It is quite frustrating when you say goodbye to your young learner students during the holiday season. You know that when you see them in the next holiday, they may have forgotten plenty of the language, they learned in the previous session. This phenomenon is termed summer learning loss and this is something that impacts students of every age and stage.
So, how can one encourage their students to keep practicing their language skills over the holidays? There are several apps and online activities – but after a long duration of online teaching and digital learning, the holidays are a good opportunity for your young learners to disconnect and enjoy some time away and offline. So here are certain activities to suggest to your students and their parents. There are no screens required and even the whole family can enjoy practicing English together and helping their kids.
This blog from Cafe Converse, Delhi’s top institute for students and kids to learn spoken English shares some offline activities that will help students practice English.
Go on a nature scavenger hunt
Get your kids and students out into the fresh air with a nature scavenger hunt. Make a list of things to see for your students to find in their garden or local park. For younger students, one can keep the list easy, with things such as trees, grass, or flowers, linking them to colours or numbers. For older g students, you may make the scavenger hunt a bit more difficult by including certain species of tree, flower or insect.
This offline task reinforces the links between English and the natural world. It assists to build young kids’ observational skills and develops their natural vocabulary besides their gross motor skills. What is more, several studies have suggested that spending time in nature is hugely beneficial for children, restoring their overall attention, lowering their stress, and assisting them to become more creative and engaged in meaningful learning.
Read a story
Reading has several benefits for kids (and adults too). It is good for forming vocabulary, improving creativity, and promoting empathy. What is more, reading has been shown to dramatically lower stress levels. It is the perfect antidote to excessive screen time and a good method for students to maintain their English level over the holidays. But it is essential to make certain the level of the text is right If it is too hard, your students will feel frustrated and put off. It is essential for reading to be enjoyable.
Learn ways to read a map
This offline task involves a small amount of preparation on the part of your student’s parents – but it is a fun activity and gets kids outdoors and away from gadgets. Encourage parents to open up local maps and have kids select somewhere they would like to visit. Then your students could create a navigation guide in English, forming their vocabulary of directions and surroundings to describe the route.
Learning ways to read a map and follow directions is a fine cognitive exercise as well as physical exercise. It assists young learners to solve problems and develops their decision-making and observational skills.
Hopefully, instead of sticking to their homes, students will embrace offline activities in English whenever they can, specifically during the long holiday weekends or months, and return to their homes and schools ,ready to keep improving their language level.
Happy Learning!
Ms Sonu Goel is a professionally acclaimed certified ESL trainer from the British Council having 15 years of strong background for teaching the English language in both online and physical classes. She is dedicated to teaching of English in an interactive and practical way, whereby learners feel enriched with knowledge and experience the language hands-on. She uses creative ideas and aids to let the learning happen as organically and efficiently as possible. Ms Goel has travelled to various European countries and experienced an array of cultures and linguistic skills for the English language.
To learn more about Sonu Goel please visit : https://cafeconverse.com/best-english-tutor-coach-teacher-sonu-goel.html
