Cusco Peru, Teaching English, Biblioteca Kalphanchis - Tejbir Dhillon

Overall, if I can do this program again I would! The attitude you have is very important when teaching english is important. Especially if the kids are only 7 years old and up! Bear in mind when teaching (If you can not teach and explain the topic to someone like they are five years old then you are making it too hard!) this was a rule of thumb I tried to use when teaching and helping each student. Ensuring they understand, numbers, words, climate, landscapes, and Animals each with a simple lesson. With pictures, worksheets, games, tandem conversation, one on one practice and repetition.

Key tip if you are doing this program for over two weeks take the time to learn spanish it greatly improves the learning for the kids and your growth and experience while teaching english. I took spanish classes for a total of 3.5 weeks and the kids will help you learn spanish! Funny enough it is like an exchange or tandem conversation sometimes my Spanish greatly improved with the combination of lessons, and kids helping me. Correcting me and laughing at my broken spanish! Practicing with kids is one of the best ways to improve your spanish. You have nothing to lose they are young and only care to laugh, learn, and help you! Just like how you might find it funny when they are speaking english and say some words with a different accent. You are a team help each other get better at English and Spanish. I was very glad to have practiced spanish and if there is one additional recommendation I would try to have done more tandem conversations or one on one spanish lessons in addition to my group lessons as I have come to the final week my Spanish has really gotten stronger as a result of working with the kids and teaching English.

Be prepared do not show up to the class with no plan, I did my best to have at least 2 different lesson plans to adjust for different student groups and skill levels. Always have a back up plan because there will be days where the students are not motivated! That is alright not one person can be motivated everyday that is your job to adjust and see what makes the student more interactive. Colour worksheets, games, and getting students to write on the board really helped them. Another technique is to understand what each student may want to get out of english one of the students really enjoyed to have vocal basic conversations with me each day in English. As a result I made it a goal to have at least one full conversation in English when I saw him.

Another student she really enjoyed to write on the board. As a result she would listen to me say a topic in english or a word/number and she would be instructed to write on the board. This helped with her listening, communication, and writing skills in english. If you can find the benefit and reason the students want to learn you will do great!

Go out, explore, talk to the locals and embrace the chance to be here. I loved the kids, local life and hiking of course the food was great!