So, you have decided that your child must definitely master foreign language. Which methods of teaching children English Is it suitable for your baby? Before you start looking for tutors or courses for your son or daughter, be sure to read this article.

Methods of teaching children English: general principles

If you want to achieve a positive result, follow a few rules. First of all, remember that it is impossible to learn a foreign language under pressure. The more you force, the less the baby will have the desire to do anything. Perhaps you should first try exciting English courses on the Internet online in order to encourage your child to study the subject and arouse his interest.

An integrated approach is also important. In no case should you place emphasis on studying, say, grammar alone. The training plan must be drawn up carefully and thoughtfully.

Perseverance is required. The child should know that he has set out on a difficult path, but the reward for his efforts will be priceless. Having motivation is the key to success in studying any science.

Which technique should you choose?

So, what method of teaching English to children is most effective? We list the most well-known and popular methods.

For children under three years of age, Zaitsev’s method is suitable. Small child learns a foreign language with the help of cubes.

Another very common technique is gaming. It is one of the most productive. The teacher organizes various games during which the learning itself takes place. In a fun way, the child learns all the components of a foreign language, from grammar to oral speech.

The project-based method of teaching children English is used when working with children over 4 years old. The teacher devotes a certain number of hours to a particular topic. Every child learns something interesting for himself. At the last lesson, all children bring various works on the topic they have studied.

The combined method involves mixing all kinds of types of teaching a foreign language to children. Here you can find games, poems, dances, songs. The child will definitely not be bored in class. After all, teaching English to children can be fun and interesting. At the same time, the acquired knowledge remains in memory for a long time.

Learning English in courses

Good English courses in St. Petersburg offer, as a rule, a combined method of teaching children a foreign language. Experienced teachers use in modern ways. Computer technologies are widely used. These include programs for quickly memorizing words, programs designed to correct pronunciation, watching adapted cartoons, and so on. U professional teacher over time, his own unique method of teaching children English appears, which, in his opinion, is the most effective.

Children's bilingualism is a complex topic. There are many theories, but scientists do not have a consensus. One thing is certain: than earlier child begins to learn a second language, the easier he will learn it and the less effort it will require. That is why English for children is now so popular. But let's get some theory first.

Bilingualism is divided into two types. Children's bilingualism (“innate”) and bilingualism in cases where a second language is learned after more or less decent mastery of the first. Let's call him an adult (although we can also talk about childhood). Some studies show that in the case of “congenital” bilingualism, the brain internalizes the two languages as two DIFFERENT language systems. In the case of adult bilingualism, the language system is ONE. That is, by a certain point we already know our native language, and we perceive a foreign language as a set of synonyms for it and additional rules.

Features of “innate” bilingualism

A huge advantage of “innate” bilingualism is that the second language is acquired automatically, and even the brain, according to some studies, remains in working condition longer. But in the first years of life, a child may mix languages. This is not a particular problem, but difficulties may arise when communicating with those who do not know one of the languages. On the other hand, children may generally remain silent or babble in a fictitious language: this does not at all prevent them from playing with their peers and going to kindergarten.

But a little later, such a bilingual does not confuse grammar different languages. Using a specific language, it is as if it is in a separate language system; only the part of the brain that is responsible for it is active.

The disadvantages of childhood bilingualism include speech delay (logical: the child needs to learn twice as much material, it takes time) and mental problems. And one should feel sorry for the unfortunate residents of states where several languages are official, and children from birth find themselves in a multilingual environment. Switzerland especially - with its four official languages. But for some reason I envy these poor people.

Features of adult bilingualism

In the case of adult bilingualism, grammatical errors are more common in speech. They involve trying to apply rules native language to foreign. And if in the Russian language there is no one hundred percent analogue of any part of speech from English, then even at thirty you will be struggling with these damn articles. But initially there is no confusion in vocabulary: a person clearly distinguishes between two languages.

From 0 to one year

If you decide to teach English to your child from birth, then your range of methods is very limited. Yes, and “engage” is a strong word. In the first year of life, the child, of course, absorbs a huge amount of information, including the grammar and vocabulary of his native language (he will begin to use all this later). But this happens naturally. He only knows how to listen and watch. So you have little choice: talk and show the world. And don’t try to be a “translator”: call the object in Russian, and immediately after that - in English. In real life you don’t say, “I’ll have some tea,” it’s unnatural. The entire phrase must be either in English or Russian.

1. One of the family members always speaks English with the child.

Feature: if you are not a native speaker, although you speak it perfectly, then when you switch to English you become a slightly different person. This is the phenomenon of "split personality" in professional translators Psychologists study with interest. And they have a version that in such a situation the connection between the child and the parent is worse. After all, this is no longer a “real” mother, but her Anglo-American version.

But if mom, dad, grandma or grandpa are carriers, you're in luck! Or you can hire an English-speaking nanny (but this often takes a serious toll on the budget).

2. The whole family speaks a foreign language on a specific day of the week or in a specific situation.

For example, you can introduce the tradition of English Saturdays/Sundays. Or speak English only while swimming/only in the evening/only while walking in the park. There is also a drawback. For example, if you always speak English while eating, the child will not recognize the Russian names of foods. On the other hand, it is now more important for him to feel another grammatical structure, get used to the sound of the language, look at your articulation.

3. English is spoken in a specific place.

For example, in “development” groups, visiting specific friends who agreed to learn English with you, in a cafe, etc. This method seems even simpler to me, but requires regular visits to the chosen place.

From one to three years

But let's be honest. All that the vast majority of mothers of children in their first year of life want is to sleep and wash themselves. Not everyone had the opportunity to teach English to children from scratch, and there is nothing terrible about that, their whole life is ahead of them. In addition to all the above methods, which are also suitable for children after one year, you can use:

1. Game method: place toys and objects in front of the child, name them in English, play with them, draw them, often repeating their names.

When the child has mastered at least half of the words, you can begin to use them in speech and build a simple dialogue in English. Here it is important to definitely move on to dialogue. Otherwise, you will simply teach your child English synonyms, not the English language.

2. Cards with pictures and names (Doman method).

The idea is very vaguely similar to the previous one, but instead of objects you have cards that you show repeatedly. As a rule, children look at any pictures with pleasure. But again, don't forget about the dialogue!

Well, it’s worth mentioning that Mr. Glenn Doman worked with children with developmental delays. And then, based on his experience, he created methods for others (within the framework of which, for example, children learn mathematics as early as one year). Whether this method is right for you also depends on how you feel about early development generally.

This is a whole system with posters, audio recordings and cubes of different weights, colors and sizes on which syllables are written.

Forget about textbooks, because your children don’t know how to read yet. However, the book is acceptable, but not in the usual gray form: it should primarily contain pictures and a minimum of text. If there are a lot of letters in a book, then I suspect that it is not a book, but a textbook... most likely for you, dear parents! Remember: children do not learn, they learn and remember what they were interested in learning with their ears, eyes, hands and feet.
English for preschoolers Do you remember Meshcheryakova’s interesting method of lively learning English, in which the lesson should be like a mini-play, the teacher should be like a director, and the students should be like participants in a big and fun performance?

And what about the legendary Luntik, who sacrificed his quiet life on the Moon so that earthly children could quickly learn English?

Let's also remember the Disney heroes - the pioneers of English for our little ones.

Another interesting technique

Here is the method of another follower of Luntik, who managed to turn language lessons into real joy for kids.

This time it involves a simple American dog, Spot, with a white spot on his ear.

Let's take the very first lesson. His plan is this:

Get interested in learning English
Learn to count to three, say hello and goodbye
Understand the question “what is your name” and answer it
The first ones necessary phrases(“yes, no, stand up, sit down”, etc.)
The best expressions from the teacher's set “classroom English”
The word "kangaroo" in English
English sounds

Example of an English lesson for preschoolers

But this is just a dry presentation, but how does the lesson take place live?

The teacher enters, greets and introduces himself to the preschoolers, inviting them to choose a language of communication. They choose, of course, Russian: this is no wonder, because Luntik is our national hero. But the teacher has a powerful weapon in his hands: a multi-colored map is a small copy of the multilingual world, and this fact: everyone’s favorite Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse, it turns out, speak English! And kangaroos from Australia too... Children give up, they can’t wait to learn to speak as soon as possible.

And then suddenly a guest from America appears, the shy dog Spot, and then he becomes the central figure of the lesson. While interacting with him, children quietly complete at least four points of the lesson plan under Spot’s guidance.

Even something so uninteresting for children school age The topic, like sounds, can be turned into a movie: sounds come to preschoolers in the form of little people with different characters and pronunciations.

The teacher constantly encourages his students:

Good! Good for you! - Fine! Well done!

In the next lesson, various phrases, including polite ones, are introduced in games and songs.

The remaining lessons (there are 15 in total) are devoted to forest and African animals, pets and family, as well as color.

Described technique preschool education belongs to I. A. Murzina.

How do preschool teaching methods differ?

How do preschool teaching methods differ?

Preschool children learn through the world around them and communication. School children are already able to learn from books
Children in kindergarten need to be taught through live play, in which everyone learns: the teacher, toys, songs, and the children’s community itself. Children at school - with the help of explanations, reading and dialogues (games, especially for younger children, are not excluded!)
In kindergartens, long lessons should be avoided and children should be encouraged more with praise. School-age children are already able to withstand 45 full minutes (with younger ones you can take short breaks during the lesson), and the main reward for them is grades

Don't kill children's interest with endless lectures and comments!

Additional materials: Video courses for children

I think that this will be interesting for children not only of preschool age, but also of school age.

Video: Game development games

The methodology of pedagogical work is determined by the goals and objectives that the teacher sets for himself. From the point of view of I.L. Sholpo's main goals in teaching preschoolers a foreign language are: developing children's primary communication skills in a foreign language; the ability to use a foreign language to achieve one’s goals, express thoughts and feelings in real-life communication situations; creating a positive attitude towards further study of foreign languages; awakening interest in the life and culture of other countries; nurturing an actively creative and emotional-aesthetic attitude to words; development of students' linguistic abilities, taking into account age characteristics their structures in older preschoolers; decentration of personality, that is, the opportunity to look at the world from different positions.

Methods of teaching English to preschoolers

Features of training English for preschoolers the fact that it is not just sitting at a table and leafing through books and notebooks. The process should not be boring, and kids should strive for knowledge themselves. Children think concretely, understand everything literally, speak simple sentences. If a teacher explains something, he must use clarity and example. That is why English for preschoolers is a game. Only through this form can positive results be achieved and a child develop a positive attitude towards a foreign language.

Forms of teaching should not be aimed at mastering as many lexical units as possible, but at cultivating interest in the subject, developing the child’s communication skills, and the ability to express oneself. It is important to achieve certain qualities of mastery of the material, which should allow the child, with a minimum of resources, assuming a subsequent increase in language units in the child’s competence, to use them situationally and meaningfully.

From the very beginning of training, it is necessary to develop a certain style of working with children in English, to introduce some kind of rituals that correspond to the most typical communication situations. Such rituals (greetings, farewells, short exercises, the use of politeness formulas accepted in English) allow children to prepare for foreign language communication, facilitate the transition to English, show children that the lesson has begun, ended, and what will now follow. certain stage classes.

The most important condition for successful learning is the activation of children’s speech and thinking activity and their involvement in foreign language communication. It is necessary to constantly change the order of speech actions (the order of questions, addresses, names of objects, etc.) so that children react to the meaning of the word, and do not memorize the sound series mechanically. When repeating games, it is imperative to make different children the leading, active participants, so that all children complete the task at least once. educational task speech action.

A preschooler needs frequent changes of activities during the learning process. During class, the child is often distracted, not because he is not interested, but his brain is tired. The best release is physical exercise, of course, related to a foreign language, for relaxation. This could be a poem or simply following commands. The lesson should not exceed 30 minutes.

Use of various sound and visual supports, for example: songs, children's video programs, thematic cards. The child gets pleasure from working with such material, and all impressions and knowledge are formed in images, which he then embodies.

A classic lesson should include the following steps:

1. Introduce sounds. The best way This is a fairy tale about a tongue, tongue twisters, rhymes.
2. Introduce the letters. Song “Funny Alphabet”, themed pictures.
3. Enter words. We start with individual inclusions of words, for example rhymes, cards.
4. Rest. Phys. just a minute.
5. Phrases. Children quickly want to speak in a “tempting and incomprehensible” language. All expressions should be simple and easy to remember. Before introducing the phrase, think about the game moment: “A doll has come to us from England, let’s get to know her. But she doesn’t know how to speak Russian, maybe we can learn to speak English?”

Try to enter English phrases into normal communication. Always say “thank you”, “please”, “sit down”, “Look”, “Let’s play”.

In many preschool institutions The TPR method of teaching English to preschoolers is used based on full physical response. The main idea is that a child learns a foreign language in the same way as he mastered his native one. The teacher plays the role of a parent: he says words or simple phrases, for example, “jump” or “look at the notebook”, and the children perform the actions. At the first stage, the emphasis is placed precisely on the correct recognition of what they hear, after which the students themselves begin to speak commands to each other. They develop spontaneous speech skills. The physical and emotional component of the lesson improves the memorization of words. This technique is suitable for most younger ages and elementary levels, but it can also spice up lessons using other methods for older children.

Glen Doman Method

In Russia, the method of teaching English to preschoolers, authored by Glen Doman, is popular. It is used both in kindergartens and various children's clubs, and by parents at home. Already from 6-7 months, babies are shown cards with pictures of words, while pronouncing foreign word aloud. The child remembers the picture and learns new words with regular, but not prolonged, repeated viewing of the cards. Subsequently, effectively conduct games with different combinations of cards and show presentations. The child’s role in learning using the Glen Doman method is passive, but in this visual form it is not difficult for him to remember new vocabulary.

Zaitsev's technique.

The next common technique is that of Nikolai Zaitsev. Suitable for both toddlers and older preschoolers. To teach younger children, the teacher (or parents) give them specially designed blocks with syllables to form words with. Those. memorization occurs in a playful and visual form. The next level also uses cubes. The main idea is to make the algorithm for constructing sentences in English clear and simple. For each member of the sentence there is a specific color, and the child, having remembered the order of colors, say, for negative sentences, trains to form words under dictation. This is not an easy task for children, but its effectiveness has been proven. The methodology also includes various manuals and tables, thanks to which parents themselves can conduct lessons without any problems.

Project and combined methodology.

The project-based method of teaching English to preschoolers is suitable for 4-6 years of age. The teacher chooses a topic that is interesting for the children, a set of new words, phrases and a variety of tasks for practice. Each topic is given several lessons; at the end, students prepare creative works. Teaching English using this method is versatile; children always learn something new.

The combined technique is most common due to the greatest effectiveness of such training. The teacher combines methods and tasks different methods, introducing variety into lessons and adapting general program according to the children's interests and abilities.

It is obvious that it is much more difficult to interest children in learning than adults. For them, lessons need to be conducted dynamically, actively, so that their attention is constantly turned on and directed to the tasks. The gaming methodology was created and practiced on these principles. Game is the most entertaining and favorite activity for young students. This technique can be adapted to all language levels, any age and characteristics of children. They are among toys, familiar things, with a friendly, active teacher. Speak and understand English speech They teach in playful and audio form, with the help of cartoons, songs, fairy tales, games and other activities. Materials and ideas can be developed in Russia, as well as in the UK and the USA.

The next, very important issue that worries teachers is the issue of group size. Z.Ya. Futerman, speaking about foreign language classes in conditions kindergarten, insists on working with a whole group (25-30 people), citing the fact that children are accustomed to each other, as well as the greater effectiveness of mass games in the learning process. The teacher conducted an experiment that did not show an increase in the effectiveness of classes when divided into two subgroups. However, I.L. Sholpo questions these conclusions and writes that, perhaps, in a kindergarten, the habit of children towards each other is really so strong that it turns out to be a decisive factor, however, if we are talking about other structures where unfamiliar children are united in groups, then classes with a group 25 people turn out to be ineffective, and even 15 people in a group is a serious test for a teacher. Sholpo I.L. recommends forming groups of no less than five and no more than ten people, explaining this by the fact that general conversation, (as established by psychologists), organized joint activities are possible in a group of no more than 8 people. But, given that in winter children often get sick and miss classes, you can enroll up to 10 people in a group.

The next controversial issue is the duration and frequency of classes. Z.Ya. Futerman argues that classes for five-year-olds should not last more than twenty minutes, and for six-year-olds, twenty-five. This statement is also based on the results of the experiment, however, I.L. Sholpo believes that his results are related to the previous condition: with a group size of 25-30 people, neither the teacher nor the children are able to study longer. Work experience of E.I. Negnevitskaya in groups from 5 to 15 people and the experience of I.L. Sholpo in groups of 7-10 people show that with such a number of children, the duration of the lesson from thirty-five to forty-five minutes (depending on age) does not tire the children, and they retain that reluctance to leave and complete the lesson, which, as is quite right believes Z.Ya. Futerman, necessary for effective learning. It is only important to change the type of activity every five minutes, move from active play to conversation round table; then - to dance, exercises; after that to singing songs, etc.

The usual frequency of classes, says I.L. Sholpo - two to three times a week. Classes once a week are extremely unproductive; children have time to forget material that has not received reinforcement for so many days.

We, adults, learn English for a long time and painfully. We are looking for a suitable method, trying to wrap our heads around the rules of a different linguistic system, “re-educating” our articulatory apparatus for other sounds.

It is much easier for a child to learn English from scratch: children literally absorb it! Those grammatical structures that we diligently learn are instantly “absorbed”. Without analysis, which we are not yet capable of, but just like that.

The child can speak both two and three languages. The main thing is to constantly work with him. Therefore, dear adults (present and future parents), we are preparing to raise English-speaking children! And we will help you with this.

So, on the agenda (table of contents of the article):

How to start learning English with your child on your own: the “immersion” technique

Recently, our entire country was conquered by a baby named Bella Devyatkina. This girl, at only 4 years old, speaks 7 (in addition to her native) languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Arabic.

In fact, a child can master more languages, because, as Masaru Ibuka wrote in the acclaimed book “After Three It’s Too Late”:

“...a child’s brain can accommodate an unlimited amount of information...”

So, if in a family the mother is Russian, the father is English-speaking, and the nanny, say, is German, then the child will speak all three languages without any difficulties. And there will be no “mixing” of languages (as many skeptics say). Just the mother will be with the baby for "The Forest Raised a Christmas Tree", and dad for ABC songs. 🙂

But Bella's parents are Russian! How then is this possible? It turns out that she Since childhood, her mother spoke only English to her(that is, the conditions for bilingualism were created artificially). After her parents noticed her interest in languages, they hired native-speaking tutors for her - and so the child turned out to be a polyglot.

And this example is far from alone. Masaru Ibuka in his work also talks about such bilingual children (by the way, read this book - it is amazing).

If you speak English perfectly and you feel confident enough to speak only it, then no theory and articles like “where to start learning English with a child from scratch” will not need. Just speak to your baby in English. That's all.

Note: in this case, you will not be able to speak Russian with your preschooler. Other family members speak Russian to him, but you ONLY speak English.

But What should parents do who are not so confident in their English? Indeed, in this case, training using the “immersion into language environment” will be impossible (unless you hire a native speaker as a nanny). We will answer this question in the article.

At what age should you start learning English with your child?

A whole discussion has arisen between teachers regarding this issue: when is the best time to start, is it worth learning English with kids or not? Our answer is yes, it is worth it. But the main thing is to wait until the child completes the process of forming his native language. That is, he will have clear sound pronunciation and properly developed coherent speech. Since each child develops differently, it is impossible to give any exact time frame. But minimum ≈ from 2.5 years(Not earlier).

How to learn English with a child on your own - where to start?

The best thing send your child to a special language nursery, if possible. Then you won’t have to take on such serious responsibility, and besides, the child will have that same “separation of languages” in his mind (Russian at home, English in the nursery). And you yourself can support your child’s interest and progress with games, cartoons, songs, etc.

If you still want to learn English with your child on your own, then you can motivate him with an “English doll”. Buy a doll (you can use a glove doll) and introduce her to the baby, saying that she doesn’t understand anything in Russian. To communicate with the “English woman”, he will have to learn a new, but very interesting language. Well, then you play with this doll, watch cartoons, learn songs and poems... all this will be discussed below.

For example, characters from Sesame Street are perfect as a doll.

What language skills can be developed in preschoolers?

Of course, no grammar, spelling, etc. child in preschool age Maybe:

perceive speech by ear,
speak for yourself
read (together with the parent, and then study/look at the book on his own if it interests him).

That is the child will master all the same skills English as well as Russian at this age.

By the way, you don’t have to worry too much about “speaking” and correct pronunciation of English sounds. It is we, adults, who are rebuilding our articulatory apparatus after the Russian sounds that are familiar to us. A The child will learn the correct pronunciation much sooner.

To develop this skill It's best to sing songs and learn Nursery Rhymes behind an English-speaking announcer: children's “monkeyism” and unique children's hearing will do their job. If there are still any shortcomings, then simply correct the baby, but without any complicated explanations.

We invite you to find out for yourself English sounds. Read the articles:

How to teach English with children from the very beginning: 5 concrete ways

1. Watch cartoons in English with your child. Do you think he won't understand? You are wrong :) Children at this age have incredible linguistic intuition. They may not understand the words, but the emotions in the voices of the characters and on their painted “faces” will help them, the music will help them, etc. You will be surprised, but after watching a cartoon, he may begin to repeat words from it and hum songs.

Also use special Russian-language cartoons to learn the language.

2. “Learn” English words and phrases with him(the first word is in quotation marks for a reason). These are not lessons or training sessions. This is your daily communication with your child, during which you speak English vocabulary to him.

- Mom, look - a car!
- Yes, it really is a machine. Do you know how it would be in English? Car! This is a car.

Main rules:

Words need to be used in the context of the situation: during lunch we talk about food, while walking around the zoo we talk about animals, etc.
Accordingly, we master only those words that are related to the child’s current life: family, colors, clothes, animals, fruits, etc.
Any word must immediately be visually reinforced: for the word “dog” – this is a toy, a picture/photo or a shaggy and barking dog next to you :)

Such visual image will help you learn new words with ease

Another: so that your child immediately “masters” English grammar (again in quotes), tell him whole phrases. After all, if you tell him individual words- he will repeat words, and if whole sentences, he will use sentences.

- Dog!
– This is a dog!

You can also use various games to learn new words, handouts(coloring books, assignments, etc.), when working with which the child will get great pleasure!

3. Learn children's songs and rhymes with him. You can find them on the sites below (or search in Yandex and Google). It is best to present the poem itself to the child in the form of a small “dramatization”, because many poems have a certain plot behind them and are easily acted out (live or on dolls).

The kid may ask you to translate the verse into Russian - you translate it, and then again act out the “performance” in front of him. The main rule: DO NOT ask your child to repeat after you. Yours the task is to interest him in this incomprehensible language. Many children can at first just listen and listen and listen, and then suddenly start “scaling” these poems by heart :)

For example, the song “Old Macdonald had a farm” has been played out in many different cartoons. Lyrics available .

Stages of working on a poem:

First, you yourself study the content of a poem or song, practice your pronunciation (sounds in words, intonation, rhythm).
Then you practice reading it expressively and think of a visual support for the child: a performance with toys, some kind of dance... in general, turn on your imagination!
Now you can present your work to your child’s judgment. After this, discuss the performance with your child: what he understood, what moment he liked the most.
Then invite your child to “join” your production and prepare a joint performance for other family members. But for this, the child will have to learn this rhyme (this will create motivation).
You can also find (or invent) a finger or sign game based on this rhyme. Then you can periodically invite your child to play it in any suitable situations (of course, if he wants to).

4. Read books in English with your child. You can start when he already knows individual words. Simple stories will be quite understandable to children, and pictures will explain the incomprehensible.

If a book really interests him, he will take it on his own and look at it, study it (this will create motivation to learn to read). In addition, the child will “photograph” words with his eyes and remember them appearance. It turns out, your task is to interest him in reading.

Systematic learning to read begins only at 4-5 years old according to the principle from simple to complex:

An amazing website will help you teach your child to readwww.starfall.com . For example, go to this section and learn with your child to read words with the short sound /a/ (æ). Each sound is pronounced in a cheerful child's voice and is accompanied by explanatory animation. Just a find!

Where can you find books to read in English:

And remember that still eBook can't compare to the real thing, which you can touch and then leaf through with enthusiasm. So be sure to buy some colorful English books for your library!

5. Play fun games with your baby! And he won’t even notice that during this game you are teaching him something. When the child is very young, organize joint games. For a grown-up “student,” you can offer online games for learning English. Below you will find a list of both.

Learning English words for children - games

The classic way to learn new vocabulary is vocabulary cards(that is, word + translation + picture). By the way, there is a whole one on our blog.

Examples of vocabulary cards from Lingualeo. Full list located .

But it will be even better if you create them together with your baby. Together you will select pictures, glue them to pieces of paper or cardboard, etc. Then, already during preparation for the “English language games”, the child will learn something. What to do next with the cards? Here are some options:

1. Cards can be used to play pantomime. First you tell the baby English word(and show it on the card), and the child must depict this word with gestures. Then you can play “reverse” pantomime - the child (or you) depicts the animal, action, object that he pulled out, and the rest of the participants guess.

2. Game “Show me”. Place several cards in front of the child, and then call out one word from this list - the child must touch the desired card.

3. “Yes-No game.” You show the cards and say the words correctly or incorrectly (when showing a hippopotamus, say “tiger”). The child answers “Yes” or “No”.

– Is it a tiger? – No!!!

4. Game “What’s missing”. Lay out a row of cards (4-5 pieces). Look at them with your baby and say the words. The child closes his eyes, and you remove one word. Tell me what's missing?

5. Game “Jump to...”. You lay out the cards on the floor in a vertical row and give the child the task of jumping to a certain word (great if the baby is bored).

These are just a few mechanics using cards. By turning on your imagination, you can come up with even more variations of games. And we will move on. What other games can I use?

5. Game “Is it. ...?”. You gradually draw an object, and the child tries to guess it. For example, draw half a circle, and the child guesses:

– Is it a ball? Is it the Sun?
– No, (continue drawing)
– Is it an apple?
– Yes!🙂

6. Another version of the game “Is it. ...?” - a card with a hole. Cut a hole in a piece of fabric (or sheet of paper) and place it on vocabulary card. Move the hole around the picture, and the child guesses what is hidden there.

7. Magic bag. You put different objects in a bag, and the baby takes them out and names them. An even more interesting option: he puts his hand into the bag and guesses the contents by touch.

8. Game “Touch your…nose, leg, hand…” (generally parts of the body).

“Touch your mouth,” you say, and the baby touches his mouth.

9. Games will help children learn English colors easily. For example, you give him objects of different colors and ask him to find and select things of a certain color from them (by the way, the same task can concern words starting with a certain letter, etc.).

10. Another example of playing with colors– “Find something.... in the room.”

“Find something red in the room!” - and the child looks for something of the specified color.

11. How to learn verbs. Perform some action with your baby and talk through what exactly you are doing:

- “Fly! We are flying,” and pretend that you are flying.
– “Let's sing! We are singing!” – and hold an imaginary microphone in your hands.
– “Jump! Jump!” - and you happily jump around the room.

Don't forget about role-playing games. For example, play “shop”. The child’s task is to buy groceries from an English-speaking saleswoman (that’s you). Before this, you remember words and phrases that will be useful to him in the store, and after that the child acts out this situation. This game can be played under any imaginary conditions.

And definitely act out plays, fairy tales etc. For example, invite your child to make a video or film! The girls will definitely be delighted. 🙂

Useful sites. Learning English from scratch for children: games, alphabet, videos, printable materials

When your child is older, you can invite him to play online games. Particularly when you need some free time to do things around the house.

1. Online games for children: learn the English alphabet and words

www.vocabulary.co.il

This site was already mentioned above when talking about the game “Hangman”. It has a huge number of online word games. For example, Whack a mole helps you repeat the alphabet in a fun way: you need to hit the letters with a hammer and collect the correct sequence of the alphabet.

We aim and hit the desired letter with a hammer

Or the game Word paths, where children must assemble words from available letters with a certain vowel sound. As you can see, the games are designed for different ages, which means the site will help your children for many years.

www.eslgamesplus.com

Another great site with online games for kids. For example, this game, where hidden behind the emoticons:

verb,
picture for this verb.

The task is to combine. With each attempt, the words are spoken out. Playing is a pleasure.

A game Pirate Waters Board Game also deserves special attention. First, choose a topic that the child already knows (for example, body parts). Then you throw the dice (to do this you need to click on the image of the cube) and walk along the board. You are asked a question, and you choose an answer. If it is given correctly, you roll the dice again.

If you encounter a pirate, start over. In this case the child will repeat the correct construction several times while the game is running. The only drawback is that there is no voiceover of the correct answer (which would develop auditory skills). Therefore, advice: for the first time, play with your child in order to:

help him understand the conditions of the game (then you won’t be able to drag him away by the ears),
teach him to pronounce the correct answer on his own every time (so that the constructions are stored in memory).

www.mes-english.com

This site also has printables (+ opportunity to make your own worksheets), and videos and games. Let's focus on games. For example, there is an excellent online game on lexicon. First, go to the Vocabulary column and listen and memorize the words. Then we go to the Question and answer section and listen to the question and answer:

– What’s this?
– It’s a Lion!

And then to the Question only column, where you and your baby need to answer.

supersimplelearning.com

This site also has cartoons, songs and games. For example, interactive alphabet games, which are suitable for beginners. Select a set of letters and a level (first Level 1).

Next, click on a letter (for example, “a”) and listen to the pronunciation of this letter (or rather, the sound, of course, but kids don’t need to know such difficulties) and the word starting with it. All this action is accompanied by a funny picture.

The voice acting and animation of the game are simply excellent!

At the next level you are asked to choose a letter based on the word you hear. At the third level - only by sound.

learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org

Another super useful site (it’s not surprising - it’s the British Council). For example, word games, where you need to match a word and a picture. Or Trolley Dash game, where you need to quickly buy all the products on your shopping list (tested: very exciting!)

www.englishexercises.org

A large number of tasks (online and for downloading). For example, you need watch the video and fill in the blanks in the right words (for older children).