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Monkey Tree Game

Great game to check the newly learned or revise old vocabulary: Show a flashcard. The kids have to tell you what they see. If it's correct, the monkey climbs up the tree (1 spot), if it's wrong, he falls down (either completely or just 1 spot - depending on how well the kids already know the words). The goal is to get the monkey to the top of the tree and eat some bananas. The kids absolutely love this game. Especially when you make funny noises while moving the monkey or let him fall down.
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My toddler is in your class for 3 weeks and still doesn’t speak!!! Whyyyy????

Sounds familiar? Ever had those anxious parents that wonder why their child doesn’t speak English fluently yet after having been with you for a few weeks? Ok, maybe not fluent, but at least being able to communicate without problems in case they would go on holidays to England now? Ok maybe no conversation, but at least a few useful sentences? Honey, your 3 year old daughter has been with me for 3 lessons … No, she can’t order a menu at the restaurant in England yet and no, she also can’t ask for directions! The child barely speaks its first language anywhere near well, but parents want you to teach them the entire English language in a couple of months, because you can perform miracles :o I know, it’s exaggerated, jokes aside (well, I have heard of some parents actually really being that way!) , but you will have this question popping up sooner or later: “Why doesn’t my child speak yet?” When parents ask me this , I always ask them back “How long did it tak...
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The first day

On the first day of an ESL class (or any class ;) ), the kids may be pretty nervous and shy, since it is a new setting with new people they may not know. So I always take things easy during the first lesson and put more emphasis on getting to know each other rather than teaching any vocabulary consciously - this will come naturally by imitating you etc anyways. Sitting in a circle is always a good idea. There are different ways that I use to start a lesson. One of them is that I have a box in which I hide a hand puppet (I have a zebra called Marty, like the one from the movie Madagascar). I put the box in the middle of the circle and ask the kids what they think is inside. Then I have Marty appear and have a little dialogue with him. I'm asking him what his name is and he asks me about my name and who I am. Then Marty asks the children what their names are. Another method I use is the microphone. I used an empty kitchen paper role an formed a ball with aluminium foil ...
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