English Teaching HELP!

[Osakagrl]

hey you guys I dont know if this is in the right forum but here we go anyways!!! :relief:

I was just hired to be a private english tutor to three japanese children (ages 3, 5, and 7) and they know practically no english at all. hello is pretty much all they know. I have my first lesson with them tommorow and I am completely STUCK as to what I should teach them since they have no backround of english!!!! Do you guys have any good ideas for me to teach them??? Any links to lessons I could use?? ANYTHING would be greatly appreciated. I have never taught before, but I am getting paid for this very nicely so i want my lessons to be quality....><::: PLEASE HELP ME

[Dutch Baka]

I don't have a lot of time because I have to go and teach some kids myself today, but have a look at www.genkienglish.net

If I have some more time today I will try to give you some more advice.

[Buntaro]

OG,

Teach them a couple songs in English. Bring some stuff they can color. (Bring crayons.)

[Glenski]

May I ask how you were even chosen since you know nothing about teaching? Or why you even accepted the job? No offense, but the whole thing sounds like a friend or co-worker thought you were a native English speaker and that that was enough to teach. Obviously incorrect.

Suggestions:
Start watching Friday morning TV (NHK) and copy stuff from Eigo de Asobo.
These kids' brains are empty of English yet full of openness; exploit that. What do you think a native speaker would be learning at that age? As mentioned above, things like colors, numbers, letters, small words (in writing), verbs with opposites (go vs. stop), adjectives with opposites (hot vs. cold), shapes, and simple commands. Simon says is a winner. "Go get me a..." is another one. Do lots of repeat after me stuff. Go to used bookstores for kids' English books. Make your own zoo animals, fruits, and vegetables.

I suppose you're expected to teach them together, too, eh? That's stupid if it's what is expected. Far too great a difference in age and level, so negotiate separate lessons for the 7-year-old, if nothing else.

[Osakagrl]

May I ask how you were even chosen since you know nothing about teaching? Or why you even accepted the job? No offense, but the whole thing sounds like a friend or co-worker thought you were a native English speaker and that that was enough to teach. Obviously incorrect.
Suggestions:
Start watching Friday morning TV (NHK) and copy stuff from Eigo de Asobo.
These kids' brains are empty of English yet full of openness; exploit that. What do you think a native speaker would be learning at that age? As mentioned above, things like colors, numbers, letters, small words (in writing), verbs with opposites (go vs. stop), adjectives with opposites (hot vs. cold), shapes, and simple commands. Simon says is a winner. "Go get me a..." is another one. Do lots of repeat after me stuff. Go to used bookstores for kids' English books. Make your own zoo animals, fruits, and vegetables.
I suppose you're expected to teach them together, too, eh? That's stupid if it's what is expected. Far too great a difference in age and level, so negotiate separate lessons for the 7-year-old, if nothing else.

I am a friend of the family so that is why they chose me. I am pretty much the only native english speaker they know who also can speak japanese (enough to converse) I dont intend on teaching them all at the same time. please dont be so harsh on me i am 17 and i am really trying to make a effort to do this ~ :( Otherwise thank you for your suggestions....

[Mike Cash]

We should have guessed you were still school-age yourself when we saw that you waited until the absolute last minute to seek help with your homework.

Seriously, though, all anybody knows about you and your situation is what you present. The onus is on you to do an adequate job of explaining the situation.

[Osakagrl]

We should have guessed you were still school-age yourself when we saw that you waited until the absolute last minute to seek help with your homework.

Seriously, though, all anybody knows about you and your situation is what you present. The onus is on you to do an adequate job of explaining the situation.
what do i need to further explain to receive help? :souka:

[Uncle Frank]

My Japanse teacher used Origami animal figures to teach us animal names. She was good at folding paper into many animal shapes. She used different colors for each one so we learned colors along with animal names. She used the same figures for teaching us numbers by asking us how many cranes or turtles or rabits, etc. Even for adults it made the lesson fun.I guess you could use toys for the same thing. Different animal sounds was a fun game, woof woof vs wan wan, etc. I think by making the first classes a fun time, they will look forward to future lessons. Good luck!

Uncle Frank

:bluush:

[nice gaijin]

At this point just teach them vocabulary. Kids are sponges, whatever you throw at them will probably stick.

Colors, numbers, animal names. Teach the older one simple sentences like a self introduction (I am Taro. I am seven years old. I have two brothers. I like food. etc...). Songs are also good, but will probably require more preparation. Make it FUN for them. Learning English at this age (or any age, for that matter) should not be a chore.

Just make sure that they come away with some knowledge demonstratable to their parents, to show them that "hey, they actually got something out of that!"

[Osakagrl]

At this point just teach them vocabulary. Kids are sponges, whatever you throw at them will probably stick.

Colors, numbers, animal names. Teach the older one simple sentences like a self introduction (I am Taro. I am seven years old. I have two brothers. I like food. etc...). Songs are also good, but will probably require more preparation. Make it FUN for them. Learning English at this age (or any age, for that matter) should not be a chore.

Just make sure that they come away with some knowledge demonstratable to their parents, to show them that "hey, they actually got something out of that!"

Thanks A Lot! And Thanks To Everyone Else to!~ Lets give this a go! wish me luck :-)

[Glenski]

What other info could you have provided? Well, you wrote that you had been HIRED, which immediately makes me think of a school or company. You wrote that they were private lessons, so it COULD have been for friends or co-workers, but we don't know.

My next question is this -- are you even getting paid for this? I'm guessing not, or not much. Friends or no, you are being taken advantage of simply by being the only native English speaker they know. It's not right to assume that just because one is a native English speaker, that one can TEACH. My mother certainly couldn't! Good luck in this endeavor. Keep it light, just like the TV program, and if the friend wants more out of the lesson than you are putting into it, remind him of your position: teen without teaching experience or certification. He only gets out of it what he pays for. (no offense Osakagrl, because I think you know what I mean and would agree)

P.S. Go right down to the nearest 100yen shop and buy a whiteboard and markers.

[Mars Man]

I hope I'm not too late either. The above suggestions are good, a few I will focus on.

You will need a whiteboard and at least two different colored markers with an eraser as well. It would be better in, in my opinion, to start the two older ones off with alphabet, focusing on that during the lesson time, but using easy English cues (ex: next, nice, I like that...etc.) to help their ears adapt more. They will need notebooks lined for writing. The little one should also have a notebook, but that would be for playing around with letters, shapes, and all kinds of stuff, for learning colors and numbers, and words like cat, house, flower,..etc. by drawing them and coloring them in.

I would suggest that you will also learn as you go, but for the time being do make sure you prepare properly for each lesson! That's a must. I wish you the best, and have faith that you can do it !! ganbatte !! MM

[bakaKanadajin]

just make sure its fun..
lots of repetition..
try to be consistent and build, use last week stuff to introduce this weeks stuff so it bolsters what you've taught and brings cohesion to the lessons.
Kids respond best to the structure they don't notice. Anything enforced or drill-oriented will bore them!

[Taiko666]

I'm wondering how posters with EFL experience would tackle the issue of pronunciation in this instance. When initially running through some simple vocabulary, should the kids be expected to say (eg) 'dog / cat' or 'doggu / kyatto' ?

If they haven't yet been 'educated' in katakana-based English at school, perhaps they might find more natural pronunciation easier... now's the chance to get 'em while they're young :-)

[nice gaijin]

Children are far easier to teach pronunciation to than adults. If you teach them katakana pronunciation I'll defenestrate you. Doggu and kyatto are NOT English words.

[Glenski]

I'm wondering how posters with EFL experience would tackle the issue of pronunciation in this instance. When initially running through some simple vocabulary, should the kids be expected to say (eg) 'dog / cat' or 'doggu / kyatto' ?
If they haven't yet been 'educated' in katakana-based English at school, perhaps they might find more natural pronunciation easier... now's the chance to get 'em while they're young :-)
That's easily enough answered by watching Eigo de Asobo on Fridays. The singer/songwriter/teacher Eric has wee little kiddies using as close to normal sounding English as their tongues can muster. You can't please everyone, though. My own kid is half Japanese, and at 3 still makes a lot of Japanese-English sounds simply because he isn't exposed to English 24/7.

[Osakagrl]

Well The lessons actually went great if youd like to know!!! The kids really caught on quick to what I taught them and were able to recite what I had taught them to their parents! They were very pleased~ Yes glenski, I am getting paid for this. once a week/ 2 hours a day and i am paid 100 dollars a month (they are also owners of a HUGE japanese restaraunt in my area- therefore I also receive all the free food I want when I go there) not a bad deal I must say. I feel I did a very good job and felt accomplished. Thanks to everyone who gave me positive feedback and help!! much appreciated!!

[Glenski]

2 hours a week x 4 weeks a month = 8 hours
100 dollars (?) / 8 hours = 12 bucks / hour plus change. Pretty low wages. You could easily double that and still be on the low end. For teaching THREE students, even doubling your current wages would be pitifully low. Your employer is getting a bargain. Forget the free food. Treat yourself like a businessperson, not a friend. Just some advice from a person who has been there and done that.

[Mars Man]

I'm glad to hear that your lesson went well, Osakagrl san !! Congradulations !!

As for myself, regarding the pronounciation matter, I take a pragmatic approach. With the younger children, I work with it to get it as close as I think it can be without expecting to be too conscious of it. With the older (Junior High and up) students, I take it as it can be understood, and used in practical situations.

What that will mean, is that some words can allow for more non-native English speaker (even giving room for that spectrum) pronounciations, and others can't. 'dog', for example, can usually stand as　'ドーグ' (do-gu) [as students usually tend to stretch that one out] and communication can be made. A word like 'cut,' wouldn't really. (カート= ka-to)

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy the lessons, regardless of how much that may be in the way of 'pay and benefits,' and work on helping the children enjoy while they learn English. Keep it up !! MM