– how A2 teachers can help children learn, speak, and feel good in class

For a teacher who teaches absolute beginners, the most important thing is not perfect English. The teacher needs simple ways to motivate children, understand their behaviour, and react calmly.

1. Be friendly first

Children learn better when they feel safe and happy.

Smile when the children come into the room. Say:

• “Hello!”
• “Good morning!”
• “How are you?”
• “Nice to see you!”

Use a friendly voice. Look at the children when you speak.

You do not need difficult English. Use the same simple words every lesson.

For example:

“Hello, Siti!”

“Hello, Budi!”

“How are you?”

“I am fine.”

This helps children learn the same English again and again.

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2. Do not speak too much

Absolute beginners understand very little English.

If the teacher speaks for five minutes, the children may stop listening.

Use short sentences.

Instead of:

“Today we are going to learn some new words about things that we can find in our classroom.”

Say:

“Today: classroom words.”

Then show a book.

“Book.”

Show a pen.

“Pen.”

Show a chair.

“Chair.”

Let the children repeat.

“Book.”

“Pen.”

“Chair.”

Show things when you speak.

Your hands, face and objects can help the children understand.

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3. Use the children’s names

Children like to hear their own names.

Use names often.

“Rina, book.”

“Adi, stand up.”

“Budi, your turn.”

“Good, Sari!”

This helps children feel that the teacher sees them.

But do not always choose the same children.

Give every child a chance.

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4. Praise small successes

Beginners need a lot of encouragement.

A child may know only one English word. That is still a success.

If a child says:

“Apple.”

Say:

“Good!”

“Very good!”

“Great!”

“Good English!”

You can also smile, clap, or give a thumbs-up.

Do not wait for perfect English before you praise a child.

Praise the effort, not only the correct answer.

A child says:

“Book.”

You say:

“Yes! Good!”

A child says:

“Bok.”

You can say:

“Good try. Book.”

Do not make the child feel bad.

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5. When a child says nothing

Sometimes a child does not answer.

Do not think:

“He does not like English.”

The child may be shy.

The child may not understand.

The child may be afraid of making a mistake.

The child may need more time.

First, smile.

Then repeat the question.

For example:

“What is it?”

Wait.

Then show the answer:

“Book.”

Ask the child again:

“Book?”

The child can say:

“Book.”

Say:

“Good!”

Give the child time

Do not ask a question and give the answer immediately.

Wait a few seconds.

The child needs time to think.

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6. When children speak Indonesian

This is normal.

They are beginners, so they need Indonesian sometimes.

Do not say:

“No Indonesian!”

Instead, try to use the Indonesian word to help them learn the English word.

For example, a child says:

“Guru!”

You say:

“Yes. Teacher.”

The child:

“Teacher.”

You:

“Good!”

The goal is to move slowly from Indonesian to English.

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7. When a child says something you do not understand

Do not become nervous.

Say:

“Sorry?”

Or:

“Again, please.”

You can also say:

“Slowly, please.”

If you still do not understand, smile and say:

“Show me.”

The child can point, show something, or use actions.

Remember:

You do not need to understand every word.

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8. When a child gives a wrong answer

Do not laugh.

Do not say:

“No! Wrong!”

This can make children afraid to speak.

Instead, help them.

Child:

“Dog.”

Teacher:

“Good try. Cat.”

Child:

“Cat.”

Teacher:

“Yes! Cat. Good!”

The child learns the correct word but does not feel bad.

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9. When children laugh

Children may laugh when someone speaks English.

This can happen because the English sounds funny to them.

Stay calm.

Smile and say:

“English is fun!”

Then continue.

If one child laughs at another child, say:

“Be kind.”

Or:

“We help each other.”

Teach the children that mistakes are normal.

You can say:

“Everybody makes mistakes.”

Then smile.

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10. When children are very quiet

A quiet class is not always a good class.

Children may be quiet because they are afraid.

Use easy activities.

For example:

Teacher:

“Stand up!”

Children stand up.

“Sit down!”

Children sit down.

“Stand up!”

“Sit down!”

Now the children are moving and using English.

You can also use songs, pictures, games and actions.

Beginners often learn better when they move.

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11. When children are very active

Sometimes children talk, move around, or play.

Do not shout immediately.

Use a simple classroom signal.

For example:

Teacher:

“Eyes on me.”

Children:

“Eyes on you.”

Or:

Teacher:

“One, two, three!”

Children:

“Look at me!”

Use the same signal every lesson.

The children will learn what it means.

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12. When a child does not want to take part

Do not force the child immediately.

First, give the child an easy job.

For example:

“Can you hold the picture?”

“Can you give me the pen?”

“Can you point to the cat?”

The child can take part without speaking.

Later, ask for one small English word.

“Cat?”

The child says:

“Cat.”

Teacher:

“Good!”

Small steps can build confidence.

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13. When one child answers all the time

Some children are very confident.

That is good, but other children also need a chance.

Say:

“Good, Andi. Now, Siti.”

Or:

“Now another person.”

You can also ask children to work in pairs.

Child A:

“What is it?”

Child B:

“It is a cat.”

Then they change.

This gives more children time to speak.

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14. When children do not listen

Do not speak louder and louder.

Stop.

Look at the children.

Wait.

Then use your simple classroom signal.

For example:

“Hands down.”

“Eyes on me.”

“Listen, please.”

Then start again.

Keep your instructions short.

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15. Use games

Games can make English fun.

But the game must be very simple.

For example, put three pictures on the board:

🐱 Cat
🐶 Dog
🐟 Fish

Say:

“Touch the cat!”

The children touch the cat.

Then:

“Touch the dog!”

You can make it a team game.

But do not make children feel bad when they lose.

Say:

“Good game!”

“Good try!”

“Let’s play again!”

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16. Use movement

Young children often like to move.

Use English with actions.

“Stand up.”

“Sit down.”

“Clap.”

“Jump.”

“Turn around.”

“Touch your head.”

“Touch your nose.”

The children hear the English and show that they understand by moving.

This is a very good way to teach beginners.

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17. Use pictures and real things

You do not need many books or special materials.

Use things in the classroom.

Hold up a pen.

“Pen.”

Hold up a book.

“Book.”

Point to the door.

“Door.”

Point to the window.

“Window.”

Children can touch, point to, or find the things.

This makes English real and easy to understand.

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18. Repeat, repeat, repeat

Beginners need a lot of repetition.

Do not think:

“We learned this word last week. They should know it.”

They may need to hear it many times.

For example:

Monday:

“Book.”

Tuesday:

“Book.”

Wednesday:

“Book.”

Later:

“What is it?”

“Book!”

Repetition is not boring for beginners.

Repetition helps them remember.

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19. Make children feel successful

The lesson should have many small successes.

Do not teach ten new words if five words are enough.

For example:

Today:

“cat”

“dog”

“fish”

The children can hear them.

They can repeat them.

They can point to them.

They can play a game with them.

At the end, ask:

“What is it?”

The child says:

“Cat!”

The child feels:

“I can speak English!”

This feeling is very important.

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20. What the teacher should NOT do

Do not:

• shout all the time
• laugh at mistakes
• make children feel stupid
• speak very fast
• use long sentences
• give too many new words
• ask difficult questions
• compare children all the time
• only praise the best students
• speak English for a long time without actions or pictures

Instead:

• smile
• speak slowly
• use short sentences
• repeat
• show things
• use actions
• play simple games
• praise children
• give every child a chance

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Simple Teacher English

An A2 teacher can use these sentences every lesson.

Starting the lesson

“Hello, everyone!”

“Good morning!”

“How are you?”

“Are you ready?”

“Let’s start!”

Giving instructions

“Listen, please.”

“Look here.”

“Look at me.”

“Repeat, please.”

“Say it again.”

“Stand up.”

“Sit down.”

“Come here.”

“Go back.”

“Open your book.”

“Close your book.”

“Work with a partner.”

“Your turn.”

“My turn.”

Helping children

“Try again.”

“Take your time.”

“Listen again.”

“Look at the picture.”

“Look here.”

“Show me.”

“Point to it.”

“Say it slowly.”

Praising children

“Good!”

“Very good!”

“Great!”

“Excellent!”

“Good try!”

“Nice!”

“Well done!”

“You can do it!”

When there is a problem

“Please listen.”

“Please stop.”

“Be kind.”

“Wait, please.”

“One at a time.”

“Your turn is next.”

“No problem.”

“Try again.”

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The Most Important Rule

The teacher does not need to be a perfect English speaker.

The teacher needs to be:

friendly + patient + clear + positive

A beginner may say only one English word today.

Tomorrow, the child may say two words.

After some weeks, the child may say a sentence.

The teacher’s job is to help the child think:

“English is fun. I can do it. I am not afraid to make mistakes.”

That is how motivation starts.

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Remember how babies
learn a language:

Babies learn a language by listening.
They use their ears to hear sounds.
Their brain remembers these sounds.
Babies connect sounds with people and things.
They listen to their parents.
Then they copy the sounds they hear. They imitate words.
Slowly, babies learn to speak.

So,
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN……………

SMFrockZ@gmx.at