Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to younger groups can be rewarding because students are usually enthusiastic and eager to learn. However, younger children lose concentration easily, so it is best to pace the lesson carefully with a mixture of activities designed to teach all four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Interactivity is also important to involve the children in the lesson.

Prepare a lesson plan to include a variety of different language activities because pace is very important with younger learners. Pair and group work encourage interactivity. Games, quizzes and songs all help the young ESL student to remember the language and they also make the lessons fun. Write down a rough estimate of how long each activity should take in your plan. Make sure you focus on speaking and listening but also include some quiet, individual writing time because you will run out of energy if the entire lesson consists of full-on interactivity.

Arrange the classroom seating to suit your lesson's objectives. An ESL classroom for younger students usually needs space in the center or front. Move the chairs and tables to make space for the children to move around if you plan role-play activities and boisterous games.

Review the previous session's work at the beginning of the lesson. A short team quiz is enjoyable and tests the students' knowledge. For example, divide the class into two teams, and give each team a buzzer. Call out a list of "concrete" noun vocabulary words, and ask the students to tell you in which location they would find the word. For instance, the answer to doctor would be hospital. Outline the lesson's objectives in a simple way for the children at the beginning of the lesson. "Today we are learning and practicing words about the weather" is clear, and children know what to expect.

Monitor the progress of each child. It is easy for some children to slip through the net in an ESL environment because of the focus on interactivity and group work. Pair less able or quieter children with more able or more confident students. For instance, ask the pairs to interview each other with simple questions related to age, home and family. The students can then tell the class about the other child.

Review the children's progress in writing, reading, listening and speaking regularly. Do not be overly concerned about English language grammar and sentence construction at this stage. It is more important for children to build their vocabulary and communicate what they want to say, even if they make mistakes and their sentences are simple. Praise children frequently because learning a new language is difficult, and they need to know they are doing well.