Languages
Advice on how to engage young students?
09/23/2009
I have two nursery classes of 2.5-3 years old students. The children are cute and I really impressed me when I first met them. However, they are self-centered and they just look at their feet or hands or even talk with themselves. This situation is better than just crying and screaming all the time. Sometimes I sing songs with them but they just sit there and do nothing at all. Do you have any suggestions about how to attract them?
Comments
Everyone, especially kids love a good story. If you can find a story that peaks their interest and then develop follow up activities to the story that could include arts and crafts and games then you can reinforce what you are teaching them and engage them. When you are designing your activities, I would also include pair and group work so that they can engage each other.
H. Yalan King 關亞嵐
Director, CAIS Institute
Advancing Chinese Language and Culture
How about a show-and-tell classes? Children at that age respond well to bright colors and interesting shapes. For example, showing them real fruits might be more effective than showing them pictures of the fruits.
"Sometimes I sing songs with them but they just sit there and do nothing at all."
I would suggest you to browse some music video for kids on the mandarin center, instead of singing songs with them. Because the combination of sound and image effect is better than plain singing.