum vocabulary is the base that makes it possible to speak, read, listen and write in English. And, of course, to know the words, you need to… learn them!

It is good when words are remembered fast. Such people, they say, have a perfect memory! As a rule, however, you still have to make an effort to remember new words.

Memorising English words with kids

Kids and preschoolers learn everything new in the course of their activities. The same happens with English words. If the lesson is interesting, the tasks resonate with a child; a preschooler actively participates in the lesson, the activity is structured correctly, then children will remember all new words unconsciously.

Alternatively, tasks such as “write the words down in your vocabulary book and learn them” are, of course, not about kids. This is not just because not every preschooler can write and read, but because children perceive words as an incoherent set of sounds and letters. Therefore, first of all, this set needs to be “linked” to something. For example, to a visual image – a picture or an object. Then the memory starts associating the auditory image of the word with its visible, real-life form.

However, these links are still very weak and can easily break down, so one presentation is not enough. If the subject of the lesson is not very relevant for the child at that moment, they will not remember it. Thus, the next step is to strengthen the created links in memory. To do this, our teachers use several game techniques specifically aimed at the development of memory and remembering.

The simplest ones include all possible games based on memos (mnemonics), played either with cards or objects.

Card games for memorising English words

  • The easiest option is to get feedback from the child immediately after the presentation. Spread out the cards with the words in front of them and ask, “Where is..?”, ending the question with the needed word. This game makes it possible to find out what a child has learned and which words, Therefore, it is easy to remember and find out which ones require more practise. It is also important that a child can hear not just separate words but words in context – this brings a child closer to real-life speech and makes it possible to practice the situational use of the interrogative word “Where?”.
  • The next game is similar to the previous one but requires more memory and attention. Turn over the cards with images of the words being learnt. A child cannot see the picture. We ask the same question, “Where is…?” or “Please find me…”, and a kid has to not only remember what the needed word means but also remember where the corresponding picture is.
  • A similar version of the card game can be played actively. Spread out the picture cards on the floor and ask a child to “Jump on them…”. Surely, movements can be changed.
  • One more version of the active game. Pictures with words must either be attached to the board with magnets, to the wall or simply spread out on the floor. The child’s task is “shoot the…”, i.e., to throw a ball at the necessary word. This game is interesting to play in pairs with alternating requests. The development of attention and memory is also accompanied by the development of shot accuracy; they have to throw the ball right at the picture! Be sure that such a task will make learning English words more fun 🙂 and if you introduce a scoring system- wow!
  • One of the most popular games for learning new words is bowling. Just glue pictures and words to the pins or, for example, yoghurt jars, place them at the opposite side of the room, give a child a ball and show how to “Roll the ball”. After that, count how many pins or jars have been knocked down (revise numbers) and ask students to name the words on the knocked down pins! If everything is correct, give a child additional points.
  • The game “Steam Train” can be used for checking. Just spread out the cards with the words face down one after another. Let a child open the “trailers” and name the word. Start each “opening” with the question “What is it?” and make a student give a full answer – “This is…”.
  • Another simple game to check the previous material is the classic version of the Memo. We need two sets of cards with images. Mix them and find matches, but do not forget to name each “match” in English. This game is also helpful for practising singular and plural forms. As a result, there is a match of two items, for example, “apple – apples”. And ideally, a child should add an indefinite article – “an apple – two apples”.

Girl playing with words printed on cards

Games for memorising English words with objects

First of all, simple games with objects require objects themselves, as well as a “magic” bag, where you can hide anything. The bag should be tied or tightened so that a student cannot see what is inside. The game is arranged from the simplest to the hardest – simple presentation and naming, memorisation, reproduction of new words. Objects can be touched, and vivid emotions and kinesthetic memory facilitate remembering of the word image.

  •  Just show the items, name them, ask a student to repeat, let him/her touch them and hide it in a bag. Then we give a student a bag and ask him/her to find the necessary object by feel – “Please touch a…”. For time management, count to 5 or 10. If a student is correct, say, “Yes, you are right! This is…”. If a student is wrong, say, “No, you are wrong. Try again”. Such phrases help establish interaction and create a language environment.
  • “Hide-and-Seek”. Hide the items in the room, let a child find them. Ask, “Where is…?”. Over time, you can also add a description of where the item was (“under the table” or “on the chair”).
  •  Hide-and-seek can be played differently and can be called “I see”. The task is not just to find the hidden object but to name it using the phrase “I can see a…”. A child can keep the found object until the game finishes.
  • When a student has already remembered the words, you can play “What’s missing?”. Children love it very much. All the objects are in front of a child, “it” covers them, asks the student to close their eyes, takes one object away, asks the student to open their eyes and guess the missing object (the game is played in English). Accordingly, the student needs to understand what has disappeared and remember what it is called in English.
  • You can also buy or sell the objects. Therefore, the game “in a shop” is another favourite. Here, you can arrange a live communication, so this game should be played regularly for the development of speaking skills. In the beginning, the child will repeat the phrases after the teacher, but soon they will easily remember them. The game is very simple – one is the seller, the other one is the buyer. Depending on the level of English, we use either the simplest phrases, such as “please, apple”, or the more complex ones, such as “Can I have an apple, please?”.

Board games for memorising English words

Words can also be remembered with the help of board games. Playing board games is always a very exciting process, but you need to prepare some templates and print them out.

  •   Dominoes. The rules are the same as in traditional dominoes. You need domino tiles. But there will be pictures of new words instead of numbers. Play, name, repeat, memorise.
  • Lotto or bingo. You need two sets of cards with images of words. One set is a game card, and the other set is cut into squares and hidden in a bag. These will be the “kegs”. Pull out the “kegs” one by one and name the word. Or ask the question, “Who has got a…?” The first person to answer “I have a…” gets a “barrel”. The winner is the one who is first to complete his or her game card.
  • SNAP. This game is very dynamic and effective for memorising new words. But it requires 4 sets of picture cards! All of them are mixed and spread out “blindly” in front of the players. Everyone has their own set of cards placed face down. In turn, every player turns a card away from themself, so that other players see the picture first, names it and puts it in the centre. If the image matches the card placed by the previous player, they shout “SNAP” and keep the entire set. The one who has no cards loses.
  •  Dobble. You can see how to make dobble templates on the internet. It is better to make them for several vocabulary categories. You can choose from as many as 5 game options! The game is a test of focus, so it really captivates all students.
  • Snakes and Ladders. It is also helpful for revising several vocabulary categories. Just make a template with pictures of new words instead of numbers. Roll the dice and go ahead, count the steps, name the words!

Memorising English words with school children

By the age of 11-12, children’s memory is already developed by regular memorisation of words, and it is enough for them to write them down and repeat them at home, but this does not work with younger school children. They need to be taught how to remember words. It’s good when your school teacher understands the need to learn new vocabulary and spends time not on writing words down in a notebook and translating them (which, by the way, can be done at home after the lesson), but on active memorisation with the help of the existing variety of vocabulary games, some of which have been already described above. In this case, students will not have any problems with remembering new words. Everyone loves to play. Games are exciting, and winning motivates students.

But, if the learning process is arranged differently and learning new words is students’ homework, parents will have to make an effort to help their child, at least at first. The difficulty of memorising words in school is compounded further by the fact that they are often asked to learn both the meaning and the spelling simultaneously. This way of learning is a hard thing for the brain and memory. Unsurprisingly, in this case, children are unwilling to learn English.

How to help a student learn English words?

First of all, you need to explain that nobody can do it but the child themself. And explain that they will not be able to speak, sing and communicate in English without knowing English words. However, do not put pressure on children; convince them that it will only be difficult at the beginning. Then their memory will develop, and they will remember new words before they know it.

Until this happens and the memory “fails” (and the child keeps saying, “I don’t want to, it’s boring…”), offer them several games described above, but accompany all the pictures with written words. If you do not have time to create pictures, then two sets of cards – English and their native language spellings – will be enough.

The easiest tasks for memorising English words:

  • Match a native language word to its English translation. First, match the words using the clues, then without any clues, and finally set the time limit. Words will be memorised much faster!
  • Spread out English words face down, turn them over and name the translation. The same thing, but slightly different – say English words using native language translation.
  • Make a game card with native language words (each space is a word), and then cut squares with English words. Spread them as a lotto.
  • The game “halves” or “steam train” – cut the cards, halve each card, with one half with an English word and the other one with a word on your language, but the equivalents for these words are on other cards. At the end of the game, you will get a closed circle or square.
  • Ball games. Just throw a ball to each other; one says a word in your mother tongue, the other translates it into English and so on. Any ball game requires a quick reaction, so the memory begins to work more actively.

After a child can easily name new English words, you can move on to memorising their spelling. To do this, first, you should explain that it is impossible to learn how to write words if you do not remember their spelling! Secondly, it will only be difficult at the beginning:).

The procedure of memorising English spelling with school children is as follows:

  • First, write a word with a clue.
  • Second, repeat the spelling.
  • Third, write the word from memory and check. No mistakes? Well done!!!
  • Have a mistake? Go back to steps two and three.

In the beginning, the main task is to help a child take their first steps, support interest in learning English, give them confidence, and help overcome any difficulties.

However, if you realise that your efforts are not enough, you should seek help from specialists, for example, in Novakid Online English School for Children. Our video lessons feature all techniques for memorising both new words and new grammar. So that while learning English, a child absorbs new things involuntarily, through live English communication with a teacher, but not separately, through cramming. It’s worth a try; the first lesson is free!

At the initial stage of teaching English, of course, the question arises of how to learn to read in English.

We all learned to read in Russian, therefore, theoretically, we know that we need to start by studying letters, sounds and syllables. You can’t do without it. That is, if you want to learn to read in English, you will have to start from scratch, that is, start from scratch.

Some people think that it is much easier for children to start learning English from scratch, because someone once proved that the ability to master new knowledge, memory and speed of perception in children is greater than that of adults. Yes, and somehow it is a shame for an adult, like a first-grader, to learn elementary rules.

However, as practice shows, adults have an advantage over children in mastering foreign languages ​​from scratch. It is much easier for an adult to analyze the similarities and differences between the native and foreign languages, behind him all the material covered on the theory of his own language, and the experience of communication in his native language is much more.

That is, to compare, draw conclusions and correctly apply the knowledge gained in practice, adults often do much better.

Nowadays, you can learn to read English from scratch online. There are various services and sites describing the correct pronunciation of sounds and the ability to listen. But still, at the initial stage, it is advisable for both adults and children to hire a teacher who will observe the correctness of reading and pronunciation.

So, you decided to teach your child to read in English or you yourself decided to learn to read. Where to begin? The most logical thing is to start with the alphabet. Here is the English alphabet with English transcription.

In the transcription — square brackets, the spelling of English letters is written in the form of sounds. It is very important to immediately, at the initial stage, learn to read the transcription.

This is necessary, firstly, because not all English sounds can be written in Russian letters, and secondly, then, when you have to use dictionaries, knowing the transcription, you can easily pronounce any new word.

It will help you learn what the English letters are called, the famous English song — ABC-song. On the Internet, you can easily find many of its interpretations with different options for the video sequence, but we suggest you look at this option:

If we talk about how best to teach a child to read in English from scratch, that is, to teach him the English letters, then the recommendations here will differ little from those given by teachers when studying Russian letters. We teach in the most interesting ways for a child: with the help of songs, toy cubes or magnets, cards and coloring pages — in general, everything that will interest your child more and what he wants to return to.

After you get acquainted with the alphabet, you need to pay attention to the fact that letters and sounds are different things. And if the situation with consonant sounds is more or less clear, and the sound that they convey in words, in most cases, coincides with the one that we hear when pronouncing a letter, then with vowels in English the picture is completely different.

But each of them can be read in four different ways, depending on which letters it is surrounded by in a particular word. That is, in other words, there are 4 types of vowel syllables in English.

Let’s imagine this rule for all vowels in the general table.

If you carefully study the table, you will see that in the third type of syllable, four of the six vowels (E, I, U, Y) are read the same. Moreover, the letters I and Y are read the same in all four types of syllables.

When we learn to read English from scratch, it is important to try to bring the reading of the same type of words, read according to the rules, to automatism, so as not to think every time before reading this or that word.

For example, practicing reading the letter «a» in a closed type of syllable, you can make the following chain of words (you can listen to sound files):

and so on.

To do this, there are many reading exercises, where whole lists of words are given, where the same vowel is read the same way, only the consonants around it change. Repeatedly reading aloud similar words will give a good result. In the absence of a teacher, it is desirable that these exercises be supported by sound or video to control the correct pronunciation.

In addition to the reading rules for vowel sounds, the English language is also known for its numerous letter combinations — that is, certain combinations of letters give a sound that is different from those with which letters in the alphabet are read. Here are the most common ones.

  • Vowel combinations

    Source: https://lim-english.com/posts/kak-naychitsya-chitat-po-angliiski-s-nylya/

    Learning English with children — easy and fun!

    как учить английские слова с ребенком
    05.06.2019, 16: 10

    The child’s brain develops rapidly and constantly absorbs and assimilates a lot of new information. Therefore, the child literally looks for new and new knowledge with a literal hungry gaze and learns everything new with pleasure. All these «How?», «Why?» etc.

    — a way to fill the developing brain with the necessary amount of information. This craving for knowledge can be stopped and killed by only one thing — compulsion to study.

      The school copes with this best of all, but parents, in an impulse to raise their brilliant miracle child, are also quite capable of killing the desire to learn.

    English for kids — games!

    When thinking about how best to learn English with a child, it is important to remember that there is no need to drag the child — it is enough just to create an opportunity to receive new information. It is best to learn English with children in a game. games in English for children are good because they do not need exercises and tasks, they do not need to be forced. A sufficient condition is an exciting game on the table.

    On our website you can find three games at once that can be successfully used in learning English with children:

    • Alphabet English,
    • Read-Grab English,
    • C the B.

    What is good about them is that these are just games, and not activities, into which they tried to cram the game component. Trying to win in an interesting game, the child imperceptibly assimilates new knowledge.

    How to learn the English alphabet?

    Very simple. Grab the Beterlets English game and go! It can be played by children who do not yet know the letters, but in the course of the game they master this knowledge.

      Different levels of difficulty make it possible to learn English from scratch — both for children 5 years old and for children 3 years old! How to learn English letters with children? We take one of the sets of cards (different sets are selected for studying different letters) and starting with games on the mechanics of memo and ending with more complex ones, we play for fun.

    Before you have time to look around, your child will be able to recognize and name all the letters of the English language. And not because you forced to learn English letters, but simply because it was used during the game!

    Learning to read in English

    When the letters have already been mastered, you can start reading. The game Read-Grab English is well suited for this, in which children will try to read a word faster than others in order to find a picture with its image.

    And again, children will want to read quickly, not because it is necessary to complete some abstract curriculum, but because it will help to gain victory points in an exciting and dynamic game.

    In addition to reading skills, the game develops attentiveness, concentration and reaction.

    Learning English with kids — make up words

    When the child can already read words, try more complex versions of the Beast Letters game, in which, to win, you will need not only reading, but also composing new words.

    The C the B magnetic alphabet well complements the games Read Grab and Beasts, which is used not only as a teaching aid in learning English for children, but also as a set of new games that will definitely not give a child a chance to find learning English boring or boring.

    Each of these games aimed at learning English with a child can be used either separately or in combination with two others, then they will provide you with additional game variety.

    Fun games and good knowledge of English!

    Source: https://igrodol.com.ua/rus/nportal/view/228

    What is the best age to start learning English?

    как учить английские слова с ребенком

    The main rule is: the sooner the better. Already from 6 months you can use English words or syllables with a child. And he will understand you! The child understands the simplest words like «mom», «give», «on» from the context.

    You can study with a teacher or at home from the age of one year; you can start studying in a group from the age of 3. At this age, children already know how to speak and actively develop speech. You can simultaneously master two languages ​​through dialogues. Three-year-olds naturally understand speech in different languages, their perception is very flexible. After 5 years, the language already has to be learned. A boring cramming begins, in an ordinary school, moreover, as much as possible divorced from reality.

    Being in a bilingual environment, where they often speak on everyday topics in two languages, the child absorbs phrases, intonations, meanings. Having started the study of phonetics and grammar at the age of 3, the child will already know the basics of two languages ​​at the same time by school.

    That is: be able to read, write and speak Russian and English. Of course, for the Russian language, he will have more practice in everyday life.

    But English will also gain a foothold, especially if you periodically use English phrases at home in natural situations.

    An interesting case is described in Masaru Ibuka’s book «After Three It’s Late». One Japanese teacher left his career and focused on raising a 2,5-year-old son and a XNUMX-month-old daughter.

    He began to teach children spoken English, Italian, German, French — all these languages ​​almost simultaneously! For such a large amount of knowledge, he was even criticized in the newspapers. As a result, the children learned 5 languages ​​+ native Japanese.

    This confirms the thesis that, up to a certain age, the child’s brain can accommodate an almost unlimited amount of information. And this age is up to a maximum of 1 grade. Yes, a child’s brain absorbs information like a sponge.

    Many skills are learned as easily and firmly as possible only at a very young age. For example, pronunciation of difficult sounds of a foreign language. If a child has mastered these sounds before the age of 5, his English will always sound better than the English of those who first got acquainted with the pronunciation at school age.

    In addition to spontaneous communication in English, a structured, methodological approach to learning is needed. At our school, we use the Jolly Phonics methodology, thanks to which by the age of five the baby not only speaks fluently, but also thinks in two languages ​​at once. In addition to being an excellent foundation for further language learning, this practice significantly develops the child’s brain.

    On the other hand, the child’s concentration period is limited and he never sits on one task for more than 10 minutes. It is difficult to control at home how much the child has learned the new material. Therefore, the ideal option for a toddler from 3 years old is to regularly attend play classes in a private school or with a tutor, and at home to learn and apply new words and phrases.

    You still cannot do without English, you will have to learn the language in one form or another. And the older a person is, the more difficult it is to learn new things and rebuild the speech matrix.

    Education in a school without a preschool, «natural» base of communication in English and game lessons will be more painful and energy-consuming.

    Easy communication with foreign language peers, perception of content, work with applications and programs — everything will be a little more difficult. Remember our childhood, when we started learning languages ​​in the fifth grade. It was complicated.

    By the way, you need to learn the language from birth and all your life. A must to practice. Unused knowledge is forgotten, and it will be more difficult to remember the language. Money and energy can be wasted. In English, you need to learn to speak and think from 2-3 years old and forever. ☺

    By the way

    Do you work hard and wish your child a promising future? Look at kindergarten with an English bias.

    How we deal with the smallest

    At Smile English, we start individual lessons from the year of the child’s life, when he is already sitting and may be interested in cards and picture books. Group lessons, usually in mini-groups of 3-4 people, are effective from the age of 3 and up. So don’t worry, the baby’s parents have plenty of time to spare. Until a year, just use more English words in a conversation with your baby. We recommend starting one-to-one lessons with a teacher from one year to the next.

    Learn more about classes from 1 year old

    How to enroll a baby in Smile English

    Every child from one year old can «enroll» in the Smile English entry-level groups. We also practice individual lessons with kids. The teacher will assess the level of the child (and the knowledge of the language by the parents, who will, of course, help him) and, together with the methodologist, will choose a suitable program. 

    You can start classes with the baby individually, and then transfer to a group for older children. The groups are selected according to the level of knowledge of the language, so that the child will not be bored or difficult. We also build individual preparation programs for international schools (from Reception to Year13), IGSCE, A-level. 

    Source: https://smileenglish.ru/technique/s-kakogo-vozrasta-luchshe-nachat-uchit-anglijskij/

    Early child education in English

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    Before deciding whether to teach my son English from childhood or not, I asked myself the question: «How does a foreign language differ from a native one for a child?» The answer is obvious to everyone: only by the fact that he hears his native speech constantly, and also seeks to understand and reproduce it, because it depends on this whether adults will satisfy his need or not.

    My second question was: «Can I create such conditions for the child to want to understand and reproduce English speech?» Knowing the cases of raising children by bilingual parents (for example, mom speaks Russian to children, and dad speaks English), where children communicate freely in two languages ​​without an accent, I was convinced that everything is possible. And this is where my experiment begins :-)

    As it turned out, it is very difficult to speak with a child only in English, since we live in a Russian-speaking environment. My son sees that I perfectly understand the rest in Russian. Nevertheless, I came up with my own way!

    At what age to start learning?

    As doctors say, from the 14th week of fetal development in the womb, the child begins to pick up sounds. And now the time has gone It’s great if a pregnant woman learns English herself, repeating, reading aloud. The child hears everything and gets used to this language. Use your pregnancy for self-improvement!

    What and how to teach your baby?

    The maternal instinct will also help here. Play with your child, sing to him, read aloud rhymes, fairy tales in English. At the same time, do not just read, but do it with facial expressions and expression. Do this from birth. Yes, yes, do not postpone this matter until later!

    Try to learn a rhyme by heart, let it become your lifesaver. As soon as the baby wants to cry, tell the poem with expression, this will distract the child. The effect is amazing, believe me! The kid stops talking, listens attentively, frowns, smiles! Whenever you get tired of one verse, study the next!

    I’m not afraid of this word, fool around with the baby! Clap and repeat: Let’s clap, clap, clap

    Take a dog and say: I’m a dog! Bow-wow! (I’m a dog! Woof-woof!) How does a child start to speak their native language? That’s right, it simulates sounds! So imitate animal sounds in English. Just don’t say you don’t know them yourself.

    We live in a century and blogging in English where you can find everything! For example, watch a video on how to pronounce animal sounds in English.

    Play children’s songs in English, dance to them, sing out loud. Of course, you also have to teach them, and this is work and self-discipline. However, the game is worth the candle!

    Now my son is already relatively adult, he is three years old. It can be difficult for me to force myself to study English with him, especially after work. Nevertheless, we have a class schedule. It is very effective to organize classes before bedtime, when everyone is calm and no one is interfering. We definitely go to dinner, discuss in English what he wants to eat. After we bathe, naming all the items in the bathroom. This is a fun parent-child game.

    We play the store in English, do exercises, counting in English, walk along the road from the kindergarten, naming all the signs and colors of the cars, counting the steps, and pronouncing words like Dangerous! Watch out! (Danger! Caution!) In the store, I can buy a lollipop if my son says: I want a lollipop! It’s not expensive. (I want a lollipop! It’s inexpensive.) Therefore, we create real life situations and the need to speak (otherwise mom won’t buy a lollipop :-)).

    Of course, you should not go to extremes, you need to prompt the child. Your imagination should not be limited by anything if you play together. See for yourself what we already know how to say!

    An example of early English teaching

    Conclusion: Earlier English teaching is effective if such teaching is very close to real life. For example, at a certain time every day we have English Time. By the way, the whole family is gradually joining our game: dad and grandmother are already muttering something in English.

    Cartoons for early education of the child in English

    Below is a list of recommended cartoons in English. Keep in mind that it is better to set aside a certain amount of time for watching cartoons (maximum 30 minutes per day). So the child learns to value time, listens to speech more attentively:

    1. Adventures with GoGo (from 1,5 years old)
    2. Shawn-the-Train (from 1,5 years old)
    3. Peppa Pig (from 2 years old)
    4. Max and Ruby (from 2,5 years old)
    5. Paw Patrol (from 3 years old)
    6. Magic English (from 3 years old)

    You can also search for your favorite Russian cartoons in English. If a child knows them in Russian, it will be easier for him to understand them in a foreign language. For example, we found in English «Smeshariki» and «Fixies».

    Our result (child 3 years 4 months):

    • He sings songs himself (The Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Star, ABC song, Once I caught a Fish Alive, Old MacDonald, Apples and Bananas, Do you ice-cream, etc.).
    • Tells the tale «Teremok» in English.
    • Leads a simple conversation, for example: “I want”, “I love”, “How are you”, “How old”, “Give me please”.
    • Knows colors and the English alphabet.
    • Counts up to 100.
    • Knows many words and phrases from children’s books.

    I hope this article was helpful to you. If you have any questions, write in the comments, I will answer everyone!

    Source: https://engblog.ru/should-children-learn-english-early

    25 Tips for Teaching English to Children

    Hello dears!

    Few would argue about the benefits and importance of the English language in the modern world, therefore it is better to learn it from an early age.

    Children need to be taught English differently from adults: they love beautiful pictures, games, cartoons, songs.

    Learning starts from scratch. I already talked a little about how to teach English to little ones, and now several letters have arrived with a similar request from different parents about how to teach a child English in general.

    I gladly took up a topic familiar to me and now I can present you with material that can be of benefit to many.

    I would be glad if you share your impressions and opinions in the comments. I wish your children easy and interesting learning!

    Teaching your child English

    Psychologists have proven that learning foreign languages ​​is much easier for children than for adults. Some experts believe that the most successful age is from 4 to 8 years, others are sure that from 1,5 to 7. Be that as it may, many parents are thinking about how to teach their child English — one of the most common languages ​​in the world.

    The choice of teaching methods depends on the age of your child, on whether you (or someone in your family) know English enough to speak it, and how much time and effort you are willing to spend on classes.

    What to choose: classes at home or in a group?

    Many teachers agree that speaking English is the perfect way to teach a child the language. For example, my mother constantly speaks English at home, while my father speaks Russian. The only condition is that until the child is four years old, do not change roles, otherwise you will confuse him.

    This is really one of the most effective ways, if you do not speak English enough to speak with your child at least on everyday topics — take an English course. The effort spent will pay off handsomely. As a result, a bilingual child will grow up who will be equally good at both languages, will be able to communicate in any one and easily switch between them.

    If no one speaks the language at home, then you can hire a nanny or a tutor who will communicate with the child exclusively in English. If we are talking about a child over four years old, then it is better to find a governor who has lived for some time in an English-speaking country.

    You can also prepare small classes yourself and do them regularly for your child. This method has a disadvantage: your son or your daughter perceives you as a parent, family member and may simply refuse to study.

    It can be difficult to cope with this obstacle, you need to prepare for the lessons very carefully, find or invent games that will delight the child and will not bore him for a long time.

    It will not work to force the child, and if it does, you can discourage any desire to study.

    The third option is to take your child to a group. The effectiveness of this method depends almost entirely on the teacher. And it doesn’t matter whether he graduated from a pedagogical university. His knowledge of English may be limited to the «children’s program» — the main thing is that he loves children and knows how to interest them.

    Principles of teaching a child English

    There are three principles that will help you achieve good results when learning English with your child:

    Sequence

    Do not rush to teach your child the intricacies of grammar and spelling if you have even the slightest doubt that he is ready for this. If you are not using any teaching aids and are writing the program yourself, you should pay special attention to presenting the material consistently. Although practice shows that it is still better to use good textbooks, a plan drawn up by a professional philologist will be more effective.

    Feeling free and alive

    Many parents are sure that there is no need to start classes with a child under five years old, you should wait until he goes to school, otherwise these lessons «take away the child’s childhood.» In fact, if the lessons are organized correctly, they will flow naturally — and the child will not feel any academic load.

    Perseverance

    It may not go as smoothly as you would like. If your child does not like a certain technique, postpone it for the duration of the lesson, and then try to interest him in the language in a different way.

    Teaching methods for children:

    • Both children and teachers like the game technique, it is interesting and effective. The essence is simple: the teacher conducts games during which children improve their language skills.

    Advantages of the technique: it adapts to any age (from one year old), with its help you can develop both oral speech and knowledge of grammar, spelling, etc.

    • Zaitsev’s technique is suitable for children from three years old. It was recently adapted for learning English — on the famous Zaitsev’s cubes, you can now see English letters.
    • Glen Doman’s technique is designed for babies: they are designed for the child’s visual memory, so that the pictures and words written on them will be remembered and will simplify learning to read and write in the future. You can make these cards yourself: Glen Doman has given clear guidelines in his books. You can use cards not only with babies, but also with children up to middle school age.
    • The project methodology is suitable for children from 4-5 years old. The teacher chooses a topic and devotes a series of lessons to it. He offers different types of activities, with the help of which the children learn something interesting on the topic of the project, gives tasks for independent work (or with parents, depending on age). At the final lesson, children bring creative, large-scale works for their age on a given topic.
    • Mixed technique — in it you, at your own discretion, combine other techniques, play games with your child, learn songs, develop projects, etc. The main advantage of the technique is diversity. It will be easier for you to interest the kid, he will never know in advance what you will be doing today.

    When should you start teaching your child a language?

    If you decide to take up teaching your child seriously and have agreed with your other half to speak two languages ​​at home (or hire a nanny for this), you can start today. There is no age limit.

    Have you decided to take your child to a group or study at home? Start no earlier than 4-5 years old. By the time classes start, the child should have a linguistic picture of his native language, he should have a sufficient vocabulary. If you begin to explain to your child that “house” means “home”, and he does not know what “home” is, the effectiveness of the lesson will be zero.

    Source: http://1obuchenie.com/uchit-anglijskij-yazyk-dlya-detej.html

    How to effectively learn words in English lessons with dyslexic children — EduNeo

    Today, more and more teachers are looking for effective ways to work with dyslexic children.

    Children with this disability have difficulty learning:

    • have difficulties in mastering writing and reading,
    • in the perception of information that is presented at a fast pace,
    • in making logical statements and in many other things.

    The time is very close when English will become a compulsory exam in general education schools. What should those children who have learning difficulties due to dyslexia do?

    Accept and not try to learn the language? Leave without trying to open an additional door for yourself to new opportunities that knowledge of a foreign language gives?

    My answer is clear: try to teach using different techniques.

    There are many examples when people with dyslexia learn a foreign language, become excellent specialists with a non-standard vision of the world view and make the world a better place.

    Their success largely depended on the teachers who were able to find the «key» and were not afraid of the titanic efforts that had to be made to educate a child with dyslexia.

    Lexicon

    Learning vocabulary is a huge challenge for children with dyslexia. To remember a word is to hear it, understand the meaning (that is, the meaning), be able to write, find it in the text, read it.

    Difficult spelling makes English words torture for dyslexic children.

    Multisensory approach

    This approach consists in a step-by-step presentation of information, including as many channels of perception (vision, hearing, tactile and kinesthetic channels) as possible.

    With this approach, the dyslexic child is able to use his strong channels of perception, gradually developing weak ones. Information is given in a very metered manner, clear and short instructions are used, supported by supporting symbols, progress is constantly monitored and the material is adjusted.

    An effective technique for mastering the spelling of new words is the involvement of the kinesthetic channel, that is, movements and sensations.

    • Words are written in the air, with a finger on different surfaces (shaving foam, smeared on the table, sandpaper, sand or semolina, etc.), with a finger on the child’s back, molded from plasticine, laid out with buttons.

    To work on spelling, you can use the SOS (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) tactics.

    The teacher speaks — the student repeats — names by sounds — writes down and at the same time names sounds (speech support) — the teacher shows the word — the student checks what he wrote.

    • The teacher needs to prepare cards with words. At the initial stages of working out a word, you can add an illustration and color support to the card, indicating the vowels in a different color. The work begins with pronouncing and dividing into syllables (polysyllabic words that are difficult to remember entirely), then the student traces the word with his finger over the card, writes with his finger in the air and on the table.

    As soon as the student stops making mistakes in letters, the card is removed and the word is written from memory. When prescribing, the word is dictated by the student out loud. In the next step, the student tries to use the word in the sentence.

    • In teaching the correct spelling of words, the principle works: listen-look-flip (close) -write-check. With easy-to-write words, you can use the «whole word» method, that is, the child «photographs» the word and stores it in memory as a whole, without analyzing its structure.
    • Another trick for practicing correct spelling of words is using say and move tactics… The teacher will need a template (see photo), a flash card with an illustration and a printed word and chips.

    As chips, you can take buttons, marbles, sweets or something else, there is no limit to imagination.

    The teacher shows the card, pronounces the whole word, puts the card on the template and pronounces the word by sounds, while moving the counters into the cells, then writes the word on the line. Then the student does this procedure.

    • To activate the visual channel you can use flashcards and visual dictionaries, making sketches next to the word, which will serve as a support for memorization. If, by the way, it is difficult to find a picture, you can sculpt a mini-scene from plasticine.

    Mnemonics work no less effectively in mastering new words. I propose to consider some of them:

    • visualization — coming up with pictures and images that will help you remember a word. The child closes his eyes and tells what arises in his head when pronouncing a word. The teacher’s help is needed here in order to orient the student and identify what exactly in the image will serve as a «magic button» for remembering a word. Having a bright image is the key to success.
    • finding a consonant word in the native language. Let me give you an example from practice: one of my students memorized the pronunciation of the word «eighteen» from a consonant phrase from the Russian language «Hey, you!» It may seem strange, but when she cannot remember this number, I just have to illustrate the phrase “Hey, you!” With a gesture, and the child immediately gives out the word “eighteen”. The support works!
    • rhyme + picture. If a word has no image, it can be created artificially. For example, for the word «inhabit» — to inhabit, to live, you can come up with a rhyme with the familiar word: «inhabit» — «rabbit» and visualize or draw a picture «Rabbits inhabit holes» — «Rabbits live in a hole.»
    • acronyms (a subspecies of the abbreviation). To memorize the spelling of complex words, you can come up with sentences or mini-stories in which the first letter of each word will be the letter of the word you memorize. For example, the spelling of the word “because” can be memorized by the phrase “Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants”, the word “said” can be memorized by the phrase “Sally Ann Is Dancing”. Another example: the word “necessary”, which is quite difficult in spelling, can be memorized by applying the support sentence “It is necessary to have a shirt with ONE Collar and TWO Sleeves”.

    Productive work, colleagues!

    Source: https://www.eduneo.ru/kak-effektivno-uchit-slova-na-urokax-anglijskogo-yazyka-s-detmi-disleksami/

    7 effective ways to memorize words in English

    When learning a foreign language, it is very important to constantly replenish your vocabulary — to memorize new and new words in English. However, not everyone succeeds in doing this. Here are seven tips to help you memorize new words in English more effectively.

    Make associative networks

    Our brain takes in what we read and transforms it into images, ideas and feelings, and then forms connections between new information and what we already know. This is how memorization takes place — the new is combined with the old.

    Imagine a tree. Isn’t it easier to see a large, spreading tree with many branches and leaves than a small tree with several branches? The same is true for the brain. When you combine a new word or concept with what you already know, it is easier for the brain to find it and remember it at the right time.

    How to do it? Very simple. Draw a network of concepts. Take what you want to remember (word, idea, sentence) and write it in the center of the sheet. Then draw lines from it in all directions, like a spider’s web.

    At the end of each line, write down any English words, or even draw pictures that come to your mind when you think of the word written in the center. It doesn’t matter what the associations are, just write down whatever you come up with.

    It only takes a couple of minutes, and now all words or concepts will be interconnected in your brain. If you see or hear one of them, it will be easier for you to remember the rest.

    To make it work even better, spell out how a particular word in English relates to others. The more often you do this, the more connections are formed. And the more connections, the easier it is for your brain to «see» the word you want to remember.

    Memorize phrases (phrases)

    Remembering a word is important, but English, like any other language, is not just a collection of concepts, it is a tool that people use to communicate and express their thoughts. Find examples of how a particular word is used in the text.

    Write down not only the word itself, but also the adjacent ones. For example, if you need to memorize the English word “arrogant”, you could write “the tall, arrogant man”.

    This will help you remember that «arrogant» is an adjective used to describe people. Then try three complete sentences to practice using it.

    Use pictures

    Draw small pictures to memorize the meaning of the word. Can’t draw? It’s not scary, it’s even better. Our brain receives so much monotonous information that a strange picture is a kind of surprise, and we always remember surprises.

    Our brains are better at reading visual information. Draw a funny picture illustrating the meaning of a word, and you will remember it much faster.

    Compose stories

    English learners often complain that there are too many new words and they are difficult to remember. There is one trick you can use to learn words quickly. Write any story, even a ridiculous one, in which every word in English is involved. Present it in detail.

    We can easily remember stories, especially strange ones, if we can recreate them in our imaginations. Feel free to combine words in funny and awkward ways. Let’s say you need to memorize the following 20 English words:

    Source: https://skyeng.ru/articles/7-effektivnyh-sposobov-zapominaniya-anglijskih-slov

    English for kids: when and how to start learning English with a child

    Everyone wants the child to speak English before school, the only question is what type of education to choose, where to take it, how much money to pay?

    And if I say that you can not take anywhere, pay no one at all, and still get the best result? Will you believe?

    What is the best result? This is when your child can explain himself in English and feel comfortable in the presence of English-speaking peers. Unfortunately, for a long time our Russian language teaching system was built in such a way that the best result was not achieved either by the end of school or by the end of the university. Therefore, it is difficult to believe.

    I want to share my experience. I must say right away that there will be a lot of personal judgments and personal experiences that may contradict someone else’s experience or conventional wisdom.

    The purpose of this article is not to get into an argument with someone, not to tell about what a wonderful and active mother I am (and this is far from the case, I am a very lazy lady), and not even to advertise my services: I am a person far from pedagogy , and I’m not going to teach English to anyone (except for my own experimental children).

    English from the year

    Today there are quite a few studios or just individual aunts who have been studying English with babies for almost six months. What do I think of this? This is a rest for a mother, an opportunity to relax for half an hour — an hour, while someone else plays with your child. And this is very good. But in principle, any play and developmental activities, in the studio or even with a nanny, will give the same effect.

    I am deeply convinced that it makes sense to start learning English not earlier than the mother tongue is mastered at the level of free communication. If a child speaks well at 2 years old — it is possible from two, if at three — then from three, or even from four.

    The same 50-100 words that you, having spent a lot of money and time, learn in a year, your child later, when speech skills are formed, will be able to master in a week or a month.

    But what about bilingual children, you say? Well, firstly, it is generally more difficult for such children, because they need to master two languages ​​at once. There are opinions that they start speaking later and mix languages ​​at first.

    In my opinion, it makes no sense to burden the child if there is no family member in the house who constantly speaks only a foreign language. Two to three classes a week and bilingualism have nothing in common.

    * This paragraph expresses only the position of the author, not supported by any facts.

    At what age should you start learning English?

    To be honest, I myself have always considered this issue not fundamental. I started learning English at school, at the age of 10, and only in the 9th grade I began to do it consciously, having signed up to a tutor for 1-2 lessons a week.

    For two or three years I learned the language and entered the language faculty of the university, on a budget, where it was terribly boring for me to study, since I learned almost nothing new there. Out of boredom, I became interested in economics, but more on that later. But my husband started learning English from kindergarten, and he still teaches, like many of my friends.

    So the rule does not work with the language: you start earlier, you learn earlier. The result here depends on the ability, motivation and quality of teaching.

    So I thought that I would not bother children with English from an early age, because the language can be learned very quickly, if you have the ability.

    Destroying myths

    Language schools will tell you that language can be taught to anyone. And this is correct, because this is their bread, I would also say so. But still, here, as with singing, hearing and voice are either there or not. You can always get some kind of result, but a quick and brilliant result depends entirely on the presence of a predisposition to languages.

    So, how did it happen that I started studying English with my children (I have twins) at the age of two and a half?

    The first reason simple: nothing to do. At 2,5 years old, they do not take to kindergarten yet, the activity is already off scale, and from constant sitting at home with mom, both children and mom start to go crazy. So that the house is not smashed to smithereens, you need to constantly come up with some activities.

    I am not a preschool education teacher, I have no expressed inclinations for this, and all this is difficult for me. Honestly, naming objects in English seemed to me at that time a rather harmless developmental occupation. True, then I had no idea what all this could lead to.

    Once we just took a bag of multi-colored hair ties, and I began to call them colors in English.

    Myth or Reality: children really learn new words very easily at this age, remember the first time.

    Then I found funny cartoons about colors on the Internet, such as:

    Cartoons need to look for original production, that is, the request should be formulated in English: English colors for kids, English for kids, English for children.

    While trying to find domestic training videos, I came across Khryusha and Stepashka, as well as a lot of other content, which personally disappointed me very much.

    The second reason — Dora the explorer. I don’t know why, but at that time the children simply adored the cartoon, and they still watch it with pleasure.

    And then one day I hear the voice of the cartoon, obviously far from the English language, meaning the circle, says: seckle. I shuddered slightly, and the child repeats: sackle. And that’s all. We could not forget this spoiled word for about a year.

    At that moment, I decided that it was better to take responsibility for myself and teach the children on my own.

    Only now, I did not know how to teach children on my own, because, as I repeat, I have almost nothing to do with pedagogy (I studied as a translator, not an English teacher, and I didn’t work in my specialty either).

    I have never taught children, my work is almost not connected with a foreign language. I teach economic disciplines, to adults at a business school and to students at a university, however, for masters I sometimes read special courses in logistics in English.

    How to start learning English?

    Source: https://crownenglishclub.ru/uprazhneniya/anglijskij-dlya-detej-kogda-i-kak-nachinat-izuchat-anglijskij-yazyk-s-rebenkom.html

    Personal experience: how I spent tens of thousands of dollars studying English — Education on vc.ru

    Column by Vitaly Bykov, founder of the creative agency Red Keds.

    Vitaly Bykov

    Now I will tell you how I wasted four years of my life and tens of thousands of dollars. The text is intended for people who do not know English and are going to learn it. And also for those who want to feel sorry for me.

    About me and my language

    All my life I had no motivation to learn English. At about 25 years old, I started traveling several times a year and thought that it would be nice to be able to speak English.

    I must say right away that to travel abroad a couple of times a year, you don’t need to know English at all. That is, if you are going to study a language in order to book a hotel while traveling and choose how you fry eggs, you should not waste time and money.

    So, at first I thought it would be nice to know English for travel and for work (I started to have my first expat clients). This is a rather weak motivation, but still I did two approaches.

    At the age of 27-28, I tried to learn English with a young beautiful girl named Tamila. And then — with the expat Peter, who was not a teacher, but, rather, just a British man who earned money by speaking in English. Both of these incidents took away my desire to learn the language for a long time.

    Then I turned 34, and I realized that learning English is the most accessible and best way to develop a personality. This became my basic motivation.

    Secondary reasons also appeared: I would like to try living and working abroad in the future. In addition, I wanted to communicate with foreign colleagues, read articles on advertising in the original language and understand the “language of the enemy”: suddenly a war would start and I was taken prisoner, what would I do then? In general, a strong and reliable motivation has arisen.

    I started looking for options on how to quickly and painlessly learn English. What did we have in stock? A couple of hours a week, money, the desire to learn all of English in a few months, laziness, laziness, laziness.

    First steps

    I decided to study English individually, and a special condition was that I had absolutely no time for homework. So, I started in November 2013 and planned to speak English with the ease of the British royal family by the spring of 2014.

    Friends foisted a teacher of the Speak Up company. After six months of training, two or three hours a week, it became clear to me: it will take me a little more time to move from the Pre-pre-beginner level to the Pre-beginner level.

    I started looking for other techniques that would not complicate my life. I still had a lot of laziness and desire to learn English. I could deprive my children of toys and spend that money on classes. At a family council, I decided that we would spend even more money on English. With one condition: no independent study, only hardcore.

    Any technique where you do not need to learn by yourself was suitable for me. Therefore, “English in a dream”, “English on tablets”, “English on the radio”, “English on cinema” — I began to look for such methods that I could spend my personal time with the teacher.

    Pronunciation

    Thus, in 2014 I found an English for Cinema school. To get more motivation, I tried to drag my friends to the courses. It turned out that everything except [Managing Director of SOK] Misha Brodnikov, they know English a little less than perfectly.

    Therefore, we went to the first free lesson together with Misha. There should be a picture: expectations and reality. I thought that we would watch a movie, then it’s fun to disperse, and English itself will be absorbed into the brain.

    It turns out that (here I first discovered this for myself) there are many methods of learning a language. They are all very different: some focus on grammar, some on the environment you are in.

    I was very interested in the method of learning English from cinema. Interestingly, pronunciation depends on the skill of your tongue muscles. For many English sounds to be pronounced correctly, muscles need to be trained like in a gym.

    I never thought about it. That is, it is logical, but it does not occur to you that you can learn English, starting with training the language as a human organ?

    What does it give in the end? If you can pronounce sounds correctly, then you can understand much more. But it was sad that the study of English from cinema in the new methodology was mainly based on independent work.

    You watch an excerpt of the film, repeat words after characters, they correct you, then you translate this passage, then write out words with errors in pronunciation and make flashcards from which you learn translation and pronunciation.

    For a year and a half I studied with the excellent teacher Polina Ponomareva. She explained to me an important idea: if you speak correctly, then you understand better. At least I feel like I have made some serious progress in pronunciation in a year and a half.

    So, I got two teachers. One taught me from the classic Murphy textbooks, and the second from the cinema with an original method of learning pronunciation.

    How to start learning English

    Six months later, it turned out that until the next level of language proficiency I could still walk to the South Pole. There was a feeling of hopelessness, melancholy, depression, suicidal thoughts.

    All this meant that the Pre-pre-pre-pre-beginner level was very far from me. I started looking for other methods on the Internet, reading books about learning English. But I still didn’t do any homework.

    Here, I must pay tribute to me, I went to the principle and did not spend a minute on independent work. Unless I did a little Duolingo before bed. But even there I did not advance further than the test. By this time, I had not spent so much on training: about 50 thousand old-regime rubles (that is, $ 1,5 thousand).

    Erik Gunnemark’s book, The Art of Learning Languages, has changed my attitude towards English. Not even the book itself, but the title of the book, well, and one chapter about the time it takes to learn English.

    Here is a short list of timelines that can be called realistic. It is built for learners who start learning a language from the «zero level» and want to achieve a level of minimal proficiency in spoken language.

    All the figures given are derived for the Swedes, but it is not difficult to make adjustments in them, due to the native language of the reader (for this it is enough to take into account the «transparency coefficient», which was mentioned at the end of the previous chapter).

    So, spending at least 120 hours a month on language learning:

    — German can be mastered in two to three months;

    — English — three to four months;

    — French, Spanish or Italian — five to six months;

    — Russian — in eight to ten months.

    If you can study the language for less than 120 hours a month, then the above figures should be multiplied by at least three.

    Practical experience shows that a language cannot be learned in a shorter time. To a large extent, the timing also depends on how much time a person has to practice speaking skills.

    So, despite the fact that I am not a Swede, I assumed that Gunnemark’s advice was not entirely true for the Russians. Because the Russian language belongs to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family, while English and Swedish belong to the Germanic one.

    Thus, I thought that it is easier for a Swede to learn English than Russian. And of course, there are personal characteristics of perception, ability to learn, perseverance, and so on.

    All this gave me the understanding that if I want to learn English at least a little, then I need to spend no less time than a Swede. That is, more than four hours a day.

    Source: https://vc.ru/education/34462-lichnyy-opyt-kak-ya-potratil-desyatki-tysyach-dollarov-na-izuchenie-angliyskogo-yazyka

    English course for children

    ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES FOR CHILDREN — BRITANIKA KIDS IN IVANOVO — classes for children from 5 to 7 years old, which will allow your child to master the initial level of English in a short time and get ready for school.

    Bring your child to the BRITANIKA center and the results will not be long in coming!
    In 6 MONTHS your child will surprise not only you, but everyone around you!

    FORM OF TRAINING

    WHY WE

    Individual approach Highly qualified teachers Flexible training schedule Flexible form of payment
    Training in mini-groups Reasonable prices 80% of our clients come by recommendation Convenient location

    English for children from BRITANIKA center

    The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein argued: the world of man is what his language is. The study of a foreign language influences the processes of thinking, the individuality of consciousness. Learning English for kids is the key to many doors in their future.

    Why should a child learn English

    Many people wonder why English lessons for children are the best way to mentally develop?

    At an early conscious age, from 4 to 6 years old, which is otherwise called sensitive, learning any foreign language is easier for a child. The phonetics of the native language has already been mastered, therefore there is no risk of “mixing” the two languages. It is especially useful to learn the English alphabet at a very early age, because then there will be no problems with him at school.

    Children who study a foreign language have a higher ability to retain attention than their peers who did not engage in such development of their consciousness.

    If we talk about the problems in learning English by adults, then the main feature is that adults transfer already familiar grammatical constructions of their native language into English — as if under tracing paper. In children, however, such stereotypes have not yet had time to settle. Therefore, for a child, English is a completely new sign system, he does not associate his grammar with the phrases of his native language, but learns it from scratch.

    Also, the baby develops mentally, learns to think differently. Children who learn a foreign language adapt better to an unfamiliar environment, they are more flexible and relaxed in conversation. Starting to learn a foreign language in early childhood is one of the most highly intelligent types of workload for the human brain.

    Why is it important to start teaching your child English in Ivanovo

    There are no kids who would not be able to learn at least some foreign language. Any child at an early age has already done such a gigantic job of mastering their native language. Hence, English lessons for children are not a fundamentally new area of ​​knowledge — in comparison, for example, with teaching writing or mathematics. A child who has learned to speak the native language of his parents is equally potentially capable of mastering any other language, for example English.

    Often there is a situation that at school the kid is experiencing difficulties with a foreign language. And many parents ask themselves the same questions:

    • What could be the prerequisites for the problems? 
    • How to improve the effectiveness of foreign language classes for a kid? 
    • What is the easiest way to start teaching English to kids? 

    What we recommend for teaching children English

    One of the main principles is the correctness in the choice of the intensity of courses or other activities. Teachers agree that for a toddler aged 2 to 4 years, the duration of an English lesson must not exceed thirty minutes. At the age of 4-6 years, you can practice a little longer — up to 1 hour a day.

    Usually, English lessons for children are taught 2-3 times a week. One lesson usually focuses on a specific topic — my family, animals, home, summer holidays, school life. This lesson contains elements of English grammar for kids.

    Based on the topic of the lesson and the grammatical structure that is introduced in the lesson, the teacher selects and demonstrates material — songs, games in a foreign language, poetry.

    If a younger student has difficulties with English, great attention should be paid to increasing his self-esteem. Maybe the kid is under stress because of the harsh school conditions, the need to «catch up» with more successful classmates. In addition, difficulties can arise from the fact that the child hears censure much more often than praise.

    Praising a baby means providing him with psycho-emotional comfort that is so necessary for learning. It is necessary to convey to the baby the fact that his capabilities can be easily increased and developed by means of training. There are many resources where English materials for kids are given online for free. To better develop spoken language, tongue twisters in English for children are suitable for the student.

    Taking extra classes at home will certainly help improve your academic performance.

    The easiest way to teach your toddler English is through play. It is play activity that is the main work of a child until the advent of school age, when study takes the place of children’s fun. But younger students still love to frolic and play.

    Both interactive games with the child personally and educational online games in English are beneficial. If you immediately approach the issue of teaching a child a foreign language correctly, then he will not have to be forced to learn English «out of the blue.» The kid himself will look forward to another lesson.

    After all, for him this is the time when there is an opportunity to enjoy funny games.

    In addition, cartoons in English demonstrate productivity — after all, watching them, the child has fun and at the same time tightens his tongue. Fairy tales in English, popular stories from Disney are often chosen as the basis of plots.

    In cartoons, the language is simple, there are no trumpet expressions or rarely used vocabulary. Cartoon characters are unique, possess certain characteristics — and features of speech.

    Therefore, throughout the cartoon, some phrases and words can be repeated, which simplifies learning.

    It is useful for children to show beautiful and pleasant visual material. It will be very difficult for a child to understand and accept abstract constructions by ear. It is best for children to repeat English words repeatedly, accompanying the lesson with pleasant pictures, cards with images of words, large written text. With this method, words firmly settle in the memory of the baby.
     

    Source: https://britanika37.ru/angliiskii-yazik-dlya-detei

    English for kids: how to help your child learn a second language

    In preschool years, it is much easier for a child to learn English if he is taught by a native speaker, for example, a governess from the UK. Learn more Learning English successfully and easily is possible from an early age. Some of the best helpers in this are professional nannies from the UK.

    Where can i hire a nanny? Learning with a native speaker makes your child more likely to have an accent.Learn more The English governess is the ideal teaching assistant for preschool children.Learn more It is possible to develop English speaking skills in children from the age of three. At home, it is easier to do this with the participation of a foreign tutor.

    Details Organization of teaching children English is exactly the kind of work that can pay off in the future. Contact a recruiting agency

    For a modern person, English is not an additional skill, but almost a basic necessity. And it’s best to start learning it as early as possible, until the language barrier has formed and the fear of making a mistake has arisen.

    However, learning foreign languages ​​is not easy. How can you help your kid learn English without overloading him with studies?

    Is it possible to teach a child English at home: the experience of professionals for your children

    For a small child, any language is foreign. Toddlers do not distinguish between their native language and English: for them both these languages ​​are new, they both require learning. This is why three to four year olds living in a bilingual language environment tend to show such incredible success in foreign languages, and children from families who have moved abroad usually start chatting freely with native speakers much earlier than their parents.

    Wishing for a brilliant future for their children, parents try to give them as much as possible. But it is very important not to go too far in this desire. Numerous circles, sections and courses tire the child and can lead to exactly the opposite result — from fatigue and overload, he simply closes in and stops perceiving new information.

    The most effective and painless way to teach your baby English is to immerse yourself in the language environment. However, for this it is not necessary to move to an English-speaking country for permanent residence. The child’s environment is his home, and the more he hears English at home, the faster he learns. In preschool age (and later), this method is even more effective than the traditional approach — with memorizing words and performing exercises.

    Talking to someone who speaks English makes it easy and natural to master a second language, just like the first. Nobody forces the crumbs to cram the words and expressions of the Russian language, it would never occur to anyone to start learning Russian from grammatical schemes and rules — the parents just talk to the child, play with him, and in the process of communication the child learns to speak.

    This scheme works the same way when teaching English.

    How to create a bilingual environment for a child if you live in Russia and no one from your family speaks English? The safest way is to contact a specialized agency and hire an English nanny or governess. It is worth making a small digression here and explaining how these specialties differ from each other.

    Professional nanny works with preschool children. Her responsibilities include caring for the baby, monitoring compliance with the regime. As a rule, a highly qualified nanny possesses not only pedagogical but also medical skills — many of them have a nursing diploma. The nanny plays and walks with the child, bathes and puts to bed, monitors his nutrition.

    Professional governess Is more of a teacher than a health worker, and she works with children of senior preschool and school age. The governess not only monitors the observance of the regime, but also develops the child.

    She helps him with his school homework, teaches manners, broadens his horizons. The English governess teaches the child the language, talks about the culture of Great Britain, is engaged in the aesthetic development of the ward, and organizes a variety of entertainment for him.

    The governess can also prepare the child for school and teach some subjects in English.

    Neither the nanny nor the governess are housekeepers, their responsibilities do not include cleaning the house, preparing dinner for the whole family, walking the dog, and other things that are usually entrusted to housekeepers. Their sphere of responsibility is the child and everything related to his development.

    By inviting an English governess or nanny, you create a bilingual environment in your home and help your child learn English in a simple and natural way. A foreign language will become a part of his daily life, because he will only communicate with a nanny or governess in this language.

    Methods of teaching children English

    Source: https://www.eg.ru/digest/angliiskii-dlja-detei.html

    We memorize English words easily. Six strategies for effective learning

    Learning a foreign language (especially new words) is hard painstaking work, impossible without tedious hours of cramming, isn’t it? Not really. “If you use the power of your brain correctly, learning can become a much faster and more exciting process,” says Inna Maksimenko, founder of the author’s English language courses.

    Why do small children mastering their native language, as well as polyglots who easily master several languages ​​at once, do not experience any particular difficulties? Inna told us about effective learning strategies that these people use. Take advantage of their secrets, and you will also learn to memorize words much easier and faster.

    Strategy 1. Harness the Power of Emotions

    What comes to your mind when you mention the word honey? Only an English textbook or an English-Russian dictionary? But people who memorize English words most quickly and easily know how to associate them with something important to themselves.

    For example, the same word honey can conjure up the image of a beloved girl (after all, this is how Americans call those they love). And if you come across a new word in an interesting story, then it will connect with the emotions that you experience while reading the story. An interesting conversation in English will also help you quickly memorize a new word.

    Why it works: Any positive emotion activates our ability to learn. After all, they signal that a given word refers to something meaningful to us.

    Recommended: Learn English with the help of texts, films, books that interest you. Chat with interesting people. Then the very experience of such learning will become a positive emotional factor that will help you remember the words.

    Strategy 2. «Embed» a new word in your experience

    “When young children learn their native language,” says Inna Maksimenko, they begin to notice a new word in a variety of situations, environments, and contexts. ” For example, hearing the word «white» for the first time, a small child begins to repeat it when he sees white snow, white paper, white sugar.

    And this is what helps him remember the word quickly and easily.

    Why it works: Thus, the brain forms associations with different parts of the previous experience, the new word is associated with what the child already knows well, becomes more familiar and familiar. And to reproduce it in memory, you no longer need to strain, it is enough just to remember about sugar or snow.

    Recommended: Use the new word more often in different situations — try to use it by retelling the text, doing your homework, practicing English with fellow students, with native speakers.

    Strategy 3. Believe in your capabilities

    Tell me, do you have a good memory? Is it easy for you to memorize English words? Whatever your opinion about your own abilities, sooner or later it will turn into reality. People who successfully learned English believed in their ability to do so.

    Why it works: Self-beliefs often turn into self-fulfilling prophecies. By mentally repeating that languages ​​are difficult for you, you are programming your brain to resist learning. «Why memorize these words — your unconscious is sure, — after all, nothing will work out anyway.»

    Recommended: If you feel like learning languages ​​isn’t good for you, try to understand where this belief came from. “It is confirmed by past experience,” you say, “so at school I grabbed a C for the language, and I passed the exam twice at the institute”.

    In fact, these events have nothing to do with your abilities. The reason for the failure could be poor health, lack of time to prepare, or the fact that you did not need to know the language at that time.

    Learn to share isolated failures and your abilities in general, and believe in yourself.

    Strategy 4. Remember forever

    «How long will the knowledge of English remain after your courses?» — many listeners ask. “If I don’t use the language, will I forget it a year after graduation?” The answer to this question also largely depends on the beliefs and motivation of the person himself. People who are successful in learning languages ​​usually believe in their ability to quickly regain knowledge. “When I have such a need, I will quickly remember everything I need,” they say.

    Why it works: Our beliefs shape not only the ability to perceive information, but also the ability to store it. We can believe that we have a good, in principle, memory — only a little short. “It will fly into one ear and fly out into the other,” we say in such cases, and reality, as always, confirms our expectations.

    We recommend: Form in your mind an image of a quick recovery of lost skills. Determine the period of time during which your skills will recover. For example: «A week of working on the language will be enough for me to remember everything.» “Two hours of communication with a foreigner is enough for me to start speaking fluently and confidently again.”

    Strategy 5. Remember the goal

    Studies have shown that people with a good reason to learn a language are able to learn it much faster than others. For example, one of the Moscow doctors was able to master English in just a month — knowing that this would allow him to go on a foreign internship. Students who are told that certain words will be required in the next lesson are statistically better remembered than those who are not told about it.

    Why it works: Any undertaking is impossible without a good reason, desire, motivation. Motivation gives strength. People who start learning English because it is fashionable often drop out halfway through. And if you have a goal, then your chances of successfully mastering the language are much greater.

    Recommended: Remember why you are learning English. Perhaps you are dreaming of going to study in the USA, or watching the famous musical «Cats» in the original version, you want to get a promotion, or you dream of giving lectures in English. When memorizing words, choose, first of all, those that you actively use in Russian.

    Strategy 6. Learning unconsciously

    A small child easily masters his native language in the process of playing, communicating, learning about the world. A person who finds himself in the country of the language being studied quickly «absorbs» dozens and hundreds of new words along with the peculiarities of pronunciation and grammar. But they do not sit over textbooks and do not memorize words on purpose!

    Why it works: It’s no secret that the average person uses only a tiny fraction of the potential of their own brain. But people who successfully master any languages ​​were able to use the hidden capabilities of their unconscious.

    It is known that the unconscious learns several times faster than the consciousness. This happens in those moments when the consciousness is «loaded» with other activities. For example, while you are watching a movie or chatting with a friend, you focus on the topic of the conversation.

    And at this time, your unconscious is memorizing new words.

    Recommended: Practice English vocabulary. For example, read an interesting story, watch movies, listen to audio materials, news, and often communicate with people in English. Then your consciousness will be occupied with the plot, and the unconscious will be able to easily assimilate new words and expressions. “In our courses,” says Inna Maksimenko, “we don’t learn words on purpose. And yet they are easy to remember. «

    I hope I have convinced you that it is easy to memorize foreign words — quite possible. You just need to set a goal, believe in yourself and start working on the English language. And then, one day, the ability to easily communicate or lecture in the language will become a reality for you.

    Natalia Eremeeva, englishmax.ru

    Source: https://www.native-english.ru/articles/simple

  • A list of fun English word games for kids to help improve children’s spelling, reading, and vocabulary. This list of word games for kids includes word games that encourage conversation and early literacy that you can play on the spot or prepare yourself with just some paper and pencil.

    Why are Word Games Good For Kids?

    Word games and vocabulary games for kids are great because they get kids talking and using language while having fun. When you make a learning activity fun, kids don’t realise they are learning.

    For reluctant learners, playing these word games can help and motivate them to want to play and learn more.

    *This post may contain affiliate links, read more here.

    10 Fun Word Games for Kids

    Many of these word games for kids can be prepared easily at home with materials you already have. However if you don’t have time to prepare your own, you can also purchase a range of fun word games for kids HERE.

    1. Hang Man

    Hangman word game for kids

    Probably one of the most popular word games for kids is the popular Hang Man. Player 1 thinks of a word and Player 2 has to guess it before they get “hung.”

    Player 1 writes spaces for letters are written on the page so they know how many letters there are in the word. Player 2 proceeds to choose a letter they think may be in the word.

    If it is correct Player 1 writes the letter down where it goes. If it is incorrect Player 1 draws part of the “hangman”. If the drawing is complete by the time Player 2 guesses, then Player 1 wins.

    2. I spy

    A really easy and fun word game for kids is I spy. You don’t need anything for this game except your imagination.

    Player 1 thinks of a word and tells the others the first letter. “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with __” The other players need to guess the word. Whoever wins gets to be the spy!

    This is a really great car game for kids too and helps to build vocabulary.

    3. Bingo

    Such an easy word game to prepare for kids. There are some really good versions on Amazon HERE. You can purchase the game, or use it as an example to make your own.

    Draw a square grid on a page and choose a theme. Write out some words using the theme. Eg, beach: swimming, sand castles, water, sea shells, dolphin, sunbeds, picnic etc.

    Make an extra copy of the words ensuring there are a few extra than the amount on the page. Cut them up into squares and put in a bowl scrunched up.

    Take turns in pulling out a word and reading it out loud, then finding it on your page. The first person to find all of the words calls out Bingo and is the winner.

    This fun word game for kids helps with reading and talking aloud.

    4. Word Family Game

    This game requires children to rhyme. Select one word and everyone needs to write as many words as they can that rhyme with that word. Eg. If the word is “Cat”, answers could be: hat, bat, rat, sat etc.

    This is a great word game to help build kids vocabulary and help their language skills.

    5. Word Search

    Wordsearch word games for kids

    Another fun but challenging word game for kids is a word search. Draw a grid of 10 x 10 squares and place as many words as you can within the grid. Words can go up, down, or diagonal, and letters can overlap to be used more than once.

    Create a list on the side or bottom of the page of the words you have entered. Then once you cannot fit anymore words in, fill the blank boxes with random letters.

    Kids will need to find the words as quick as possible. This can be a fun word game to do individually or as a team. For kids who like to compete, you can make identical grids and see who finishes first.

    This word game encourages persistence and helps to improve their literacy skills.

    6. Unscramble the words

    A simple word game for children that will get them really thinking! Write a list of words down on paper but scramble the letter order while writing. Kids will need to look at the letters and try to work out what the word is and guess it.

    This can be quite a competitive word game, but it helps to really get their mind ticking.

    7. Scategories

    While this is also an official board game, (which you can find online here) you can also make it yourself quite easily. Each player has a piece of paper and pencil.

    Select 10-15 categories. These can be anything you like but remember they should be popular enough that you can guess something with most letters. Eg. Country, Movie, Body Part, Actor or Actress etc.

    Once you have your categories it is time to choose a letter. Without a dice, the easiest way is to write the letters randomly on a piece of paper.

    Then one person closes their eyes and points to a letter. When the letter has been chosen, players have 2 minutes to fill in the gaps with something in each category starting with that letter.

    Winner is the one with the most filled in at the end, or the first to finish.

    This is a really fun and competitive word game for kids that helps to improve their vocabulary, spelling, and conversation skills.

    8. Words within a word

    This word game requires kids to create their own words. Choose one really long word with at least 8-10 letters. The longer the better.

    The aim of this word game is for kids to try to make a list of small words out of the letters of the long word. So for example the word COMPUTER includes: put, cot, term, core, mop, top, pet. Etc.

    This is a really fun word game to help children’s spelling skills.

    9. I am going on a picnic

    A fun word game to help with your child’s memory and to get them talking.

    One person starts and says “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some… fruit”

    The next person says what the first person said, and adds something of their own. “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some fruit, and some sandwiches.

    The next person says what the first, and second person said, and adds something of their own. “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some fruit, some sandwiches and some ice-cream.

    You continue on and on and it gets more difficult to remember everything. We usually can get to at least seven or eight, and surprisingly my pre-schooler can often remember more than me!

    This conversational game helps with memory, and also learning new vocabulary.

    10. Story prompts

    This word game involves making up a story by taking turns in saying sentences. One person starts the story, and says the first sentence. The second person continues the story with another sentence, and so on.

    The stories can become very interesting as each person has different ideas. Bilingual flashcards are great for this or you can find a great version online HERE.

    This conversation activity helps kid’s imagination, as well as building their vocabulary.

    Other Fun Learning Resources for Kids?

    If you love these English word games, check out these posts!

    English Classroom Games – To play in class or at home
    Knock Knock Jokes – To get the kids laughing
    Best Board Games for Kids – Educational and fun
    Top Book Sets for Kids – For all ages

    Which English word games do you play with your kids?

    These fun English word games for kids can be played with children of all ages and also with adults just by adapting certain aspects of the game to suit the age of the player.

    This list of word games for kids will keep kids entertained for hours on end without feeling like they are actually learning.

    English word games for kids
    English word games for kids

    Teaching vocabulary to preschoolers is not just about giving the definitions and some examples, but about creativity and fun techniques to practice the words with them. One of the best and practical ways to teach them vocabulary is using games. Here are some of them.

    Categories

    This game helps children to categorize the words in the columns, to get their meanings and to find a relationship between these words. For each category, you can use flashcards (fruit, vegetables, clothes, sports, etc) and give a list of different words to your kids (banana, skirt, apple, tomato, tennis, baseball, shirt, shorts, kiwi, etc.).

    vocabulary

    out the odd word

    This game is a bit similar to the previous one because it is again related to categorizing. Here the teacher gives a list of words, asking kids to cross out one odd word from each line. For example:

    1. November, July, September, October
    2. Cold, snow, January, summer
    3. Monkey, banana, apple, kiwi
    4. Run, tennis, baseball, football
    5. Taxi, car, bus, house

    How many?

    Here all you need is to show a picture of different things (animals, fruit, vegetables) and to ask your younger learners to count how many things there are in the picture.

    2-litre jar

    This is a fun game to play with your kids. You show them a 2-litre jar and ask to come up with words that can be placed in this jar. For example, they can say coffee, candle, but they cannot say happiness or animal, because they cannot be placed in this jar.

    I spy

    One might call this game an old one, but my younger learners adore it. To begin the game choose an object and give some hints to your kids, such as: “I spy something that is big and blue”. The pupil that guesses the word takes a turn to spy something and let other kids guess.

    Apple Pass

    Get your kids to sit in a circle. You can use a real apple or a fake one. While you pass the apple to the next student, you must say one English word. The student then throws to another student and says a different English word. The student who fails to catch the apple or to say a word is out. And the game continues until you have one winner. It can be played with different categories, such as fruit, vegetables, animals, etc.

    Touch

    This game is all about giving some instructions. The teacher says: “Touch the board”, “Touch the chair”, “Touch something black”, etc. And young learners go around the classroom to find the appropriate objects and to touch them.

    Basketball

    Make a paper ball and prepare a box where your kids can throw an imaginary ball. Show a flashcard to the first student. If they say the right word and throw the ball into the box, they get two points. But if they fail to do one of these things, they get just one point. The person who gets the most points is the winner.

    Pictionary

    This is a nice activity for recycling vocabulary. You can play this game in groups. Tell one of the students a word and ask him/her to draw a picture of it on the board. The first student to guess, what the picture is, gets a point and takes a turn to come up to the board and to draw the next picture.

    Line True or False

    Put a line of tape on the floor and make appropriate signs for «True» and «False». Show a flashcard and say its word (you can say a wrong word).  If students think that you have said the correct word they jump on to the True side, if not they jump on to the False side. The student who gives the wrong answer is out.

    What games do you play with your preschoolers?

    Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

    1. Label it up!

    Most English schools and classrooms stick word labels on things to help children form a connection between objects and the words that represent them in the language. For example: clock, chair, door, table, whiteboard, etc. You can do the same at home to help your child learn everyday vocabulary!

    Focus on objects your child will see or use a lot. The more often the child sees the label, the easier it will be to remember the word. If you ask your child to help you make and decorate the labels, they will pay more attention to them. It will also give them a chance to practise writing and spelling the words you want them to learn. Make this an exercise you do together and add new labels regularly.

    Labels or signs can also help children learn more complex vocabulary – e.g. for school tests. Create a list or table, write in the words to learn, and stick this up in a highly visible place: above your child’s bed, on the fridge door or next to the TV. Remind your child about these lists and ask them a couple of questions each day to test their knowledge of the words. For example:

    • How do you spell _____?
    • What is another word for _____?
    • Can you tell me what _____ means?

    For more ideas on common household vocabulary to use for your first word labels, check out this video guide from Easy English!

    2. Magnetic letters

    Spelling is a big problem in English, even for British and American children. This is because English is not a “phonetic language”. We don’t pronounce every letter/sound we see and this can be very confusing, especially for younger learners. For this reason, we need to help our children with their spelling as early as possible!

    Buy some magnetic letters and use your fridge or a small magnetic whiteboard to spell names and words with your child. If your mother tongue uses a different alphabet, then allow more time for your child to get faster at spelling English words on the board.

    Start by making some simple words with the letters yourself, such as your child’s name or the name of their favourite animal, to show them what they can do with the magnets. Encourage your child to play around with the magnetic letters independently to make short words. When your child writes something on the board, take the time to notice it, read it aloud, and help them correct any spelling mistakes by moving the letters.

    To test your child’s knowledge, add some misspelled words and ask them to correct these by rearranging the letters. You could test their understanding of English homophones in this way too, e.g. there, their, they’re. For more advanced learners, you could choose words that have the same sounds spelled in different ways, e.g. rough (f), elephant (f), puff (f).

    You can also play fun spelling games with your child. Try this one called “Mouse & Cheese”.

    When your child makes a mistake with a word, encourage them to try again. If a task is too difficult, help them by offering to do it together. Remember to say “well done!” whenever your child gets an answer right, and give a small reward for bigger tasks that are completed successfully. It’s normal for children to make the same mistakes many times before they 100% learn the differences between English words, e.g. which vs. witch, there vs. their, effect vs. affect.

    3. Be a commentator!

    It may feel a little silly to talk to yourself, but it’s important to remember that children listen to what their parents say, even if you aren’t speaking to them directly. It’s a useful way to increase how much English your child hears every day. If you don’t know what to say, you can describe what you are doing or what you see around you. This is a spontaneous activity.

    Native English speakers with young children who are just learning to speak will do something similar called “commentating”. For example, if you are cooking breakfast and your child is in the room, try to describe what you are doing. Your monologue might sound like this:

    • First, I have to put the butter in the pan. Where is the butter? Oh, here it is!
    • Next, I’ll crack the eggs into the pan. Where are the eggs? Here they are! Crack!
    • Now I’ll put the egg in the pan and fry it. I think I’ll do two eggs. One for you, one for me.
    • Here, can you throw away the egg shells for me. Thank you!

    Notice that some words, like butter and egg, are repeated many times. The more your child hears a word in context, the better they’ll remember it. If they hear similar things every morning when you’re making breakfast and doing other parts of your daily routine, they’ll remember actions and sentences better too.

    4. Ask lots of questions

    Children often struggle to have conversations in English. This can be because their vocabulary is limited, because they lack confidence and are afraid of making mistakes, or because they just can’t think of anything to say. You can help by asking your child lots of questions!

    Try to ask questions about topics that are of interest to your child. Ideally, these should be questions that need more than a yes/no answer. It’s also good to be able to follow up with a “why?” to push your child to give a fuller answer with more detail. For example:

    • What game are you playing? How do I play too?
    • Who’s the character with the big red nose? Is he a bad guy? Why?
    • Who’s your favourite character? What do you like about him? Why?

    When you ask questions, this pushes your child to speak more. However, remember that long conversations in English can be tiring and stressful for children. Therefore, it’s better to have lots of short conversations with breaks in the middle. Repeating the same types of conversations around the same games or activities will also help reinforce vocabulary.

    5. Play games for prizes

    If your child isn’t very excited about learning English, you could turn vocabulary practice into “a game”. Teachers often do this to help children learn while also having fun. Before you start playing, remember to explain what counts as “a win” for your child, e.g. they need to score 10 points or complete 5 short word games. If your son or daughter is successful, then you can give them a small reward like a favourite treat or 15 minutes’ play time on an iPad.

    • If you have flashcards, you can test your child’s vocabulary by shuffling them into a random order and showing them one by one. Give your child five seconds to remember the correct word (and order) if they want to win the point. You could also spread lots of flashcards on the floor or table for a listening challenge. Say a word aloud and give your child five seconds to pick out the card that matches to win the point.
    • You can practise action vocabulary by giving instructions like: “touch the table”, “touch your nose”, “jump”, or “pick up a book”. Give the child one chance to do the correct action, but don’t press them for time unless you’re okay with them running around the house!
    • For more fluent children, you can ask questions like: “What time is it exactly?”, “What animal has big ears and a long nose?” or “Can you describe your favourite meal?” Encourage them to speak in full sentences to score the point, e.g. “I ate a ham sandwich for lunch” instead of just “Sandwich”. You could also offer them double points if they can ask you a good question!

    The main objective is not to win or lose. It is to encourage your child to do regular vocabulary practice for a certain period of time each day. If you are playing to win e.g. 10 points, don’t declare it a loss when the child makes a mistake and only scores 9. Instead, give them a chance to win a bonus point by doing an additional vocabulary task. We want to reward good effort, not penalise mistakes.

    6. Create a competition!

    If you have two or more children, they probably already compete with each other! Try making a simple scoreboard and award points for achievements like: good English homework, completing English games/tasks (like the ones described above), or learning 10 new words.

    If you have an only child, see if they have any friends who are also learning English. Then talk to the parents about setting up a friendly competition between them. Declare a winner either once a week or once a month, then erase all the points and start again!

    If the children have different levels of English, then give them different tasks to complete. Make sure you also praise or reward the “loser” so their effort is recognised. As we mentioned earlier, the aim here is to motivate the child to engage more with English. The winning vs. losing part is less important.

    It’s also a good idea to create English tasks or games that promote teamwork between the children. For example, you could play kids vs. adults. A good prize for the kids’ team might be a day trip to an interesting place, like a zoo or museum. If you’re going to give occasional prizes, perhaps also try to make these connected with English.

    Does your child like stickers? If so, you could use stickers to keep track of points! Download these printable reward charts. They are designed for remembering to do household chores, but you could change the tasks to: completed English homework, learned 10 new words, won a spelling game, etc.

    7. Read together once a day

    Does your child like stories? Reading together is a great way to build vocabulary and get a better understanding of grammar too. Try to read with your child for 15 minutes each day.

    Look for books aimed at native English speakers about two years younger than your child. If the book has pictures, talk about these together. Ask what your son or daughter thinks is happening in each picture before you read the page. See if they can guess what will happen in the story!

    Bedtime can be the best time to read together, but it’s important not to leave it too late as your child may be tired and unable to concentrate. A good method can be to take it in turns to read pages in the book. That way you can share the reading.

    Check out our post about websites that help your children read more in English. Some of these also include free e-books that you can download and use.

    8. Give mobile apps a try

    Nowadays, kids spend more time on mobiles and iPads. There are many English vocabulary apps out there to help your child learn new words and phrases. These can be a fun addition to your overall learning plan. We’d recommend short sessions of 5-10 minutes per day.

    Start by trying these popular apps:

    Duolingo

    This is probably the most famous vocab app. It is a good way to practise new words for 5-10 minutes a day and includes points, prizes and leader boards. You can set the interface to your own language to make navigation easier. If the child’s level is good, we recommend using apps 100% in English only.

    Memrise

    This is a flashcard app with game-like functionality. It makes learning new words fun! The interface is available in English and in 13 other languages. You can add new flashcards as your child learns and progresses with their vocabulary. 

    9. Use songs to explore vocabulary

    If your child likes listening to music at home, add some English songs to your playlist! As well as nursery rhymes and the Disney Library (for younger kids), simple pop or rock songs with clear lyrics can also provide a fun way of learning new words.

    A lot of English teachers recommend Ed Sheeran because his songs are often slow, have clear lyrics, and repeat the same words frequently. Here are some lyrics from the track Thinking Out Loud. This song is good for learning about parts of the body.

    When your legs don’t work like they used to before

    And I can’t sweep you off of your feet

    Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love

    Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

    It’s very easy to find videos on YouTube with songs and lyrics (as subtitles). Just do a search for your child’s favourite English songs or pop groups!

    10. Go outdoors!

    You can practise English anywhere, at home or outside! If you’re walking or travelling somewhere with your child, try to use this free time to discover new words or play vocabulary games. Here are a couple of ideas to help you use English outside the house:

    • Explore vocabulary connected with different situations/settings. For example, the park, the supermarket, the zoo, the seaside, the football stadium. Each time you visit a place, give your child a small list of new words to learn in the car. These words should be thematically connected with the location or situation. Practise the words when you reach the destination!
    • Play “I Spy”. Pick a secret object, such as a picture of a cat on someone’s bag, and say “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…C!” Your child then has to guess the object you can both see. If your child is struggling with the alphabet, you can focus on phonics, and say “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…Ca!” That way, your child only has to focus on how words sound. Take turns after each correct guess.

    Online Teachers UK offers specialised English lessons for children via Skype. Contact us today to see how we can help your child develop their English speaking, confidence and general fluency from the comfort of your own home!

    Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

    Charlotte J.
    — ESL Tutor.

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