| On the ESL forums one often sees teachers asking | | | | - Award your pupil three points to your one. |
| for ideas to make their one to one lessons more fun. | | | | - Award your pupil 10 bonus points at the start of the |
| Many teachers are brilliant in the classroom but are at | | | | game. |
| a loss for ideas when it comes to teaching children | | | | - Lose deliberately by being slow (but pretend to |
| English in private classes, and that is a shame because | | | | hurry), or 'accidentally' drop your pen.Another way of |
| teaching one on one can be very rewarding, as well | | | | adding an element of fun to a one to one lesson is to |
| as often being a good source of extra income.By far | | | | use a stopwatch or timer to add excitement. This |
| the best approach for children for successful and fun | | | | allows your pupils to race against themselves rather |
| one to one teaching is to use games and songs. One | | | | than always being in competition or playing against |
| of the tricks is to have a substantial library of games | | | | you.Time your pupil each round of a game and see if |
| that work for one on one teaching. Another essential is | | | | they can beat their previous time. You can also use |
| to have a strong sense of fun and be prepared to join | | | | the stopwatch to give a time limit to an activity, aiming |
| in the games.If you teach using games children will love | | | | to allow only just enough time so that your pupil is |
| your private classes, and their parents will love you for | | | | more stimulated than if he or she were simply working |
| the results you achieve. A bi-product of this already | | | | methodically through the exercise.Oven timers that tick |
| very successful combination is that by teaching | | | | and have a bell that goes off after the given time is up |
| children in a fun way, you establish an important link | | | | are also good. Your pupil must complete the task |
| between enjoyment and learning, which can enhance | | | | before the bell goes off. Substitutes for an over timer |
| the rest of that child's whole life.Here now are some | | | | could be an alarm clock, a wind up musical box or an |
| ideas to use games successfully when teaching one | | | | egg timer.Bells that you find on hotel reception desks |
| to one. Most games need more than one player, which | | | | are also fun. The students race to tap on the bell |
| means that you sometimes need to join in and play the | | | | when they have their answer. This is more effective |
| game too. You could say, "well then I'd just win all the | | | | when you have two or more students but is still an |
| time", and that can be true. So if you are playing a | | | | added fun element for the younger children even in |
| game that is not just pure luck, and where normally | | | | one to one lessons.And finally, always be sensitive: be |
| you would win all the time, then you can do things like | | | | careful that one person does not always lose and only |
| this:- Give your pupil a head start of 10 to 30 seconds. | | | | use competition if you see that it enhances the mood |
| - Make your task harder. | | | | rather than causes unnecessary tension or a loss of |
| - Double the task you must complete in the same | | | | morale. With children between the ages of 3 and 6 |
| time your pupil completes it once. | | | | any form of competition is best avoided. |