Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hello everyone,

İ am currently teaching English in Turkey to kindergarten. We are currently teaching classroom language such as 'stand up' 'sit down' 'lısten' 'quıet' and 'raıse your hand'

İ taught my fırst class today and ıt was DISASTEROUS! Usıng flash cards, ıt clearly wasnt excıtıng enough for them and I lost them about half way through the lesson. Any tıps on how I can make thıs more excıtıng and can help them to understand? They seemed to struggle wıth 'raıse your hand' and could only do ıt when I raısed my own hand.

I do not speak any turkısh so thıs ıs provıng problematıc ın my classes also

Look forward to hearıng from you

Amy

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Sounds stressful! As the days go on you can set up more of a routine and the students won't be as unruly. Maybe make some flash cards with the terms that you want them to learn and another set with pictures representing this action. In groups of threes they can match the word with the card. Make it a competition and the kids will get into it. With these same cards the students could play a game of concentration in twos. You could also have them play charades or pictionary with these phrases. Good luck!

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Everything must be a game with young kids. Teaching classroom language can be fun if you let them be the teacher. First model and act out what you want them to say and do - the words should always be accompanied by actions. They repeat and you introduce the next one. Keep doing this over and over until they can say it by themselves with the actions. Once you have introduced the language, play a game by letting individual students shout out the orders to the class. Get everyone standing up. The class has to do what the student says or they're 'out' and have to sit down (they can continue playing but sitting down). The last child standing is the winner.

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

By all means look at this website; it's a goldmine of free resources:
Free Printables for Teachers | flashcards, printable games, worksheet templates, phonics materials, ESL printables, conversational activities
Also search on eslHQ for posts and games with the word "kindergarten."

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Classroom English for younger kids can be hard to teach. In fact, teaching young kids in general can be frustrating. Try to use actions a lot. Especially with classroom English. Flashcards are boring for children at that age and I would highly recommend not using flashcards of any sort. If teaching phonics, dont show them a picture of an apple and get them to repeat it. Show them a picture then get them to draw it! Keep them entertained by getting them to do things but only allow one child to leave their seat at any one time otherwise it will become a warzone.

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

I'm also teaching the little ones in Turkey. I have not actually taught classroom language but I do some basic things at the beginning of the year to get straight the basics. First we sing our 'Stand Up, Sit Down', song, which is basically this:
Stand Up (pause) Sit Down (pause) (repeat)
Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap your hands, Clap them nice and loud! SU, SD (repeat)
Slap Slap Slap Slap Slap Slap your knees, Slap them nice and loud!
SU, SD, SU, SD
Stamp, Stamp Stamp Stamp Stamp your feet, Stamp them nice and loud!
It's fun and gets to the point.
We also go over the classroom rules with the Turkish teacher, with clear pictures of children doing each thing we expect them to do: (raise your hand, speak softly, keep your hands to yourself, etc.) I also numbered them, so when they shout out an answer, I will say Rule No. 1, Raise Your hands please
You will practice this all year, so they will eventually get it.
Make your lesson fun but structured and things should fall into place. Good Luck!

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hi

I know exactly how you feel as I have just come to China to teach and have mainly been given kindergarden age ranging from 2 to 6! I find the babies so hard to teach as they either cry or look worried and i'm really not very scary. Is there a website that has good fun simple ideas to make the lessons interesting and fun?? I found that a good one for the older ones is once you've taught a phrase eg 'Brush my teeth' then to the class you sing 'teacher teacher let me try' with a funny arm movement and then the whole class repeats and you pick someone to come and have a go. Once they say it they get a sticker. They love it and it gets everyone involved and the whole class can help if someone struggles. Repeat as many times as you like. Give it a go. Any other tips would be much appreciated. I find it hard teaching the little ones words like summer winter autumn spring (which I had to do last lesson as i'm following a book) as I found it hard to make it interesting and come up with some good actions. Any help would be great!

Thanks
Lucy

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hi there,

In some ways it's an advantage not being able to speak Turkish as you will be forced to use simple English and demonstrate things, but there's not much point chatting away to them as they won't have a clue, instead say short sentences or single words while you demonstrate the meaning, and do this repeatedly throughout the term, gradually they will understand more and more.

Puppets, stories, songs and actions are what you need, and real objects instead of flashcards when possible.

Here is a story for you, with flashcards and a matching song - the link here goes to the page where you get the story, but if you want ALL the parts to the series you just enter name and email and they come to you by email. It's a free sample of the full preschool resource that I have created.

All the best
Shelley

Link to the lesson plan:
[url=https://teachingenglishgames.com/eal-games-for-preschool-english-learners/[/url]

And story:
[url=https://teachingenglishgames.com/english-story/[/url]

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hi, I also teach young children in Turkey and I understand your dilemma. I've learned that it's easier to teach young kids colors, classroom objects, animals - i.e. things they can see and touch - as a starter. If they are old enough and know letters and can read in Turkish then I would suggest tracing worksheets. Coloring is also a good way to grab their attention and to get them to learn vocabulary. You'll have to go slow with the kids since they are probably not used to classroom behavior yet, even in Turkish. So stick with teaching vocabulary for things that are material. They will soon learn your teaching process and you can move on to classroom instructions. Hope that helps.

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hi I teach Kindergarten in China 3 - 7yrs old. There are 28-38 kids per class. I keep the kids seated as much as possible. I get them to stand to do Raise you hands etc. You have to do it in a chant or make up a song. I count myself lucky if 1/2 the kids do what you want. I don't have Chinese and the teachers on the whole don't have English. Some times a choose a child and bring them to the front and demonstrate on them, hold their hands up, put them down, etc. The other kids love this and clamer to be the next one. I choose a child who has joined in and is participating. It takes a while but the class gets used to YOUR ways if you are consistant. I use lots of songs, like, this is the way you wash your hands, open shut them, if your happy and you know it (but i don't use stamp your feet because it gets our of hand, I use, wiggle your ears, wiggle your nose, etc) Five little duck, five little monkeys hanging in a tree, five little monkeys jumping on the bed. Don't worry they don't sing at first eventually they will.
If I can help further please let me know. I find flash cards a bit of a waste if you try to use them as the main part of your lesson, just use them to introduce your words. I have a couple of games that the kids love and all particiapate in if you contact me I will let you know.
Cheers
Rhonda

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Here is a game I use that works well for 4yrs and up. All the kids stand in pairs with their fingers tips touching each other. Teacher walks around the group calling out words or sentences that have been previously learnt, i.e. I like to drink water... Teacher calls out a number of these and shouts GO. The kids run for their seats while the teacher chases them. (I very rarely catch anyone as this sometimes ends in tears). I tell them how quick they are. And then we do it again a couple of times. Kids and teachers alike love it. I also play statues, using the same principle walking slowly around the room with the kids following me, repeating what I say until I shout STATUE, and turn around to catch them out. These two games has them practicing their vocab with out noticing it. Also musical chairs, with teacher singing the lastes song they have learnt and clapping hands.
Hope this helps
Rhonda

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

hello, I'm alo teaching in a kindergarten in China and I find 3-4 year olds most difficult to work with.
I just don't have any idea what is that they might be interesed in, they are so little. They are supposed to learn phonics, but it sounds like Sci-Fi
If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know.

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hi Rhonda. Thanks for your message. I'm not really sure how these forums work so not sure how to email you from it but I'd be really interested to hear about the games that work for you with you classes. I teach kindergarten age from 2 to 6 year olds! Any advice would be appreciated as this is my first time teaching in China. My email is lucygod@hotmail.com.

Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks, Lucy

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

Hello Amy.
Sounds like my first teaching experience with kids in China. Yes, quite scary. Ever since then I decided to make sure things like these don't happen to other teachers.
When you did the miming that was a good thing because one way kids learn is by copying what we as adults do. Use a lot of miming actions and build that into a routine. It will go a long way to help with your classroom management.
For kids like you mentioned, flashcards are only exciting when playing games with them. If you only use them to show and tell new vocabulary that is bound to get boring after five minutes max. Flashcards are mostly good if well used for actively engaging kids in Games like Fly-swatting, Slap and Say, Chinese Whispers and more. Engage by having games that require the kids to touch and say, listen and touch, usually with a reward system in place.
There is a website I have been working on that might just solve your problems. Check out this Free Sample Lesson on Farm Animals to see how these materials might be of help. Do forget to first read the PDF lesson guide. If you have projectors in class there are Powerpoints and Interactive Games to use.

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

The easiest thing would be to purchase some Dr. Jean CDs to teach basic skills and vocabulary in English. A K teacher even created ppts to go with these songs. That way you will have visuals to go with TPR.

Power Points

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

I highly recommend the "Your Baby Can Read" It is very useful video to learn english.

Re: Kindergarten Classroom Language
 

As a good teachers know their student best. If you have been teaching a particular group of students for some time, you probably already know quite a bit about their ability levels, interests.