How do you teach English as a foreign/second language to kindergarten children? Can you suggest any resources.

Question

How do you teach English as a foreign/second language to kindergarten children? Can you suggest any resources.

Answer 1

There is a lot of interesting research out that explains what is best for children 6 years old and younger to learn a second language. The research has shown that complete immersion in the second language will be absorbed just as the initial language was. As the children get older, they have to make more conscious effort in order to learn another language, and more strategies and tools need to be used by the teacher. In my area, there is a Spanish immersion elementary school where all grades, K-5, are learning Spanish by immersion. They are immersed in the second language for 50% of the day, while the other 50% they use English (usually during math and English/reading, because of the need to do state testing).

Answer 2

Your school system should have some sort of ESL program.  it would be under the special education curriculum

Answer 3

You should try using songs. Kids respond well to music, especially if the songs are done on a daily basis.

Answer 4

Try teaching the children just as if you were teaching them their own language.  Pictures are what we need most of because they are visual at this age. So find lots of pictures to pin around the classroom with the noun names written under the picture.

For action verbs show them the action, i.e. running, say running and then run in place and have them copy you.

The website that might help you is  http://www.dltk-kids.com

This has lots of coloring pages and crafts for the little guys.

It is easy to get around and you will find lots of things and ideas there.

Good luck.

Answer 5

lots of pictures. get them associated with what the picture is and means. have patience... it will take a bit of time