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Teaching English to Ukrainians

(20 Posts)
MrsPickle Sat 28-May-22 20:32:40

We have some Ukrainian ladies in our village who are desperate to learn English.
They are using apps and are promised English lessons by the local college when numbers permit.
In the meantime, they want someone to help them form sentences.
As a retired English teacher, I volunteered.
I have been learning Ukrainian via Duolingo. It's not like any other language I've encountered.
Can any of you suggest suitable learning aids for adult learners please?
We are having our first meeting on Wednesday.
Any suggestions gratefully received

Callistemon21 Sat 28-May-22 20:44:54

I don't know if these are any use if they can be downloaded, MrsPickle

tefl-toolkit.com/collections/types?q=Teaching%20Aids

StarDreamer Sat 28-May-22 20:48:58

Would these be of any help?

Free online resources for Ukrainians settling in the UK and Ireland

www.open.edu/openlearn/supporting-ukrainians

Soupy Sat 28-May-22 20:49:14

Is this any help?

esol.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/teachers/lessons-and-activities/teaching-beginners-refugees

Callistemon21 Sat 28-May-22 20:49:48

www.teachaway.com/blog/14-free-resources-esl-lesson-planning-i-couldnt-teach-without

GagaJo Sat 28-May-22 23:07:09

What about the British Council website? They may have resources for absolute beginners.

silverlining48 Sat 28-May-22 23:18:51

Can’t advise but well done MrsPickle.

Hetty58 Sat 28-May-22 23:26:13

Children's books from the library can be very useful for the basics.

StarDreamer Sun 29-May-22 00:31:56

I remember that when I was very young there was a comic called Chick's Own and it had the feature that words with more than one syllable in them had a hyphen between each pair of syllables to help children to learn to read.

I just checked and it appears it stopped in 1957.

However, would it help to write words down like that so as to help them in their learning?

Or not?

StarDreamer Sun 29-May-22 00:38:11

You might like to have a look to see if any YouTube videos might help.

www.youtube.com/results?search_query=learning+english+for+beginners

Mamie Sun 29-May-22 04:50:38

Yes to the British Council Website. You need the section for Adult Learners. It has lesson plans, video and audio resources, all excellent. I used it extensively for several years with my U3A students here in France.

Chardy Sun 29-May-22 07:32:44

Twinkl seem to have some free downloads. I particularly used to love 'All about me' with my tutor group, and your students could do one for each of their family.
www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/ukrainian-translation-interactive-pdf-verb-labelling-worksheet-t-e-1646498443

First Thousand Words in English by Heather Amery is sadly out of print but 2nd hand copies are available (Amazon, World of Books etc)

silverlining48 Sun 29-May-22 14:04:53

I didn’t know the U3A were also in France or is it ex pats Mamie? I joined my local branch the week before lockdown and it’s been so long keep forgetting to check if they are up and running again again. Will do that now and thanks fir the reminder.

Mamie Sun 29-May-22 15:46:43

U3A for French people silverlining48. In our area it is UIA (université inter ages). I have taught English for five years and have had students from 32 to 86. ? I am also a student there and have done Spanish, Yoga, History and walking group.
I find it a great way to meet people. There are a handful of English, but I have made a lot of French friends there. I am pondering géo-politique for September. ?

WharfedaleGran Sun 29-May-22 16:18:04

silverlining48

I didn’t know the U3A were also in France or is it ex pats Mamie? I joined my local branch the week before lockdown and it’s been so long keep forgetting to check if they are up and running again again. Will do that now and thanks fir the reminder.

U3A originated in France in 1973!

WharfedaleGran Sun 29-May-22 16:18:34

L’université du troisième âge…

NotSpaghetti Sun 29-May-22 16:22:00

I think you could speak to a TEFL teacher and see if uou can have some pointers. I know some informal groups like magazines as starting points. They have lots of pictures and are not so focussed on grammar. More "get by in English".
Good luck.

Oldnproud Sun 29-May-22 16:50:47

Do the Ukranian ladies also speak Russian? I notice on TV reports that many seem to. If so, it might be worth using considering teaching aids in that language instead or as well as. I imagine there will be more available in Russian than in Ukranian, though I know from personal experience that there's nothing like the variety available that there is for things I've French, German and Spanish.

Oldnproud Sun 29-May-22 16:52:19

like ..., not I've

Chapeau Sun 29-May-22 17:11:17

You might find this free British Council course useful: www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/language-resilience-teaching-english-refugees-and-displaced-learners. I am currently teaching Ukranian refugees who wish to continue their university courses here in the UK. I have been involved with teaching refugees for years and there are considerations to be made when teaching refugees (particularly those with trauma) that are not ordinarily needed in the English language teaching environment.