All about me

Before school they are generally the centre of ‘their’ universe so starting school can be a bit sometimes of a shock.

Begin by welcoming them in to the classroom.

get ready before your lesson begins in order to stand by the entranceway in the place of being stuck behind a desk papers that are shuffling.

• The first sentence
  You may have a welcome phrase that you utilize for virtually any lesson such as for example ‘Good morning. How are you currently?’ You will find that after 2-3 weeks the children will quickly repeat returning to you the exact same sentence so that it’s important to steadfastly keep up the opening expression that is same. You can of course have two to make sure you don’t seem like a parrot. You will need to prompt the response of ‘Fine, thanks’ but when they be aware it several times they’ll be saying it back again to you with a smile that is big. This may provide them with a feeling of achievement as soon as they cross the classroom threshold. It will also result in the classroom that is‘English a special place whereby they require a new language to type in, just like a password. It’s essential that you welcome each child individually. They need to feel welcome and noticed.
• The hello song
  Primary children generally speaking like to sing and it’s important to own a song that is welcome you can sing at the start of each lesson. It is an interactive routine that signals the commencement of this lesson.Use a song that includes a straightforward to remember melody with plenty of repetition; the simpler the lyrics the greater. If it offers actions as well then not only will your learners find it easier to understand, the quieter children may well be more inclined to participate. Listed here is a website for pre-schoolers but with songs which are ideal for young learners in an EFL class: http://www.preschooleducation.com/shello.shtml. You have got many to pick from but this can be one of my favourites:
  Start the afternoon with a smile (sung to The Mulberry Bush)
  This is the way we begin the day,
  Start the afternoon, start the day.
  This the way in which we start the day,
  So at the beginning of the morning.
  First we smile and shake a hand,
  Shake a hand, shake a hand.
  First we smile and shake a hand,
  So early in the
  Then we sit down quietly,
  Quietly, Quietly
  Then we take a seat quietly,
  So early in the morning.
  We listen very Carefully,
  Carefully, Carefully.
  We listen very carefully,
  So early in the morning.

I like that one because even though it gets the excitement of a song moreover it encourages the children to calm down and start to become willing to start the class. A rule that is golden of course that you need to never start the class or an action until everyone is quiet and listening. This song also allows children to own connection with you and the other children aided by the ‘shake a tactile hand’ part. This will be a step that is first making them feel part of an organization.

Learning Names
It’s imperative that you quickly get to know everyone’s names. This is why the learners feel as you know them and care about them. It also helps for organizing activities and discipline. The quicker you learn their names the higher.

• The name game
  Everyone stands in a circle. They should have the ability to see one another. One individual needs to say their name and do an action at the time that is same. This could be waving their hand or taking a bow etc. It does not matter what but make clear that each action should be different. This you will do by correcting the first copied action until it’s different things. It’s natural they will quickly understand that here they need their own action that they will all want to do the same thing but. You go round the circle with everyone saying their name and doing their action. When you yourself have been round the circle twice afterward you say someone else’s name and attempt to remember the action. The person you select then must say someone else’s name and do the action that goes along with it. This continues until everyone’s name has been said.

• Extra tip
  I find it hard to remember names, especially when you have many different classes starting in the same time. The things I do is photocopy the register and work out personal notes next to each child such as for instance ‘long dark hair’ or ‘wears pink glasses’. These prompts quickly become redundant but certainly aid in the beginning.

• The name song
  Here’s another song through the same pre-school website. That one deals specifically with learning names. I might demonstrate with everyone after which split the class into two groups otherwise it may take a time that is long get round every do my paper for me child. You can say the verse that is first set one group off and then move over to group two to create them off. Create your way from one group to another to concentrate in and learn their names.
  Glad to see you (sung to Frere Jacques)
  Teacher:
  I’m Ms. (name); I’m Ms. (name).
  That’s my name. Which is my name.
  Glad to see you here
  Glad to see you here.
  What’s your name? What exactly is your name?
  Child:
  I am (name), i will be (name).
  That’s my name, that is my name.
  I will be glad to be here Today/>At school. At school today.

All About Me
after they are beginning to feel relaxed in an English classroom you are able to move on your first topic. Keeping it personal helps the children to relate to the subject. Use easy but language that is useful they could learn in one single lesson. They need to leave the classroom feeling as if they have achieved something.

• Self-portraits
  Take a sizable sheet of paper and draw an image of yourself with a big face that is smiley. Do this before the lesson to save time. Write your name underneath your picture. Give away sheets of A5 paper to your young children and have them to draw an image of themselves and also to write their name underneath their drawing. Give them a period limit so it does not develop into an art form class as they will probably be pleased with their drawings and take their time. Don’t rush them but let it drag don’t on either. Them your picture again and say ‘My name is ___’ when they have finished, show. Then go across the class and get them to keep up their picture. Ask the question: ‘What’s your name?’ They can make use of your model to answer ‘My name is ___’. Then after they have practised this for a while underneath your picture you can write your age: simply the numbers. You say ‘I’m ___ years of age’. Go round the class and have a couple of children ‘How old are you currently?’ Then ask everyone to publish how old they are to their picture. You move on to asking everyone’s age and finally they stick the images onto their envelopes or boxes described below.

• My box
  This can be a one-off activity you can also develop it into an on-going project. If you don’t have the space to store small boxes for everybody you could use large envelopes. They must be big enough for the young children to stick their self-portraits on the front. It is possible to gradually build within the contents for the box. A label cut from their favourite cereal packet, etc for the very young learners it can be pictures of their families, drawings of their favourite toy. This will obviously be spread over a series of lessons, be kept going up to Christmas or is able to see you through the year that is whole. It needs a little forward planning in the start but when you’ve integrated it into your class routines the children will appear forward to it and expect to add something not used to their ‘All About Me’ box.