This article will introduce some tips for turning your home into a great place to boost bilingual language skills. Everyone's living situation is different, so choose the methods that work for you and give your child a head start on global communication!

Tip #1: Just speak!

Just as we all learned our first language, the most important part of creating a bilingual environment is exposure. Books and learning materials are great when the time is right, but very young children aren't able to fully use them yet.

However, even if they're too small to use these materials, they can listen and observe. Kids are great at noticing everything happening around them, so it's important for parents to speak English with them often. It doesn't need to be all the time, but try to reserve at least an hour each day to use English exclusively or as much as possible.

When doing household tasks like cleaning or cooking, talk about what you are doing in simple words. For example: "I'm cutting the vegetables" or "I'm folding the shirts." Also, point out objects around the house while saying their names in English and get them to repeat after you, if they are able.

Tip #2: Use your space

When children get a little older, the previous ideas can be expanded. For example, you can choose special times of the day when only English is spoken — now with everyone speaking instead of just the parent(s). Doing this will bring English into real-life situations instead of just lessons in a textbook.

This idea can be taken further by making certain areas of the home "English-only" zones. Again, each home is different, but if you have enough space to make it work, turn one room into an area where only English is allowed! This can present a fun challenge for your child (and maybe even for you!).

Try to make sure they stick to the rules, so if you speak in English, they should also respond in English. However, don't be too strict; be encouraging and supportive, but it's OK if your child doesn't get it right all of the time. Remember: the goal is to make English communication natural, not to turn it into a stressful task they won't enjoy. If they work at it continually, they will get better at it — and so will you!

Tip #3: Introduce English materials

As we mentioned earlier, English-language materials are great ways to enhance and support a bilingual environment if they are used properly.

Read English stories to your child and give them books they can explore on their own. Also, be sure to give them music, movies and online videos in English that are appropriate for their age. Again, this changes English from something to study into a regular kind of entertainment and play.

When it comes to videos, there are plenty on YouTube featuring songs children can watch to help them learn English. Here are just a few examples:

It's important to choose videos that are appropriate for your child's age and stage of development. 

There are also a variety of language-learning apps you can download on your mobile device. Some are free with in-app purchases, while others must be purchased from the start. Some examples include:

• Studycat
• Monkey Junior - English for Kids
• Endless Alphabet

Don't forget, however, that even though these apps are educational, it's important to pay attention to your child's screen time.

Tip #4: Include others

While English materials can be helpful, remember that interacting in English will have the biggest positive impact on your child's development. 

The tips we've shared so far are mostly limited to the home and the small number of people inside it. But it's also important to give your child the chance to speak with others in English as often as possible. This teaches them that English is not just a tool to use with Mom or Dad; it can be used to communicate with anyone. 

Look for ways to increase their interaction and engagement with other English speakers. This can include visits from other family members, but you can also organize play dates with other children who are learning English.

Tip #5: The OPOL method

For homes with two parents who can speak different languages, the OPOL method can be very effective.

With this method, which is short for "One Person, One Language," each parent speaks only one language with the child — for example, Dad speaks French while Mom speaks English. This helps create a clear separation in the child's mind between the two languages and results in less confusion and language mixing.

This strategy may need to be adjusted as time goes on and the child's needs change. And, of course, it requires dedication from the parents — each parent should stick to a single language instead of mixing words and phrases from both, which may be how some couples normally communicate. However, if it can be done well, the results will be worth it!

Wrap-up

Each of the techniques we've introduced can be effective alone, but they are best used together. As each home environment is different, parents should look for the combination of strategies that works best for their situation. 

Remember that creating a bilingual environment is a process that takes time, so even if you don't start off perfectly, you can make changes as you continue. The good news is that every little bit of English exposure will help your child to become bilingual, so don't wait to get started!

The post How to Create a Bilingual Environment at Home for Young Learners appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Because kinesthetic learners want to move and touch things, toys and other physical objects are a great way to get them excited and engaged in their education. So let's take a look at a few fun learning tools for the young English students in your life.

Alphabet blocks

These are classic toys that you can see almost anywhere you find very young children. They let kids physically connect with language by moving blocks around to spell simple words. They can help children understand the differences between letters not only visually but also by feeling the shapes. This helps to form two connections in their minds instead of just one.

Flashcards

Flashcards are simple tools that don't cost much money but offer great value. It’s not always convenient to carry a textbook, but keeping a small stack of cards in your pocket or bag is easy!

Flashcards don't require preparation or study partners, and they can be used to practice vocabulary (like recognizing pictures of animals) or for grammar (simple sentence structures, for example). Studying with them is also a great way to strengthen "active recall," which is the ability to remember information without any extra clues or context.

Word games

There are a variety of party games that focus on language, such as Scrabble, Boggle and Bananagrams. These games are all about vocabulary, spelling and word recognition. Because you need to be fast when playing against others, learners have plenty of motivation to master English so they can use it quickly to win!

Many of these games can be played digitally, but as we mentioned earlier, adding a physical experience can lead to stronger connections in the mind and deeper understanding. Physical games also mean less time spent looking at screens, which is healthy for both children and adults! And speaking of adults, word games — just like flashcards — are great for all ages.

Puzzles

You may not think that puzzles are especially useful for learning language, but you'd be wrong!

Imagine a puzzle that forms a picture of an animal or scene. By talking while putting the pieces in place, children can learn new English vocabulary and practice using it to describe what they see. And when they've finished, they have a nice picture that they helped to create.

You can find puzzles with many different designs, themes and characters, so there is something that will appeal to everyone.

Magnetic letters

Similar to alphabet blocks, magnetic letters are another great tool that lets kids get hands-on with language. Also, their ability to stick on surfaces means they can stay visible and act as reminders for things they've learned. Your refrigerator door may get a little messy, however!

Picture books

Simple stories can help kids gain new vocabulary, improve reading and comprehension skills, and learn how to describe basic situations and emotions in English. But that's not all; reading has many benefits that go beyond just language, including improving focus and helping to develop a longer attention span. These are things that even many adults need help with!

Sequencing cards

Sequencing cards let kids use pictures to put things in order, recognize patterns and make predictions. This gives them the tools they can use to start retelling stories and even creating their own by describing the beginning, middle and end of events in English.

Just like puzzles, sequencing cards come in a variety of themes for you to choose from. And like all of the suggestions on this list, they are inexpensive. You can even find card sets that you can print for free at home.

Potato Head

This is another classic toy that generations of kids grew up playing with. While interacting with the various pieces, kids can learn and practice vocabulary for different parts of the face and body. You can also use Potato Head (which used to be called "Mr. Potato Head") to talk about what each part of the face and body is used for in English.

Playtime is study time

Games and fun activities can also be educational. The suggestions we’ve listed here are great for helping children learn new words, improve their memory and strengthen their social skills. These benefits are not only excellent for developing English ability but also for general skills they can use in all areas of life.

The post Toys and Games for Young English Learners appeared first on Engoo Blog.

So, how can you convince your teen to study English? While you may know that English will help their future, they may not share your enthusiasm.

Today, we'll show you three easy ways to get your teenager interested in learning English.

1. Help your teen feel good about their English skills

For your teen, learning English may not have been a positive experience so far. There are many possible reasons for this. For example:

• They may not doing well in their English classes at school, which could cause them to believe that they are not good at English or make them feel stressed about it in general.
• They may have got in trouble for bad grades in their English classes in the past.
• They may see English as a chore you ask them to do instead of something fun.

The more negative feelings a child has towards English, the less interested they will be in learning it. So, to motivate your teen to learn English, you should first help them feel good about it. Here are some ways you can do this.

• Help your teen with their English homework: Helping your teen with their English lessons can help them realize that English is not as difficult as they thought and boost their confidence. It's also an opportunity for you to do something together, which will make it feel more like a shared activity than a chore. If you don't feel you have the English skills to help them alone, consider hiring a tutor to help them if possible. Another option is to see if they can help you with your English - it may not help them with the lesson but it might improve their confidence.
• Compliment their English: Help your teen realize that they are good at English – or at least some part of it. For example, if they think they are bad at pronunciation, try to point out the words they can pronounce correctly, or another area of English that they are better at, such as grammar. Or tell them how much better their English is than yours!
• Celebrate small victories: If their grades in English class improve by even a little or if they simply start putting more effort into it, congratulate them and let them know how proud you are of them.

2. Help your teen realize that English is useful

When a teenager feels that something is useful or valuable, they will be more motivated to do it. So, as a parent, you can show your child how English could be useful to them.

One way to do this is to connect English to their interests. For example:

• If they're interested in sports, you can introduce them to English sports news or listen to English commentary while watching a game.
• If they're interested in fashion, you can buy them English fashion magazines.
• If they're interested in video games, you can show them livestreams of English-speaking gamers, or let them play a game with English subtitles turned on as part of their English study.

Another way to do this is to connect English to their motivations. For example, if their dream is to make a lot of money, you can encourage them to look into how English would help them get well-paid jobs in the future, or if they're interested in a specific industry, how English may give them an advantage in that area.

Luckily, many teens already have interests and motivations related to English. Some want to travel abroad, some love English pop songs and some follow English-speaking Youtubers. In this case, show them how learning English would help them get more out of those interests.

Just keep in mind that your child may have interests and motivations that are very different from yours. So make sure you see things from their perspective and avoid forcing your will on them, since this is likely to backfire.

3. Give your child choices

If your child now realizes the value of English and agrees to study it, let them do it on their terms.

For example, let's say your child starts taking an English class but doesn't like the teacher because they are too strict. In that case, don't force them to continue the class. Instead, ask the school if your child can take classes with another teacher.

You can also ask if they have any friends who might be interested in learning English. If they do, you and the other parents can find a way for them to learn or practice English together.

There are lots of different ways of learning and practicing English - so give your teenager the time and space to try out different things and find something that they actually enjoy. Getting frustrated with them for giving up something they didn't end up enjoying will just make them less likely to try something new.

Whatever the case, make sure to give your child as much choice as your budget allows. When teenagers are given freedom, they feel more motivated. It may just take them some time to find the right option for them, which is perfectly normal. They are teenagers after all!

Bonus tip: Find a tutor who is also a teenager

It's no secret that teenagers prefer to spend time with their peers. So, if you can find your child a tutor who is also a teenager, it may make it easier for them to relate to the tutor and maybe even help them enjoy learning English.

At Engoo, you can actually find English tutors who are teenagers too! Simply go to our tutor page and select "18-19" in the Age field.

You can even find tutors in this age group who share your child's interests by typing their interest (e.g. "gaming," "anime," "dancing") in the search field.

In general, our tutors are also very encouraging people, so they can definitely help your teenager feel good about their English. Learn more about us here.

The post 3 Ways to Convince Your Teenager to Study English appeared first on Engoo Blog.

However, online lessons aren’t all fun and games. For starters, many kids are reluctant to learn at home without their school friends around. Also, the familiar routine their teacher starts the class with is missing. Not to mention, one can hardly get in the mood for learning when the environment looks nothing like a classroom. 

We’ve prepared some tips that will help make your child’s online studies more effective and enjoyable. These work best for young learners to the age of 10-11.

Explain The Benefits

Kids are smart. They’re not going to do extra work for no reason, so you’ll want to explain what’s in it for them.

You can start by first telling them that online lessons are short and won’t take much time away from their favorite activities. And since they won’t have to get out of their house to have the lesson, they won’t have to go out during bad weather!

Mention that they can use toys and games in their new online classes and that some of their school friends are doing so as well. This will make them feel less isolated or “different.”

And lastly, they are at home, which is where they are the most comfortable and in control. So they can:

• customize their study area as they wish;
• have access to everything they want (such as toys and puppets they might need to use in the classes;
• enjoy a nice snack right after the lessons;
• go out and play as soon as the lesson ends.

Prepare The Environment

Take some time to figure out the best corner of your house for online lessons. Make sure the child is far from distractions such as loud TVs, a playful dog, or noisy kitchen appliances. 

Try to make the working environment as comfortable as you can. If possible, it’s a good idea to alternate between a standing desk and a low desk with a colorful floor seat.

Feel free to give the room a theme. If your child likes Harry Potter you can decorate their space so it looks like something out of J.K. Rowling’s books. 

Set Up The Mood For The Lessons

Make the lessons seem like a fun activity. Start by preparing a colorful timetable together with your kid. 

You can also prepare checklists and reward systems. Rewards can be a great incentive, as long as they’re not overused. You can set up a board where you place smiley faces for every English lesson completed. After they win 15 smiley faces, they get a secret gift. The gifts can be educational, such as an English story book, a coloring book, legos, etc. 

Kids like games so you can make one out of their tasks. As the National Association for the Education of Young Children puts it, “Development advances when children ... experience a challenge just beyond the level of their present mastery.” 

For example, write different challenges on small pieces of colored paper and place them in a jar. Have your kid pick one every week. The challenges could be something like "learn a song in English this week” or “finish your English homework in under an hour.”

Double Check Everything

Make sure they have everything they need at hand. This includes their textbooks, notebooks, pencils, whiteboard, markers, etc. 

For language lessons, toys and puppets will come in handy. They can be used as characters during stories and role-playing activities and also provide a sense of comfort and safety.

Remember to also make sure that video and audio settings are properly configured before every lesson. Technology is sometimes unpredictable and even minor software updates can cause unexpected problems and make your kid lose interest. 

Finally, Check In With Them

Congrats! Your kid is now ready for their online lesson. But your job isn’t done yet. Take a look to make sure your child is still focused on the lesson from time to time. And if they are very young, they might need a lot of guidance with the device they’ll be using for the class.

Afterwards, be sure to ask them how the lesson went. Check their homework and see what they learned. You can do this in a fun, casual way by playing a game or asking them to teach you English – kids love being teachers themselves! 

And don’t forget to check in with teachers as well. You can do so by reading their reports on your child’s learning and performance. It’s important to be up to date with the materials the teachers are planning to use, and know what you can do to aid your kid’s learning process (i.e. bring props and puppets to the lessons). 

Let’s Recap

Here are all the tips mentioned for making online English lessons more enjoyable for your little ones:

1. Explain the benefits of online English learning
2. Make the environment more conducive to learning and comfortable
3. Get them in the mood for lessons 
4. Double check to make sure they have all they need 
5. Check in with them from time to time

And if you are looking for professional online tutors, at Engoo, online education is in our DNA. Our tutors have years of experience making online lessons a blast for kids, and we have learning materials for the little ones, too. You will find English tutors available 24/7. With us, kids enjoy learning English, so feel free to give it a try with a free lesson!

The post 5 Ways to Ease Your Kid Into Online English Lessons appeared first on Engoo Blog.

In this blog post, we’ll explain why this happens and suggest ways to get your little one(s) “back on track” when it does. As a bonus, many of these activities use English, so your child can practice the global language during downtime without even knowing.

Brain Breaks - What Are They?

As the brain works hard to process and store information, it’s easy for the learner to lose focus as early as 20-30 minutes into their self-study session or class. For example, a study conducted on adults found that performance on a task dropped steadily over the course of 20 minutes, as did blood flow to the brain. So it should come as no surprise that kids would start losing focus way earlier.

Before this happens, it’s essential to take a quick break — a brain break. The ideal length of a break depends on your child’s age:

• If your kid is under 11-12 years old, they should at least take a three-minute break after 20 minutes of studying.
• If they’re 12 or older, they should take a break of at least five minutes after 30 minutes of study. 

Multiple studies have shown that the benefits of brain breaks are endless. They boost physical fitness, improve mental health, develop creativity, and increase productivity at school. 

To make these breaks even more meaningful, you can incorporate English into the activities you choose. We’ll share some you can do with children and teenagers below. 

What Can I do for My Child?

Before deciding on a brain break, consider your child’s mood and personality. If your son or daughter is usually energetic and unable to sit still, try calming them down with some of the following activities:

• Yoga for kids: Simple poses and stretches, breathing exercises, and meditation can ease your child into their studies. They’ll also improve balance and flexibility while combatting hyperactivity. Here are some great yoga videos in English to get you started.
• Taking a walk: If the weather is nice, take a short walk. Studies show that walking can help clear children’s minds, allowing them to concentrate better and improve academic performance.
• Pet time: If you have a pet, encourage your child to play with them during breaks. Studies show that contact with pets can help children calm down. 
• Creative activities: Have your child do some simple arts and crafts, like folding an origami bird or coloring a page in their coloring book. Or if they like legos, have them build something. To make sure they don’t get carried away, frame the activity as a challenge (e.g. “Let’s see who can fold a bird faster!”). 

If your child’s energy level is low and they keep dozing off, we suggest doing brain breaks that will get them to actively move around. You can try any of the following:

• Play some fun English songs and dance along, doing funny gestures.
• Play Simon Says: “Simon saaays …bring me an apple!” 
• Play a short game of charades with them, using English words they know.
• Play a game such as hide-and-seek, tag, or “hot or cold”.  

What Can I do for (or with!) My Teenage Son/Daughter?

For teenagers and preadolescents, you’ll need age-appropriate activities, such as:

• Laughing together: Watch a Try not to laugh challenge together, or check out funny memes. Many of those are in English, and chances are, your teenager will already be familiar with some and can explain them to you.
• Video-games: If they like video games, suggest they play short rounds of tetris or hidden objects games. There are many English websites where you can find games like these. 
• Cooking: Make easy desserts together, such as this speedy banana ice cream. They often require preparation in advance, but the actual cooking takes just a few minutes. There are many recipe videos in English, so your child can practice their listening skills. You can also help them reinforce new vocabulary while cooking (for example, “Pass me the butter”)
• Videos: Let them watch informative videos such as “How bubblegum is made” or anything they might be interested in. Check out our blog post for more listening activities.
• Dancing: If both you and your children are into music and dancing, have a dance-off like nobody's watching. 

Depending on your child’s interests, you can have them work on more creative activities, such as doodling. They might also enjoy writing in English as a brain break if you provide some fun prompts like a bucket list of things to do this summer or top three birthday presents they would like to receive. 

A Final Piece of Advice

Whatever your child does during their brain breaks, it’s important they stay hydrated and active. 

A final brain break idea is to let your child chat with an online tutor who shares their interests. At Engoo, we have tutors who like painting, dancing, basketball, and anything else your child might be interested in. That way, they can practice English conversation in a fun way.

Besides, our online classes are 25 minutes long, which means your kids could have a study session AND a brain break! Try a free lesson and see how it goes!

The post Use Brain Breaks to Keep Your Child Focused appeared first on Engoo Blog.

If you’re like most parents, you might have told them that learning English will be helpful in the future. However, psychology tells us that the idea of working for a reward far in the future isn’t motivating for adults — let alone kids!

So today, we’ll introduce five easy things you can do at home that will actually make your child interested in English (read: trick them into thinking it was their idea). We’ll focus on kids ages ten and under in this post.

1. Make English a Part of Daily Life

Kids are smart and will quickly realize if you’re trying to teach them something they don’t find very useful. So your first order of business is to prevent your child from asking, “Why do I need English?” by making it as easy and natural to them as breathing.

A good way to do that is to introduce them to English as early as possible. There are plenty of ways for you to do so, such as the following:

• Buy them toys and books that use English.
• If you plan to hire a nanny, try to find one who speaks English or knows it well enough to use some with your child.
• Speak in English with your friends in front of your child. If that’s not an option, you can practice having conversations with an Engoo tutor!)
• If your child is allowed to use a tablet or a phone, be sure to set the language to English.*

You can also merge English with some regular routines you have with your kid. For example, let’s say you’re grocery shopping with your child. On the car ride over, you can play some kids music in English. (Super Simple Songs is a good place to start if need some ideas!)

And at the grocery store, make a game out of getting the products you want by asking your child to get you things in English (“Go get … bananas! Go get … apples! I bet you don’t remember what kiwis are!”).

By exposing your child to English on a daily basis, they’ll not only become familiar with how the language sounds and looks. Using English will also become second nature for them.

*Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend children under the age of 18 months use screens, unless they are making video calls.

2. Make English Fun For You and Your Child

Many parents these days feel pressure to turn their children into fluent English speakers early on. However, it’s better to take things step-by-step. For now, focus on sparking their interest in English first.

Remember that an important part of being interested in something is not hating it. So try to focus on making your child’s early experiences with English as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

This means that instead of sending them to English classes that drill them in grammar and vocabulary, it’s probably better to play them kid-friendly movies, TV shows, and music. 

To get started, you can check out Peppa Pig’s official Youtube channel and Disney+, which streams Disney movies as well as National Geographic documentaries, and other fun, educational content in English.

Keep in mind that every child has a different definition of “fun.” If your child is into sports, you might have to watch sports matches in English. If your child is into cooking, watch cooking shows and try to cook things from recipes in English.

And don’t forget that fun is contagious. If your kid sees you having fun with English, they are more likely to enjoy it as well. We’ve had parents who’ve told us about how they would often play some English songs they liked while doing housework and how one day, their children would suddenly start singing along!

3. Make English About Family

Keep in mind that interaction is key to learning languages, whether it’s our native tongue or a foreign language. After all, languages aren’t a one-way street!

So when possible, try to use some English when doing activities with your child. Watch movies, sing English songs, and play simple games with them (e.g. hide-and-seek) using English. 

Doing arts and crafts together, such as origami or painting, is a good way to introduce them to simple nouns, shapes, and colors. (Remember that working on your child’s motor skills may also help their language development!)

And don’t forget about picture books! These can be bilingual or fully in English. Classics like The Very Hungry Caterpillar are a big hit with kids and have at most one sentence per page, so they shouldn’t be hard to read even if you don’t feel confident in your English.

And if you’re hesitant to read to your kids in English, there are plenty of videos of people who do this which you can learn from. But know that it’s better if your child hears you reading and not some person from the computer. And don’t stress if you make mistakes. The purpose of these activities is to have fun with your child while doing something in English!

4. Make English About Friends

It’s important for children to realize why English is useful for them, and a good way to do this is to make friends who speak the language.

In fact, if a child doesn’t have English-speaking peers, they’ll see no reason to use it and may even ask you to stop using it with them altogether!

So to make sure English stays important to them, here are some tips:

• Find a playgroup with English-speaking kids. These don’t have to be totally in English. In fact, it’s good to have a mix of local families and those from English-speaking backgrounds. The important thing is that everyone wants to raise their kids to be bilingual and bicultural.
• Enroll your child in an interdisciplinary English-speaking preschool or kindergarten, where they don’t just teach English as a class, but also use it to teach other subjects.
• If you have friends or family in English-speaking countries who have kids, try to visit them during holidays and video-call each other the rest of the year. That way, they’ll associate English with these fun holidays and new friends.
• Hire some older English-speaking kids who are good at the things your child is interested in.

If you can’t organize in person meet-ups for your kids, try showing them videos of kids around the world who can speak English and try finding penpals from other countries they can write to or video-call with.

5. Online Tutoring

In case you need more ideas, here’s one final suggestion: online tutoring. 

Online tutoring is an easy and affordable way to get your child the one-to-one interaction they need to learn English without “breaking the bank” for an expensive private tutor. Online tutoring also eliminates the hassle of dropping off and picking up your kids. 

With Engoo, you can also rest assured that our tutors will get your kids hooked on English. They praise and reward kids frequently, allowing them to enjoy the learning process. We’ve also got thousands of tutors from over a hundred countries. This means that we’re open 24/7 and your child can meet people from all over the world, developing a global mindset early on. Newly registered users get a free lesson, so give us a try!

The post How To Get Your Kids Interested in English appeared first on Engoo Blog.

The more the tutor knows about your son or daughter, the better they’ll be able to customize their lessons.

So as a parent, here are five things you’ll want to share with your child’s tutor as early as possible to ensure their English lessons are a success!

1. Goals

From the start, it’s important to tell the tutor what you want your child to take away from the lessons as well as what your son’s or daughter’s wishes are.

Letting the tutor know about your and your child’s goals will allow them to tailor their instruction to your needs. For example:

• If you want the tutor to help your child prepare for a standardized test or do better in school, the tutor will know to focus more on grammar and vocabulary and correct them more often.
• If you want the tutor to prepare the child for the family’s relocation abroad, they’ll know to focus more on speaking and listening skills.

You can also be clear about how strict you want the tutor to be. For example, if you just want the child to have fun with English, you can ask that the tutor play more games and not correct your child as much.

And if you plan to provide a textbook, you’ll also want to let the tutor how much you expect them to stick to it. Sometimes, tutors may pick other materials if they notice the textbook is too challenging or too simple or if a child seems bored or tired. So it’s helpful to let them know if they absolutely need to use your materials or if it’s OK to do something different than planned.

Whatever the case, it’s important to get the tutor on the same page as you early on.

2. Your Child’s English Level

You’ll also want to let the tutor know about your child’s current English abilities. This can be anything from “They just know how to say hello” to “They are in third grade now and seem to be doing better than their classmates.”

You can also share some of your child’s experiences learning English so far. For example:

• Have you exposed your child to English at home through speaking it or playing English TV and songs for them? If so, how they have responded to this?
• How many years has your child studied English in school? At what age did these classes start?
• What is your child currently learning about in their English classes?
• How does your child feel about their English classes and their English teachers?

If there’s any English-related experience your child isn’t happy with, make sure to inform the tutor about it. This allows them to avoid activities that your child won’t enjoy. 

3. Interests

It’s not easy to have a child sit down in front of a computer with a stranger speaking to them in a language they don’t totally understand. 

So letting an online English tutor know about your child’s interests can help them better connect with and keep your child engaged. For example, if a tutor knows that your daughter likes dancing, they can do some little dances with her during the lesson to keep her engaged.

Here are some things you can share about your child to help the tutor better understand them: 

• Hobbies (e.g. sports, singing, dancing, drawing, reading)
• Favorite food, candy, and snacks
• Favorite movies and actors/actresses
• Favorite songs and music groups
• Favorite books
• Favorite video games
• Favorite Youtube channels

4. Learning Style

While tutors will eventually figure out the best way your son or daughter learns, you can save them a lot of time by directly sharing your experiences, such as:

• Tricks you used to teach your child to ride a bike or tie their shoe laces.
• Who your child’s favorite teacher in school is and their teaching style.
• Whether your child likes being complimented (“Great job!” “You’re awesome!”), rewarded (e.g. with stickers), and so on.
• Whether your child likes competition and games.

5. How Often You Want to Check In

Finally, having check-in meetings with your child’s tutor can make their classes more effective. During these check-in meetings, you can:

• Ask questions about your child’s progress.
• Make requests like “Could you teach my daughter more vocabulary?” or “Could you correct my daughter less?”
• Update the tutor on the child’s life, such as “We recently got a puppy, so you can ask my son about it!” or “His best friend recently moved away, so he might be a little sad.”

Tutors will find this kind of information very helpful. Just make sure to tell the tutor how often you’d like to check in so they know what to expect. For example, would you like to check in every two weeks or once a month?

Still Looking for a Tutor?

If you’re shopping around for tutors, check out Engoo! We’re an online tutoring platform that teaches students ages two and up.

We also have materials for children of all levels. If your child doesn’t know the alphabet, no problem! Our kids materials start with just that. And for older kids, we have a range of lesson materials to keep them happy. 
You’ll also get one free lesson when you sign up, so why not give it a try?

The post 5 Things You Should Tell Your Child's English Tutor appeared first on Engoo Blog.

To play, draw a table like the one below or simply print it out. Let the game begin!

Steps of the game:

1. Draw a table like the one shown above or print this one out. Each participant or team needs to have a table of their own.

2. At the top of each column, write a category, like "place" or "animal" or "fruit" or "song." The categories can be whatever you like, but at first it's best to use ones that are common and simple.

3. Cut up some paper or card into small pieces and write out each letter of the alphabet on them, with just one letter on each piece. Put the pieces of paper or card face down in a pile on the table and mix them up..

4. Each player/team takes turns to draw a letter from the pile. The goal of the game is to write something that starts with that letter in each category..

5. Set a time limit, like 3 minutes, during which the players/teams must try to find a word starting with that letter for each category on the table. Use whatever time limit works best for you.

6. Once the time is up, each player/team takes turns reading the words written down out loud and assigning points.

7. Calculate the total and start over! You can do as many rounds as you like.

How to assign points:

0 points - for no word or an incorrect word;

5 points - for every correct word written down by two or more people;

10 points - for every correct unique word (written by only one player)

If you need to improve your vocabulary to win the next round of the game, you can always practice with free Engoo materials.

The post Let's Play! appeared first on Engoo Blog.

1. Get Your Kids Excited About Online Lessons

Before you introduce any teachers to your child, you’ll want to get them interested in online tutoring. 

At the very least, you’ll want to get them used to talking to people over the internet (e.g. friends and relatives) if they aren’t already familiar with it. 

You also want to make sure that your kids know that online English lessons won’t be a chore, but something fun they’ll do a couple times a week that won’t interfere with their playtime.

What works even better is if you or an older sibling take online English lessons while your kids are around. On multiple occasions, we’ve seen young children become interested in online English lessons after seeing a family member talking to a tutor and having fun. 

After all, they look up to you and want to try everything that you do. So be their role model!

Anyways, now that you’ve sparked your child’s interest, how do you find a teacher that’ll keep them hooked?

2. Use A Checklist

While shopping for teachers and online schools, we recommend you use a checklist that covers basic aspects of tutoring services. Here’s ours:

⬚ How long is each lesson? Younger children do better with shorter lessons.

⬚ Can parents participate? We highly recommend attending the first few lessons with your child to help them stay focused.

⬚ What age range does the school teach? It’s usually more effective for children 0-5 years old to take lessons with schools or tutors that specialize in teaching young children.

⬚ What learning materials are used? Does the school provide those or do you have to do it yourself?

⬚ Are there teachers who speak your language? For younger kids, it’s helpful to have bilingual teachers who can communicate with them in their native tongue.

Depending on your needs, you may also want to check the following:

⬚ What devices can classes be taken on? 

⬚ Can siblings take lessons together?

⬚ Are there offline activities to complement online learning?

⬚ Have any teachers worked with children with special needs before?

3. Try Out 2-3 Teachers, But No More Than That

Let your child try out two to three teachers to get a taste for who they like best. But make sure you don’t sign up for more than that, as your child might get tired and lose interest.

So, be sure to do some research beforehand and pick two or three of the most promising teachers to try out. In addition to reading reviews and ratings, you can also see if the teacher has posted a video introducing themselves.

If you’re already taking online English lessons and have a tutor who you like, you can ask if they’d be willing to teach your child as well. If it happens that they prefer not to teach kids, they’ll still be able to recommend other tutors who do.

4. Help the Teacher Help You

Realistically speaking, you won’t find a perfect teacher who has a perfect first class with your child. However, you will find the teacher who has the greatest potential to be just the right person for them.

In order to help them become “the right person” in the shortest period of time, you should share what you know about your child with them. Here are some things the teacher would appreciate knowing:

• Your child’s interests and hobbies: Is your child fascinated by trains? Do they love a certain superhero or pop singer? Do they like baseball, Chinese food, or elephants? Make a list and send it to the teacher, with links if it helps.
• How your child learns: From your experience potty-training your child or teaching them to ride a bike, you probably have a good idea of how they learn. Do they prefer verbal or visual explanations? Are they hands-on learners? 
• How to motivate your child: Do they like compliments, rewards (e.g. smiley face stickers) or high-fives? Are they motivated by competition?

No one knows your child as well as you do. Sharing some of these “secrets” with the teacher will help them connect more easily with your child, making lessons more fun and effective from Day One.

Finally, ask the teacher if there are any ways you can help them. There’s no better way to establish rapport with the teacher by asking, “What can I do to support your work?” or a simple “How can I help you?”

What Are You Waiting For?

You’re now ready to start looking for the perfect teacher for your kids.

While you’re shopping around, check out Engoo! We’re a 24/7 online tutoring platform that serves students ages two and up. And you don’t have to worry about anything:

• Our lessons are 25 minutes long, the perfect length for kids.
• We have our own lesson materials that’ll keep kids of all ages happy. Your child doesn’t even have to know the alphabet as our kids materials start with just that. (If you don’t believe us, check out this girl singing along to the alphabet song in our first lesson!)
• We also have plenty of tutors with experience with kids. You can find them by searching with keywords like “love kids,” “early childhood education,” “secondary education,” “education major,” “preschool,” “teenagers,” “kids,” and “mom” or “dad” (to find tutors who are parents themselves).

You’ll also get one free lesson when you sign up, so why not give it a try?

Please note that parents are recommended to participate in lessons with children under 12 for the first month.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Perfect Online English Teacher for Kids appeared first on Engoo Blog.