The EFL Playhouse: Fingerplays and Action Rhymes for Young Learners

My promised "high schoolers" hard at work ...

"I'm teaching WHAT???"

Can you identify with the above reaction?

I can. A secondary education major, with English and speech certification, I decided to go overseas for a couple of years before going on for my M.Ed. The recruiter assured me that I would be teaching advanced high school students or maybe even college students.

"You'll be doing exactly what you're trained to do," he promised ...

Then I arrived at what was then Seoul's Gimpo International Airport. The school's owner and his wife met me there, and proved to be nice people--until they inadvertently mentioned something about my "preschool and kindergarten classes. ..."

What happened to high school? I don't know. I did teach a couple of middle school classes during my first four months, but for the most part, my days were spent among "the little people" -- you know, the tiny tyrants that range in age from 3 to 8. And after threatening the health, wealth, and happiness of the recruiter, I settled back into the routine of early childhood education. Better yet, I soon discovered that I actually liked teaching this age group.

After that first year of teaching, I began compiling ideas to help incoming teachers, ideas which ultimately ended up here.

So come, relax, make some new acquaintances, get some fresh ideas, and share your favorite suggestions. Share this site with your co-workers, and be sure to visit regularly!