Here are some tips and ideas for using LearnEnglish Kids with the whole class, with smaller groups and with pairs or individuals.

Whole class activities
You could play a word game with your students as a warmer at the start of class.

There are word searches on different topics here:
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/language-games/wordsearch

For a variation on hangman try these games: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/language-games/monkey-squash

Here is an online version of memory: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/language-games/find-the-pairs After demonstrating how the activity works, ask for hands up and choose a volunteer to come to the front of the class and play the next part of the game.

You’ll find all of these and more language games here: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/language-games

As an alternative to telling a story in class you’ll find traditional and original stories on the site. There are easy to follow, animated short stories to read and listen to here: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/short-stories

For longer, more text based stories to listen to and read look here: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/stories

With very young learners at pre-reading and writing age you could start the class with a song: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/songs

A puzzle or matching task appears on the screen to keep learners entertained for a few moments while the song loads. Have the first child to be sitting quietly on his or her chair come to the front to do the pre-song puzzle.

Small group activities
Some students could work on a class computer in small groups while the others are involved in a different but related activity. For example, students at the computer could style design their own super hero: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/make-your-own/style-hero

Meanwhile their classmates work through some of the related printable activities from ‘More about this topic’ on the right of the above page, e.g.:
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/design-a-superhero-activity.pdf

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/are-you-a-superhero-activity.pdf

Demonstrate your chosen activity to the class, set up the groups and display a chart for students to tick off their names when they have had a turn on the computer. Use either a time or a defined task to determine the length of each child’s turn at the computer. You could assign each member of the group a role: typist, mouse operator, reader, spell checker, timer.

You’ll find more ‘make your own’ activities here: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/make-your-own

A small group of very young learners could make their own dangerous animal on a class computer:

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/make-your-own/make-dangerous-animal

Meanwhile their classmates could have fun with some of these printable activities:

Play a memory game with sets of dangerous animals flash cards:

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/practise-your-english/flashcards-dangerous-animals

Make animal masks: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/craft-download/animal-masks

Make a crocodile puppet: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/practise-your-english/make-crocodile-puppet

Children working individually or in pairs
If you have to travel as a class to ‘the computer room’, have the children remind you of the rules about getting there (i.e., quietly without running!) as well as the rules of conduct for the computer room before you leave your classroom.

You’ll find lots of games for either 1 or 2 players here: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/play-with-friends

Here are more games that children can play alone or take turns to play in pairs:

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/fun-with-english

After playing a game from ‘fun with English’, your learners can read comments on the game sent in by students around the world. Children that are members can send in their comments to be published on the site. Here’s how to become a member:

There is a ‘user login’ box on every page of the site. Users should click on ‘become a member’ or visit this page: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/user/register

There is a simple form to complete. Children will have to give an e-mail address, as this is where the password information will be sent. If your students don’t have their own e-mail address they will have to join with the help of their parents. This is a good idea anyway so that parents are involved in the process.

Very young learners will probably enjoy the ‘listen and paint’ games here:

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/language-games/paint-it

They can work alone if there are sufficient computers or take turns to paint in pairs.

Site map
To see the complete list of what’s available for all ages and levels on LearnEnglish Kids, check out the sitemap here: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sitemap

You’ll also find the site map under ‘Where is it?’ if you click on the ‘explore’ tab.

When you have used some of these ideas, why not come back to this page and leave a comment below to tell us how your class went. Let us know if you have any additional ideas!

• Login or register to post comments
• Printer-friendly version