What's the weather like today?

Learning a new language is always an exciting adventure, especially for young children who are just beginning to explore the world around them. In our school, third-grade students are introduced to the English language through a variety of fun and engaging activities, including learning about the weather with a me (British English-speaking teacher).

One of the most effective ways of teaching young children a new language is through interactive learning, where the students are encouraged to participate actively in the lesson. This approach not only helps to keep the students engaged and interested in the lesson, but it also makes learning more enjoyable and memorable. This is one of the reasons I like to work with the Klett books... there are always a number of engaging activities to enjoy.

This week, we were learning about the different types of weather and how to describe them using English words. To make the lesson more interactive, the children drew their own weather forecast on the board and presented it to the group.

Teachers in Switzerland have a high-level of English education, however it is undeniable that having a native English-speaking teacher is also a valuable asset in teaching young children a new language. The teacher can help to ensure that the students are exposed to proper pronunciation and grammar, and can also provide them with valuable cultural insights into English-speaking countries.

We came across some pronunciation issues in our English lessons that I was able to correct and change with the children. For example, is it degree or degrees? Something as simple as this can be modelled and corrected by having a native speaker in the classroom. These little mistakes are easily corrected and so the English that the children speak is clearer, more concise and more fluent.

Ultimately, learning a new language can be a rewarding and enriching experience that can open up new opportunities and horizons for young children and having a native teacher improves their pronunciation significantly.