A bag of tricks for the traveling YL ESL teacher

It’s somewhat of a nuisance to carry around but I don’t go to any of my schools without it. I’ve now settled on a large, colourful plastic bag that zips and that can easily be molded to fit into my bicycle hamper. It raises a few eyebrows wherever I go but what the heck it helps me to do my job. Perhaps, you have one too. My bag is full of useful props, things, objects that help me to teach in a creative, magical way and serve to relax and loosen up the children for learning. It’s something akin to a bag of tricks that a magician uses to awe his audience. I strive to do the same with mine.
Here are the things that make up my bag of tricks. It includes:

• Lots of children’s songs CDs. Music is magic to young learners’ ears. I use music as a warm-up to start the class and also to start a game. The children lap it up. They sway, bounce and move their bodies to the music they hear.
• Puppets. It allows me to teach target language and introduce and act out simple dialogue skits. A puppet, I have discovered, actually introduces another native speaker in the classroom. They’re great and the children warmly respond to them.
• Squishy balls. They’re soft and colourful. They are easy to catch. I use them to promote classroom participation.
• A wig. I wear it to liven up the class. It makes me look ridiculous but it grabs their attention.
• Flashcards. It’s a great way to introduce language. I make my own. It’s cheaper if you do. I use them in games. I also carry with me a set of ABC flashcards to teach the alphabet and phonics.
• Stuff toy animals. They’re cute. I use them to teach prepositions such as on, in, under, behind, in front of, etc.
• Soft, large, cushy dice. I use them to play games like snakes and ladders.
• Coloured hollow plastic balls. I use them for teaching colours and in activities such as the passing activity.
• Paper, pencils, coloured pencils, and erasers. I use them in drawing/colouring/connect the dot activities. They are a great way to end the class and to restore peace and calm to a lively and active group of children.
• Magnets. To hang flashcards on the blackboard.
• Tambourines/rattles. I use them to start a game and for drill activities. They act as a cue.
• Peanuts, two bowls, and two sets of chopsticks. I use them to play the chopstick game.

My bag also includes tissue, throat lozenges, and a bottle of water.
I don’t ever leave home without my bag of tricks. I’d be lost without it. It sure makes a difference to the way I teach. Perhaps, if you haven’t one you might just be tempted to start one and take it with you whenever you go to your schools.

Contributed by Stefan Chiarantano | February 2005
Stefan has been teaching English as a foreign language in Asia for the past several years. He presently teaches English in Japan. He's a Canadian with an interest in filmmaking and photography.

The original posting is here http://edition.tefl.net/articles/yl-articles/bag-of-tricks-traveling-yl-esl-teacher/

What is the chopstick game? Any ideas?

Classroom management - In or Out

In or Out works best for kindergarten students i.e. the ones who cannot read or write yet and who respond exceptionally well to visual ways of explantion and instruction.


The basic idea behind the game is that if you are good, you are in the same group with the teacher and other students; if you are naughty, you are out of the group.

Apples in a basket:

During the first week (month) of the school year, the teacher has to prepare a big paper basket and paper apples for every student. They will later colour and write their names on them with the help of the teacher who will have an apple of his/her own as well. Next, all the apples will be placed in the basket hung earlier on the classroom wall/ bulletin board. If one student misbehaves, he is taken out of the basket and put next to it. If his/ her behaviour changes, the apple is placed back into the basket.

The activity has many variations. The teacher may decide to prepare, for example:


• bees and a beehive
• stars and a model of univers
• clouds and a sky
• flowers in a garden
• wagons of a train
• animals in a forest/ jungle
• fish or frogs in a pond
• starfish or other sea creatures in a sea

Classroom management ideas

During my career as an ESL teacher I have come across plenty of teachers who dread teaching children. Because they are naughty. Because they cannot concentrate. Because all they want to do is run around and make a lot of noise. Having taught kids for a few years now I wholeheartedly agree with all the aforementioned complaints. It takes however a few things to bear in mind to make your YL classes work like magic.

Teamwork, games and the sense of competitiveness

Students love competitions and YL are no exception. The only difference is that they love them even more! Hence you should take every opportunity to turn any activity into a contest. Start up by dividing the class into two or more groups.

Give each team a name e.g. oranges and apples or red and blue. You can use the vocabulary you have recently taught to provide some extra practice and give your students an opportunity to encounter the new words again.

Very YLs tend to forget which group they belong to so use colored chalk to mark their desks. Always check that the students know which group they are a memeber of by making them raise their hands and see who else is in their group.

On the blackboard write each group’s name and give them an equal numbers of points for a start. Warn the students they you will erase their points if anyone from the group shouts, walks around, keeps talking, does not raise their hand etc. Tell them that points will be added if group members speak English or complete tasks successfully.

With very young lerners, not being able to use L1 may cause loads of unnecessary stress. My kids, therefore, are allowed to speak their mother tongue only if they whisper to their partners and if they don't do it very often.

Reward the kids for every positive thing they do. Keep in mind that rewards have a much more encouraging and motivating effect than any form of punishment.