Apart from being aÌýgreat hobbyÌýand funÌýactivity, it can help children improve in many areas of their lives through developingÌýkey transferrable skills. Reading in their native language and English can bring a whole range of benefits. To engage everyone, they mustÌýunderstand the benefits themselves.Ìý Ìý
Ask your students why it's important and create a mind map of ideas. You may alsoÌýwish to use some of the points below to start the conversation. Having a common idea that everyone agrees on can help build motivation and engagement in the classroom.Ìý
Regular reading develops children’s linguistic skills – it helps them learn goodÌýsentence structure, grammar, vocabulary andÌýimprovesÌýspelling in their own language and in the English language too. Reading aloudÌýalso strengthensÌýknowledge of phonics and improvesÌýpronunciationÌýand articulation.ÌýÌý
It can help to develop knowledge of phonics and vocabularyÌýrecall and improve focus and concentrationÌý– all necessary skills when learning a language.Ìý
Books help kids’ imaginations to growÌýandÌýencourage them to beÌýmore open-minded. TheyÌýhelp us to learn about other cultures and encourage us to think more creatively. Through subtle messages,ÌýreadingÌýbuildsÌýanÌýawareness of the world in which we live andÌýenablesÌýchildren to formÌýtheir ownÌýopinionsÌýand ask questions.Ìý
Stories help to develop children’s emotional intelligenceÌýandÌýempathy towardsÌýothers. ExploringÌýtopics and characters allows them to learn aboutÌýreal-world situationsÌýand think about how they would feelÌýinÌýsomebody else’s shoes. It encouragesÌýrespect for others’ feelingsÌýas well asÌýotherÌýcultures.ÌýÌý
It is a great way toÌýcalm the mind and help us relax and destress. Children can learn to use it as a helpful tool in their day-to-day lives.ÌýÌýÌý
Children develop their confidence, communication, resilience, patience, social skills and connectÌýwith the wider world, cultureÌýand communities.Ìý
So how do we motivate our young learnersÌý(even our most reluctant readers)Ìýto develop a passion for reading?Ìý
Well-known adaptationsÌýcan remove barriers, support and encourage students’ imagination,ÌýandÌýsparkÌýa genuine interest. TheyÌýgive purpose and relevance to the students as most students have watched a movieÌýat some point in their lives and most students have aÌýfavorite movieÌýor character.ÌýÌý
There are plenty of English Readers to choose fromÌý– if the students can choose their own readers, they will likely be more motivated and focused. Choice gives the students power and makes it more relevant to them. Ask your students to choose theirÌýfavorite movieÌýandÌýhave a vote as a class. Get to know your students, find out what interests them, and base yourÌýbook choice around this.Ìý
To motivate students, theyÌýmust know that they areÌýmaking progress. Reward students for their achievements – for example,ÌýcreateÌýa vocabulary wall orÌýa class book chart and give rewardsÌýlikeÌýaÌýstickerÌýorÌýa postcardÌýto takeÌýhome.Ìý
Ìý
Here are five practical, fun ideas on how to further motivate your learners and engage them in reading both in and outside the classroom.
Making aÌýbookmarkÌýis a fun way to get children into the habit of reading more regularly. If they have their own bookmark, then they are more likelyÌýto want to pick up a book and read it. In the activity, the children can make their ownÌýbookmarkÌýbased on theirÌýfavoriteÌýbook as well asÌýdraw a picture of theirÌýfavoriteÌýscene.
There’s space for them to write about theirÌýfavoriteÌýcharacter and any new words they have learned. TheÌýbookmarkÌýthen becomes not only a way toÌýfind your page butÌýitÌýcanÌýalsoÌýhelp kids engage in English conversations about the stories and make them feel like they are making progress.
A mindÌýmap is an activity that helps children to understand andÌýanalyzeÌýwhat is happening in the book they have just read. ItÌýis a great way to show their understanding of the story clearly. It could also be usedÌýfor doingÌýa short presentation on the book orÌýfor helping toÌýwrite a short paragraph about it.ÌýÌý
This activity is creative and asks the children to choose theirÌýfavoriteÌýreader. They then use their imagination to write a short story about what happens next. They can place charactersÌýin a completely different story of their ownÌýand send them off on a new, exciting adventureÌýor decide what happens next in the original story.
Writing stories like this helps young people to explore their ideas, express their creativity and reinforceÌýsentence structure, vocabulary and grammar at the same time.
Motivate childrenÌýby giving them clear and achievable goals. Asking them to fill in a passport as they read a new book is a fun way to encourage them.
Each book allows each child to enter a different world andÌýonce they have visited each place, they complete a new page in the passport and receive a stamp.ÌýYou could even make this a class competition to see who can fill in the passport pages the quickest.
Ask the children to choose theirÌýfavoriteÌýcharacter and produce aÌýmovieÌýposterÌýon that person. Ask the students to draw a picture andÌýwriteÌýkey details about the character, such as name, age, physical appearance and interests. This activity motivates the students as seeing theirÌýfavoriteÌýcharacter in a different context can be entertaining and engaging.
With these simple activities, you can make reading a more enjoyable experience, as well as helping with learning English for kids and developing their overall reading skills.ÌýÌý
As demographic shifts and technological advancements reshape the global workforce, the gap between the skills people have and the skills they need continues to widen. This "skills chasm" is particularly evident in language learning, where traditional education systems often fail to keep pace with the demands of the modern economy.
With the continuous evolution of AI tools, it has become more critical to incorporate AI into our teaching practices. AI has the transformative power to improve our teaching methods, tailor learning experiences, and increase student engagement.
To give you a taste of our webinar 'Teaching in the age of AI: 7 tips for preparing for an educational evolution'. We'll cover seven tips designed to prepare you for an educational evolution with AI.
The first step in integrating AI into your teaching practice is deciding your approach. Are you an AI methodologist who practices based on theory or an AI experimentalist who develops theory based on practice? Both paths are valid, but it's crucial to choose one to avoid inertia. Understanding AI's basics and experimenting with different tools will help you find your footing.
AI should be seen as a thought partner and assistant, not a replacement. Use AI to enhance your creativity and efficiency. For example, if you're stuck on creating a warm-up activity, ask AI for ideas. Treat AI as a helpful assistant to handle tasks you find time-consuming or less enjoyable, allowing you to focus on what you love about teaching.
Understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is essential. AI learns from the data we provide, so it's crucial to feed it accurate and relevant information. Developing empathy for AI means understanding how it processes information and how to give clear instructions to get the best results.
AI can help cover all aspects of language learning, including:
Move beyond simple substitution and augmentation of tasks with AI. Aim for modification and redefinition of your teaching methods. For instance, use AI to create interactive and personalized learning experiences that were previously unimaginable.
AI offers new teaching possibilities that break away from traditional constraints. Embrace these opportunities to redefine your pedagogy. Think about what is now possible with AI that wasn't before and how you can leverage these capabilities to enhance learning.
Use AI to develop formative assessments that provide continuous feedback. These assessments should help students understand their progress and guide you in improving your teaching strategies. AI can generate rubrics, provide instant feedback, and help track student performance over time.
To help you integrate AI into your teaching practice, here are some practical tips and challenges:
1. Experiment with AI tools: Find tools for creating text, audio, images, and video. Create activities using these tools to see how they can enhance your lessons.
2. Develop custom AI applications: Create custom GPTs for specific tasks, such as generating rubrics or formative assessments.
3. Engage students with AI: Design activities where students use AI to generate content, evaluate AI-generated work, and reflect on their learning process.
4. Focus on formative feedback: Use AI to provide continuous, formative feedback to students, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Integrating AI into your teaching practice is not just about using new tools; it's about transforming your approach to education. By embracing AI, you can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for your students. As you embark on this journey, remember that the goal is to enhance your teaching, not replace it. Embrace the challenges, experiment with new ideas, and let AI help you become the best educator you can be.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of AI in education? Watch our webinar, 'Teaching in the Age of AI: 7 Tips for Preparing for an Educational Evolution'. Discover how AI can augment teaching, personalize learning, and boost engagement. Delve into the AI-first pedagogy, ethical considerations and practical strategies to make your classroom more effective, engaging, and innovative.
Engaging in conversations, especially in a language that isn't your first, can sometimes be daunting. Whether English isn’t your first language or you’re just looking to improve your conversational skills, having a few handy phrases up your sleeve can make a world of difference. Here are seven essential phrases that can help you navigate conversations in English with greater ease and confidence.
