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Kids and teens can grasp language courses faster than adults. As a result, summer camp Switzerland programs are ideal for young people to engage in English language classes. Further, they also get a chance to participate in a range of activities, learn new skills, and make new friends. Campers attending an English summer camp spend time learning and interacting with their peers from different countries. Read on to understand how multi-activity summer camps can help your child learn English in Switzerland.
Are you considering enrolling your child on a Summer camp in 2021? Find out what Les Elfes has to offer!
Are you considering enrolling your child on a Summer camp in 2021?
Find out what Les Elfes has to offer!
Activities and Games to Help Kids Learn English
Games and outdoor activities are critical to teaching English as a second language, whether the learners are 18-years-old or young kids. Games make classes livelier and help give campers an unforgettable camp experience. Teachers in Swiss can utilize games to prepare kids mentally before lessons begin. Here are some exciting games that will help campers learn the English language.
● Simon Says
Simon Says is one of the most exciting games for learners attending the Les Elfes International summercamp. This game is ideal for learners attending the day camp and residential camps sessions. Participating in Simon Says helps learners excel in vocabulary and listening comprehension. Campers will also be ready to prepare and conclude their class with ease.
● How to Play
As the teacher, you will be Simon during the game.
Execute an action before announcing Simon Says. Learners should copy your actions.
Repeat this process and keep choosing varying actions. Work with kid-friendly items that kids will love.
Execute another lesson without including the Simon Says phrase. If any camper does the action, then they are eliminated from the rest of the group.
The winner of the game will be the final learner left standing.
To ensure this game is hard enough for older children, consider modifying the actions.
Reward learners who excel in the game during summer camp sessions.
● Board Race
Many teachers of English as a second language often incorporate this game in their lessons. Board Race is one of the most exciting games that help campers revise vocabulary. Such can be words from current or previous assignments. Teachers can also use Board Race at the beginning of the lesson to warm learners up.
Are you a teacher seeking the ideal strategy for assessing your learner’s understanding of a specific subject? Board Race is one of the best games campers can participate in during an adventure camp. This game is ideal for children of all age groups regardless of their skill level.
● How to Play Board Race
To get the best out of this game, you will need six or more campers.
Divide your class into two small groups and hand each team a colored marking pen. Depending on the size of your class, you may have to divide your learners into more groups.
At the center of your board, draw a vertical line and scribble the day’s topic on the top
Let the campers write a specific number of words affiliated with your topic as fast as possible.
For every correct word, each team will win a single point. Misspelled or unread words are not legible for counting.
● Alphabet Relay
To play this English as a second language game during summer camp programs, divide students into two groups. Then, hand each group pieces of paper and let them write the alphabetical letters to create flashcards. Next, mix all the flashcards, divide them into two sections, and place them in one corner of the room.
Next, let each group make a line at the opposite corner of the room. At the word “go,” the first camper in every line should dash across the room, get hold of the letter A, and rush back to their group. From there, the sequence should continue with the next student finding the letter B until they complete all the alphabets.
Finally, the first group to get the letter Z becomes the winner. This game is one of the most exciting language lessons for children at college du Leman.
● Bingo
Bingo is a simple game that is ideal for young kids. Instructors in residential camps can collaborate with campers to build Bingo cards and a call page. They can also look for printable options online.
For the call page, consider using regular letters and numbers. You can even experiment with your creativity using new vocabulary that your students have learned during recent English courses in Switzerland.
Replace words with pictures when dealing with very young kids. Cut out your call page and place squares in a hat or bowl. Hand each of your learners a bingo card and a marker pen. Give each student a turn to become the “caller” and let the caller choose one square after the other from the bowl and announce what it entails.
The other students will be listening to what is on the square. They will then mark the image or word on their bingo cards. The first student to mark the whole Bingo card will call out “Bingo” and become the winner.
Why Kids Should Learn English as a Second Language
Learning a second language from an early age allows kids to communicate easily with people from different cultures. Kids who can speak and write a second language with ease have an advantage over those who do not. Further, they get numerous opportunities to travel across the globe and understand other cultures. Here are some of the key reasons why learning English as a second language in an international school and European summer camps is crucial.
● Kids get a Head Start
When young kids in Lausanne, Swiss, learn English as a second language from an early age, they use the same part of their brains that helps them understand their first language. Young campers are not afraid to make mistakes which can be a significant barrier for older novice learners.
● Kids have Less to Think About, Unlike Adults
Young children have a better chance of excelling when learning English as a second language because they harbor more uncomplicated thoughts than adults. They use simple sentence structures, few words, and have more focused ideas.
Children learning English in France, Zuoz, or Verbier find it easier to communicate their detached feelings and thoughts in their second language. As the children grow up, they master the art of expressing their ideas in their first and second languages.
Adults struggle with translating overly complex detached thoughts and sentence structures before expressing themselves well in their second language.
● Enhances their Problem Solving Skills
Children who learn French, German, or English as a second language in holiday camps acquire excellent problem-solving skills and become great creative thinkers. Through learning a second language, children expose their brains to continuous workout from an early age.
Studies suggest that bilingual children display better multitasking, concentration, and planning skills. Further, they get higher scores on regular tests. Send your child to boarding school or the Les Elfes Ski resort, one of the best summer camps in Switzerland, where they will be exposed to intensive English courses to horn their skills.
● Boosts their Academic Efforts
The mental benefits of learning English as a second language plays a significant role in your child’s academic efforts. Unlike their monolingual counterparts, bilingual children in Geneva, Zurich, and Leysin have better math, writing, and reading skills.
What do Kids Require to Succeed when Learning the English Language
Many parents and instructors in village camps do not know how to support children interested in learning English as a second language, especially teenagers. You can do various things to help both older and younger children learn English, as we shall see below.
● Buy them their Favorite Books in English Version
Reading a well-known book is one of the best strategies for learning a second language. If your child is struggling to learn the English language, consider buying them some of their favorite books in English. Numerous popular books have been translated into various languages. You are highly likely to find their favorite books in the English version in Collège Champittet and Montreux.
Having their favorite books in the English version is not a guarantee that they will develop an interest in the narrative. However, it simplifies the idea of learning a foreign language. Often, they will not need to refer to the dictionary when they encounter difficult words.
Remember, reading a book in a new language is not fun, but it becomes more exciting when it is a book you are already conversant with.
● Find Easy Tasks to Execute in English
Have the children speak in the English language at specific times, such as when engaging in evening activities, mountain biking along the Swiss Alps, during horse riding sessions, or as they marvel at nature near Lake Geneva. Some children will struggle to express themselves fully, but that is part of the learning process.
Train kids to respond to straightforward stuff and describe various items in English, like counting the CHF currency. Once learners grasp some vocabulary, consider involving them in more sophisticated activities that involve a wide range of vocabulary like rock climbing. With continued practice, the children will master the art of expressing themselves fully in English.
● Learn the Language Together
As we have seen before, children can grasp a foreign language easier than adults. As a result, attempting to learn English as a second language together with your child can be frustrating. However, doing so can play a massive role in encouraging them to love the language. What’s more, you will both be learning at the same rate even though your child may outpace you in the long run. Compare the English language structure and vocabulary and set challenges for one another to make the process fun.
● Consider Combining their First Language with English
When introducing young kids to a second language, you should avoid combining two languages, as doing so can confuse them. However, if you are dealing with older children, mixing two languages can be ideal because they can easily tell the difference between their first and second languages.
What’s more, speaking two languages during winter camp or a summer programme can be exciting. Older children can even speak their second language when playing volleyball during their free time.
Strategies Teachers Can Adopt to Ease English Language Lessons
Teaching English as a second language can be a sophisticated task. With a wide range of skill levels in every language camp class, teachers should adopt practical strategies to ease the learning process.
Teaching strategies are ideal for many teachers of the English language regardless of what the key lessons are. Here are some of the most effective techniques that summer program instructors can adopt.
● Writer’s Workshop
Allow campers to take part in a writer’s workshop at least once during their summer camp sessions. One of the best writer’s workshop versions allows children to understand and participate in various facets of writing like drafting, editing, revising, and publishing.
● Vocabulary Development
This factor is crucial in any English class. It focuses a section of every classroom subject on developing better vocabulary. Trainers can have learners identify unfamiliar words and define their meanings during class sessions. They can even utilize interactive language developing activities that align with the reading materials the class uses.
● Cooperative Learning
This learning technique is essential for teachers of English who integrate literature in their language classes. In cooperative learning, campers are tasked with discussing a section of literature in groups. Allowing learners to interact in valuable discussions encourages them to master the art of analyzing literature. They also get an opportunity to share in their preferred educational process instead of general lectures.
● Peer Editing and Response
This activity can be an ideal teaching strategy for learners and teachers at the winter camp. Numerous peer response tactics are available today. Learners get an opportunity to apply their critical thinking skills in other people’s writing and view their classmate’s writing task results. Further, teachers can monitor different learners, identify their learning styles, and devise the best strategies that benefit each of them.
● Learner-preferred Texts
Letting campers pick their preferred reading materials is an effective strategy that many language experts recommend. It helps nurture lasting readers. Learners get a chance to choose from a skill level and age-suitable book collection. After acquiring basic skills, learners can then hold discussions in small groups to discuss their lessons. Teachers who rely on this strategy encourage learners to love and connect with the English language.
Conclusion
Where possible, allow your child to learn English as a second language in an international school or a summer camp program. Bilingual children get more international-related opportunities than their monolingual counterparts. What’s more, bilingual children perform better in regular tests.
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