TEFL Course in Buenos Aires

Teaching Adults—things to consider

1. Diversity is more likely in the classroom
2. Adults like knowledgeable, positive, and enthusiastic teachers
3. Adults need a comfortable and secure environment
4. Repetition is key
5. Adults learn with questions and answers
6. Real life context—adults prefer real-life situations

Teaching Children—things to consider

1. Short attention span
2. Using objects for application of knowledge
3. Playfulness
4. Phonetics (children are able to mimic sounds more easily than adults)

Teaching Abroad in Buenos Aires, Sample Lesson Plan

Student Name: Tatianna Herrera (8)

Level: Kids 2

Objective: To review “family member” vocabulary that she should have already touched upon. Additionally, Tatianna is a quiet student so I hoped get her speaking more this class. By the end of the class, I wanted her to confidently use this vocabulary.

The Class: To introduce the topic of family to Tatianna, I gave her to option of using colored pencils or Play-doh—she chose the Play-doh. I then instructed her to use the Play-doh to make her family. While she was doing so, I would ask “Who is this?” She would answer, “my mom/dad/brother/sister” in English. I made my own family out of Play-doh as well so that she did not feel as though I was watching her every move. We then worked on a worksheet in which she had to label members of an extended family tree. I gave her a filled-out family tree worksheet to use if she got confused. She asked to keep the worksheets at the end of the lesson because she found it helpful. It also helped her learn how to read a family tree. This took up the rest of the hour.

Resources needed: Play-doh or colored pencils, worksheets (or the ability to draw a family tree), and a cheat-sheet of the family tree if the vocabulary is new to students and they need practice learning to read family trees.

How is this activity appropriate for a Kids 2 student?

Tatianna got practice saying sentences such as “This is my mom” and “This is me” without having to delve into complicated grammar. She also was able to practice reading a family tree and utilizing new vocab. The Play-doh was a hands-on activity that would keep an 8-year-old content for the amount of time it was used. I made sure to play with the Play-doh too, or look busy while she was working on the worksheet so she did not get shy again. Much positive reinforcement was utilized.

Improvements: If time is short, use colored pencils instead of Play-doh as it takes children a while to make their family using it.

What does this tell us about teaching family vocabulary?

When teaching family vocabulary—especially to children—its best to reference their own family members. This gives them something to focus on, as well an interest in the subject as it pertains to them.

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