Job Discussion Forums

[shikushiku-boy]

I've only ever taught EFL to Japanese adults. However, in a few weeks, for the first time, I'll be teaching Japanese kids (2 y.o. to 10 y.o.). Does anybody know of any web-sites that:

deal specifically with teaching EFL to Japanese kids (methods, games, etc.)

or failing that

deal with teaching EFL to kids

or failing that

does anybody out there have advice (specific or general) about teaching
EFL to Japanese kids?


At the moment I'm sitting here thinking: "How the hell do you teach EFL to a 2 year old?"

Thanks in advance.

[earthmonkey]

[bornslippy1981]

I'm working at an international kids school. The kids who come 3-5 times a week for 5 days are great, and only 2.5-3 years-old.

Get on the mum's good sides first, as the previous poster said.

If you have more detailed information, it'll be easier to help you.

How often do they come? What's the cirriculum?

I teach a 5-year-old over the Internet using Skype, and she does a lot better than the kids who came to Nova for 40-minutes of babysitting when I worked there.

[J.]

Most 2 year olds won't be able to do any one activity for more than 2-5 minutes. They enjoy active games, but are uncoordinated so the things you're using, like balls or manipulatives, need to be relatively large. Games are good, but not complicated ones. Things like London Bridges, where the kids go through the "bridge" of hands of two people clasped overhead are popular. Or simple "1-2-3-Stop!" -- 1 person counting with back turned then turning to "catch" people moving, who go back to the starting point, can get them talking fast. It really depends on how large your class is and if the Moms are also in it. If so, you can do more, but children play up more when they're with their parent, I find. And some parents are difficult because they can't relax and are over-invested with how well their child is doing vis-a-vis others. So, I don't allow them in the class on a regular basis. Older children act self-conscious in the presence of parents, too, and usually can't concentrate on what we are doing.

In all cases where you teach children alone, expect there to be an adjustment period of from 1-2 months , where the children will cry and feel insecure if they are in the class without a trusted relative. I use an ease-in method of allowing parents or grandparents to stay with the children and participate in the games for shorter times as the childen become more comfortable, but the youngest child I have is 3 so it might be a bit different for 2 year olds. All children, I found, were comfortable alone after 2 months of weekly lessons, at the longest.

It's best to offer a range of activities, games, bright cards, animal cards or toys, letter shapes, "colouring" etc to the children and watch to see what they enjoy. At this stage it's mostly a matter of socializing the children to get along together and be in a "class" and listen to English pronunciation and try to gradually say some words. As they get older, you can bring in a bit more structure of teaching the basics like colours, numbers, letters, animal names, weather, foods and the like.

Good luck!

[shikushiku-boy]

Thanks for the advice, it's gratefully received.

I might be having a Japanese teaching assistant, the thought
of which is very comforting.

Yes, J., I hope the kids will be given time to adjust. Perhaps, if there is
a Japanese teaching assistant, the kids won't be quite as worried
about being put in a room with the big, scary gaijin.

The advice about being 'mother-friendly' is well taken.

I guess, at first, I'll just focus on keeping the genki level at maximum.

I did teach a Japanese child once, for just one lesson. She pretty
much ran the lesson. Drawing pictures seemed to be what she wanted to do "("A" draw a pictures of an apple, etc.). I kind of sat back and let
her get on with it.

[HollyC]

I taught kids for the first 2 years I was in Japan. I do advise to try to get on the mom's good side and they will love you. What we did was really basic stuff. Like counting, shapes, colors, lots of active stuff. for example, I dont know what your classroom looks like, but if you are doing colors you can do an example first. Like show them something 'red'. then, have them run to find another object in the room that's red and have them repeat "red". or something like that. Will you have classroom materials? We also used a workbook which we did usually after 10 min. into the classroom and after that games. Sometimes we did fingerpainting to show colors. If you need more help. Let me know. It's pretty basic and fun, but you always have to be "cho-gengki". hahaha. Good LUck.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

Keep it active. Like, let's do five jumps "one,two,three,four,five" and count with htem then "walking, let's walk, stop, turn around, jump, ok, sit down, stand up, sit down."

Then lots of colouring is good sometimes. Get some books that you can photocopy and use crayons. "This is red. What colour is it?" Stick their pictures on the wall.

Then, let's sing a song...

Keep changingt he activity allot!

[shikushiku-boy]

More good advice...thanks. Your advice has given me some ideas for flash cards (ie. basic colours, foods, animals, etc.)

I was wondering; when I've taught adults, I prefer to teach on my feet
(ie. standing up). With kids, should spend more time standing up or down on the floor? Isn't there that thing about being at eye level with kids?

I'm pretty worried about singing. Anybody who's ever heard me sing knows it's a fairly traumatic experience.

Any specific advice on keeping the mothers sweet?

More thanks in advance.

[bornslippy1981]

I like to keep them on their feet at first, then get them sitting. This gives you time at the end to play games, etc., without them being too tired. When they come in, greet them at their level. Smile. Do the high-five, then pull back with "too slow" as they seem to like this. Don't go overboard with it though.

You have to lead by example though. If you're lying down on the floor, but tell them to sit nicely, it'll confuse them.

I wouldn't worry about your singing voice. You ever been to karaoke with Japanese people? You'll sound like Sinatra to the mothers, and the kids won't know any better.

To get the mom's interested be sure to greet them, smile a lot, don't be afraid of their kids, and pick them up (the kids I mean) to show you aren't intimidated. If you lose the kids from the start, it's a lot harder to get them back on your side.

[Temujin]

[callmesim]

[HollyC]

Flashcards are good to use because you can use it for so many types of activities. You could use fruits, vegetables, colors, numbers, transportation...etc. Also if you are really worried about your singing...don't be. Our school had cd's and tapes, so again, I dont know how your school will be set up, but if they don't have cd's maybe you can ask them to put it in their budget. Also another thing we did was every class, we sang the Alphabet song so they get used to hearing and seeing the letters. Basically, think back to when you were little and what kind of activities you did. You should be fine.

As for getting on with the mom's...Just be smiley and genki and cheery. Don't yell or raise your voice if you get frustrated although its hard to get mad at cute little kids. Will you be teaching the kids without their mom's or with? Good Luck. Do you also know how many students will be in a class?

[J.]

It's not that they are so scared of a non-Japanese person, although depending on the family there may be a little of that, but that you are a stranger/teacher who has power over them. You have to earn their trust.

One issue you may come up against, especially if you are teaching alone, is discipline. If there's a Japanese assistant teacher and if she already has a relationship with them, she could probably handle the situation. This works well for larger classes at kindergartens, for example, where the teacher comes with her students. I doubt you will be having a problem with keeping the kids genki, calming them down is more like it. Anyway, in these situations, the teacher often takes a child or two aside and talks to them while you continue the class. But sometimes ALL the children are getting a bit too boisterous, noisy and I am having to shout to be heard. When this happens I get everybody sitting down and talk to them. I simply say that it's too noisy and my voice is getting tired, or my throat is sore, so can they please help me by trying to be more quiet. The teacher translates this too and you'd be surprised how helpful they will try to be if they know what you would like. You will see the little heads nodding in sympathy; when I am really sick, say with a cold, this always touches me. I really do love teaching them. :) The point is the assistant teacher will be your friend. Give him/her respect, thank them for their help at the end of the class, and you will be rewarded with far less discipline problems and a happier atmosphere. I have found these teachers really worthy of respect; they are awesome with the children.

If I am teaching a smaller class alone, I use the time-out. I sit the children on a chair away from the others for only a minute or two. Then bring them back and involve them in the lesson. I usually only have to use this twice or at most three times (over a few classes) before the children stop whatever extreme behaviour has been happening. The children really enjoy the lesson so they don't want to miss any of it. :)

I have many ideas for games, flash cards, websites and the like, so if you get stuck send me a pm and I'll share. :)

[shikushiku-boy]

Thanks everybody. This stuff is great.

DISCIPLINE: Yep, I've given it some thought. Of course, when teaching Japanese adults
discipline is almost never an issue (even salarymen with a few beers under their belt are
sleepy rather than undisciplined). I worry about being too passive discipline-wise with the
kids. So, I'll note whats been written.

SINGING: Glad to hear there are others with cast-iron vocal cords, and the kids didn't end
up in therapy.

Somebody mentioned Sesame Street...I've noticed that they concentrate on 2 letters and
2 numbers per episode (or something like that). Does that sound right for pre-schoolers?
For example, if I'm teaching colours, should limit one lesson to just the colours
red and green, and then work out as many games, activities, etc. as I can to teach just
those colours?

COUGHS/COLDS: Having taught in Japan before, this if familiar stuff. I remember teaching
a high school kid once, she had the worst cold..."Hello teacher....(snifffffffffffffff, cough)...how are you
...(sniffffffffffff, cough, cough)...I'm (cough) fine...(snifffffffff). Ah, the sound of mucus being sniffed.
Of course, I had a rotten cold within 48 hours. It just goes with the territory, I suppose.

[mrjohndub]

Plastic fruit.

If that doesn't work, get freaky with the moms.

[Lil' Jon] "What!? Okay!!"