How to Teach English in Primary Classes
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How to Teach English in Primary Classes As a primary grades teacher, you have an important role to play. According to the California Department of Education, the primary grades are the most critical time for students to learn English language arts and the goal of schools should be that by the time students leave grade three, they are reading confidently, independently and with enjoyment. Leading a primary classroom is a challenge because you have to teach all subjects and manage a classroom of different levels and personalities. Teaching English does not have to be limited to the language arts block; it can take place through all subjects, during recess or lunch and any other time of day. Read your state's curriculum guidelines or learning competencies for English language arts for the grade you will be teaching. Plan your curriculum for the year accordingly. Assess each student in your class near the beginning of the year based on the already expected outcomes for their age; maintain regular records for each student. For example, if you are teaching kindergarten, assess how much of the alphabet the student knows and whether she knows concepts related to book structure, such as reading from left to right or knowing the front from the back of the book. If you are teaching a second-grade class, assess the phonemic awareness and vocabulary recognition of each student. Promote reading from the beginning to the end of the school year. For younger grades, organize communal story times, and for older grades, facilitate regular independent reading sessions, where all students read a book of their choice silently. Divide the class into groups in which members of the same group have the same reading ability. Assign each group an appropriate book. Rotate from group to group so students can read the book with you and discuss the plot and new vocabulary words. As you are working with another group, other groups can work on a follow-up activity or read the book to themselves in quiet voices. According to Dr.
Elaine M. Garan, associate professor in Literacy and Early Education at California State University, this is more effective than round-robin reading, where students of a whole class consecutively take turns reading.
Incorporate visuals into the classroom, such as alphabet borders or rhyming walls, which serve as constant reminders to students when they are learning new English material. Teach students new vocabulary through experiential activities. For example, when reading a story aloud to the class, point to a word and ask students to think of a synonym that could replace that word. Brainstorm on the board according to a theme, such as mammals or fruit, and ask students to think of words relevant to the topic; throw in some new words that they can learn. Have each student create a collage of items that are all the same color or begin with the same letter; help students with object names they do not know. Practice spelling with students through organizing dictation activities. With the youngest grades, call out letters for them to write down. For the older primary grades, start by testing them with spelling words and work up to simple sentences. Dictation tests with sentences will help students understand words within their context and punctuation rules. Organize creative writing sessions even with a kindergarten class. Younger students can draw pictures and ask for help with labeling their images. Older students should be allowed to write without worrying about perfect grammar or spelling. Organize interactive stations representing all current curriculum areas you are teaching, such as listening, writing, speaking, reading and grammar. Recruit a volunteer parent or educational assistant to lead each station and to take notes on how each student performs. Divide students into small groups and have them take turns participating at each station.
Read one on one with students while the rest of the class is working on an independent activity. In this way, you can assist each student according to his comfort level. Assign five to 10 minutes of reading for homework each night so that students will read with a parent or older sibling. Incorporate nursery rhymes, songs and poems into the class to teach concepts related to rhyming, alliteration and the number of syllables.
Elaine M. Garan, associate professor in Literacy and Early Education at California State University, this is more effective than round-robin reading, where students of a whole class consecutively take turns reading.
Incorporate visuals into the classroom, such as alphabet borders or rhyming walls, which serve as constant reminders to students when they are learning new English material. Teach students new vocabulary through experiential activities. For example, when reading a story aloud to the class, point to a word and ask students to think of a synonym that could replace that word. Brainstorm on the board according to a theme, such as mammals or fruit, and ask students to think of words relevant to the topic; throw in some new words that they can learn. Have each student create a collage of items that are all the same color or begin with the same letter; help students with object names they do not know. Practice spelling with students through organizing dictation activities. With the youngest grades, call out letters for them to write down. For the older primary grades, start by testing them with spelling words and work up to simple sentences. Dictation tests with sentences will help students understand words within their context and punctuation rules. Organize creative writing sessions even with a kindergarten class. Younger students can draw pictures and ask for help with labeling their images. Older students should be allowed to write without worrying about perfect grammar or spelling. Organize interactive stations representing all current curriculum areas you are teaching, such as listening, writing, speaking, reading and grammar. Recruit a volunteer parent or educational assistant to lead each station and to take notes on how each student performs. Divide students into small groups and have them take turns participating at each station.
Read one on one with students while the rest of the class is working on an independent activity. In this way, you can assist each student according to his comfort level. Assign five to 10 minutes of reading for homework each night so that students will read with a parent or older sibling. Incorporate nursery rhymes, songs and poems into the class to teach concepts related to rhyming, alliteration and the number of syllables.
