Everyone knows that teaching English as a second language using only a textbook is a thing of the past. Nowadays, children are bombarded daily with thousands of pieces of information, advertisements, videos, and images. In the virtual age of the 21st century, the need to modify how we capture learners’ attention is increasing. Beloved course books are put aside, and our creativity is activated to find or prepare the best teaching aids.
Good morning! How are things?
Everyone knows that teaching English as a second language using only a textbook is a thing of the past. Nowadays, children are bombarded daily with thousands of pieces of information, advertisements, videos, and images. In the virtual age of the 21st century, the need to modify how we capture learners’ attention is increasing. Beloved course books are put aside, and our creativity is activated to find or prepare the best teaching aids.
To assist you on this manual and intellectual path, we have prepared a “basket of inspiration” filled with various educational tools to make any class more enjoyable. Bon appétit!
Maps
Creating maps of all kinds is a fantastic way to engage children in learning English. You can prepare maps in advance or create them together with your learners. Maps help you to explore a particular topic more closely and enhance the process of remembering new information.
Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a method developed by two British scientists aiming to improve the way we gather information. It involves writing down a central thought and surrounding it with related ideas. The process of creating and recalling from a mind map significantly enhances learning.
Mood Board
A mood board is a board of inspiration that can include not only words but also pictures, newspaper clippings, or materials that aid in completing a particular project. Creating a mood board stimulates creativity and encourages lively discussions.
Images
Using photos, pictures, or graphics is incredibly helpful when explaining complex issues related to grammar or vocabulary. Additionally, pictures encourage discussion and help break language barriers. Younger learners develop their language skills by describing what they see in the photos. A great way to engage learners is to use images of famous people, which can stimulate many topics of conversation. A popular new picture game is “Memes,” which involves coming up with a witty, intelligent, or funny comment relevant to the situation shown in the picture. However, we recommend creating your own commentaries, as those available in stores are sometimes inappropriate.
Presentations
Presentations have been around for years, but their use in the classroom remains invaluable because they:
- Significantly facilitate the introduction of even complicated topics;
- Their interactivity captures the attention of even the most jaded students;
- The information presented is easy to remember.
Moreover, older learners can be involved in making the presentations. Leading a presentation gives students the opportunity to understand the topic more thoroughly and experience speaking in front of a group.
Audios
Audios can take many forms, including:
- Podcasts
- Songs
- Videos
- Conversations
- Short films
- Recordings
Each of these is a perfect way to enliven classes.
We hope the teaching aids presented here will become your best friends during many classes. We wish you unforgettable emotions and learning experiences! Developing children’s language skills can be an adventure for you too. Just find the fun in it!
In our ENmaven program, we provide English worksheets and lesson plans for teachers that are extremely useful for conducting lessons easily and effectively. Check them out!