Did you watch TEFL International’s webinar on useful tips for teaching ESL to children? If you missed it, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Here are some key takeaways from the webinar.

Incorporate hands-on activities into lessons

When teaching online, it can be difficult for children to focus. Keep their attention by incorporating hands-on activities into your lessons. When possible, sing songs, play games, and use flashcards. Get your students moving. Encourage them to get up and stretch, walk around, or dance if they’re feeling up for it!

Try not to talk for long periods of time

When teaching children, be mindful of how long you talk for. Avoid losing the attention of your young learners by not talking for long periods of time. Instead, break up your lesson with different activities and always have a few extra activities planned in case your students need a break.

Interact with your students and have your students interact with each other

Get your students talking. Involve them in your lessons by interacting with them. Make it a goal to speak individually with each child once per class. Have your young learners work in groups and in pairs whenever possible too.

Review the material with your students

Young learners typically need more review than adults. Review the material with your students each class to make sure they understand the content. Make connections between new material learned and past material learned. Create meaning and show how the information relates to one other. Try to create connections between the material and your student's lives.

Praise your students

Students learn better when they are motivated and feel at ease. Encourage your students and build them up at every opportunity!

Teachers, do you have tips for teaching young learners? Let us know in the comments below!