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Photo of Angela (5) at a tutoring session in Chamberi, Madrid.
Toddler Tutoring
Toddler Tutoring
Most of my toddler students that I private tutored were my infantil students from English class at Instituto Tirso de Molina. Each student was only five years old, but their parents were adament about them starting to learn English at a very young age! Tutoring these kids was so fun and easy. I went to each of their houses back to back on Mondays and Tuesdays, the same days I saw them all in school. Since they were all best friends, they were always excited to see me and got competitive about what we learned in tutoring.
Most of my toddler students that I private tutored were my infantil students from English class at Instituto Tirso de Molina. Each student was only five years old, but their parents were adament about them starting to learn English at a very young age! Tutoring these kids was so fun and easy. I went to each of their houses back to back on Mondays and Tuesdays, the same days I saw them all in school. Since they were all best friends, they were always excited to see me and got competitive about what we learned in tutoring.
Photo of Edu (5) playing "Connect Four" with English vocabulary during tutoring in Legazpi, Madrid.
Student Motivation
Student Motivation
Motivation to learn is always a big problem for young students. Kids at this age are only learning English because their parents enrolled them in classes, so generally they are not really excited about learning. My tutoring students on the other hand loved our tutoring sessions! I ensured that our classes were built on fun activities and games, like in school, so students don't lose interest in learning English. As long as I planned lessons that were entertaining and engaging, students eagerly learned at a fast pace. Tutoring was then more enjoyable for both me as a teacher and for my young students who didn't yet know much English.
Motivation to learn is always a big problem for young students. Kids at this age are only learning English because their parents enrolled them in classes, so generally they are not really excited about learning. My tutoring students on the other hand loved our tutoring sessions! I ensured that our classes were built on fun activities and games, like in school, so students don't lose interest in learning English. As long as I planned lessons that were entertaining and engaging, students eagerly learned at a fast pace. Tutoring was then more enjoyable for both me as a teacher and for my young students who didn't yet know much English.
Photo of Angela (5) at a tutoring session in Chamberi, Madrid.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Methods
Since I tutored most of my students the same days I saw them in school, I was able to tailor my sessions to follow that morning's lesson. This approach helped me lesson plan games and activities for the students to play based on the units in school. We spent time reiterating what we learned in class which helped my students stay on track of each unit and even get ahead in some.
Since I tutored most of my students the same days I saw them in school, I was able to tailor my sessions to follow that morning's lesson. This approach helped me lesson plan games and activities for the students to play based on the units in school. We spent time reiterating what we learned in class which helped my students stay on track of each unit and even get ahead in some.
I began most of our one hour sessions with the vocabulary from class that day and even began to introduce new content for each unit with games and activities. For example, if students learned about basic fruits in class, I taught my students more exotic ones, like pineapple and mango, at tutoring. This extra lesson helped them memorize the vocabulary from school and build upon it with similar words.
I began most of our one hour sessions with the vocabulary from class that day and even began to introduce new content for each unit with games and activities. For example, if students learned about basic fruits in class, I taught my students more exotic ones, like pineapple and mango, at tutoring. This extra lesson helped them memorize the vocabulary from school and build upon it with similar words.
We spent most of our time using flashcards, board games, computer games, videos with songs, and drawing photos to enhance what they learned in school that day. Like in school, I used the TPR method of teaching to ensure that students stay focused during my lessons. By using TPR again in tutoring, students remembered what they learned that morning in class. They got excited because they knew the content and stayed interactive, engaged, and entertained.
We spent most of our time using flashcards, board games, computer games, videos with songs, and drawing photos to enhance what they learned in school that day. Like in school, I used the TPR method of teaching to ensure that students stay focused during my lessons. By using TPR again in tutoring, students remembered what they learned that morning in class. They got excited because they knew the content and stayed interactive, engaged, and entertained.
Photo of Edu (5) learning simple mathematics in English at tutoring in Legazpi, Madrid.
Lesson Materials
Lesson Materials
I started each tutoring session reviewing the vocabulary flashcards from class. I had many packs of flashcards from different vocabulary units, including a Disney princess and a Transformers themed pack to excite my students. I even brought my laptop with me to tutoring so we could play simple and competitive computer games based on the flashcard units.
I started each tutoring session reviewing the vocabulary flashcards from class. I had many packs of flashcards from different vocabulary units, including a Disney princess and a Transformers themed pack to excite my students. I even brought my laptop with me to tutoring so we could play simple and competitive computer games based on the flashcard units.
As we were learning in their own homes, my toddler students preferred to learn by playing games. We played flashcard games and board games that I brought with me to their class. Students also all had a plethora of their own games that we could play in English too. This method made learning much more fun for them because they were already familiar with how to play their own games, they just had to re-learn how to do it in English.
As we were learning in their own homes, my toddler students preferred to learn by playing games. We played flashcard games and board games that I brought with me to their class. Students also all had a plethora of their own games that we could play in English too. This method made learning much more fun for them because they were already familiar with how to play their own games, they just had to re-learn how to do it in English.
Some of the games we played were "Go Fish", "Memory", "Connect Four", "Dobble", and "Chess". My students' favorite games were "Go Fish" and "Memory," which we played with marine animal vocabulary. We learned a variety of vocabulary words from "Dobble", the game pictured here. "Connect Four" and "Chess" were great games to use for reiterating any vocabulary unit taught in class. Students had to say a vocabulary word by memory each time they moved a game piece, making them brainstorm words from their own knowledge. We also often drew photos of vocabulary words we learned with their own drawing materials at home.
Some of the games we played were "Go Fish", "Memory", "Connect Four", "Dobble", and "Chess". My students' favorite games were "Go Fish" and "Memory," which we played with marine animal vocabulary. We learned a variety of vocabulary words from "Dobble", the game pictured here. "Connect Four" and "Chess" were great games to use for reiterating any vocabulary unit taught in class. Students had to say a vocabulary word by memory each time they moved a game piece, making them brainstorm words from their own knowledge. We also often drew photos of vocabulary words we learned with their own drawing materials at home.
Photo of Edu (5) playing Dobble during tutoring in Legazpi, Madrid.
Conclusions
Conclusions
Private tutoring at this level was very fun for both the students and me. By playing games, singing songs, and and drawing pictures, students were eager to participate which made our classes go by fast. The hardest part of our sessions was to not exceed our one hour time limit! I appreciated these classes greatly because even though toddlers are sometimes tough to deal with, I enjoyed escaping from the daily realities of adult life to play with these students and visit their families. Their parents became such close friends of mine, helping me adjust and accustom to life in Spain much faster than I anticipated.
Private tutoring at this level was very fun for both the students and me. By playing games, singing songs, and and drawing pictures, students were eager to participate which made our classes go by fast. The hardest part of our sessions was to not exceed our one hour time limit! I appreciated these classes greatly because even though toddlers are sometimes tough to deal with, I enjoyed escaping from the daily realities of adult life to play with these students and visit their families. Their parents became such close friends of mine, helping me adjust and accustom to life in Spain much faster than I anticipated.
Photo playing "Chess" during tutoring in Legazpi, Madrid.
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