
English can be learned in many ways, however, there are certain ways English teachers can use to make the learning experience more fun for a non-English speaker.
Avoid Grammar errors: Yes, grammar is very important when it comes to mastering a new language. However, to encourage students to learn English, the first thing teachers may want to try is not to mind grammatical errors. The use of vocabularies, the meaning of words, and how to use them to communicate the ideas are more important. Learning new words allows learners to expand their vocabulary and encourage them to speak more freely and more often. Sometimes, new English learners, especially young children, are too shy to speak. By using different teaching methods in the classroom, you can encourage these students to think and speak in English. Once your students understand the words’ meaning and use them correctly to express their opinions, you can gradually introduce grammar to them.
Integrate music into your classroom: Everyone loves music. This includes young children, teenagers, and adults. In fact, many teachers have been using music as one of the most effective ways to teach English because it helps make the learning experience more fun for non-English speakers. You can turn on simple English songs first, ask the students to listen, and rehearse what the songs are about. Answering questions or working on worksheet activities also help students to better understand the song’s meaning and learn new words. This is an effective way to encourage students in fun English discussions and introduce them to new words. Remembering the English language through music usually works for students because they can link the words with the melodies and rhymes. One activity is to ask students to listen to the song and fill in the blanks to complete the lyrics.
Introduce English movies, cartoons, and videos: This is another effective way to learn English. Movies, cartoons, and videos allow students to learn the new language both with visuals and with audio. These things make word association and word recall easy, especially for those who tend to remember things better through visuals. Students can work on activities, answer questions to understand the movies while learning new vocabularies.
Gamification: Gamification has been a way to help students to learn English more effectively while having fun. A simple charades game can make students recall their vocabularies even better. There are also various games that can target both vocabulary and grammar. Make some song titles, then cut them each into words. Give them to groups of three, and ask them to make their own song titles with sense. They would definitely recall the words and their meanings better. Keep a dictionary in hand, just in case.
Learning English doesn’t have to be strapped to the books and lesson plans. With a mixture of conversations, games, film, and music, making learning English fun for a non-English speaker is as easy as 1-2-3.