Job Discussion Forums

[vikdk]

good un sk8er - what's the tune to that?

[mandu]

here are some ideas for kindergarten

singing using muiscal instruments

playdough-make food and animals

weather chart

touch the window,door,table,floor,wall

colours-different colour everyday
hand prints,use balloons,touch yellow,red blue green etc


chinese whispers

roll the big dice and guess the picture on the dice

themes
transport
seasons
clothes
shapes
food
fruit
underwater
things at home
insects
things in the garden
numbers
farm animals
parts of the body
space

flashcards
flyswat game-hit the flash card with the fly swat
put flash cards behind your back then show them slowly or very fast.the children have to guess what the are.

fishing for flash cards


songs
row row row your boat
london bridge
ring a rosey
head shoulders knees and toes
ABC
baa baa black sheep
where is thumbkin
the hokeypokey
old mc donald

when teaching kindergarten children be yourself be careing,have fun be positive,give lots of praise
i hope this helps

[vikdk]

great mandu - anybody got any more?

[Roger]

[vikdk]

Dear Roger a typical but interesting post � by the way I have 2 degrees one of which is in pedagogy � so I�m actually a qualified pedagogue. I have almost 12 years work experience within education, and - I was flattered when you called me young � my ol� bones hail from the 50�s. By the way why do you stay here if you have such a low opinion of the Chinese � I know I�m certainly not innocent in this matter, since my opinions on the locals can waver dramatically � but yours seem to be rock bottom.

That�s a good idea making a monthly plan � could you give us an idea of the topics you cover.

Here are some more of my tips � which have been tried and tested on the front line.

Mandu mentions the Old Mc� Donald song � here are 2 ways of developing that.

First is dead simple � a variation of Ol mac song �
My teacher has a head ey I ey o
On that head she has a hat�..
With a hat hat here�

Lots of other body parts you can cover with that song

The second is little more complicated � but real fun

We always tell an Old Mc� Donald story when we do the song - it goes like this � Old mac loves animals but lives on the top floor of a high house � and old mrs. Mac (who has real bad eyes) don�t care too much for them in the living room. But that doesn�t stop Old mac trying to bring em home. He starts with a cow he found � and old mrs mac being half blind only finds out its there when she hears it moo � he has to take it back. Second animals is a chicken � old mrs mac of course cant see it at first and old mac has told it to be quiet � then it lays an egg (we use a ping pong ball and make it bounce in front of mrs mac) that gives the game away � he has to take it back. The third animal is a pig � to hide its an animal he dresses it up as a boy, and puts it in the living room � half blind mrs. mac is fooled at first but on the floor are dirty trotter prints (flashcard with pigprints put on the floor) � take the pig back. This make ol� mac very very unhappy � he�s never going to have animals. But then mrs mac hits on the idea � lets live on a farm � move to the farm with animals � sing the song!

Props we use for this story are - a beard made out of white wool and elastic � I play both mr an mrs mac so I switch beard to a wig for mrs mac. you can use sunglasses to emphasize mrs mac is a little blind. We have made a pig nose out of a paper cup painted pink and elastic (can be used in other stories and games), ping-pong ball for egg and the appropriate flashcards (animals, house, farm etc). by the way use a kid for each animal � and milk out the process of mrs mac finding the animals � kids like a bit of comic tension in their stories.

English used is story � since we�re supposed to be teaching english there are certain simple phrases the kids repeat - I like/want animals/cow/chicken/pig (ol mac) Idon�t like/want� (mrs. Mac)
come here (ol mac) go away (mrs. Mac)
when they are going up and down stairs in the high house � up up up/down down down
make sure ol mac and the children tell the animals to be - quiet
the children should also name the flash cards when you show them � and getting them to shout bad/sad when ol mac gets depressed about losing his animals adds a bit emotional content J

If you don�t speak Chinese then u need a good AT to help you with this � but this tell story teach English technique can be very rewarding and worth while when done properly. We now have over 50 stories we tell in this way �and sometimes use them as the pedagogic carrot, with the promise of a story getting children to behave in an appropriate manner.

[Roger]

Doubting the likelihood that you have a degree in pedagogy would be the LAST thing I would be capable of, vikdk! BUt even having a degree doesn't automatically render you more student-friendly or, horribile dictu! - "fellow teacher-compatible!"

May I interject a question here?
What is the purpose of teaching English at kindergarten level?

Think about this for a moment.

Drop any ideological blinkers you may have, and make some educated conclusions of your own!

It is in the power of us to make a valuable difference to the lives of our very young charges. We can give them a lifelong impression of how a good guide leads them to the vast territory of English. The Chiense simply don't know, don't care and don't even understand their own children's needs.

So, while you guys have been coming up with truly excellent and entertaining ideas for kindergarten activities I would focus on the more practical aspects of teaching the subject at hand: English.

What would you teach your pupils?

I would teach them what they can understand without resorting to mother tongue instruction! I would focus on concrete objects that can easily be identified without translations. I would furthermore limit the input of new words to lexical items the kids absolutely need at their age: their body anbd its parts is the first thing; then, stringently, how to operate their body: verbs and relevant pronouns. And here is your first challenge:
How long do you think your average kindergarten pupils will need to come to grips with the differentiation between the "I" and the 'you", "he" and "she"?
The Chinese teachers inevitably shortcircuit this vital area of discovery by translations. That, however, should be avoided even if the kids take longer. How long did it take them to learn to view male and female people differently (in Chinese, they may not view them differently since the pronoun is identical both in pronuncation and tone, though not in its graphic representation). My suggestion is to think up games that reinforce the kids' reflexes at identifying "he" with a male person and "she" with a female one. Games like this may look like some waste of time to Chinese teachers, but they are more productive of results. We want the kids to get a serious grounding in English, don't we? Hence our focus on what is essential in English.
At this stage you can also instill in them an automatic controlling mechanism that empowers them to select the correct form of the verb that goes with the various pronouns or other subjects: I am, concretely, talking about the SVA, or the third-person singular marker (final 'S' of verbs).
Again, CHinese teachers neglect this aspect, saying "grammar is not that important..." But what is?

Their opinion is that the more vocables the kids pile up the better for their future! Bollocks, say I! These kids cannot handle more than a few hundred lexical items a year, though that increases dramatically with time. They are still learning how to learn! Their young memories must not be raped by this insensitive CHinese approach!

What else can you inculcate in them at this stage?
Think of questions, negative statements, negative questions, tag questions etc. A child that doesn't know how to ask questions is deprived of its right to know things! It must learn how to frame questions properly, and how to process replies! This is a very complex topic, and that's why I mention it here: none of your textbooks deals with this!

OK, can we add some vocabulary?
The young kids need to get to know NATURE and HOMES; so how to describe the interior of a dwelling-place, how to distinguish between the various rooms of a home etc.
Or a summary rundown of botanical items: grass, flowers, bushes, trees, palm trees, fruit trees etc.
And always add some useful verbs so kids can speak in whole sentences!

They also have a variety of relatives; people need clothes; children like pets; everybody likes to play: toys and games!

There is, on the other hand, no need to teach these kids countries' names (OK, America, England, Australia, China are alright, but they won't occupy much time, and in not a few cases the kids pick such things up spontaneously from some context or from their relatives).

Action, action and more action! If kids learn to DRAW objects they learn to view things DIFFERENTLY: a car being drawn has to be drawn component by component, each having its own name: the roof, the window, the door, how many doorS? The bonnet, the weel(s), the bumper(s) etc.

Food: how do you pronounce McDonald's? What do you eat at home? Rice, of course! How? I use a spoon, but I can also use chopsticks...

I observed Chinese teachers chroussing with their kids "I would like a cup of coffee..." I am not making this up - I heard this two times in the school yard of our kindergarten and I thought:... No, I won't tell you what I thought! The teacher was a competent English speaker and a normal school graduate; she simply wasn't able to relate to her charges! How pathetic!

[vikdk]

I'm sure as usual you've got some wonderfull points Roger - but what do you do in your classes? - this forum is to give new teachers some every day practical guidance not to argue pedagogy with me - so please tell us what you do in your kindergarten apart from running and watching VCD's and I think you mention drawing - but how do you,for example, go about teaching "botanical objects" - do you have field trips - I want to learn from you - tell me more.

[mandu]

i thought this post was about helping a teacher out with some ideas for teaching kindergarten children.

i have to teach the book Dr Bird at my kindergarten and our classes go for an hour.
i teach the book,sing songs,read a story and we dance and sing to the vcd that goes with the book.if the class are fun then your children will want to learn,if you have good chinese teachers in the class that makes it so much easier and better.

it doesnt really matter how well prepared you are for class somtimes the children are just not into learning English.I find that the morning classes are so much better than the afternoon classes.
if you have chinese teachers in the class that are not very good and dont work well as a team then the class will be difficult.

also Im in class for a short time,there is not much English in the class room after i leave the class.I feel that there should a teacher that speaks English to the children all day.so they are always listening to English.

if you are in a good kindergarten,try and stay with the same children everyyear until they go to school.they get to know you very well and you get to the children very well.

Review-if nothing gets reviewed during the day when the English teacher has left the class then the children will never remember what you have taught.
the parents need to do there part at home and speak to there children in English as well.

I have know formal English teacher training at all.I care about what i do in class and I care about the children i teach.I dont think Iam a good English teacher but the children like me the parents like me and the principle is happy.
its all about having fun in class and remember they are children

[vikdk]

Hey mandu � I worked for several years as a teacher in various refugee centers � we had lots of so- called professionals and amateurs (those who were and weren�t trained for the job they were doing). The pros were good at planning, selling and monitoring ideas � they could eke out extra funds for projects with their theory in practice style � in other words give a professional rundown of what we were doing or going to do. But on the front-line it was only those that really cared who could carry out an effective piece of work in this very difficult environment. So good on you � I think you have put your finger on the most important piece of info for the kindy newbie � you have to care. Kindergartens anywhere can be a difficult work environments � adult can get a terrible feeling of disempowerment if they can�t control a group of toddlers � but if you care � regardless of how many degrees or diplomas you have or haven�t got � you should eventually find a way to both enjoy yourself and be a valuable resource for the children. As time goes on you will pick up practical skill � which, if put to together with a modicum of theoretical knowledge and a caring attitude, will really be a powerful tool.

[mandu]

thanks man
Vikdk
your post is one of the best positive ones i have read.it makes me want to keep doing this job.

[Roger]

[Roger]

[Roger]

[mandu]

roger are you being a wanker?its not mandy its mandu

to start with my back ground is childcare ,i have a cert in early childhood care and education

i have worked in kindergartens in china for 5years so i do have alot of experince
my children that i teach enjoy my classes,i to feel sorry for the children i do know that an hour is to long but hey this is china,i have worked in goverment kindergartens and the lessons were 15min to 30mins long.they are run differently.
private kindergartens our out to make money.
my lessons are a mix of useing the book and what i want to teach in class
i make pretty much all my own things for class,i also work with other western teachers in which we share ideas about teaching.

you should come and watch one of my classes.whats wrong with helping other teachers out?this is what this post was all about.

i dont understand why you sympathise with me i enjoy my job and i do it the best way i can,sure at times things are difficult and the job somtimes pisses me off.

theres nothing wrong with using a book in class as it gives you a theme to work with and then you can base your lesson around that.for eg transport

the wheels on the bus-plenty of actions with the song
make paper airplanes then go out side and fly them

transport books
go for a walk with the children, count the cars or what colour is the bus?
how many wheels does a car have

my kids have kindergarten graduation.i did my 1st one before summer vacation,and i was very proud of my children and so were the parents.
they had to sing songs from the book,introduction speech,and we played a game.
christmas is soon we are starting to learn christmas songs for there performance.
how can you say my situation is almost hopeless.why would you say that for.
i have a good job,good pay,paid on time,its not perfect but so far its the best job i have got here since i have been in china

mandu not mandy
Im a male

[vikdk]

Well kindy fans sorry for the techinal problem � a Roger rage post (3 ot the same he must have hiccups)� normal service is now resumed with more good ideas and thoughts for the new kindergarten teacher.

A lot of kindy newbies soon start to pose the question what�s the point of teaching English to small kids � while the others will ask - how can teaching English to Chinese kindergarten kids be ethically and professionally justified � well let me try answer the questions in the following way -

The product of any classroom shouldn�t just topping up our students with the taught knowledge modern schooling also should give much more �
1. Social relationship and cooperation
2. Communication
3. Responsibility
4. Creativity
And this applies just as much to kindergartens as any teaching establishment. In kindergartens back home I could do this through the media of art or play or any of the other activities deemed suitable for small children � in China I have discovered you can do it through the media of English. I also try to ensure goal 4- that of creativity �is allied to my supposed role of English teacher by designing lessons to promote a child�s ability to build communication using English. If a child says to me � you are a pig (that or, you are a monkey, is one of the commonest self built sentences you will hear from many small kids)� then I�ve achieved that goal � the children have created an English sentence � because I certainly didn�t teach them that.

To cut the theoretical babble down to a minimum I�ll take you through another of my activities but this time analyzing it with the 4 goals in mind.

This activity requires a sheet of A4 paper and pieces of blue (sky), green (grass), white (cloud), and yellow (sun) sticky backed paper and a pair of scissors (remember the be careful with sharp things speech).

The activity entails the teacher cutting out the paper and sticking it on the white paper to make a picture of the sky over green grass � the children direct teacher in what colors to use, sizes of the appropriate pieces of paper, and where they should go.

The play this game the children should have the following vocab � yes/no- good/bad - here � small/big � what is it
The game is more entertaining if they know these words � blue, white, yellow, green
During the game the children can learn or practice the words � sky, sun cloud, grass, paper
Advanced classes can learn or practice � on the paper � in the sky � scissors � careful � cut the paper

I am able to get the children to understand this game using very simple English and body language. Start with blank A4, then stick a large square of blue onto it � ask kids - what is it� funny how many of our kids answered TV � we had just done a TV game. Then you carry on cutting out one more element asking kids if they know what it is, what color it should be, where it goes, how big it should be.

To make game really funny stick stuff onto yourself � I put it on my nose � before you putting it on the paper � asking kids �here / good� � you get them very quickly to shout �no/bad, put it on the paper�. You can also cut really tiny sun or cloud or suggest a green sun or an oversized sun etc etc.
You can finish off with some sentences like � sun/cloud in the sky, grass is green, sky is blue

Through my simple English and this simple activity I am able to achieve my 4 goals as follows �
� Goal 1 Social relationship and cooperation � to allow the activity to start, proceed and conclude the children must show appropriate social behavior � in other words respect each other�s and my wishes in terms of group and social self- discipline. A class should be viewed as whole � so a well behaved class is also operating under peer pressure � which means that the class is cooperating in a positive social manner. This activity also poses the children simple questions � what color, where etc � I try to encourage children to cooperate here as well - helping each other in answering.
� Goal2 Communication � if the children are following the activity then they are communicating to me that I am communicating the right message to them. Remember most worthwhile communication is a 2 way phenomena - in the kindy it should include plenty of body language � and should reflect that the activity space you have created is an encouraging environment for both them and you.
� Goal3 Responsibility � it is the children who direct me in making the picture � with their yes / no / big / small / here / blue / white / yellow / green / on the paper / in the sky answers they have a group responsibility to get me to produce a product which the majority will accept as being correct.
� Goal4 Creativity -this activity is creative because it establishes an environment that promotes English language building. If when sticking some colored paper on my nose a child cries out � �no you bad� � then I�m very happy because that sentence has been child created. When the children answer the questions I have posed very often they create answers different from those I have suggested � the children have created communication using the English language.

Now of course you don�t have to think through this bull every time you plan a class, but if you choose to do things that can include these elements then I strongly believe you are justified in teaching English to kindergarten children. Maybe they wont end up being fluent English speakers before the age of five but they certainly will be encouraged in other aspects of their development which I believe can help build a self confidence that aids future learning.

Hey bye the way mandu I also do a couple of 1 hour activities each week � good teachers can get away with it