This will help ensure that every child will want to come to class and come to class on time so as not to miss the game. When they are playing an appropriate game, children are learning English without even realizing it. One good game to start a lesson with is to move the chairs and tables to the side of the room and gather the children in the middle of the classroom. Name objects in the room for the children to run to and touch, for example, "table, whiteboard, poster, door, door handle, whiteboard marker, bookcase," and so on. In this way, as well as learning words and developing their listening skills, they are burning off energy making them more amenable to a quieter exercise that involves them sitting down later on.
Repeating structures or vocabulary after the teacher not only consolidates language but also gives young children the opportunity to speak without fear. Exploit this fully by drilling all new language chorally as a class. Then progress to group drills where just three or four children repeat the language. Finally, when the children have gained sufficient familiarity with the the language, they can repeat it individually if they are confident enough.
Preschoolers generally have short attention spans, and most will start to lose concentration after spending more than ten to fifteen minutes on one activity. For this reason, it is imperative to incorporate a range of activities into each lesson. These activities might include course-book work, coloring, songs, games and stories. In addition, make sure you have the materials at hand for each activity. Preschoolers can become very unruly if they are waiting for you to find, for example, scissors and glue.
Most preschoolers learn English quickly when they are having fun, and almost all of them adore singing. Select songs appropriate to the language level of your students and that incorporate movement into them. "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes" is a great example of a song that incorporates movement and that preschoolers enjoy acting out and singing. It effectively teaches the English vocabulary for body parts, with the children almost completely unaware that they are actually learning English and not just enjoying themselves.
Listening to stories should be integral to every lesson and not just a treat on a Friday afternoon. This is because they are a great way of exposing preschoolers to English in an enjoyable way without putting any pressure to learn on the child. In addition, they can effectively calm down a class after a high-energy activity. Choose stories with pictures so that preschoolers can easily follow the story and relate the words to the pictures. Read stories with enthusiasm and passion to fully engage the children.