Job Discussion Forums

[worlddiva]

I teach a 45min. class to 2year old twins.

They are more advanced then some of my adult students and the book I use is too easy for them and I can't change the book.

I have never taught 2 year olds before and am wondering what kind of activities they are able to do and how much information they can absorb before they tune out. I tried bingo to see if that would work but it didn't. They didn't quite get the concept.

They are able to make short answers like: It's a red ball. He's running. Stuff like that. They can't read though.

Any activity ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[PAULH]

[Mike L.]

Juice, sedatives, lights off! A pillow for yourself!

[worlddiva]

Ha ha ha! LOL

I wish...

[pnksweater]

My first full time teaching job in Japan was with kids as young as yours- except I had them ALL day. What kind of materials do you have available? Since your students are not literate a lot of vocabulary must be introduced through visuals and actions. And don't stress rules and structure- kids this young won't do that stuff in their own language. Just think of it as English saturated play.

Try to think of games or activites that can focus in on specific vocab... for example big- bigger- biggest; small-smaller-smallest- have you students sort objects by size, or have them build towers out of blocks or other available materials. Play music with lots of action words (hop, dance, twirl, clap) and sing and dance along. Play, play, play and keep the language going. If your students are already producing the target language then make them work for it. One of my 18th month students was just beging to speak so I would make him identify which color of block or ball he wanted to use next. "Do you want red or blue?" the answer can range from "red" to "red please" or "I want..."

Even though your students are too young to begin reading yet you can introduce phonics and ABCs. Flash cards or an ABC puzzle will work great. After singing ABC's go over the phonetic sound: ah ah ah-ah-ah apple! The puzzles are expecially nice since students like to remove the letter, see the picture, and say the word. I did this routine every lesson. Teaching the American Sign Language finger alphabet is also a great way to promote literacy at a very early age. Children can sign successfully long before they can use a pencil to write.

Story books are also a good way to introduce vocabulary and illicit responses. However, books can be exspensive. It's easy to read a simple story to a child and ask questions as you go along. "Is spot happy?" "Who is this?" "What is spot doing?" The books should be brief (no long winded fairy tales). If your students won't sit still for this kind of action arm yourself with animal cookies or other not-too-sweet snacks.

I hope this gives you some ideas. I really don't know how much you have to work with. PM me if you have anymore questions.

[Gordon]

Try singing songs. Can you play any instruments?
Any songs or poems with actions and the students act them out. Try to keep them active.
You can get them to act out the action verbs you teach them.

[worlddiva]

I do play a lot of games with them and sings lots of songs. I even make them up as I go sometimes, if need be.

I'm wondering how many new vocab words they can absorb in 45min.?

And, as far as their level of mental development, what kinds of games are they able to understand? I know they can play matching games, anything else?

[stillnosheep]

Hi WD,

As mentioned by previous posters, lots of songs - especially with actions (Wheels on the Bus; Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes; Here we go round the Mulberry Bush.. This the way we (brush our teeth, etc)) as well as daft noises (Old Macdonald).

Try a different 'theme' (weather, colours, shapes, family members, clothes, physical actions, daily activities (washing face, brushing teeth, etc) each month with flash cards and just introduce a few new cards each week. Build up from passive recognition (pointing) thru repetition (T; "Father", S: "Father") to active production of the Target word on sight of the card and then onto producing the TL ("This is my father" in response to "Who is this?") as the month goes on. Turn it into a game (the 1st to point, repeat, whatever, gets the flashcard) and then you can recycle the activity and reinforce the TL afterwards with: T: "Where's the skirt?" S: (handing correct card) "Here it is!" T: "Thank you!" etc.

My 2yo's (and younger) love soft clocks and soft alphabets which they gleefully take to pieces and then re-assemble (1 alphabet/clock each to prevent squabbles if they are very little) with my help ("Good. ABCDE, now where's F? Where's the green F? There it is! Other way round! That's it! Good girl! (singing) 'ABCDEFG' G. Now where's G?" etc.

In short: Simple repeated structure (eg 1. Hello Song. 2. What's your name song. 3. What's the time? (go to soft clock activity) etc. Lots of short simple activities. If they are not interested in one, put aside and move on to next. A little simulated nap mid-lesson "Frere Jacques" followed by "Wake up!") gives everyone a breather. And a story time with any picture book as explained above.

Don't expect too much and work with the students. If all they want to one day is ignore you then keep up the English input. They are being stimulated with the rhythms and sounds of English and will start repeating and singing along more in their own good time.

ps. Any and all of the above can be regularly included into whatever curriculum you have and soft clocks, alphabet mats with push out letters etc can be found in 100 yen stores or at the big home-supply stores with kid's/toy sections.

pps. And everything that pnksweater says especially "think of it as English saturated play". If you are enjoying yourself chances are that the kids will want to join in and have fun as well.