Inspiring Saturday mornings at English club in Kuopio

English clubs on Saturday mornings at Martat in Kuopio was a wonderful time for both the teacher and the kids. We had different native languages but had come together to communicate and learn a second language that was English. It was inspiring to open the door of Martat to six lovely kids and teach them English and communicate with them in this language. We used the Language Clubhouse materials and they made our communication more interactive, fun and meaningful. We were not just memorizing new words, singing songs, and playing games but communicating in English through these activities.

It was interesting for me to observe how kids with individual differences were engaged in different activities and were excited to participate in games and use the language to communicate with their friends and me. Teaching to those kids who were active listeners was a marvellous experience. These kids participated in all games and followed other kids but were unwilling to talk for a couple of sessions. After three or four lessons, they started to speak and communicate with me in English. This made me happy because I could see that learning had happened.

The most rewarding moment for me as a teacher in the Kuopio club was when parents expressed their satisfaction and told me that their kids were using their learning from this class outside of the classroom.