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Photo of Jorge (8) at tutoring in Argüelles, Madrid.
Primary Tutoring
Primary Tutoring
Tutoring at the primary level is much more structured than with toddlers. My primary tutoring students were all seven, eight and nine years old, placing them in second, third, and fourth grade. In school, students at this level are very familiar with English. The second and third graders know an abundance of vocabulary terms and phrases. My one fourth grader was even able to conjugate regular verbs in the past, present, and future tenses, something that most fifth and sixth graders in Spain have a hard time with. Because of their high level, we focused on improving all aspects of language - speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Tutoring at the primary level is much more structured than with toddlers. My primary tutoring students were all seven, eight and nine years old, placing them in second, third, and fourth grade. In school, students at this level are very familiar with English. The second and third graders know an abundance of vocabulary terms and phrases. My one fourth grader was even able to conjugate regular verbs in the past, present, and future tenses, something that most fifth and sixth graders in Spain have a hard time with. Because of their high level, we focused on improving all aspects of language - speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Photo of Fernando (8) fooling around at a tutoring session in Atocha, Madrid.
Student Motivation
Student Motivation
My primary-aged tutoring students had a low level of intrinsic motivation to learn English. The only reason they were enrolled in tutoring classes with me was because their parents wanted them to advance further and faster than their peers at school. These types of parents want their children to attend good universities, preferrably a bilingual or English-speaking one, so these classes were of utmost importance for them. For the students though, this focus was not so much the case. Most of them would've preferred to spend our hour in tutoring playing games on my computer and phone.
My primary-aged tutoring students had a low level of intrinsic motivation to learn English. The only reason they were enrolled in tutoring classes with me was because their parents wanted them to advance further and faster than their peers at school. These types of parents want their children to attend good universities, preferrably a bilingual or English-speaking one, so these classes were of utmost importance for them. For the students though, this focus was not so much the case. Most of them would've preferred to spend our hour in tutoring playing games on my computer and phone.
We had lots of fun during our sessions, but I didn't allow them to play our usual English games until they finished either their homework or the work that I brought for them to practice. Their inability to focus on their grammar work for the first half of our class sometimes led to me taking away game time and spending more time on reading or writing. Though once students understood that they could play any English game once they completed their work, they focused and sometimes even got their work done much faster than I anticipated!
We had lots of fun during our sessions, but I didn't allow them to play our usual English games until they finished either their homework or the work that I brought for them to practice. Their inability to focus on their grammar work for the first half of our class sometimes led to me taking away game time and spending more time on reading or writing. Though once students understood that they could play any English game once they completed their work, they focused and sometimes even got their work done much faster than I anticipated!
Photo of Carmen (9) doing her homework at a tutoring session in Chamberi, Madrid.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Methods
I tailored my tutoring sessions to implement aspects of English that the parents requested we work on during our weekly sessions. More specifically, each of my students was at a roughly different level of English than one another, so I planned particular lessons for every student and session. Although time consuming, I was able to spend my time on the metro to and from classes planning lessons, creating exercises, and discovering new activities and games for every level.
I tailored my tutoring sessions to implement aspects of English that the parents requested we work on during our weekly sessions. More specifically, each of my students was at a roughly different level of English than one another, so I planned particular lessons for every student and session. Although time consuming, I was able to spend my time on the metro to and from classes planning lessons, creating exercises, and discovering new activities and games for every level.
For my second graders, we focused on learning new vocabulary through games, and reading sentences with regular present tense verbs. Together we chose weekly discussion topics to practice conversation and even prepared skits to practice listening and speaking. My third and fourth graders did equivalent work, but their grammar and reading exerecises were at higher levels. One of my fourth graders was even able to read, write, and comprehend almost all verb tenses in English, so our grammar and reading exercises were much more advanced.
For my second graders, we focused on learning new vocabulary through games, and reading sentences with regular present tense verbs. Together we chose weekly discussion topics to practice conversation and even prepared skits to practice listening and speaking. My third and fourth graders did equivalent work, but their grammar and reading exerecises were at higher levels. One of my fourth graders was even able to read, write, and comprehend almost all verb tenses in English, so our grammar and reading exercises were much more advanced.
Besides the lessons I planned for students, we did homework and studied for English exams in school. Since all of my tutoring students were enrolled in bilingual schools, these sessions included studying for mathematics, social sciences, and earth sciences in English too. By highlighting what they learned in school and adding on to it with new content at tutoring, students were able to each progress in their individual language learning experiences. This study approach helped them continue to get ahead of their peers and prepare for high school, where they will begin studying for college entry exams in English.
Besides the lessons I planned for students, we did homework and studied for English exams in school. Since all of my tutoring students were enrolled in bilingual schools, these sessions included studying for mathematics, social sciences, and earth sciences in English too. By highlighting what they learned in school and adding on to it with new content at tutoring, students were able to each progress in their individual language learning experiences. This study approach helped them continue to get ahead of their peers and prepare for high school, where they will begin studying for college entry exams in English.
Photo at Temple de Debod, Madrid.
Lesson Materials
Lesson Materials
Like with my toddler students, I brought many lesson materials with me to my primary tutoring sessions. I always travelled with flashcard games like "Go Fish", "Memory", and "Dobble", and "Connect Four" and oftentimes brought my laptop for computer games. These games were helpful in teaching vocabulary either that I introduced to my students or that they brought home from school. After we finished that day's work, my primary students loved playing English games on my computer and phone. I downloaded many different vocabulary, grammar, speaking, and reading games for students to play at the end of each session with me. Some games we played included Jeopardy, Hangman, and Wordscapes. Some of their own games that they insisted we play at the end of sessions included Monopoly, Operation, and Chess.
Like with my toddler students, I brought many lesson materials with me to my primary tutoring sessions. I always travelled with flashcard games like "Go Fish", "Memory", and "Dobble", and "Connect Four" and oftentimes brought my laptop for computer games. These games were helpful in teaching vocabulary either that I introduced to my students or that they brought home from school. After we finished that day's work, my primary students loved playing English games on my computer and phone. I downloaded many different vocabulary, grammar, speaking, and reading games for students to play at the end of each session with me. Some games we played included Jeopardy, Hangman, and Wordscapes. Some of their own games that they insisted we play at the end of sessions included Monopoly, Operation, and Chess.
I also traveled with grammar packets and English workbooks that I was able to borrow from my school. I had workbooks for every primary level and although we didn't always work out of them, they were great for learning new vocabulary, reading more passages with unfamiliar content, and jumping to the next level.
I also traveled with grammar packets and English workbooks that I was able to borrow from my school. I had workbooks for every primary level and although we didn't always work out of them, they were great for learning new vocabulary, reading more passages with unfamiliar content, and jumping to the next level.
Many of my students also supplied their own lesson materials for our classes. Students brought their English homework and workbooks home from school to complete in tutoring with me. They also supplied English books at their individual reading levels from school that we used for reading practice.
Many of my students also supplied their own lesson materials for our classes. Students brought their English homework and workbooks home from school to complete in tutoring with me. They also supplied English books at their individual reading levels from school that we used for reading practice.
Photo of twin brothers, Fernando (8) and Pablo (8), playing "Memory" during tutoring in Atocha, Madrid.
Conclusions
Conclusions
My tutoring sessions with my primary students were always the highlight of my days in Madrid. These students loved my company and always eagerly opened their apartment doors for me upon my arrival. They were thrilled at the idea of having a foreigner in their house and loved having someone to speak English with at home. At this age, my tutoring students were able to hold concrete conversations in English and we had fun talking and listening to one another during tutoring. They updated me about what they did in school that week and what they did with their families over the weekend. I learned a great deal from my primary students, easily making them my favorite to tutor!
My tutoring sessions with my primary students were always the highlight of my days in Madrid. These students loved my company and always eagerly opened their apartment doors for me upon my arrival. They were thrilled at the idea of having a foreigner in their house and loved having someone to speak English with at home. At this age, my tutoring students were able to hold concrete conversations in English and we had fun talking and listening to one another during tutoring. They updated me about what they did in school that week and what they did with their families over the weekend. I learned a great deal from my primary students, easily making them my favorite to tutor!
Photo of Carmen (9) doing her grammar exercises during tutoring in Chamberi, Madrid.
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