How to teach a spanish speaking child english

15 Awesome Tips For Teaching English To Spanish Speakers

Are you looking to go to a Spanish-speaking country to teach English? Perhaps you have your mind set on teaching English in Spain? Teaching English abroad is a great way to travel at the same time as you are sharing your knowledge and giving back to the community. 

English and Spanish are some of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and a lot of Spanish speakers are looking to learn English. If you are looking to teach English to Spanish speakers, here are 15 useful tips you need to know: 

Tips for Teaching English to Spanish Speakers

Know who you are teaching with the first get-to-know-you class. 

Is your student a child? An adult? A teen? Do they speak English already? What is their English level? Why are they learning English? What do they want to accomplish? 

Getting to know your students is essential to delivering the best knowledge and resources to them. It is also crucial to understanding them and catering to exactly what they need. Make the first class a get-to-know-you class, asking your student a lot of questions about themselves, their desires, needs, and their experience with English before you devise a plan to help them learn your language. 

Start with what they already know.

There is a lot of English influence in the Spanish language, and vice versa. Your students will surely know a lot of English words, regardless of their level. 

If you have someone who doesn’t know any English, start a lesson comparing Spanish and English words and phrases. Words like bar, actor, central or chocolate are all the same in both languages. This way, you’ll boost your students’ confidence by showing them that they are not starting from zero. 

Make sure you work on both their understanding and usage of the language. 

There are several language skills involved in language learning: Reading and listening (understanding and competence), speaking and writing (usage and performance). In order to become proficient in a language, you need to work on all those parts.  

Some students will understand you perfectly, but they may struggle with speaking. This is particularly common. Others won’t care much about their grammar mistakes but will speak anyway. They still should work on their understanding of the language. Whatever it is, make sure you are actively paying attention to what their strengths and weaknesses are, so that you can help them accordingly. 

Go over common grammar mistakes 

Grammar is one thing that distinguishes the two languages in many ways. For example, in English your age is something you “are”. You “are” 50 years old; however, in Spanish it is something you “have”, “tengo 50 años” Another difference is the placement of nouns. In English we would say “the blue ball”: the adjective comes after the noun. In Spanish, however, the order is opposite, “la bola azul”. 

This might be confusing, so it’s a good idea to do several exercises to get it down. Lastly, make sure not only do they know the correct grammar, but that they also know how to use it in conversation. All the knowledge needs to be applied to practice. 

In this video, you’ll see some other mistakes Spanish speakers tend to make when learning English. It’s always great to know some of these common mistakes ahead of time so that you can be ready for spending extra time working on these grammar points.

If you have been doing exercises about the past, have conversations with them about their own past, and evaluate how they are making use of the grammar, and correct them accordingly. There are plenty of resources online for fun grammar activities, such as on ESL Cafe.

TEFL Hero’s 120 hour TEFL course has two entire modules devoted to teaching reading, writing, and grammar. Learn more about this course and how you can use this to teach abroad in Spain.

Teach them how to pronounce English vowels. 

Spanish speakers typically struggle with the English vowels. Spanish has 5 vowel sounds; English, on the other hand, has 12. It is very common for Spanish speakers to misunderstand what they’re being told, and to be misunderstood by English speakers because of the pronunciation. 

Teach them the difference between short and long vowels. Words like feet-fit, bit-beat and not-note are some common examples. Try to use them in different sentences so that they can learn to distinguish both the meaning and the pronunciation.  

Use English to teach English as soon as it is possible. 

When your learners have a low level, it is natural and good to use Spanish to explain different concepts. However, once they have the basics down, one of the best ways to learn the language is to be immersed in English. 

When they don’t understand something, you can encourage them to try to phrase the question in English in a different way. Language learning is done by doing; in this case, learning by speaking. However, it is just as important to make sure you set a safe teaching environment, and help your students not to be afraid to make mistakes.  

If you are teaching English in a classroom, teach classroom language early on.

This tip goes hand in hand with tip number 6. If you want your students to express when they need help or need you to repeat something, give them the tools to ask you in English. Phrases like “Could you repeat please?”, “I need help with..”, “How do I say … in English?” are great to teach early on. 

If the students ask you a question in Spanish, before responding, ask them to repeat it in English. It might be a bit annoying for them at first, but they will get used to it. 

Make the classes immersive and fun!

Learning about sentence structure and verb conjugation is essential to learn any language. However, it is for most people not the most motivating. Classes should be combined with other activities.  

Think oral activities like doing roleplays, singing songs, watching movie clips, and doing presentations. There should be at least one oral component to each lesson. Figure out what your students like. Do they like sports? Music? Create lessons about other activities they like, and they will enjoy learning English with you.  

Encourage learning outside the classroom

To become fluent in any language, it takes a lot more practice than a few classes a week. Your students need to be practicing English outside the classroom. Encourage them to attend language exchanges, watch movies in English (with Spanish or English subtitles, depending on their level) or read books in English. The more the merrier! 

Just like in the previous tip, make sure they associate English with something that they truly enjoy, whether it is sports, art, music, travel, etc. 

Make it cultural!

Language goes hand in hand with the culture it stems from. Just like Spanish, English has different accents and is spoken in several countries with diverse cultures. Teach them that most Americans have dinner at around 6 o’clock, and not 9 or 10 p.m like in Spain. Also teach them about the different cultures and how the English language has become the most widely spoken in the world. 

Help them understand all the possibilities and relationships they’ll build for themselves by just speaking English. It’s a huge motivation to know that their English skills will be useful in so many different parts of the world! 

Make sure you work on specific vocabulary geared towards a goal. 

Teaching your students random words with no purpose can cause them to question why they should be learning this or that word. Instead, try to teach them vocabulary words that they will actually use in real life. Help them to see themselves in a situation that they will mostly encounter (and no, don’t just do the typical hotel check in and out!), and teach them words or phrases that they will for sure have to use. 

For example, going to the bank to deposit money. Teach them the word “deposit”. Make sure they know what it means, even if they have to find the equivalent in Spanish, and teach them to use it in conversation. 

Don’t be afraid to use some Spanish. 

As we shared before, using English to teach English as soon as possible is great if the stars align. That is, if your students can communicate with you about the basics of the lesson you are imparting, and if they genuinely want to practice their English by speaking back to you in English. However, don’t forget that their native language can be a great resource. 

There’s nothing wrong with asking your students to translate a word or phrase into Spanish, or ask them if they have a Spanish equivalent to a word you are teaching them in English. This actually reinforces their understanding of the new English words, and they’ll be able to use it better and more confidently. 

Learn how your students learn best. 

It is important to analyze the way your students learn best. If you are being too strict about a particular way of teaching, without taking into account that some people may not receive and internalize information in that way, you may soon lose your students’ interest, both children and adults.

If you see that writing the grammar structure of the past simple tense on the board is confusing your students, try a different approach, like directly speaking to your students about what they ate yesterday, and have them repeat the correct structure with you as they go.

Help them to find a good reason to keep improving their English. 

If you are teaching children, the best and most important thing is to help them have fun. Children learn best through play, so make sure you play! If they feel like English classes are just not fun, they will quickly quit, or become restless.  

If you are teaching adults, make sure you have them decide and write down why they started improving or learning English in the first place. Help them to go back to that reason often, because you’ll be surprised how many people will forget and eventually stop taking classes. 

Related: A How-To Guide to Teaching English in Mexico

Create an atmosphere of curiosity. 

Did you know that what hinders language learning the most is fear? Many students feel ashamed, pressured or downright afraid of learning English because they feel they are inadequate. 

On the other hand, the best state for someone to learn best is curiosity. If you can create an environment where your students beg you to continue teaching, if you cater to what they love, make your classes purposeful and make them feel safe, you will have for sure won them over and boosted their learning! 

Learning a new language is a process that requires both practice and dedication. Being a first-time teacher in Europe might seem frightening at first. Remember that, as a native speaker, you are bringing lots of knowledge about both language and culture that your students will soak up! Make sure to use your strengths to make the classes as immersive as possible. From teaching classes in person to teaching English online – you got this!

Interested in teaching abroad after completing your TEFL course? We would love to make that dream a reality!

RVF International is an international education and exchange program that offers one of the largest Teach Abroad programs in Spain for English teachers.

20 Things to Know About Teaching English to Spanish Speakers

By chrissaldana and Maureen Stimola Last updated: February 6, 2021

Spanish speakers are a diverse bunch, hailing from all around the world.

Spanish is spoken far and wide, serving as the official language in countries of North, South and Central America, Europe and Africa.

It’s only natural that, of the nearly half a billion (yes, billion) speakers worldwide, some will end up needing or wanting to learn English.

Well, I happen to have a wealth of experience teaching Spanish speakers from different corners of the world, and can definitively say that they’re quite delightful as students.

I must also add, there’s a lot to know about teaching them!

So, I’ve created this list of 20 important things to know in order to help ESL educators get some more in-depth knowledge on this growing market of students and learn a thing or two to benefit their classroom experience.

Before I go into the list, I’ll share a brief introduction of my experience. I first started out teaching in a language school in Miami where I had all sorts of students from many different countries and, due to the city’s proximity to Latin America, I had many students from Latin American countries.

I noticed some similarities and differences between the diverse Spanish-speaking students from these countries, and that was just the beginning. Later on in my career, I taught English in Buenos Aires. Then I took my talents to the Internet and started teaching online.

With online teaching, I had the fortune to meet students from even more Spanish-speaking countries that I hadn’t had experience with before, including Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica and Chile.

It’s from this breadth of experience that I draw my knowledge. I hope that you have the great fortune to teach so many wonderful people, from so many fascinating places. When preparing to teach Spanish-speaking students, I encourage you to read this list, keep some of this stuff in mind and be attentive—I guarantee you’ll learn many more things about these students along the way.

Teaching Spanish-speaking students (or SSS) can be a highly rewarding experience, and hopefully some of these tips can help you teach them to your highest potential.

Now, onward, to the list!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

1. They’re on the Rise!

Over 20 countries use Spanish as an official language, counting among them large, economically powerful nations like Mexico, Spain and Colombia. These and others are making a bigger global impact economically, politically and culturally than ever before.

Not to mention, there are tons of heritage speakers—whose parents and/or other relatives taught them the Spanish language in their childhoods—in the United States and elsewhere.

All in all, the world’s Spanish-speaking population is growing, and many of them want to learn English for work, travel, fun and personal reasons. As an English teacher, you’re bound to come across some SSS during your teaching career!

So, it’s extremely valuable to start learning about their linguistic heritage, the way Spanish translates into English and the unique challenges they may face in an ESL or English classroom.

2. They’re

Sure, we’re calling this group by one big umbrella name at the moment, but SSS are an immensely diverse group!

Unlike Japanese-speaking students, who generally come from the same country, ethnicity and cultural heritage—with exceptions, of course—SSS bring to the table an incredibly wide range of backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities. Plus, even the term “Spanish” itself is a huge umbrella name, combining a vast array of varieties, dialects, accents and vocabularies.

So, since SSS come from different continents, backgrounds and walks of life, you can imagine how very different each one may be from his or her peers, even if they all speak the same native tongue. You’ll find different perspectives and linguistic issues arising from different students, based on the origin of their Spanish knowledge.

Students from Spain may have different troubles with the American English accent than will students from Chile or Cuba. Even students from neighboring nations like Argentina and Bolivia may bump into completely different sets of English challenges, or might have surprisingly distinct worldviews.

Sure, many Spanish-speaking students may share some similar characteristics, mannerisms, expressions, English issues and whatnot, but you can’t expect them all to think, feel or learn alike.

This makes the teaching experience a lot more fun, vibrant and interesting, if you ask me! Take the time to really get to know your students individually. Give them time to get to know each other. By fostering a collaborative, unified and curious classroom environment, the learning experience can extend far beyond learning English!

3. They Take Pride in Their Countries, Not so Much in Their English Skills

Whether they’re from Spain, Morocco or Argentina, SSS tend to really, truly love their home countries—it’s just something I’ve observed a lot. They often take great pride in their nations, their people, their cultures and their language.

When you talk to them about home, I wouldn’t be surprised if they strongly encourage you to visit with gusto and speak fondly about life there (most of the time) even if the country is facing its own issues.

The trick is that this sense of pride doesn’t always transfer over to their English skills, even with the most advanced of learners. If you happen to praise them on their English, be prepared for a “No, my English is terrible!”’ or even a “No, that’s not true.” But if you happen to praise their country, the answer is almost always the opposite!

Luckily, tapping into their hometown pride can help them overcome this.  Get students talking about their home countries, traditions and customs—anything they find fun and exciting—in English, and you won’t be able to stop the conversations you get going! This is wonderful for all in terms of English speaking and listening practice.

You could also have them write reports, create posters or give presentations on their favorite aspects of their countries and cultures. They’ll love having the opportunity to share their personal knowledge!

4. They May Believe They Sound Foolish Speaking English, When in Fact They Sound Charming

Quick story here. So, I had a student in Chile who was reluctant to speak English and I didn’t know why. At the time, I also had a roommate from California who spoke great Spanish with the exception of his very “gringo” accent which, I’ll admit, sounded quite ridiculous. After all, sad as it is, the American accent is notoriously unpleasant when applied to foreign languages.

My student later told me “I don’t want to speak English because I’ll sound like your roommate!” (her wording was much more colorful, but that’s the gist). That’s when I discovered that SSS think they may sound somewhat silly speaking English, just as some people speaking Spanish with a thick, unabashed American accent may sound.

First of all, it’s actually the opposite! SSS sound quite charming when speaking English. Spanish accents are lovely, even when they make their way into English. It’s worth telling your students that they don’t sound ridiculous if they’re feeling self-conscious, and that Americans (among others) will simply love their Spanish accents in English.

Beyond this, it’s a valuable lesson to teach that no accent is really a bad accent—even an American accent. Having an accent only means that you’ve been working very hard to learn a new language. It should be worn proudly, like a badge of courage and honor!

5. They Appreciate It If You Can Speak Some Spanish

Sometimes SSS will feel lost trying to communicate with you when they’re speaking English. It’s only natural! When learning a foreign language, everyone feels a bit discouraged while speaking from time to time.

What really helps them to overcome this feeling is knowing that their teacher understands what they’re going through.

This disoriented feeling suddenly disappears once they’re aware you can speak some Spanish to them. They appreciate it so much, and the class is less of a burden for them than if you couldn’t speak any Spanish at all.

In the case of a particularly hairy English topic, you can always swap to Spanish to explain a little, or you could offer a few words of encouragement in their native language. I recommend breaking out a couple Spanish examples or explanations if you feel confidence dipping or confusion rising.

Now, I know there’s a big debate on whether or not you should be speaking the student’s native language in class, but if it’s to make the student feel more at ease in the classroom, to get to know them a little better or to explain a tricky topic or two, then go for it.

If your Spanish isn’t strong, all the better. Saying a few broken words in Spanish can seriously lighten the mood, get a few laughs and help students see that speaking in a foreign language is nothing to be worried about.

I’m sure all speakers of all languages appreciate it when their teacher can speak their native language—if for no other reason than that it makes you more relatable and understanding of their learning experiences. From my time teaching, SSS definitely appreciate knowing that you know some Spanish.

6. What They Lack in Grammar and Syntax Skills, They Make up for in Fluency and Confidence

While teaching English in Asia, I came to realize that my students lacked fluency and confidence skills, but made up for it with their grammar and syntax skills. We’ve got the opposite case in other parts of the world, especially in Europe and the Americas, and especially with SSS.

What some SSS may lack in grammar and syntax skills, they typically make up for with their fluency, confidence and basically their willingness to speak. From my experience, SSS are usually not reluctant to make mistakes and are more willing to speak than students from more reserved, silence-is-golden cultures.

This inclination towards speaking is actually quite helpful for them. It’s a good quality to have in life and language learning.

7. They Can Talk… a Lot!

Okay, let’s keep rolling with this idea of the fluency advantage.

Of course, this will vary greatly from individual to individual. It boils down to personality type, as opposed to cultural heritage—or so I thought.

After many years of teaching SSS, I’ve personally come to the conclusion that most of them are capable of speaking a whole lot. I’ve noticed this trend enough for it to be noteworthy.

Again, I link it to the energetic, loquacious personalities that Spanish-speaking people are typically known for. SSS tend to be very talkative in their own language, as smooth, friendly conversation is a key life skill in many of their home countries. Once they reach a comfortable enough level of English (or even a comfortable enough state of mind) you may notice that they could talk and talk for hours.

This isn’t necessarily bad, as long as their fluency and confidence gets experience, no? There’s a way to harness this strength for productive learning, and we’ll explore this a bit in our next “thing to know.”

8. You Can Harness Their Main Strong Speaking Skills

I learned this once when I had a classroom full of Spanish speakers and pitched out some great conversation starters to help them build their conversational fluency as a group.

I struck conversational gold when I brought up soccer, and they all began vociferously sharing their views on this easily-debatable topic. The group ended up straying from whatever the original question was into a long, winding discussion about the nuances of the game. Then they stayed on that topic for some time, since it was something of high passion and interest. From there they just kept drifting and drifting away from the main topic, and straight into tangent after tangent.

I just thought to myself, hey, at least they’re speaking English, right?

The strategy for this class, and other similar ones focused on conversation practice, was for me to throw out a juicy discussion topic and let them have at it. As the teacher, you can simply pop back in to redirect the conversation, encourage quieter students to get involved, help shine light on minority opinions and, of course, gently correct any major English mistakes as needed.

9. Slow Things down Once in a While

This one is super important.

Since a lot of English-language TV shows and movies that are shown in Spanish-speaking countries (especially Spain) are dubbed right into Spanish, people don’t get much of an opportunity to train their ear for English.

The lack of English exposure can hinder their listening skills and thus, your SSS may have some trouble understanding an English speaker speaking at a normal pace. If you’re working with heritage speakers of Spanish, they might only hear Spanish at home—and then the rapid-fire English outside home becomes too much of a leap.

The good thing about this is that they really appreciate it and learn better when you speak slowly.

I’m not talking super slow, like you’re on the moon or underwater or something (not like, “hhheeelllooooo”) but at a slightly calmer pace and with strong enunciation. A simple rule of thumb is to speak the same tempo that they speak in English.

If you want to give them an occasional challenge, designate specific class days or short blocks of time to speaking at a natural, native speaker’s English pace. Overall, your students should always feel comforted that they’ll know they can understand you and your usual pace.

10. Good Classroom Vibes Will Be Had

Spanish-speaking people are often known for being joyous and vibrant, from their upbeat, dance-able music to their zesty cuisines.

Overall, I’ve found this general idea to be quite true—and my Spanish-speaking students, no matter their nation(s) of origin, have always been a particularly happy, pleasant, fun-loving group to teach.

The more vivacious elements of the Spanish language may still make their way into English classes, and you might notice that students express themselves with comical, exaggerated facial expressions, flailing arms and hand gestures, and even some untranslatable sounds like “uyyy” and “ayyy.”

All in all, this makes for a fun environment and it’s a good thing to keep in mind. Why? Well, this may mean that you’ll need or want to animate yourself some more. If you tend to be shier, quieter or more reserved in the classroom, you’ll want to try and get on their level if you want an even greater rapport.

From my experience, the higher the energy level, the more fun. Never a dull moment, I tell you!

Another great way to maintain a dynamic and engaging learning environment is with native videos from FluentU.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language lessons.

11. English Is Overwhelming to Many

For all this talk of happy-go-lucky students, high energy levels and pleasant demeanors, we should always remember that some individual experiences will vary. Some students may well feel overwhelmed in a language classroom, for a variety of reasons.

To some ESL students, English could be just another subject to learn, or perhaps it’s even something fun or the accomplishment of a lifelong dream. For them, learning isn’t a source of stress.

However, others may face personal struggles when staring down textbooks and chalkboards full of verb tenses. They may not have received an excellent education in the past, or maybe they’ve been having challenges adjusting to life in an English-speaking country. Maybe everyone in their family speaks English but them, or they’re feeling pressure to learn English in order to get a good education or job—or even just to fit in.

Regardless of the possible reasons, they may feel intimidated. Be prepared to handle this in your classroom.

First, you’ll need to be sure you’re paying close attention to all your students. Are some more reluctant than others? Is someone not doing their homework routinely? Has one student’s attitude been getting worse? These are superficial warning signs that there are deeper problems you can address as a teacher, and it might be time to check in on a one-on-one basis with students who are struggling or not enjoying class.

12. You’ll Be Greatly Respected as the Teacher

Unlike countries like the USA, where teachers simply aren’t as respected as they should be (most of the time), teachers in Spanish-speaking countries are more celebrated, appreciated and respected. Of course, this is a major generalization, but on the whole I’ve noticed that this does show through my SSS when they interact with me.

They’re more receptive to my concerns, ideas and feedback. They’re more respectful of my words, and tend to cause less noise and disturbances in class. They may well call you “teacher,” even if you’re younger than them.

My impression is that this is because teachers in Spanish-speaking countries hold more of a respected role in society, especially compared to teachers in the USA who are often underpaid and overworked. The times change, and teachers probably encounter all those same work issues in Spanish-speaking countries too, but SSS remain very well-behaved and respectful when in the presence of a teacher.

13. Spanish Grammar Is Quite Different Compared to English Grammar

Anyone who has studied a Latin-based language knows that the grammar differs a bit from English grammar.

There are different verb forms for different people, ways of saying “you” with varying degrees of formality, masculine objects, feminine objects, obligatory articles and even more curveballs that we don’t encounter in English.

If you haven’t studied Spanish or another Romance language, try to pay close attention to the grammatical errors that SSS tend to make. Soon enough, you’ll start to hear the same ones popping up—and I bet you’ll find with a little research that these come from elements of the Spanish language that don’t quite translate into English. Even advanced speakers tend to make the same small, simple mistakes, especially with verb tenses.

English also has its own challenging grammar topics that are a far cry from the linguistic systems of any Romance languages, so it’s best to be prepared for students to need a little more elaboration on these. English grammar may not exactly come easy to them all at first, but does it come easy to anyone, really?

Take a look at these key differences between English and Spanish so you know what kinds of things to expect.

14. Pronunciation in Spanish Is Exactly How It’s Written

The beauty of Spanish is that words are read just how they’re written. As you probably know all too well, English is not at all like this. It’s got tons of weird sounds produced by slamming odd letters and letter pairings together, and many words defy common logic in how they’re pronounced.

This frustrates ESL learners to no end, and SSS are no exception. It’s natural for them to read words in English as they’re written when they’re first getting started. So, it’s no surprise that some words come out a little different than you’d expect.

For example, Miami is often pronounced as “MEE-ah-mee” and future is pronounced like “foo-TUR” instead of “FEW-churr” upon first glance. It’s a tricky thing to get past, but can you blame SSS? It’s how their native language was designed, and all our lives would be easier if English pronunciation were more intuitive.

This can be overcome with lots and lots of listening practice and pronunciation exercises. Reassure your students that we all know English sounds are kind of crazy and unpredictable, and that most learners hit stumbling blocks learning how to sound things out.

15. Some English Sounds Are Hard to Produce

Some sounds in English just don’t exist in Spanish. These are imperative to study and brush up on.

The usual suspects? For starters, the English R sound poses some trouble, as SSS usually pronounce the English R by rolling their tongues, or by keeping their tongues touching the tops of their mouths. In English, our R sound comes more from the backs of our throats.

Then there’s the English J sound. SSS will usually give this one more of a Y or H sound, since that’s what J does in Spanish. Some vowel sounds are also tricky, like the English I (as in “this” or “finish”) and ŭ (as in “sun” or “thunder”), along with others.

For example, my name is Chris and some SSS pronounce it like “Kreese,” with a roll on the R. So, pronunciation in the early and maybe even later stages could be good to touch up on. Keep these and other difficult English sounds in mind, and gently correct your students by saying words the right way yourself, slowly and clearly. They’ll soon begin to pick up on the differences and correct sounds!

16.

I like to think that speaking in Spanish is like coloring with a box of 24 crayons, while speaking in English is like coloring with the massive 64 crayon box (with the Razzle Dazzle Rose color, too). With a language as vast as English, filled with lots of specific words for specific things, you’ll find out that sometimes a word in English may exist but there just isn’t a word for that thing or concept in Spanish.

So, it’s good to note that, since a word for that may not exist in Spanish, you can always try to do your best to learn how to describe words without relying on direct translation into Spanish. Rather than giving students the Spanish word, try to describe it as best you can using other English words—unless they’re really struggling to understand what you’re talking about.

And, speaking of direct translation….

17. Direct Translation from Spanish Can Lead to English Mistakes

I’m quite sure that every language learner is guilty of directly translating from their language into the foreign language that they’re trying to speak, and who can blame them? Most of the time it’s understandable. Most of the time.

This will happen with SSS too, and it may be understandable, but sometimes you’ll hear something like “she has nine years” or “happy weekend” and you may need to come through with some correction assistance. The best way to correct is to repeat the phrase that was said, using correct English.

So, if someone says, “I have 15 years,” you can repeat back, with emphasis on the correct phrasing, “oh, you’re 15 years old? That is very cool!”

But, hey, it’s all good—if direct translation were so flawless, I might be out of a job, know what I’m saying?

18. “Do” and “Make” Can Create Confusion

Like other Latin-based languages, Spanish has the same word for both “do” and “make,” despite the big difference between the words. This confusion will come up more than a few times when teaching SSS since, to them, the resemblance is uncanny. Even with the more advanced students you’ll hear things like “making work” and “doing progress. ”

It’s something to look out for and something you may need to spend some time brushing up on. Handing out make/do worksheets every now and then is a great way to help them through this sticking point, and SSS greatly appreciate anything you can do to clearly reinforce their understanding of the differences between “make” and “do.”

19. You’ll Need to Introduce Them to Phrasal Verbs

The English language is like a parasite that just grows and grows, always adding more to the grand vocabulary pile, and phrasal verbs are no exception. As you know, adding a tiny little preposition to the end of a verb can totally change its meaning. Some verbs have numerous associated phrasal verbs!

Even with more modern, party-oriented phrasal verbs like “turn up” and “party on,” phrasal verbs are growing exponentially. This is a big challenge for Spanish speakers. While there are some phrasal verbs in Spanish, the amount pales in comparison to the plethora of English phrasal verbs.

Even words like “get” and “put” have so many multi-word verbs alone. Then there are those phrasal verbs that exist but aren’t so common, and those can be intimidating to SSS as well. I’ve even had students who want to strictly practice phrasal verbs because of their relevance and challenge.

Here’s a great way to explain the concept of phrasal verbs and games to practice key English ones.

20. Spanish Subtitles on English-language Programming Aren’t Always Accurate

This might seem like it’s coming out of left field. Why does it matter what Spanish subtitles on English shows and movies are like?

Well, I know I said that some programs in Spanish-speaking countries are completely dubbed, but for those that aren’t, this is important to keep in mind. A lot of the subtitles in Spanish don’t fully capture exactly what’s being said in English. Sometimes the meaning is changed entirely, other times the wording is totally different in order to capture the same meaning. Even more times, esoteric pop culture references from the English-speaking world are completely removed or altered for Spanish-speaking audiences.

Your students are very likely to be watching English programming with Spanish subtitles at home, some may even be studying their English in this way. So, it’s super important to note that what they read on-screen may not be exactly what they hear. It’s not a 1:1 translation, so they can’t rely on this. This is good to keep in mind and to address with your students!

So as you’ve now read, you’re bound to have a great time teaching Spanish-speaking students. With more and more of them seeking out ESL classes around the world, and many more bound to come along seeking the same in the future, it’s good to understand the points above.

I hope that these notes from my teacher’s log will help you and your students have the finest classroom experience, where everybody is collaborative, engaged and satisfied.

¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Maureen Stimola

Maureen is a Vermont native and serial expat. She has a lifelong passion for travel, scientific research, languages and lizards. Maureen has formally studied Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Japanese—and casually absorbed some Kichwa while living 2 years in the Ecuadorian Amazon. She's thrilled to be working with FluentU and sharing some linguistic love with the rest of the world.

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Teaching a child English from scratch 👨‍🏫 English for kids

English for 3-4 years old

Disputes about early learning are as old as the world - there is no consensus on this matter. But the generally accepted "starting" age can be considered 3 years. As for the first acquaintance with foreign languages, the period from 3 to 7 years is considered the best time for this.

This is due to the fact that it is at this age that the child develops logical forms of thinking and voluntary attention. The formation of the latter leads to the fact that the child begins to resort to already mastered methods of memorizing information: he repeats what he heard, tries to comprehend what is remembered in the right sequence. nine0005

In the same period, speech and phonemic hearing develop intensively, vocabulary expands and the morphological system of the language spoken by everyone around is fixed in the mind.

Some parents refuse preschool education of their child in order not to “deprive him of his childhood”, because education is associated with coercion, routine, punishment for mistakes. Thick textbooks with yellowed pages and teachers who have never been in English-speaking countries are a wall between us and free English. It is up to our children to overcome or even break this wall, young millennials today are tomorrow's bilinguals. nine0005

Gradually, the fear of early learning recedes, because it seems no longer necessary to explain that a little person can be taught anything just by playing with him.

At this early stage, it is not necessary to enroll a child in special courses. You yourself will be able to perfectly cope with the first stage of mastering English. In addition, classes with a parent eliminate the stress factor in the form of an unfamiliar place, a teacher and other children. Here's how to do it.

By the way, classes English for children 7 years old online takes place in a comfortable environment: students can study even at home, even at their grandmother's, even in the country. In individual lessons, no one will distract the child from acquiring new knowledge, and textbooks and notebooks are not needed - only the Internet. nine0005

English proficiency test

This English proficiency test was compiled by the Skysmart online school tutors. They prepared fun and relevant tasks on modern topics to make the test both useful and interesting

How a parent can practice English with a child

Surround your child with English. Integrate English speech, individual words into everyday life. When preparing dinner, name the ingredients. On a walk, describe the objects you encounter in English. When asking your child to do something, use basic English verbs (look, take, sit). nine0005

You will be very surprised when you realize that your child does not need translation - the meaning of any word becomes clear from the context. Of course, for this you need to have basic knowledge. If you do not know English at all, then this will be an excellent reason for you to make sure that not only a child, but an adult can learn anything through the game.

Get large jingle dice with English letters and flash cards with words. Children adore such cards, bright pictures contribute to quick memorization. nine0005

Do not start with the alphabet. Many are accustomed to the fact that learning any language begins with the alphabet. Parents can now exhale - this routine and really stressful part can be skipped. Why not learn the alphabet?

Reading in any language starts with sounds and then syllables. It makes sense to teach whole words with the child so that he easily and naturally gets acquainted with the variations of sounds. The alphabetically learned "h" does not correlate with the pronunciation of the word "hippo". It is unlikely that you will be able to explain to a three-year-old kid why “hippo” and not “eychipo”. nine0005

Therefore, memorizing the letters of the alphabet separates the child from his first success in learning English, and the parents from the motivation and fuse to continue learning. In addition, you can save a lot of money by ignoring the purchase of "speaking alphabets" and other useless and loud toys.

You can connect online games to the educational process from the age of four. But it is better at this age to focus on cartoons and songs. Here are some sites where you can find educational games for the little ones. nine0005

Online learning games are not the only way to help your child learn English. When they are tired or, on the contrary, carried away the child too much, songs come to the rescue in their most diverse variations.

Why is it necessary to sing with a child, and how can this help him learn English?

Singing songs and chants (short rhythmic chants) is an essential learning tool for a more or less progressive teacher.

New words and grammatical structures are learned much easier if they are accompanied by rhythmic music. The phenomenon of "learning" children's songs does not require special confirmation - is there anyone who does not remember the Russian Christmas tree born in the forest, or the overseas farmer MacDonald ia - ia - oh?

If suddenly you don't like or don't want to sing yourself - save links to resources where you can find a variety of songs and chants in English.

If you have already played and sung enough, you can start watching cartoons. For us adults, learning English through TV shows is exciting. Why not try the same thing with a child, but instead of serials, include cartoons. The effect is one to one and even better. nine0005

Finding the right cartoon that can captivate a child is not an easy task.

It's great if it will be a whole animated series with regular characters. A familiar character on the screen will help the baby focus more on his speech, and not on his appearance.

In order to achieve the desired educational effect from watching, record the knowledge gained after each watched series. It is advisable to limit the number of episodes viewed in a row.

For a 3-4 year old child, 15-20 minutes is ideal timing. After each series, ask the child about what they watched, ask them to repeat familiar and new words they heard. If there are blocks, ask the child to collect these words. nine0005

Operate not on the principle of quantity, but on the principle of quality. It is important that the child not only learn the words, but also actively use them in speech.

Let's summarize and repeat what needs to be done so that the child has fun and enjoys learning English.

How to study English with a 3-4 year old child

1. Play more with the baby, offering him a variety of types of games: from quiet, where perseverance and attention are required, to fast ones, where speed and reaction are needed. nine0005

2. Invite your child to join online education. Choose some exciting games from our selection and turn learning English into a real adventure.

3. Sing songs: the more the better. There are so many songs in our collections that any child will find something that he likes.

4. Watch cartoons with your child. Pick up a few animated series in English that he will like and spend 15-20 minutes every day watching and the same amount to fix everything. nine0005

5. Surround your child with English: insert the words he has learned into everyday speech. Ask the child to do something: bring a book, drink milk, walk the dog - all in English.

6. Maintain a balance between study and free time. Do not turn the child's acquaintance with the language into a routine - let the child form only positive associations with the subject. The school will get better anyway.

7. Do not compare your child's progress with other children's. It is better to praise and reward for small victories - the more motivation, the greater the progress in learning. nine0005

How many English words do you already know?

Let's define your vocabulary - without complex questions and with the help of smart algorithms.

English for 5-7 year olds

Teaching English to a 5-7 year old child is not very different from teaching a younger child. The basic rules and techniques remain the same. The base is the game. Only in this way can a child at this age really effectively learn the material.

After four years, parents may start thinking about courses, language schools and tutors. During this period of development, the child experiences a great craving for communication with peers. nine0005

While a three-year-old child may perceive such a situation as hostile, a six-year-old child, on the contrary, should have enough social interaction. In addition, courses and various language circles will help the child overcome the fear of speaking in a non-native language.

We all know firsthand what a “language barrier” is. The sooner a child gets used to communicating in English, the more likely it is that, growing up, he will only become more confident, getting into one or another language situation. nine0005

As a rule, if the study started from the age of three, then by the age of 5-7 the child can already quite coherently express himself in simple sentences in English, understand simple speech and more or less correctly build grammatical constructions.

Such progress should not be a reason to take a break or rest before starting school. You must be prepared that you will have to learn a second language, if not all your life, then most of it. Because the human brain has an unpleasant habit of forgetting all the most necessary things very, very quickly if we don’t use it in any way. nine0005

Continue to play with your child and integrate new words into everyday situations. You can play in different ways. Now many parents are leaning towards online education. There can be many reasons: lack of time, lack of confidence in one's own teaching talents, or simply a desire to dilute live classes with online learning games.

The myths around online education have been dispelled and refuted a long time ago. We know that as a means of development, online games are in no way inferior to communication between a child and a teacher. nine0005

With the help of online resources, the child will easily learn to read and count in English, develop intelligence and logical thinking. The gameplay in educational games is designed in such a way that in addition to the main skill (reading or counting), the child acquires secondary knowledge about the world around him.

At the same time, the issue of using gadgets to teach the youngest causes a lot of controversy. To strike a healthy balance between live learning and online education, keep gadget use under strict control. Limit the time your child spends in front of a screen. Do not forget to involve him in live outdoor games. nine0005

Also, don't forget to turn off in-app payments if your child is learning from a smartphone or tablet - this will help you avoid unplanned in-game purchases.

Of course, there are never too many games, but it is better to continue to alternate between online and live moving lessons. You can also connect fine motor skills: ask the child to draw a number, letter or object. In the future, this will help him begin to write and memorize words. nine0005

It is assumed that at this age it is already possible to start reading books. Choose thin books with large print and colorful pictures. In this case, the more pictures, the better. Read aloud, ask to repeat and retell. Reading is a process that forms new neural connections in the brain. It is unlikely that something more useful in learning a language has been invented so far than reading.

The older the student, the longer and more complex the cartoons they watch should become. From 15-20 minutes you can move on to 30. Choose such cartoons where the phrases of the characters become more complicated. The storyline should also become a little more complicated. nine0005

English for elementary school students

Usually a second language is taught at school from the second grade. But if you start studying earlier, by this time you can achieve good success: you can easily count to 20 and discuss the simplest topics.

If, at the age of eight, a child starts learning a second language from scratch, then it is worth adhering to all the same principles: games, songs, repetition.

It is usually much more difficult to get a student interested in a subject - they have many other interests. At this stage, it is important to carefully integrate additional activities into the child's daily routine. nine0005

It is necessary to act as delicately as possible so as not to frighten off the student. Most likely, it will not be easy to explain to a second-grader why it is not enough for him to learn English at school and why he needs to study extra. So just keep playing.

At this age, it is worth paying more attention to reading, teaching the child to work with text. Gradually, the book should become thicker, and there should be more text in it.

If you decide to work with your child on your own, without a tutor, be prepared to figure out intensive reading on your own. nine0005

Intensive reading implies a detailed analysis of the text. So the child learns to clarify for himself incomprehensible places in the text, gets acquainted with grammatical constructions, learns to ask the right questions based on the content.

Foreign language text for intensive reading should be short and interesting. The longer the text, the less likely the child is to understand it to the end. Choose texts of this type:

• I am nine years old. I love all holidays. Birthday is my favorite holiday. My birthday is on the fifth of November. I usually have a party on this day. I invite my friends. We have much fun during the party. We eat cakes, sweets and ice cream. We play games. I get a lot of presents on this day. nine0133

Find texts in English. language to practice reading skills. For example, on the website of the British Council. Here we have collected a lot of interesting texts, distributed by difficulty levels. Each text is accompanied by pictures and exercises to reinforce reading comprehension. The child should be interested in working with texts of this format.

However, to develop reading skills, it is recommended to read on paper. For a long time, all possible experiments have been carried out that have proved the high efficiency of such reading. If there is no book with texts, then you can print texts from the Internet. nine0005

You can also use audio books to learn a foreign language. After reading the text, and then listening to it, the child will soon learn new vocabulary and will not get confused in the pronunciation of new words.

Demo lesson in English

We will determine the level and set a goal, and then we will teach you to speak English fluently.

How to learn English with a child: recommendations for parents

It may seem that helping a child learn a foreign language is very difficult, but it is not. To make it bring only pleasure, follow some simple recommendations, and everything will definitely work out. nine0005

• Don't take language learning too seriously. Do not forget for a moment that this is just an exciting game in which there are no losers and winners.
• Your task is to captivate the child. He will do the rest himself.
• Use as many playing techniques as possible. Do not try to evaluate the material from the point of view of an adult. The more varied the games, the faster and more fun the child will learn. The same actions, albeit in the form of a game, will still one day turn into a routine and get bored. nine0133
• So support diversity. Connect surrounding objects, relatives, pets to educational games.
• Don't neglect online education. You can protect your child from gadgets for as long as you like, or you can learn how to benefit from them. The benefits of interactive online games have long been confirmed, so you should not be afraid of them anymore. Choose games with your child, track the process.
• Online learning does not mean that the parent is not involved in the process. You should record the results, ask the child test questions and ensure that the learned words are used in speech. nine0133
• Track your child's progress. Buy or make your own large board that you can write on with colored markers. Children are arranged in such a way that in the “achievement-prize” combination, any information is absorbed better. However, it's not just children.
• To constantly feed the child's interest, start a prize fund. It doesn't have to be toys or candy. The prize can be stars cut out of paper. The joy of getting such a star is no less than the joy of candy, you'll see. nine0133
• Show your child cartoons in English. Let such viewing become a family tradition - support the baby in his occupation. Until the age of seven, children copy the behavior of their parents, so show your child an interest in English in every possible way.
• Play the game "I see" in English. The rules are simple. Anywhere: at home, in a cafe, on a walk, say I see ... and name the objects around - house, car, dog. When you realize that the level of the child's English has grown up, you can add adjectives to the game: big house, red car, black dog. This is a very simple and incredibly effective game. nine0133
• If a word is unknown, a suitable flash card should immediately be at hand. A set of such cards can be bought at a bookstore or ordered online. Choose cards with colorful pictures and carry them with you, showing your child at every opportunity.
• Work on your pronunciation right away. Usually this point is missed, because there is an opinion that it is important to know grammar, and only pronunciation is a delight. It is better to take care of the correct pronunciation and correct intonations in advance, so that later your child, who has already grown up, does not have to painfully get rid of the “Russian English” accent for a long time. Moreover, the younger the child, the easier it is for him to remember and reproduce the intonations he hears. nine0133
• Songs will help with pronunciation. Sing with the child for so long until you are finally convinced that the work of songs is done. If for some reason singing does not give you pleasure, let your child choose songs to their liking on the YouTube channels that are in the selection above.
• To prevent all these points from getting mixed up in an uncontrollable mess, make a study plan. It is not necessary to make a strict schedule, where the day of the child is scheduled by the minute. A plan is needed to keep a balance in a child's life: play, learning, sleep and free time - everything should be comfortable for the child during the day. This rough schedule will also be useful for tracking your child's progress. nine0133
• Spend no more than 60 minutes a day with English at first. This time includes watching cartoons, online games and reading. Moreover, all three aspects should not go one after another. It is better if there is a pause of half an hour or an hour while reading and watching a cartoon.
• Be consistent. Only regular practice will bear fruit. In the end, you can stop treating the study of English as a study. Then the process will go much faster and more fun.

In matters of teaching a child, there are many pitfalls, subtleties and tricks. Most often, behind the simple reluctance to sit down to English, there are many reasons that are far from the subject itself.

A child's education is always a parent's education. To make the process efficient and overcome all sorts of difficulties in interacting with a child who does not want to learn English, we offer a selection of books for parents.

These books are written in a simple and understandable way, it will be not only useful to read them, but also interesting. nine0005

At what age is a child ready to start learning English? nine0005

Contents:

• 1. Theory №1. The child should start learning English as early as possible
• 2. Theory №2. The child should be taught English no earlier than 7 years old
• 3. Where to teach English to a child
• 4. How to teach a child English at home

Each child is different, so it is difficult to name a universal age to start learning English. In the article, we considered two options for teaching children and asked the opinions of experts - teachers of our school. nine0005

Theory #1. A child should start learning English as early as possible

Adherents of this theory say that children from birth to 5-6 years of age can easily learn any language. To learn their native language, they do not need a school, so they can also easily learn English.

Positive aspects of this approach:

1. The child learns the language unconsciously

   Parents believe that babies learn English as a native language: they listen passively, and then reproduce words and phrases in speech. By the age of 7, any child speaks Russian well, despite the fact that he does not understand what the subject, noun, present tense are. The conclusion follows that it is also possible to learn English - naturally and without rules. nine0005

2. The child is not afraid to speak

   Children are not afraid to make mistakes. Toddlers do not have a language barrier, because they are spontaneous and less constrained than adults. They speak without paying attention to their pronunciation or errors in speech. Adults correct them, and gradually the child gets used to speaking correctly.

3. Children have a good memory

   There is a theory that before the age of 5, every person has an ability for languages ​​that is above average. Children repeat everything they hear and quickly memorize new words. Every adult has had such an embarrassment: you pronounce an abusive word in front of a child, and he instantly remembers it and begins to use it in his speech. nine0005

4. It is easier for a child to develop good pronunciation

   It is also believed that it is easier for a child to learn to pronounce English sounds, since he quickly remembers the correct pronunciation and more easily catches combinations of sounds.

Disadvantages of this approach:

1. Need a language environment

   The success of the approach is possible if a suitable language environment is created. The child should hear English speech from others every day. This is possible if he lives abroad, one of the parents constantly speaks English or the child has an English-speaking nanny. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. in Russia, representatives of the high society knew French better than Russian. And all because in those days it was customary to invite governesses and tutors from France. nine0005

2. The danger of mechanical learning

   The child still does not know his native language well, he pronounces sentences automatically and does not understand what new words mean and how they combine with each other. Mechanical memorization of English phrases is not the most effective method of learning a language. Think about it, maybe it's worth waiting until the child grows up and learns English consciously.

3. It is difficult to create the right mood

   For a preschool child, the right mood is important both at home and in the classroom, but it is not easy to create it. In addition, you will need to find a teacher who knows how to teach through play and instills in the child a love of learning the language. nine0005

4. The risk of spoiling the pronunciation of Russian sounds

   Some speech therapists believe that the study of English sounds can cause poor pronunciation of Russian. They do not recommend learning English until the child has a good pronunciation of the sounds of his native language.

The opinions of our teachers on the question "At what age is it better to teach English to a child?"

Teaching experience: 16 years

Englex experience: 10 years old

Julia

A child can start learning English from birth, if the family speaks several languages.

My daughter showed interest in various videos with songs and rhymes in English at the age of 2.5 (naturally, it was I who suggested them to her). She immediately chose certain ones and then simply demanded to turn them on 20-30 times in a row. Just a couple of weeks later, I started singing them. At this age, children absorb new words and pronunciation at an astonishing rate. But the time came when she was tired of her favorite videos in English and there was an interest in cartoons in Russian. When she was 5, I tried to turn on the same videos, she immediately recognized the picture, the motive, and even sang excerpts, but she could no longer fully reproduce, as before. Which confirms the well-known fact: without constant practice, the language is forgotten. nine0005

It seems to me that the earlier a child is introduced to a new language (this is the task of parents), the easier it will be to learn it in the future. The desire of the child himself is also important - do not try to impose at an early age what is not interesting to him, otherwise the result will be negative.

As for learning a language as an activity, from the age of 3-4, children can be sent to courses, but always in a group, and not individually (this is my subjective opinion). At the same time, it is worth weighing the pros and cons very well, taking into account the nature of the child, his readiness to learn and communicate with peers and the teacher. The first experience is the most important! nine0005

Teaching experience: 11 years

Englex experience: 4 years

Julia

I can not say that I am an expert, but this topic is close to me. My first education is an elementary school teacher, specializing in English.

You can start teaching a language from the cradle, because that's what happens in bilingual families. And the result is magnificent - the child speaks two languages, as if they were native. But this, of course, is an exceptional option. nine0005

In teaching my child, I follow the “do no harm” principle:

• do not torture the child and do not cause negativity in relation to the language;
• do not disturb the psyche and the development of speech in the native language.

When my son was one and a half years old and I made sure that he is developed, sociable, cheerful and already speaks phrases in his native language, I added children's poems, cartoons and songs in English to his program.

Until 6-8 years old, I would recommend only counting rhymes, songs, cartoons and games with parents or in language clubs. It is also important to remember that the pronunciation in these audio and video or the teacher must be at the level, otherwise it will be difficult to correct what has been memorized. Naturally, there can be no question of any writing and grammar with such crumbs. nine0005

When can one start teaching a language to a child consciously, albeit fun, but systematically? is an individual question. There are children who are more assiduous and less assiduous, someone begins to talk at the age of one, and someone at three is laconic. There are many nuances, and first of all, parents themselves need to assess what their child is now ready for.

It is worth teaching your child English from infancy if:

1. You live or intend to live in an English-speaking country and your child needs to know the language to communicate with others. nine0133
2. At home, someone constantly speaks English: one of the parents, grandmother, nanny. In this case, the child will realize that he needs English to communicate with a specific person.
3. You know how to teach your child knowledge in an unobtrusive and interesting way, or you have found a tutor who knows how to do it.

Theory #2. A child should be taught English no earlier than from the age of 7

Adherents of this opinion believe that foreign languages ​​should be taught at a conscious age, and not torment the child with words incomprehensible to him. Supporters of learning from the age of 7 agree that a child up to 5-6 years old easily learns a language that he constantly hears. But if the child is not in an English-speaking country or his parents do not speak English as often as they do Russian, then a foreign language will not be able to be learned on its own. nine0005

Positive aspects of this approach:

1. The child gets used to learning

   At the age of 7 and older, the child goes to school, so he gets used to the routine. Children become more organized and able to learn, do homework, listen to the teacher.

2. The child has a good command of his native language

   School-age children have a wide vocabulary - they do not need to explain the meaning of words, it is enough to provide a translation into Russian. nine0005

3. The child has formed pronunciation

   By the age of 7, the child has already formed the pronunciation of the sounds of his native language, so he will not confuse them with English sounds. Moreover, at this age a person has good phonemic abilities, so he can quickly learn how to pronounce the sounds of foreign speech correctly.

4. Children are easier to motivate

   At this age, children develop hobbies, so you can offer your child a reward system that will motivate him to learn the language. In addition, it is easy to find advantages in learning English: the ability to watch cartoons in the original, read interesting fairy tales and stories, play online games. Find something that will captivate your child, and you will not have to force him to the next English class. nine0005

5. Variety of courses

   Finding courses for children from 7 years old will be easy: they have learned to concentrate on the subject being studied, they have developed interests. With children under 7 years old, it is a little more difficult: it is not easy to attract and hold the attention of a small child, it is even more difficult to get him to do something consciously. Not every teacher will be able to find the right approach to teaching a child.

6. It is not difficult for a child to overcome the language barrier

   Children at this age are not afraid to make mistakes, they willingly carry on a dialogue with the teacher, they do not think about the accent. nine0005

Disadvantages of this approach:

1. It is more difficult to captivate a child

   If a child can be captivated to learn English by playing, then with a child older than 7 years this approach may be ineffective. You will have to figure out how to motivate the student to learn English. Keep in mind that long-term goals like getting into a foreign university or getting a well-paid job are weak motivation for a child.

2. Less time to learn a language

   Some students are loaded with large amounts of homework, so there may be very little time left for English. However, you can also find a way out of this situation: enroll your child in courses where learning takes place in a playful way.

The opinions of our teachers on the question "At what age should a child be taught English?"

Teacher experience: 10 years

Englex experience: 3 years

Irina

I think that from the age of 7 you can start teaching a child, since at this age the vocabulary of their native language is quickly enriched in children, they actively communicate with their peers. The child already has a sufficiently large stock of knowledge about the world around him, and therefore there are no difficulties in learning new words of the English language if the child already has an idea about this subject or concept.

Teaching experience: 18 years

Englex experience: 8 years

Julia

My personal conclusion: if there is time and opportunity, then why not send the child to a language studio from an early age. However, do not wait for him to suddenly speak. This is a general development that may take off in the future. If it is worth highlighting priority classes, I would give preference to the development of motor skills, music, aesthetic and physical development, and from the age of 6-7 I would connect the study of languages. I now mean the majority of children who learn a language without daily contact with it and regular immersion in the environment. nine0005

I see many examples of early language learning. There are children who come after many years of training from the age of 3, and they do not hold a group lesson with children of their age, with whom we have been working for the second year. It happens that in the process they adapt quite quickly and excel the rest, and it happens that they lag behind or simply remain at the level of the rest of the students.

As you can see, we found more advantages in the second approach, but it should be remembered that this is not a hard and fast rule. Every child is different, so the final decision about the best age to start learning English is up to you. nine0005

Where to teach English to your child

So, you have decided to start teaching your child English. What to choose: homeschooling, courses or private lessons?

Homeschooling

Homeschooling with a parent is the best option for a child. If your child is not yet 4-5 years old, try to teach him at home. At the end of the article we will tell you how to do it.

You can teach your child English at home if you know the language yourself at least at an intermediate level and use fun learning methods. The child is just starting to get acquainted with a new language, so it is important that this acquaintance is interesting. You do not know English? You can try this option: you go to courses and begin to transfer your knowledge to the child. In our school, many adults learn the language for exactly this purpose: they want to teach English to children, help with homework, etc.

Teaching English in courses

At the age of 3-4 years, the child can be sent to a special kindergarten or early development center with English lessons, and after 7 years - to children's courses. At this age, it is important for children not only to learn English, but also to communicate with their peers, expand their social circle, and perform interesting tasks in a competitive environment.

The main point that you should consider is the level of knowledge of the children in the group. It is important that all children know English in approximately the same way, otherwise the child may be uncomfortable in the classroom. nine0005

When your child reaches an intermediate level of English, you can try to send him to a special language camp. This will be a great encouragement and good motivation to further study English, and it will also allow the child to make friends from different parts of the world.

Individual education

We do not recommend that children under 7 begin individual education. Firstly, it is difficult for a stranger to attract and hold the attention of a baby. Secondly, a child may not be interested in such activities: it is one thing to learn a language with the same kids, and quite another to be alone with a stranger. nine0005

Individual learning has significant disadvantages: you will need to take your child to a tutor or invite a teacher to your home, which creates certain inconveniences. However, they can be avoided, because there is an alternative - from the age of 9, children successfully begin to learn English via Skype. If you want your child to try this way of learning, sign them up for a free trial lesson. You will be present at this class and will be able to understand if this way of teaching is suitable for him. nine0005

How to teach your child English at home

If you know English at least at an intermediate level and you have a desire to teach your child the language at home, follow our recommendations.

1. A playful approach to learning

It is up to you whether your child will fall in love with the English language or whether each lesson will be perceived as hard labor. Therefore, do not impose anything on the child, find such exercises that he will perform with pleasure. Use a game form of learning, not lessons from textbooks. If you can't get your kid interested in learning a language, try waiting until he grows up. nine0005

2. Proper motivation

Define a learning goal appropriate for the child's age. For example, watch cartoons and play games in English, read English fairy tales.

3. Short lessons

It is difficult for a young student to sit through 45-60 minutes of studying English, so break the lesson into small segments of 10-15 minutes. A variety of exercises related to movements will also come to the rescue, for example, you pronounce a word in English, and the child performs the indicated action. Also, change activities: study words for 10 minutes, watch a cartoon for 10 minutes, sing a song for 5 minutes. nine0005

4. Illustrative Pictures

Use Glen Doman's cards, with objects drawn and signed. Find beautiful images of fruits, vegetables, animals on the Internet, print and sign. Children usually remember words easily by associating them with a picture. In addition, you can use the ready-made online dictionary in pictures on the site anglomaniacy.pl. The child will enjoy the game form of learning.

5. Useful games

Today, even 2-year-olds can easily manage their phones and laptops. They enjoy playing simple games and coloring pages. Such entertainment can be turned into a mini-lesson in English, just go to learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org and invite your child to play one of the mini-games. This will not take much time and will allow you to learn a couple of useful words. nine0005

In the article "English learning sites for kids" you will find 9 more resources where your child can learn the language in a playful way.

6. Educational cartoons

Watching cartoons is the best way for a child to develop listening skills. Try to offer your kid an educational cartoon about Gogo. The characters speak slowly and clearly, using simple phrases. With fascinating cartoons, learning English for children will definitely not be boring. In the article “How to Learn English from Cartoons: Tips and Useful Links”, we told you why this learning method is interesting and where to watch cartoons in English for free. nine0005

7. Short poems

By memorizing English poems, the child will expand vocabulary and develop memory. Simple poems for children in English can be found at kenglish.ru.

8. English songs

It's probably hard to find a kid who doesn't like to sing. Lyrics for children's songs work in the same way as poems: the child has fun, develops memory, and remembers useful words. Many simple songs for kids with lyrics and translation can be found at english5kids.russianblogger.ru. If your child is still small, you can include songs for him to listen to. So the baby will get used to the sound of foreign speech from childhood, and some psychologists believe that in this way the baby can even unconsciously memorize some words. nine0005

9. Educational videos

Educational videos for children are bright and interesting video tutorials. Today on YouTube you can find dozens of channels with exciting and educational videos. We can recommend KidsTV123 and Busy Beavers.

10. Interesting exercises

Older children can do simple tasks and tests. It is important that the exercises are not too difficult and are presented as a game, then the child will not perceive them as another boring homework. Have him do the exercises at englishexercises.org or easygrammar4kids. nine0005

11. Fairy tales and short stories

If you are fluent in English yourself, you can read books to your child, for example, good and fascinating stories about Paddington Bear. And if you want your child to listen to exemplary English pronunciation, you can turn on an audiobook. Free materials for children are available at bookbox.com and storynory.com.

12. A good textbook

To prevent your child from associating the word "textbook" with a boring book, choose materials appropriate for his age and interests.

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