Some people believe learning only happens when children are sitting still and listening to a teacher. They feel that games waste classroom time. Actually the opposite is often true, especially for younger learners. In my years as a teacher, I’ve found that learning through fun and games builds skills in three essential areas: Physical Early learners explore their surroundings through touch. It is important… Read More
Like all parents, mine have always wanted the best for me. When I was young, they gave me stimulating toys to play with. If I got upset looking for a certain Lego brick, they found it for me. As a tutor, I can see how natural it is to want to help children, but this can remove an important aspect of the learning journey. Recently,… Read More
In one of my favourite Pre School English L4 classes, there are five little five-year-olds. They’re wonderful students. One little boy, who I’ll call Sammy, always struggled to focus on our lesson materials, he could gaze attentively at the cars and people outside. He sometimes counted the number of vehicles and named their makes, models and colours; he even commented on what the pedestrians… Read More
When I was small, I read lots of stories without much supervision or guidance. It was a fun way to read, but it wasn’t the most effective. My mum was lovely but very busy, and she also lacked confidence in her storytelling abilities. I wish she had read more with me, so that I could have more memories now of the pleasure of that experience. Read More
Every parent tries to give the best to their child. But what does ‘the best’ really mean? Is it the best according to society? Or the best for your child? It can be a difficult to decide what the ‘best’ means for your family when it comes to schools. I face the same situation regarding these schools every year. It’s always great to help i-Learner’s… Read More
