Children in first grade and up are not as dependent as preschoolers. This article will focus on those pre-elementary ages. Here’s the stage…
It’s the first day of school and you are the new teacher at Happy Flowers Kindergarten*. Your job is to teach the little ones to communicate in English. It doesn’t matter that they can hardly communicate in their own language… which you don’t speak. It doesn’t matter that some of them feel that their mother has abandoned them and that they are determined to cry or howl until she returns later in the day.
Your first problem is getting and keeping their attention. At this age, children have an attention span measurable in nanoseconds. They might listen for a minute, but unless they can understand you and what you want them to do, you’ll lose them fast. Then what do you do?
You make them laugh. You keep them busy in a light and fun way with activities that are varied, that make them laugh, that teach them something new and ideally where they don’t even know they are learning. You do this by making it seem natural, like storytelling, games, and art. Try to get everyone to join, even those who cry.
These little kids should outgrow their abandonment syndrome in a few days when they realize mom comes back and picks them up later. They will make new friends and begin to look forward to this new stage in their lives. What seems like a momentous experience in one minute can be completely forgotten in an instant when something more interesting emerges.
What specific techniques can we use to capture and hold children’s attention?
I can’t overemphasize the “keep it simple” motto.
Too often I see teachers who rely too heavily on language for instruction, explanation, and discipline, who become frustrated and disillusioned with their work. “They just don’t listen!” That’s how it is. they do not
We need to use less language for better understanding, faster pace, and more learning.
– Demonstrate instead of explain.
– About act. It’s also a great way to get attention and laugh.
– Exaggerate your body language.
– Use your voice. Instead of yelling, make it interesting, scary, funny… try whispering.
– Make explanations visual, with single words added to give meaning instead of full sentences.
– Avoid telling them they don’t listen. If you’re not holding your attention, look to yourself for the solution: It’s up to you to try some new techniques and initiate change.
As children learn more vocabulary and “tune in” to you, they will be able to understand more complex instructions and explanations. However, if they’ve already learned that they can’t understand you, chances are they won’t even try.
You may be lucky to have a native language assistant to help you deal with the traumas of these preschoolers. If the school does not offer one, we suggest you ask about the possibility. if they seem
reluctant, ask about having one for the first few weeks until you get to know the children better. It’s a reasonable request. In Japan, teaching assistants are provided automatically. Many international schools also provide assistants. It all depends on the resources a school has available. They will most likely be paid much more than a local teacher who, in turn, receives a higher salary than an assistant.
A word of warning about using a wizard to translate into students’ native language:
This should be done carefully, preferably only when necessary for administrative matters, when a child is ill or in urgent need, etc.
If you use an assistant to explain language or instructions, the danger is that children will look at the assistant and not try to understand the teacher. Students will commonly wait for the teacher to stop talking so they can continue the task of listening to the assistant to find out what is really going on. This makes the intersection that occurs when the student begins to think in English very difficult.
It also upsets parents who pay high fees for native English-speaking teachers. Many language schools will let teachers who use too much of the children’s mother tongue in the classroom, either themselves or through an assistant.
If you can’t get your students’ attention, anarchy will reign and the classroom will resemble a cross between a race track, a zoo, and a locker room after losing the big game. It’s not a pretty sight. You have to try to understand what makes each of them tick… one at a time. With most students, this task should be easy.
However, there will always be some that will take you longer to understand and some that you may never figure out. Don’t worry. Keep trying. Do your best and you will survive. You may even come to enjoy it! It takes love for young children and a sincere desire to help them with their academic, intellectual, social, moral, and emotional development. Anything less and we suggest you consider teaching at older ages…perhaps even adults.
You must have a game plan that includes a plan of action for any contingencies. What will you do if one of your new positions:
– Do you need to go to the bathroom?
– go to the bathroom?
– to get sick?
– won’t stop crying?
– won’t stop talking (in your own language)?
– makes a mess with the paints?
– leaves the classroom and you can’t find it?
– you fall and hurt yourself?
– fall asleep during an activity?
– throws a tantrum?
– hit another child?
What if you need to go to the bathroom? Who will take charge of your class?
As an early childhood teacher, you will have many things to consider. Hang in there, Snoopy. Nap time is coming!