How to learn English for 7 year olds. English for children from scratch with online tutorials

Your child has started learning English - at school, with a tutor, in courses. You feel that he needs to be helped, but you don’t know how - you yourself have never learned English. It's time to start doing it together! We will tell you how to effectively learn words, where you can listen to English speech and what books to read.

Parents often turn to me with the question: how to help their child learn English? This is especially worrisome for parents who have not studied the language themselves.

So, the first rule is to stop being afraid of an unfamiliar language, since this fear is transmitted to children. The second rule is to believe in yourself and turn even short joint lessons into an exciting game. The main thing is that classes bring pleasure. I am sure that any parent, even those who do not speak a foreign language, can help their child learn the language, giving it no more than half an hour on a working day and about an hour on a weekend.

Let's look at the language learning scheme in blocks, which is used in preparation for international English, as well as in preparation for the Unified State Examination. Knowledge in the exams is tested in 4 skills: speaking, listening (listening), reading and writing.

Ability to speak English

I believe that the most important thing in the ability to speak is vocabulary. Even without knowing the grammatical rules, but having a large vocabulary, you can convey your idea to the interlocutor. Therefore, first of all it is necessary learn words. To study words, I recommend making special cards. The list of words can be taken from a school textbook or, for example, on the website of the Cambridge University Examination Board, in the section corresponding to the current level. The very first level, for which children aged 8-11 can already take an exam, is called Young Learner Starters.

If you do not have much time, then you can make cards by writing a word in Russian on one side, and in English on the other. But if you allocate at least an hour a week and approach the issue creatively, you can turn the process of making cards into an element of learning and an interesting activity. How to do it?

For each word from the list, together with the student, find a picture on the Internet. Then you print out the finished sheet, and while you cut it into cards, ask the child to write an English word on the back of each picture. While you are preparing this manual together, he is already memorizing a large number of words.

This training is best done on one of the weekends. For a week you will need 20-30 words, that is, it will take no more than an hour to make cards. You will need to deal with them 2-3 times a week.

There are a few things to keep in mind when learning words with flashcards. First, you do not need to "cram" the words. You lay out the cards with pictures (or Russian text) up. If the student remembers the word and calls it correctly, you turn the card upside down in English. If he doesn’t call, then turn it over too, but put it in another pile. Then you do the same in the other direction (translating from English into Russian) until all the words in both directions are pronounced correctly.

The next time you learn words (in a few days), you add 10 more to the old cards, thereby repeating previously learned words and mastering new ones. Gradually, well-learned words can be put aside and returned to them in 2-3 months.

Another option is make loto. Create several playing fields with pictures (say, 8 pictures per field) and cards with words in English. You can play this lotto together. Thus, in one game you can learn up to 16 words.

If you do not know English and are not sure that the child pronounces the words correctly, then at the time of checking, you can sit down at the computer, open an online translator and listen to how the desired word sounds.

If you teach 2 times a week for 10 words, then in a month you can master 80-100 words. Of course, these words will not immediately enter the active vocabulary, but necessary minimum- 350-400 words - quite achievable. Namely, this number of words is required for the basic vocabulary necessary for everyday communication. (For your information, it is estimated that, on average, native speakers use between 3,000 and 5,000 words.)

This exercise will require no more than 20 minutes a day(with verification in the online translator - up to 30 minutes).

Letter in English

Once a week I recommend conducting a vocabulary dictation on the words that you have learned. If you are not sure about your pronunciation, you can dictate a word in Russian and ask your child to write it in English, and then repeat the written words and check the pronunciation with a computer translator. You can also diversify the activities: invite the child to dictate words to you.

It usually takes no more than 10 minutes (20 minutes with verification).

English listening comprehension

To learn to perceive English speech, you need to listen to it. On the Internet you can find a huge number of cartoons in English. It is better to start with simple English songs (nursery rhymes songs) - for example, "Old Macdonald had a farm", "Mary had a little lamb", "London bridge is falling down" and others. You can find lyrics through a search engine, and then When viewing stories with these songs on Youtube, invite the child to sing along to the heroes, while holding the lyrics in front of him.

At the very beginning of training, it is better to master one verse at a time. Then gradually remove the text and ask the child to repeat without a piece of paper. If it doesn't work right away, you can also find the so-called ABC songs on Youtube. In these stories, the child sees and hears how individual words are pronounced, gets used to English speech. And besides, this will prepare him for reading, as it will allow him to remember what the letters are called and what sounds they convey.

This activity can be assigned 2 times a week for 30 minutes.

Reading in English

Unfortunately, many modern children have problems reading not only in English, but also in Russian. First of all, the content of the book should be interesting to the child.

It must be adapted literature. Now in bookstores there are a huge number of children's books in English for different levels of proficiency. For beginners to learn a language, this is the Easystarts level. If the child has already mastered the initial stage, you can move on to books at the Beginner level. Usually at the end of the books there are tables showing the degree of complexity of the texts.

One way that children enjoy is reading and role-playing. You can even buy a collection of simple plays. For those parents who do not speak English, the following can be suggested: have the child help translate the parental role, so that the parent can then play it.

This can be done at least 45 minutes once a week.

Thus, the daily learning process will turn into an exciting and useful joint pastime. English language ceases to be something unfamiliar and incomprehensible, but becomes the language of games. In addition, parents who have never studied English before will also be able to master the initial level. It is only important that the classes are systematic.

Of course, learning English requires much more effort, but if you help your child overcome the initial stage, fall in love with English classes, this will be the key to successful learning in the future. So invent, invent and good luck to you.

Every parent wants the best for their child. And many adults believe that children definitely need to learn foreign languages ​​- this will bring great benefits. Moreover, some parents are simply obsessed with the idea of ​​​​starting training as early as possible. In this article, we will tell you from what age, where and how to start teaching your child English, as well as how to do it right at home.

At what age should a child be taught English?

When is the best time to start teaching your child English? To put it bluntly, there is no exact answer to this question. Each child is individual, so it is almost impossible to designate a “universal age” for starting education. We will look at two options, their pros and cons. In addition, you will see the expert opinions of our teachers on this subject, they are based on their personal experience After all, these teachers are mothers themselves. You know your child well, so you can decide which of these options is right for you.

Theory number 1. The child should be taught English as early as possible

Adherents of this theory say that children from birth to 5-6 years old easily learn any language. They learn their native language in a natural way, without any schools, so they can learn English in the same way.

Advantages of this approach:

  1. Child learns language unconsciously
    Parents believe that kids learn English as a native language, that is, they simply listen passively, and then reproduce words and phrases in their own speech. By the age of 7, any child is fluent in Russian, despite the fact that he does not understand what “subject”, “noun”, “present tense”, etc. no rules.
  2. The kid is not afraid to speak
    A child at this age is less afraid of making a mistake than an adult, so children are more courageous in using the language they are learning. Babies do not have a language barrier, because they are more direct and less clamped than adults. They just say what they want, regardless of their pronunciation or mistakes in speech. Adults correct these mistakes, and gradually the child gets used to speaking in correct sentences.
  3. Children have a good memory
    There is a theory that by the age of 5, everyone has above average language abilities because children memorize words and phrases faster. They, like parrots, repeat everything they hear, and literally grasp new words for themselves on the fly. Remember, probably, every adult had such an embarrassment: you say some not very good word in front of a child, and he (well, as luck would have it!) instantly remembers it and begins to use it in his speech. If, instead of bad words in Russian, a child is offered good ones in English, he will remember them just as quickly.
  4. It is easier for the child to develop good pronunciation
    There is also an opinion that it is easier for a child to learn to pronounce the sounds of English speech correctly, because the onomatopoeic abilities of children are at an increased level. The child quickly learns to pronounce all the sounds mother tongue just like an adult says. Similarly, he will learn to pronounce the sounds of English speech: quickly and correctly.

Drawbacks of this approach:

  1. Need a language environment
    Learning "naturally" is possible only if you create a suitable language environment or stay in it. That is, the child must hear English speech from others every day. This is possible if he lives abroad, one of the parents constantly speaks English or the child has an English-speaking nanny. Remember, in the XVIII-XIX centuries. in Russia, representatives of the high society knew French even better than Russian. And all because in those days it was customary to invite governesses and tutors from France.
  2. The danger of rote learning
    The kid still does not know his native language well, he pronounces sentences on the "machine", but does not understand how the words "work" with each other. In addition, many kids have a small vocabulary of the Russian language, and if a child does not understand what a “kite” or “lilac” is in their native language, then they will not understand it in English either. Rote English phrases- not the most effective method of learning a language. Think about it, maybe it's worth waiting until the child grows up and learns English consciously.
  3. Difficulty creating the right mood
    For a child preschool age the right attitude is important both at home and in the classroom, and creating it is not easy. So, the child learns by playing, so at home you will need to “play English”. In addition, you will need to find a teacher who will be able to teach the child through the game and instill in him a love for learning the language. This is not easy to do: not every teacher knows how to teach children, and some teachers even discourage learning foreign languages ​​for a long time.
  4. The risk of spoiling the pronunciation of Russian sounds
    Some speech therapists believe that learning English sounds can cause poor pronunciation of Russians. That is, speech therapists do not recommend learning English until the child has a good pronunciation of the sounds of his native language.

The opinions of our teachers on the question "At what age is it better to teach English to a child?"

Experience as a teacher: 9 years

Experience with Englex: 4 years

I would say that a child can start learning English from birth, if mom and dad are of different nationalities and, accordingly, initially the family speaks two (and sometimes three) languages.

My daughter began to show interest in various videos with songs and rhymes in English from the age of 2.5 (naturally, it was I who chose and offered them for her). She immediately chose certain ones and then simply demanded to turn them on 20-30 times in a row. Just a couple of weeks later, I started singing them. At this age, children are able to absorb new words and pronunciation at an astonishing rate. But, naturally, the time came when she got tired of all her favorite videos in English, she became interested in cartoons in Russian, and the viewing time, of course, increased. And now, when she is already 5, I tried to turn on the same videos for her, she immediately recognized the picture, the motive and even sang excerpts, but she could no longer reproduce completely, as before. Which again confirms to everyone for a long time known fact: without constant practice, the language is forgotten.

It seems to me that the earlier a child is at least simply introduced to a new language (and this is the task of parents initially), the easier it will be for him to learn it in the future. The desire of the child himself is also very important, parents need to catch the moment when the child himself becomes interested and asks. And do not try to impose at an early age what they are not interested in, because then the result will be negative.

As for the direct study of the language as an activity, then, probably, from the age of 3-4, children can be sent to courses, but always in a group, and not individually (this is my subjective opinion, of course). At the same time, it is worth weighing all the pros and cons very well, given the nature of the child, his readiness to learn and communicate with new peers and the teacher. The first experience is the most important!

Experience as a teacher: 8 years

Experience with Englex: 1 year

I can not say that I am an expert, but this topic is close to me. My first education is a teacher elementary school, specialization - English. In addition, my son is now 1 year and 9 months old, so the development of speech is an important topic for us.

You can start teaching a language from the cradle, because that's what happens in bilingual families. And the result is magnificent - the child speaks two languages, as if they were native. But this, of course, is an exceptional option. I chose “do no harm” as the most important principle for myself, that is:

  • not to torture the child and not cause negativity in relation to the language;
  • not to disturb the psyche and the process of speech development in the native language.

Therefore, until recently, the son did not come into contact with English in any special way. Only when my son was about one and a half and I was convinced that he was developed, sociable, cheerful and already speaking phrases in his native language, I allowed myself to add nursery rhymes, cartoons and songs in English to our “diet”. All this he still perceives very positively! This is from personal experience.

If we return to the general, then I would advise parents, in addition to the principle of “do no harm”, to find an opportunity for the child to come into contact with the language in approximately the same way as it happens with the native, that is, at first passively and naturally. Up to 6-8 years old, I would recommend only counting rhymes, songs, cartoons and games with parents or in language clubs. It is also important to remember that the pronunciation in these audio and video or the teacher must be at the level. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to correct the memorized! Naturally, there can be no question of any writing and grammar with such crumbs.

When can you start teaching a child a language consciously, albeit fun, but still systematically and with some kind of analytical techniques? - an individual question. There are children who are more assiduous and less assiduous, someone begins to talk at the age of one and a half, and someone at three is laconic. There are many nuances, and first of all, parents themselves need to carefully assess what their child is now ready for.

Thus, teaching a child English from infancy is worth it if:

  1. You live or are going to live in an English-speaking country, and the child simply needs to know the language to communicate with others.
  2. At home, someone constantly speaks English: one of the parents, grandmother, nanny. In this case, the child will also realize why he needs to learn something - to talk with this person.
  3. You can unobtrusively and interestingly present knowledge to the baby without harm to your native language or you have found a tutor who knows how to do this.

Theory number 2. The child should be taught English no earlier than from the age of 7

Adherents of this opinion believe that foreign languages ​​​​should be taught at a conscious age, and not torment the baby with words incomprehensible to him. Supporters of learning from the age of 7 agree that a child up to 5-6 years old easily learns the language that he constantly hears, that is, Russian. If the child is not in an English-speaking country or his parents do not speak English as often as they do Russian, then a foreign language will not be able to assimilate “on its own”, so it makes no sense to learn it before 7-8 years.

Advantages of this approach:

  1. The child gets used to learning
    At the age of 7 and older, the child is already getting used to the regime, because he goes to school. Children become more organized and able to study, do homework, listen to the teacher, etc.
  2. The child is already fluent in his native language
    School-age children have a wide vocabulary and are fluent in Russian. For example, a child understands that when meeting, one should greet, introduce himself, ask a stranger to introduce himself, so such phrases in English will not raise questions for him. In addition, the child knows a lot of Russian words, so these words in English will be clear to him.
  3. The child usually has a pronunciation
    By the age of 7, the child will already have formed the pronunciation of the sounds of his native language, so he will not confuse them with English sounds. Moreover, at this age, the child still has good phonemic abilities, so he can quickly learn how to pronounce the sounds of foreign speech correctly.
  4. Children are easier to motivate
    At this age, children are already acquiring their first hobbies and interests, so you can offer your child an exciting “bonus system” for which he will learn the language. In addition, at this age, you can already find advantages for your child in learning English: the ability to watch cartoons in the original, read interesting fairy tales and stories, play online games in English, etc. Find something that will captivate your child. child, and you do not have to drag him to the next English class by force.
  5. There are many courses for children
    Finding courses for children from 7 years old will be quite simple: they are already used to focusing on the subject being studied, again, the child has interests, the teacher can build lessons based on them. With children under 7 years old, it is a little more difficult: it is not easy to attract and hold the attention of a small child, it is even more difficult to get him to do something consciously. Finding the right approach to teaching a baby is very difficult, not every teacher will be able to do this, so you can spend a lot of time looking for the “right” teacher.
  6. It is easy for a child to overcome the language barrier
    Children at this age are not afraid to make mistakes, they willingly carry on a dialogue with the teacher, they do not think about the accent. That is, at 7-8 years old it is not at all too late to start studying foreign language- You will have time to prevent the appearance of a language barrier.

Drawbacks of this approach:

  1. Difficulty remembering new words
    Compared to toddlers, children over the age of 7 have a slightly more difficult time memorizing new words. On the other hand, at this age the child learns everything consciously, that is, he understands well what this or that word means and how it can be used.
  2. Less time to learn a language
    Some students are loaded with large amounts of homework, so there is very little time left for English. However, you can also find a way out of this situation: enroll your child in courses where they give very little homework, and the training takes place in a playful way - so your child will take a break from school.

The opinions of our teachers on the question "At what age should a child be taught English?"

Experience as a teacher: 9 years

Experience with Englex: 2 years

I think that from the age of 7 you can start teaching a child, because at this age children very quickly enrich their vocabulary of their native language, they actively communicate with their peers, learn to listen to them. The child already has a fairly large stock of knowledge about the world around him. Therefore, there are no difficulties in learning new words of the English language if the child already has an idea about this subject or concept.

Experience as a teacher: 12 years

Experience with Englex: 2 years

My personal conclusion: if there is time and opportunity, then why not send the child to a language studio with early age. However, do not wait for him to suddenly speak. it general development, a liability that can shoot in the future. If it is worth highlighting priority classes, I would give preference to the development of motor skills, music, aesthetic and physical development, and from the age of 6-7 I connected the study of languages. I now mean the majority of children who learn the language in "artificial" conditions, without constant daily contact with it, regular immersion in the environment while traveling, etc.

I see many examples early learning language. The examples are really different. There are children who come after many years of training from the age of 3, and they do not hold a group lesson with children of their age, with whom we have been working for the second year. It happens that in the process they adapt quite quickly and surpass the rest. And it happens that they lag behind or simply remain at the level of other students.

As you can see, we found more advantages in the second approach, but it should be remembered that this is not a hard and fast rule. Each child is individual, so the final decision on what age is best to teach english child, only you have to accept.

Where to teach English to a child

So, you have made the decision to start teaching your child English. What to choose: homeschooling, courses or private lessons? Let's figure it out.

Home schooling

Home schooling with a parent - best option for the baby. Therefore, if your child is not yet 4-5 years old, try to teach him at home. At the end of the article we will tell you how to do it.

However, you can teach your child English at home only on the condition that you yourself know the language at least at an intermediate level and use fun learning methods. The child is just beginning to get acquainted with a new language, so it is important that this acquaintance is pleasant and interesting. You do not know English? You can try this option: you go to courses and begin to transfer your knowledge to the child. In this case, not only the child will benefit, but also you yourself. In our school, many adults learn the language for just this purpose: they want to teach children English, help with homework, etc. In addition, this allows us not to spend money on expensive tutors.

Teaching English in courses

At the age of 3-4 years, the child can be sent to a special Kindergarten or an early development center with English lessons, and after 7 years - for children's courses. At this age, it is important for children not only to learn English, but also to communicate with their peers at the same time, expand their social circle, fulfill interesting tasks in a competitive environment.

The main point that you should consider is the level of knowledge of the children in the group. It is important that all children know English in approximately the same way, otherwise the child may be uncomfortable in the classroom.

After the child reaches an average level of English, you can try to send him to a special language camp. This will be a great encouragement and good motivation to further study English, and it will also allow the child to make friends from different parts of the world.

Individual training

We do not recommend starting individual education for children under the age of 7. Firstly, it will be difficult for a stranger to attract and hold the attention of the baby. Secondly, a child may not be interested in such activities: it is one thing to learn a language with the same kids, and quite another - alone with someone else's aunt.

There are significant drawbacks to individual learning: you will need to take your child to a tutor or invite a teacher to your home, which creates certain inconveniences. However, they can be avoided, because there is an alternative - from the age of 9, the guys successfully begin to study. If you want your child to try this way of learning, sign them up for a free trial lesson. You will be present at this lesson and will be able to understand whether this way of learning is suitable for the child.

How to teach your child English at home

If you have at least an average knowledge of English and a great desire to teach your child English at home, you can try to study with him without the help of a teacher. We cannot recommend this method of teaching as the best, because only an experienced teacher knows how and in what sequence to present the material so that the lessons are effective. However, if you are going to teach the baby, then this is really the right decision: he will be more comfortable with his mother than with a cheerful, but still someone else's aunt. Recommendations on how to start learning English with a child:

1. Favorite thing

It depends on you whether the child will love English or whether each lesson will be perceived as hard labor. Therefore, do not impose anything on the child, find such exercises that he will perform with pleasure. Use a game form of learning, not lessons from textbooks. If you can’t get your kid interested in learning a language, then try to wait until he grows up.

2. Proper motivation

Adults talk about motivation all the time, but when it comes to teaching children, only the rule “the child will need this in the future, he’s just too young to understand it” is taken into account. Would you do anything if you were pointed to a vague future? And the child is all the more uninterested in hearing about some kind of " good education”, “career heights” and “prestigious jobs”. He wants to watch cartoons and eat ice cream with condensed milk. So define a learning goal that is appropriate for your child's age. For example, watch the most interesting cartoons and play games in English, read the newest English-language fairy tales that are not translated into Russian, etc. You will find more material on this topic, as well as the main motivation mistakes, in the article "".

3. Short lessons

It is difficult for a small student to sit out 45-60 minutes while studying English, so break the lesson into small "portions" of 10-15 minutes. A variety of exercises related to movements will also come to the rescue, for example, you pronounce a word in English, and the child performs the specified action. Also, change your activities: study words for 10 minutes, watch a cartoon for 10 minutes, sing a song for 5 minutes, etc.

4. Visual pictures

Surely young mothers have heard about Glen Doman's cards, and many have already used them. They are cardboard or plastic cards with drawn and signed objects. Exactly the same cards can be used to learn English words. You can write English words on ready-made Russian cards, or you can make a training set yourself. Find beautiful images of fruits, vegetables, animals, etc. on the Internet, print and sign. Children usually remember words easily by associating them with a picture. In addition, you can use the ready-made online dictionary in pictures on the site anglomaniacy.pl. You can also play vocabulary games at vocabulary.co.il. Your child will love the colorful pictures game form learning.

5. Useful games

How to teach a child English at home effortlessly? Today, even 2-year-olds are easy to manage with a tablet or laptop. They enjoy playing simple games and coloring pages. Such entertainment can be turned into a mini-lesson in English, just go to learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org and invite the child to play one of the proposed mini-games. This will not take much time and will allow you to learn a couple of useful words.

8. Favorite songs

It is probably difficult to find a kid who would not like to sing. The texts of children's songs "work" in the same way as poems: the child has fun, develops memory, and remembers useful words. Many simple songs for kids with lyrics and translations can be found on the websites kidsenglish.ru and english4kids.russianblogger.ru. If your child is still small, you can simply include these songs for him to listen to. In this case, children can listen to them without delving into the words and meaning of the text. So the baby will get used to the sound of foreign speech from childhood, and some psychologists believe that in this way the baby can even unconsciously memorize some words.

9. Tutorial videos

Educational videos for children are bright and interesting video lessons for the baby. Today on YouTube you can find dozens of channels with exciting and educational videos. We can recommend KidsTV123 and Busy Beavers.

10. Reading Rules

If your child already reads well in Russian, then it's time to move from passive listening to materials in English to reading. To begin with, you should teach the child the basic rules of reading, then he will have fewer questions about how to read a particular word.

Older children can already be offered to complete simple tasks, tests. It is important that the exercises are not too difficult and are presented as a game, then the child will not perceive them as another boring homework. Have him do the exercises at englishexercises.org or easygrammar4kids.

12. Simple tales and stories

Well, what child would refuse a bedtime story?! If you yourself speak English at least at an average level, you can read simple books to your child on your own, for example, kind and fascinating stories about Paddington Bear are written in simple language. And if you want the child to listen to the exemplary English pronunciation, you can try turning on the audiobook. There are free materials for kids at bookbox.com and storynory.com.

13. Good tutorial

So that the child does not associate the word “textbook” with a boring book, select materials suitable for his age and interests. Authentic manuals are best suited, that is, textbooks by English-speaking authors are completely in English. They are always logical, easy to use and designed in a visual and bright way to keep kids interested. Our teachers have developed a detailed table that will allow you to choose a textbook that is suitable for your child by age.

(*.pdf, 218 Kb)

We hope that our article on how to teach a child English was useful to you and you have already decided at what age and where to teach children foreign languages. Choose those exercises and materials that are interesting for your baby, and go for it. We wish you exciting and effective activities with your baby!

Greetings to all parents concerned about the upbringing and education of their children!

So, we, adults, could not tear our children away from the game ... They were so passionate about these truly educational toys that I came up with the idea to find the same ones so that my daughter would be happy with them, and I would have free time.

By the way, these toys can be safely used on initial stage introducing your toddler to English. How? Read my article and find out!

Today, more and more parents want their children to know a foreign language. It's even better if they learn it as early as possible. As a mother, I perfectly understand this desire and support it with my arms and legs! And as a teacher, more and more often I hear doubts, worries and hundreds of questions from familiar mothers, about what to do, how to do it, when to start, how to get interested, and many, many others.

So today I decided to make absolutely practical lesson. I want to answer every question I've ever been asked in the simplest possible way and give you a dozen great tips for you and your baby to choose your path of learning.

Everything is clear, understandable and on the shelves!

Shall we start?

  • The earlier the better! Scientists say that children remember information much faster than adults aged 2 to 9 years. From here you can easily answer the question of when to start teaching English to a child! The answer is simple - as soon as possible! From as early as possible, teach your child to speak English (). There are hundreds of ways to do this. Look for those that will work with your baby and the result will not keep you waiting! And how to teach children English - read on!
  • Divide the roles! Do you know how in Western countries children are made bilingual (that is, those who speak 2 languages ​​at once)? Parents share roles. If someone in the family can speak a foreign language, great, do it. Let the child get used to 2 languages ​​​​at once from childhood (). If no one in your family knows a foreign language, then this is another question. Well, then we will use other methods.
  • Include English in your daily life! In the event that you yourself do not speak English fluently, you can still learn a few phrases to help your baby at the initial stage. For example, you can start saying " good morning' instead of 'Good morning', ' good night" instead of "Good night", give him a toy and call it in English. Try to do this as often as possible. You will not have time to look back, as your child will begin to say to a passing car, “ a car».
  • Play with them. Girls' favorite game is "daughters-mothers", so imagine that the dolls came from another country and speak only English. Or a bunny jumped in to visit you (a helicopter flew in, a car from cartoons like "Robocar" arrived), which needs to be told what toys you have.
  • Interest! What I repeat from time to time: children should be interested! Get them interested interesting stories. Your baby probably does not even understand why he needs it at all, why someone can speak a different language, why he needs to do this. Explain it in an interesting way. Come up with a fairy tale about how countries and languages ​​were created. For example:

There were several wizard brothers. The brothers went in different directions, found land for themselves and began to settle there. They built houses for children, created various children's parks, invented new games that others did not have. Yes, they worked so hard that they forgot that they spoke the same language. And each brother appeared in the country with his own language. But millions of children different countries wanted to come to the country of their uncles. And therefore, to make it easier for them there, they learned the language of this country ...

Come up with such different fairy tales that will explain to the baby why he needs to learn something. Make it interesting for him and then you don't have to torment him and put pressure on him to study.

If you are a caring parent and are interested in the development of your child, then you may like one of my finds, which is not related to English, but can be a cool tool in classes with your fidgets. it name book ! It is printed individually for your child, and the idea in it is simply amazing, in my opinion! And what do you think?

The most common mistakes!

We all make mistakes. And in teaching our children too. Try to eliminate the possibility of these errors.

  1. Unwillingness to understand your baby.
    If you see that your child does not really want to do something, does it through whims and tears - change tactics. Listen to your kids. Let me remind you that the most important thing is to generate interest! If learning for him is tears and screams - you are unlikely to be on the right track!
  2. Lessons from time to time.
    This is where persistence is needed. You can not work out once a week for 10 minutes and postpone everything “for later”. So nothing will work. But here's my advice to you: allocate 40 minutes 2 times a week, but still somehow connect the rest of the time with English. The main thing is not to be lazy and take small steps every day!
  3. You press!
    Children are very receptive at any age, so do not put pressure on them. Don't expect them to abruptly repeat everything after you. Don't expect instant results. Learning is a long and not the easiest process. But it is in our power to make this process enjoyable for our beloved kids.
  4. Don't criticize!
    Fixing bugs is fine. But you need to do it in such a way as not to kill the child's desire to learn. Point out mistakes, but don't focus on them. Praise your children. Rejoice in their accomplishments with them. Be their friend who helps them, not a strict teacher with a pointer at the ready!

Dear ones, I tried to close as many questions as possible today, but I am sure that you still have (or will have) more! So don't wait for the answer to come by itself. I will be glad to help you. Leave your questions in the comments, share your experience of how you teach your children! And I, in turn, will be very glad to help you if you get lost along the way.

I recently created a special section "". There I tried to collect all the materials you need to start your journey to the country of the English language. Use them for your health. Write your wishes or questions in the comments!

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Good luck on your journey of language learning with your little ones.
See you soon!


Today I want to talk about how to teach a child English without causing resistance on his part. How to teach a child so that he himself asks you to conduct a lesson with him.

In order for a child to start speaking English, it is necessary that he first had a desire to learn the language. It is obvious.

Therefore, how to conduct classes in such a way as to stimulate the child’s desire and create ideal conditions for comfortable language learning is a topical issue for many parents.

The quick answer is school, additional classes in circles or with a tutor. But every teacher understands that 1.5-2 hours a week is clearly not enough for the child to speak the language.

Look at the iceberg. Its top is the classes at school! And a huge layer is hidden under water - this is homework with a child.

All teachers are aware of this and therefore assign homework that the child must complete on their own. But for the most part, these are constantly boring grammar exercises that are not interesting for children and do not motivate them in any way.

Or memorizing the material by heart, but without understanding why it is necessary. It is learning a language for the sake of the language or for the sake of a good grade. No one even remembers about comfortable conditions.

Many have heard that in order to successfully learn English, you need to immerse yourself in the language environment. But it seems that this is simply not enough time to learn the language 24 hours a day.

In fact, everything is much easier. There is such a thing as language environment at home. This does not mean that you should devote all your time to teaching your child. The main thing is to correctly create and organize the process itself!

With a reasonable approach, it is possible to create an environment for the baby that will work for him without you. For example, if you are at home, turn on the studied songs during the free play of the child, then he will quietly begin to sing them under his breath. You go about your business, and the child practices speaking and pronunciation.

But to create a really working language environment at home. Here it is necessary to take into account three important components - the teacher, parents and the child. Trinity. Full interaction from three sides must be the magic formula of the English language.

If you are a parent, then you should always ask the teacher which books are more suitable for you to read, or which films and cartoons to watch, so that this comes up with the main lessons. Find out what activities will help motivate your child.

If you are a teacher, it is important for you to work fully with parents. My experience shows that this principle allows you to achieve greater results. Vivid examples are my students - very quickly they reach a completely different level of knowledge of the language.

Principle individual work with parents and creation language environment at home for each student is the main element of my work. We discuss in detail and draw up a plan based on the individual characteristics of the child. We analyze in detail which songs are better to listen to, which films will be more interesting, which games to play with it and much more.

In such cooperation, it is very important that everyone takes their place. The teacher is required to develop a lesson plan and draw up a program according to which you will study with your child. This is his direct responsibility, and not the concern of parents.

The educator should supervise the learning process and adapt the plan as needed. Present and submit material, as well as monitor the completion of assignments.

Parents are required to inspire the child, create a cozy language environment for him at home, with the means that the teacher offers you. Apply all his instructions and provide support.

As you can see from my practice, if you, as a parent, start to take on the role of a teacher, try to make a plan, develop a program, then this is the surest way to ruin all learning. This does not work!

Parents then do not have enough time, because they have put a lot on themselves. And they quit, as a result of which both they and the children get nervous and nothing good comes of it. Often children refuse to study, experiencing discomfort.

Teaching English to a child with one command is easier and more comfortable for him. Children always learn better what is interesting and curious to them. Together, we can create the perfect learning experience for a child that is both educational and rewarding.

Success in learning!

© Anastasia Rykova

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The modern, dynamically developing world dictates its own rules - mastering English from the age of 4 onwards allows the child to optimally fit into the surrounding space and not experience communication barriers. Our English courses in St. Petersburg will help you with this.

How to teach English to children of different ages

The effectiveness of learning a foreign language at this age depends on how to teach english to kids. The use of classical methods for teaching school-age children, used in general education institutions, can form a stable aversion to the subject. And the selection of individual programs, the use of author's methods, taking into account the physiological characteristics and interests of the child allow us to achieve amazing results in a fairly short time.

Each child has a certain type of memory - someone can easily memorize sounds, words and expressions by ear, and someone will certainly need to write them down, someone cannot remember a word without demonstrating the corresponding image. Determining the abilities, preferences and interests of the child about the subject, the first step is to determine what the student is like - what type of memory and perception he has. The effectiveness of the entire educational process depends on this. And then the most interesting and main thing begins - we awaken interest in the subject!

Let's play English!

We did not accidentally use this word - "play". It is the game that can captivate, inspire excitement and arouse genuine interest in its essence. Teaching English to children aged 4 to 6 years is built precisely in the form of a game.

Maximum interactive materials, pictures, songs, poems, fairy tales, role-playing games, the use of toys to form language situations - all this is perceived by the child as a fun game, during which counting rhymes, songs, fairy tales, words and expressions in English are simply remembered. We have done everything to ensure that the EF Small Stars course becomes a way for your child to make new friends, discover the new kind communication and gain an extra advantage over their peers (there will be something to show off in the yard).

At this stage, we introduce only common vocabulary, words that occur daily in everyday speech - the names of products, animals, flowers, greetings, names household appliances, furniture, etc. That is, everything that a child sees every day at home and knows how it sounds in Russian. Trying at this age to explain what “English weather” and other more complex concepts are is not worth it. You still have time. Our task at this stage is to arouse a steady interest in learning the language, learning the names of things and objects, as well as the desire to learn how to read English fairy tales.

EF High Flyers Advanced Course

Schoolchildren younger age- from 7 to 9 years - already and the needs are more adult. Back and forth and learning modern English online will become your child's favorite pastime. The task of the teacher at this stage is to make English an alternative means of communication for them.

In general, at this age, children's games have already faded into the background, and serious perseverance has not yet come. Our teachers work with behavior in mind junior schoolchildren. In the learning process, the focus is on finding an equal partner with whom it is interesting to talk and learn his opinion.

The form of teaching is somewhat different from working with the youngest group, but still remains playful. They just change the themes of game situations for more age-appropriate ones. Everything will also have to be interspersed with explanations with game moments, musical pauses. But the whole process is aimed at awakening the desire to communicate and not just communicate, but in English. And for this, more words are already needed, and the basic rules of grammar will have to be remembered. Here you can't do without interactive materials and original, colorful textbooks.

Does your child enjoy watching cartoons and films in English and trying to understand everything himself? Then we are waiting for you on the course for teenagers - EF Trailblazers!