ESL, EFL: Beginner Conversational English Small Group (1x per Week, Ages 3-5)

Hello, and thank you for your interest in ESL, EFL: Beginner Conversational English Small Group (Ages 3-5)!  This weekly ongoing class is designed for any non-native English-speaking learner and will provide learners with a weekly immersive environment where they may practice their English in a real-world conversational setting with a native English-speaking teacher from the United States with the following certifications:

1. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
2. TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

The class will have between 1 and 6 learners to ensure that each learner has sufficient time to speak and have individual attention from the teacher.  The class can cover topics such as self-introductions, the English alphabet, phonics, numbers, colors, shapes, family members, animals, clothing, time, foods, school, towns, neighborhoods, transportation, sports, places, and more.  These topics serve as a guide for conversation, but we will extend well beyond these topics based on learners' ability levels and personal interests.  Class time will be structured as follows: 

1. Greetings and introductions
2. Topic introduction
3. Speaking practice time
4. Goodbyes

Each learner will take turns speaking and interacting with the instructor and other learners in the class.  The majority of the class time will be spent with learners speaking to ensure they get the maximum benefit from the class time.  My goal is a 3:7 ratio with the teacher speaking about 30% of the time and learners speaking about 70% of the time.  During the discussion/speaking portion of the class, I will guide students in proper pronunciation and grammar.  In order to teach learners how to take turns speaking and to show them when it is their turn to speak, I will hold a toy microphone to my mouth while I speak, and will point the microphone towards the learner (towards the camera) and say their name when it is their turn to speak. I will encourage learners to speak in complete sentences such as:

Teacher: "What is your name?"
Student: "My name is Jake."
Teacher: "What is this?" 
Student: "This is a ball."

Rather than:

Teacher: "What is your name?"
Student: "Jake."
Teacher: "What is this?"
Student: "Ball."

My teaching approach is a relaxed and fun environment with lots of smiles and laughing!  I have a brightly colored and age-appropriate background for my online classroom that is inviting for learners.  I use many props and realia (real items that I show the students on the camera such as toys, pretend food items, stuffed animals, etc.).  I will sometimes use digital books or other digital media to teach certain words, sentence frames, or concepts.  I typically use hand signals or a toy microphone to indicate that it is the learner's turn to speak.  

If you have any questions or comments about the class, please send me a message.  I'm so excited to get to see YOUR learner in my online classroom for some real English conversations!

Thank you!
Mrs. Kristi