Teaching English as a second language can seem daunting, but it's not really if you follow the simple logic of: what would a kid like most. Chose your English teaching materials keeping this in mind and you cannot fail to keep kids interested and learning.

So, rather than stocking up on text books for the kids to repeat vocabulary for hours, find a fun English language game. Even better, find a fun game in which they get to make the props? It's pretty common sense really. Kids are pretty clever in the fact that they always go for the fun option... why make life unnecessarily difficult?

A great tool for finding great English teaching materials that will made your job a whole lot easier is the one you are using now. That's right... the internet! The internet is full of free, fun information, great courses and audio / video resources.Teaching materials can make the difference between a boring lesson that kids dread and a fun, exciting experience they look forward to, but there are a few different techniques that will support whichever materials you choose.

1. Take time to identify with your class. Whatever you call it in your mind- bonding, identification or simply great communication- this is an absolute must for successful English language teaching. Many times you are working against either the idea that learning English is hard or, working in a country where teachers are an untouchable authority figure. When the kids trust and can identify with you they will be better able to learn. They will be relaxed, happy and look forward to your lessons!

2. Immersion - this is the best way to teach any language and there are many ways to do it. If you live in a country where English is the dominant language... great! Organize play dates with native English speaking children of a similar age. Kids learn best through genuine interaction so this is a great way to learn. Also, the other kids on the play date get a great diversity experience. Win-win all round! If this is not an option, make sure that the kids have materials such as fun audio books and games they can play with parents so that your language lesson is not their only exposure. The internet is also great for this... see what you can find!

3. Try lots of different methods for learning and try to notice which methods the children respond well to. Learning styles may differ from country to country as well as from child to child. A friend of mine runs an ESL beginners class at a local playgroup in the Caribbean. She loves listening to one boy, who avoids any written activity but will drown all the other kids out with his voice during singing activities!

4. Total physical response activities. This is an absolute must for any classroom! Kids love using their bodies - they love jumping, dancing and shaking their body. It keeps the energy levels and the interest in learning high. Lots of the English Language games out there involve lots of moving and shaking... kids love it!

5. Encourage kids to ask questions. Asking questions and being unafraid to just "give it a try" is one of the fundamentals of language learning. If kids (or adults) are nervous of making mistakes this will really slow learning progress. So, do everything you can to show making mistakes or asking questions is nothing to be ashamed of.

So there were my tips for getting the best English teaching materials and the foundations for creating a great learning experience for ESL children. Implement these techniques and watch the kids have fun while learning!

I'm currently volunteering at a local kindergarten in Honduras and teaching ESL children through English language games http://www.englishlanguagegames.org and other FUN ESL exercises that I've either found online or made up myself! So I'm setting out to share my JOY with the world and I hope these English teaching materials and other ideas I share will help bring more JOY and FUN to your ESL beginners class!

With much LOVE and big SMILES... keep PLAYING and LEARNING!
Karlee