Teach English in Chungang - Huanggang Shi

I will be answering this question partially from experience while working in the online English teaching platform "Bibo" and partially from what I've learned during this course. Two important factors that should be addressed in this essay are the age of a student and the conduction of classes online (as opposed to the classes that are being conducted in person). My personal experience has (so far) taught me it is very rewarding, fun and engaging working with children as they approach the lessons with a natural curiosity and playfulness. It depends on the child, of course, but I believe it is safe to state most children are suitable for a beginners/elementary/low/pre-intermediate level of the English language (as opposed to advanced language level). When it comes to defining the term "child" or, in a broader sense, "a young learner", there are three categories (all three referring to people below the age of 18). The first category includes very young learners, they are often pre-schoolers aged 7 or less. They have a shorter concentration span and might still struggle with the grammar in their own language. They are very open to fun activities such as games, drawing, singing, etc. The second category includes pre-puberty learners, usually children between the age of 8 and 12, and they are fairly receptive to new sounds, words, and grammar of a new language (unlike the older groups or adults). The third category is post-puberty or "early teen", so 13 years of age or more. This group can sometimes, due to the sensitive age they are in, be unmotivated, self-conscious and unwilling to experiment with the language. When it comes to my own experience, I've noticed children often seek validation and approval from the teacher, so it is important to correct them positively and to frequently praise them with words and/or prompts or clapping. I believe it is important to speak clearly and concisely, to repeat the words and (particularly) new phrases as many times as it is necessary for the child to remember/understand it. Connecting the word or a phrase to something close and dear to the child proved to be effective in a couple of occasions. In my "Let's go" Bibo course for teaching children, I was exploring various techniques suitable to use with children. The suggested structure of the 25-minute lesson looks like this: a warm-up (e.g. singing), introducing new language, practicing a new language, playing with new languages and wrapping up the lesson. The new vocabulary and material are, as it can be seen from the structure, split into parts and mixed with various games to keep the lesson dynamic and engaging. The material that I have so far taught to children (or very young learners) is simple and suitable for their age like the alphabet, numbers, colours and simple sentences (with e.g. modal verb "can"). When it comes to teaching children online, various techniques can be helpful in such a context. Some of the good examples of those techniques are a role-play and conversation, gestures, fingers and finger puppets, clapping, chanting, stuffed toys, real objects, whiteboard/paper and pencil, emoticons (stars, smiley faces). If the child is, for example, unable to answer the question, we can help them by asking very simple yes or no questions. The teacher should stay positive and not give up, even if the child is too tired or does not feel like studying for the time being. Being goofy a having a welcoming and friendly posture, attitude and voice tone can positively influence both the interaction and the child's attitude. Teaching any language online, and particularly teaching it to the children, can bring many unexpected challenges in the process, but is well worth the effort and rewarding.