Teaching toddlers ESL

Hi there !

I recently started to ''teach'' 3 and 4 years old at their home.

My 3 years old can't stay still. We basically only play games, I make him repeat after me, I ask him questions, he understands a lot but he doesn't reply in English (even his Japanese level is not so great for his age).

My 4 years old student is a new one and his mother/younger brother sit next to us and watch the whole lesson. The little boy wants to play and doesn't want to stay still. He doesn't really reply to my questions or get interested in what I'm talking about.

Anybody has ever taught one-on-one toddlers at their home ? Any tips ?

Thank you !

Oh! I am interested too! I will be teaching toddlers soon and am worried. A friend says that it is mostly playing, singing songs, etc.

I taught children ages 3 and up for a year. The first few months were very stressful , until I figured it out a bit. You need to:
- prepare well before the class
- don't try to teach too much; cover the same words in multiple sessions
- it needs to be fun
- keep it active - games, songs, etc.

Yes I already know that. These are the basics.

What I'd like to know is what kind of activities/games can you do when you don't have material and you're teaching at home to a 4 year old that doesn't want to listen.

Why don't you ask the client's parents? Find out what activities capture their attention, then modify them to your purposes.