ESL game challenges while teaching English to noisy kids at break

Hello there fellow English teachers!

Here is a question I received today from a teacher who wants to use ESL games in his class, and he takes his English class at lunchtime.

"My childrens very active kids...

However..i have difficult to make them hear what i want to say...

They also can't to understand the rules...

I have teach this class after lunch hour..."

So, here are my suggestions on how using ESL games can solve this problem:

Firstly it's very difficult taking children at lunch hour. It is totally normal that they will be noisy - let's face it this time is supposed to be play time for them, not more lessons. Thus it is doubly important to teach with ESL games rather than give any kind of traditional lesson. It's supposed to be a break right?!

I have taught at lunch hour so I know what it is like - at least in England!

I would start calmly while I introduced the key vocabulary or target language using a quiet ESL flashcard game that can be played on the floor with everyone sitting in a circle. After that I would practise that vocabulary or language using more active ESL games that involved movement, including running.

For example try this ESL game: Put the children in teams with piles of flashcards at the end of the room and call out a vocabulary item, either the word alone, or that word used in a sentence that contains the target grammar or language structure you are wanting to practise. One member of each team runs down to their pile of cards, fishes out the relevant one and runs back to the team.

This way you keep their lunch hour lesson like a play time, but with learning through ESL games. Personally I think kids should be allowed to play and run around. So YES they won't learn quite as much as if you had them in a classroom at 9 o'clock in the morning, but they will still learn something and they won't be robbed of their play time totally either.


Now regarding explaining the ESL games; well if you can't explain them, that's no problem, you DEMONSTRATE them so you actually show the children what they are to do.

After you have shown them yourself you show them again with a couple of students who demonstrate the ESL game again. Then you should be ready to play the game with the class.

Getting the most language out of an ESL game:

Whenever you are demonstrating an ESL game use simple commands in English such as "listen" - you name the flashcard, "run to the pictures" - then you run down to the pictures, "pick up the picture" - you demonstrate this, and so on.


This way in addition to the vocabulary you are practising with the flashcards you are also teaching useful verbs and other language, all through the use of an ESL game. As the children understand these commands more and more, it will make your job a lot easier too!

Putting on a little English language show

Putting on a show to parents and to the school assembly every term is really great thing to do to demonstrate what you have all been up to in class time. It motivates children during lessons and is a really fun and satisfying thing to do. If you can have someone film the show for you you can even give a copy to the children at the end. If you are teaching small groups privately this is ideal and it helps your teaching business grow as well as enhances your lessons. Parents like to see what is going on too and children love to show off so everyone wins.

Ideally you want to put on a show every term but don't panic, it doesn't have to be Broadway! A few songs, some English language games in action and perhaps a short play if you have a small group are all it takes.

If your children enjoy songs have them perform a couple of songs in English with actions. You have the children play some language games so parents can see them responding to listening games and hear them speaking. And you can also have the children act out a story while you read it. Children can also be given some lines in the story where these are simple, such as counting or naming the colours, or saying a line if it is the same each time. Then if you have a small group you can do mini-role plays, but this does not work with a large class or there is too much sitting around for everyone. A twenty minute "English" show is enough with 5 minutes beforehand for parents to arrive and sit down, and 5 minutes at the end.

If it is the first show the children may be dumb struck with nerves, daft as it seems! Therefore start the show off easily with some listening games where the children show they understand words and sentences you have taught followed by a song with actions every one sings together. Many songs have far too many words so you can always do verse 1, chorus and verse 1 again. You can also simplify the words by repeating lines 1 and 2 as lines 3 and 4, if that fits OK. Now the children are warmed up you can do some speaking games and finally any role plays and plays.

Enjoy!
Shelley

PS Wonderful ideas for preschool games and stories!