Hello,
I've been teaching English as a foreign language to children for several years. "The family" is one of the topics dealt with in every book I've been using, and one of the activities we do with every group is a family tree. But today, one of my students' mum came to me claiming that the family tree is not taught any more due to the fact that it is meant for "traditional families" which today are rare. She herself is a primary school teacher (not of English). Maybe she means that the trend is not to teach it from the point of view of Social Studies? I'm really confused, cause I attend upgrading courses every year and nobody has ever told not teach families trees. Are things the way she claims? What should we teachers do? Thank you so much.
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I teach students in their second year of learning English aged between 11-12 years old and the first lesson in the student book is the family tree. The family tree is meant to be taught because the family is the core of the life of the child, and it is the easiest things that a kid knows which is his father, mother, grandparents, sisters and brothers. The family tree may not be an extended one, it can be a 3-level tree, it can be just the grandparents of either the father of the mother or even both, the parents and the children.
The objective is that the pupil will be able to speak about and introduce others whom he knows as well as him/herself.
So according to me the family tree is a good way and it is good to be taught.
Concerning the mother, she is not a specialist, everyone has his own field of teaching, and the objectives of teaching English is different from that of teaching Geography, Biology, history or any other subject.
And by the way there are many beneficial ways of teaching this like a game meant to practice speaking, if you are interested let me know I will tell you.
cheers
Thanks for your answer T-o-E. I also think that it is important to teach "the family". In fact I've been teaching for more than 20 years and this topic is always included. The problem posed here is that nowadays most families are not like they used to be. This mum in particular came to us because her husband is not her child's father, and there are plenty of cases like this one, my own family included. So she claims that she learnt at teachers' training college that the family tree is not part of the curriculum anymore because of this reason. I am surprised because, as I said, I upgrade myself every year and never heard of it.
Any other opinions or facts, please?
I do agree with the family teaching. Though some of students nowadays sometimes don't even know who their father or mother is. I was also an orphan grew in an orphanage. I would like to thank Freelancer.com that introduce me some of their freelancer to do some research about my family background since I thought family is what I have actually. If you want to hire them too, whether it's for your own sake or your student's sake, use this code to get even more benefit "FAMILYTREE". Good luck ;)
I teach English in a high school and I make sure my students do a little "Family Tree" as a revision. I ask them to help me make two columns with on one side the feminine word, on the other side the masculine word. They always end up asking me how to say "step mother" "step father"... That way they are able to talk about their own familie if they need to.
I understand that the subject is too "heavy" for little children learning their own language, but once they are older, they can see that they are not talking about something personal, they are only learning how to say a word in English, which is much more neutral.
I came across your comment on teaching family tree while looking for some activities related to the topic, family. I'll appriciate if you could kindly share your ideas about teaching this topic through games, activities, etc.
Please, let me know. Thanks!
TE Team
Hi Seung Yeon
Have a look at these:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/try/teaching-kids/family-friends (for younger learners)
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant/essential-uk/royalty (for older learners with a higher level of English)
Hope they're useful!
Rob
I am from an indigenous community, from my point of view it is really meaningful to teach the students family tree, since it let them to know other aspects about their families not to know. This activity will motivate students to reinforce their love towards their families and let them to learn some English knowledge. I consider before doing this activity you may ask the students for photographs about their families. During the activity you should use your own or some photographs about people they know, maybe the Simpsons (they enjoy them), well, in the students´activity they will turn a profit all this.
Hello Seungyeon!
Teaching the topic of "Family" is an easy task. I really enjoy that whenever teach it. Every year I try to innovate my ways of teaching the "Family". I recommend you the following (10) links to follow. The first three links are my own. Just have a look at them and they will help you ( I included Exercises: Vocabulary + Writing). The other (07) links are a variety. I wish you the best.
1) http://www.docstoc.com/docs/25930150/Tell-Me-About-Your-Family-(Part-1--Visuals)
2) http://www.docstoc.com/docs/26121309/Tell-me-about-your-family(-part2--Exercises)
3)http://www.docstoc.com/docs/26925835/Tell-Me-About-Your-Family-(Part-3---Exercises---Writing)
4) http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/ppc/family-tree-template.htm?id=113661&gclid=CNGvku6IwaACFdGX2AodI26SUQ
5) http://www.familytreesearcher.com/
6) http://images.google.com/images?rlz=1C1GGLS_frTN371TN371&sourceid=chrome&q=family+trees&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=InihS-PeAcSOjAel9vzqDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CC0QsAQwAw
7) http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/default.aspx
8) http://www.ancestry.com/
9) http://www.myheritage.fr/family-tree-builder
10) http://www.familytreemaker.com/