I'm really enjoying teaching phonics to my nursery class. They follow the Jolly Phonics programme, which links an action to the letter sound. All the kids like doing them, and many spontaneously produce them when they hear the sounds alone. I think its a really good way for kids to remember English sounds.
http://jollylearning.co.uk/2010/11/03/jolly-phonics-actions/
Showing posts with label teaching tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching tips. Show all posts
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Saturday, 4 February 2012
最近の好きな子供絵本 We're going on a Bear Hunt!
This is a very popular children's book in the U.K. I hadn't heard of it whilst I was in Japan.
I really love it, and so does my little girl.
It's got a repeating structure to it which makes it really easy for kids to remember and say along with. My girl picks it up and tries to read us the story, quite successfully!
The pictures are lovely too and the story ending is entertaining. I get repeated requests to read this at school and home!
I really love it, and so does my little girl.
It's got a repeating structure to it which makes it really easy for kids to remember and say along with. My girl picks it up and tries to read us the story, quite successfully!
The pictures are lovely too and the story ending is entertaining. I get repeated requests to read this at school and home!
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Dr. Laura Markham How to Listen and Communicate with Your Child
I really like this article and it is so releveant to our family.
I have to take note.
Dr. Laura Markham How to Listen and Communicate with Your Child
I have to take note.
Dr. Laura Markham How to Listen and Communicate with Your Child
Thursday, 25 August 2011
English learning as a game 英語勉強はゲームで習う！
I always used to play Connect 4 when I was little.
When I started work at an English school in Tokyo, I was surprised to find Connect 4, Jenga and other games in the teaching equipment boxes.
Our school's method was to use fun games to teach children English. If they see learning as a game, then they are more willing to participate and actually learn more because they want to join in the fun.
It's simple really, all you do to get a go, be it add a counter on Connect 4, take away a block on Jenga or whatever, is answer a question correctly. So prepare some questions, or some flash cards for younger kids, and off you go.
We also used Snakes and Ladders, Bingo, Noughts and Crosses and draughts.
コネクト４はいつも子供のころの好きなゲームだった。
東京の英会話学校を始まった時に、先生達の教材箱の中に、コネクト４とかジェンガとかいろんなボード・ゲームが入っていた。ゲームしながら英語を覚えるのは、学校の教育メソッドだった。子供には、ゲームは楽しくて、参加したいから、英語が’勉強事’じゃなく、’楽しむ事’になる。
始まるのはかんたん。ただ質問かフラッシュ・カードを準備して。自分の番になると、質問を正しく答え、そしてゲームの参加できる。サイコロを投げるかブロックをとれるかコマを移動して進む。
すごろく、ビンゴ、まるばつ遊びとかチェッカーでも使えるよ。
When I started work at an English school in Tokyo, I was surprised to find Connect 4, Jenga and other games in the teaching equipment boxes.
Our school's method was to use fun games to teach children English. If they see learning as a game, then they are more willing to participate and actually learn more because they want to join in the fun.
It's simple really, all you do to get a go, be it add a counter on Connect 4, take away a block on Jenga or whatever, is answer a question correctly. So prepare some questions, or some flash cards for younger kids, and off you go.
We also used Snakes and Ladders, Bingo, Noughts and Crosses and draughts.
コネクト４はいつも子供のころの好きなゲームだった。
東京の英会話学校を始まった時に、先生達の教材箱の中に、コネクト４とかジェンガとかいろんなボード・ゲームが入っていた。ゲームしながら英語を覚えるのは、学校の教育メソッドだった。子供には、ゲームは楽しくて、参加したいから、英語が’勉強事’じゃなく、’楽しむ事’になる。
始まるのはかんたん。ただ質問かフラッシュ・カードを準備して。自分の番になると、質問を正しく答え、そしてゲームの参加できる。サイコロを投げるかブロックをとれるかコマを移動して進む。
すごろく、ビンゴ、まるばつ遊びとかチェッカーでも使えるよ。
Saturday, 30 April 2011
私のバイリンガル・キッズ
私のバイリンガル・キッズ
娘は二歳半です。週に一回、半日だけ保育園に通っていたが、日本語がすごく上手になって来ました。短い間に、急に話せるようになっています。それだけでなく、テーブルをセッティングしたり、飲み物を配ったり、掃除をしたり、変な顔を作ったりします：）
家で英語と日本語を両方使いますし、たまに同じ単語を二つ言葉に言ったりします。「おいで、Come on!」とか「Look!見て!!」を結構言いますね。自分の世界に二つ言葉があると気づいています。その上に、私と英語を使う方が多くなっているの気がします。
でも彼女の普段の言葉は日本語。お父さん、友達、先生、ベイビーシッター皆日本語を話していますから。私は頑張って英語で話さないとダメと思うけど日本は長いで、普段私も日本語を話しています!! そういうわけで娘は英語と日本語を混ぜたりします。でもイギリスに引越すと英語が上手くなります。その時から日本語を忘れないようにしないと！
My Bilingual Kids
My daughter is two and a half and attends a Japanese day care for half a day, once a week. Her Japanese language is coming on in leaps and bounds! Even just for this short period of time we have noticed a great improvement in her speaking skills. Not only that, she is doing so much more....setting the table, pouring drinks, cleaning up and pulling faces to name just a few!!
She uses English and Japanese at home, sometimes saying a word in both languages to express herself. Often she says, 'Come on, oide' or 'Look! Mite!' I have a feeling that she is starting to realize that there are two different languages in her world now, and that she has started to use English more with me now.
However her dominant language seems to be Japanese, as all her play friends are Japanese along with daddy, her teachers and baby sitter. Mummy has to try, try, try to keep her own language in English, but after being in Japan for so long, I often use both.
And so that's why she mixes up her sentences in English and Japanese. I'm sure it will sort itself out once we move to the UK. Then we hope she won't forget her Japanese!
娘は二歳半です。週に一回、半日だけ保育園に通っていたが、日本語がすごく上手になって来ました。短い間に、急に話せるようになっています。それだけでなく、テーブルをセッティングしたり、飲み物を配ったり、掃除をしたり、変な顔を作ったりします：）
家で英語と日本語を両方使いますし、たまに同じ単語を二つ言葉に言ったりします。「おいで、Come on!」とか「Look!見て!!」を結構言いますね。自分の世界に二つ言葉があると気づいています。その上に、私と英語を使う方が多くなっているの気がします。
でも彼女の普段の言葉は日本語。お父さん、友達、先生、ベイビーシッター皆日本語を話していますから。私は頑張って英語で話さないとダメと思うけど日本は長いで、普段私も日本語を話しています!! そういうわけで娘は英語と日本語を混ぜたりします。でもイギリスに引越すと英語が上手くなります。その時から日本語を忘れないようにしないと！
My Bilingual Kids
My daughter is two and a half and attends a Japanese day care for half a day, once a week. Her Japanese language is coming on in leaps and bounds! Even just for this short period of time we have noticed a great improvement in her speaking skills. Not only that, she is doing so much more....setting the table, pouring drinks, cleaning up and pulling faces to name just a few!!
She uses English and Japanese at home, sometimes saying a word in both languages to express herself. Often she says, 'Come on, oide' or 'Look! Mite!' I have a feeling that she is starting to realize that there are two different languages in her world now, and that she has started to use English more with me now.
However her dominant language seems to be Japanese, as all her play friends are Japanese along with daddy, her teachers and baby sitter. Mummy has to try, try, try to keep her own language in English, but after being in Japan for so long, I often use both.
And so that's why she mixes up her sentences in English and Japanese. I'm sure it will sort itself out once we move to the UK. Then we hope she won't forget her Japanese!
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
What does this say, darling?
I think kids learning English should be able to read their text books. I'm talking from my experience in teaching English as a second language, but the same must be true for native language learners too. If they can understand the contents of their books then they can read them aloud by themselves. If they cannot, then children lose their confidence and start to dislike their English class.
When parents look at their child's book together and ask, "how do you say this?" then children who cannot read their books again lose their confidence and desire for learning English. This is where a sound knowledge of phonics is important.
During the years that I've been teaching English in Japan, I've found that the Finding Out series of text books resolve this problem. They start off simply, introducing phonics from the beginning. The letter sounds are all introduced, followed by 2 then 3 letter combinations then simple sentences. The format is also a very cute, cartoon style with lots of colour. Used with the Finding Out flashcards a teacher can give his students the tools they need for successful reading.
For a look inside these text books, please click on this link:
http://mlh.co.jp/catalog/category/1901/
When parents look at their child's book together and ask, "how do you say this?" then children who cannot read their books again lose their confidence and desire for learning English. This is where a sound knowledge of phonics is important.
During the years that I've been teaching English in Japan, I've found that the Finding Out series of text books resolve this problem. They start off simply, introducing phonics from the beginning. The letter sounds are all introduced, followed by 2 then 3 letter combinations then simple sentences. The format is also a very cute, cartoon style with lots of colour. Used with the Finding Out flashcards a teacher can give his students the tools they need for successful reading.
For a look inside these text books, please click on this link:
http://mlh.co.jp/catalog/category/1901/
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