11 Useful Tips for Teaching ESL to Children (With Examples)

Teaching English to children can be one of the most fulfilling parts of your career as an ESL teacher – but also one of the most challenging. Young Learners bring energy, curiosity, and playfulness, but they also require constant stimulation, clear boundaries, and creative approaches that keep lessons engaging.

Whether you’re teaching a group or a one-to-one student, these 11 useful tips – based on experience, research, and classroom-tested techniques – will help you create lessons that are effective, memorable, and fun.

1. Understand that children are not “small adults”

The most common mistake teachers make is assuming children learn like adults. They don’t – they have shorter attention spans, they learn by doing rather than by listening, and they need emotional as well as intellectual engagement. Tailor your teaching to their developmental level, and adjust your expectations accordingly.

For example, five-year-olds need very short, playful activities with lots of repetition and movement. Ten-year-olds can handle longer tasks, mild competition, and some reflection.

2. Keep lessons active and hands-on

Children learn best when they’re moving, speaking, interacting, and creating. Build your lessons around activities that get them out of their seats and fully engaged: songs, role-plays, drawing, games, and group work all help make language memorable.

Even controlled grammar practice can be physical – for example, running to the right flashcard on the wall or forming human sentence chains.

3. Use games – and use them well

Games aren’t just filler. They’re a powerful way to teach grammar, vocabulary, and skills in a context children enjoy. Research, for example by Saricoban & Metin (Songs, Verse and Games for Teaching Grammar, The Internet TESL Journal, 2000), highlights how games improve motivation, cooperation, and retention by creating meaningful, communicative contexts where learners want to participate and use language.

Good games are designed with a clear linguistic goal – such as practising “I’d like…” or reinforcing past tense verbs. They also involve as many students as possible at the same time and stay at the right level of difficulty.

One of my favourites is Circle Swap:

• Students stand in a circle holding cards. One is in the middle.
• Teacher calls out two words; those students swap while the middle student tries to grab a spot.
• The language is practised repeatedly while the children stay engaged.

4. Keep your explanations short and clear

Children’s attention spans are limited – and shrink further if you’re just talking at them. Give clear, simple instructions and then demonstrate rather than over-explaining.

If an activity flops, don’t dwell on it. Move on to the next one. Keeping the pace up keeps the energy up.

5. Review and recycle language constantly

Children don’t retain new language just because they saw it once. Build review into every lesson: start by revisiting material from the previous session and keep recycling grammar and vocabulary in different contexts.

For example, if you taught “I’d like” in the last class, use it in the warm-up game, again in a listening activity, and once more in a writing task.

6. Encourage self-correction in a supportive atmosphere

Even young children can learn to notice and correct their mistakes – if they feel safe and supported. Model simple ways to check and rephrase, and encourage them to help each other in pairs.

Praise effort as much as correctness, and avoid public shaming or sarcasm (yes, I’ve seen teachers do this). A child who feels safe is far more likely to keep trying.

7. Adapt your approach for one-to-one lessons

Teaching a child one-to-one has its own rewards – and its own challenges. Without peers to interact with, you need to provide all the energy and variety yourself. But it also allows you to tailor lessons precisely to the child’s needs and pace.

Here’s how to succeed when teaching a child one-to-one:

• Have a big repertoire of two-player games – and play with full enthusiasm.
• Level the playing field by giving them a head start or assigning yourself extra tasks.
• Use timers or challenges to make activities exciting.
• Avoid making them feel like they’ve failed – always adjust so they finish on a high.
• Offer extras like DVDs or comics to take home and keep practising subconsciously.

8. Adjust for age and maturity

A three-year-old, a nine-year-old, and a teenager all need very different approaches.

• Very young children (3–6): Use songs, gestures, and toys. Avoid competitive games. Keep activities under five minutes each.
• Older children (7–12): Introduce mild competition, longer tasks, and some self-reflection.
• Teens (13+): Make lessons relevant to their lives. Use projects, discussions, and more sophisticated role-plays.

9. Manage your classroom with clear routines

Children thrive on structure. Set clear rules and routines from day one, and be consistent with them. Use non-verbal signals like clapping patterns or hand-raising to get their attention instead of shouting.

Keep lessons fast-paced and don’t leave gaps – idle children get distracted quickly.

10. Plan lessons with variety and flow

Children respond well to predictable rhythms, but with enough variation to stay interesting. So when you’re planning a lesson, variety matters. Here’s an example flow that works well and keeps things moving and balanced. (This is just one way of doing it – you’ll need to adapt it to your students, their age, and their energy levels.)

• Welcome & settle in (2–3 mins) – Greet each child warmly, establish a routine (e.g., line up, sit in a circle), and sing a quick hello song or do a simple chant to signal the start of class.
• Warm-up game & review (5 mins) – A fun, high-energy game reviewing key language from the last lesson. Use movement and props if possible to wake them up and grab attention.
• Introduce new language (5 mins) – Keep it very short and clear: use flashcards, toys, gestures, and chorus repetition to present 1–2 new words or a simple structure.
• Controlled practice (5–7 mins) – Practice the target language through a structured game or activity. Keep everyone involved (e.g., passing games, matching games, TPR).
• Movement break (2–3 mins) – A quick song, dance, or stretching game to reset energy levels before the next activity.
• Freer practice (5–10 mins) – A more open-ended game or creative activity (e.g., role-play, acting out, drawing and describing) where kids use the target language in context.
• Wrap-up & praise (3–5 mins) – Review what they learned, sing a goodbye song or chant, and give specific praise to each child (“You did a great job asking for the ball!”).

11. Use the right materials

Children benefit from concrete, visual, and interactive materials. A few essentials:

• Flashcards (DIY or bought)
• Real objects (toys, packaging)
• Songs and chants
• Storybooks and comics
• Short videos or cartoons (without subtitles)

Don’t underestimate the motivational power of a colourful prop, a silly song, or a comic book – they can make the difference between a bored student and an engaged one.

Final Thoughts

Teaching children ESL isn’t always easy – but it’s incredibly worthwhile. With the right mindset, tools, and techniques, you can turn your lessons into something they look forward to each week.

Bring energy, patience, and playfulness, and remember: your goal isn’t just to teach English – it’s to help children feel confident, capable, and happy to learn.

When they leave your class smiling and proud of what they accomplished, you’ll know you’re doing it right.