We are pleased to bring you a series of blog posts and an opportunity to learn from educator and linguistic scientist, Helen Doron. Helen has been teaching English to children for 30 years. She is the founder and CEO of the Helen Doron Educational Group and created a unique methodology for teaching English, maths, fitness, and infant development with original and revolutionary learning materials.

This week’s question: I would like to sign my teen up for after-school English classes, but I am not convinced how well she can learn after a long and full academic school day. What do you think?

Helen answers:
There are many factors to consider when a parent and teen are trying to evaluate the optimal number of extracurricular learning activities. Teens may already have many activities and interests and are looking to boost their English as a Second Language skills for a variety of reasons. Every family has a different idea as to what the best balance is between in-school and after-school activities.  Each teen has his own comfort zone and capacity for learning. So, how do you strike the balance between giving your teen the right opportunities and overloading him?  Will he be able to learn?

Making Learning Fun

Most teens can continue to learn after a long and busy school day, but will need a programme that motivates them, stimulates their mind and gives them an opportunity to release steam. The best way to ensure that teens will enjoy is to find a well-structured programme that makes learning fun. Make sure the programme has activities are that are stimulating and engaging, no matter what they are designed to teach. After a long day at school, teens will be best able to absorb the content of a lesson if it looks more like play and less like a traditional classroom lesson. A well-designed English programme, built on a solid methodology, is an optimal choice.

What’s the Secret?

In my experience with Helen Doron English, we have had tremendous success teaching two million infants, youth and teens English worldwide using a unique method which includes learning through fun, games and music taught by specially trained teachers that provide lots of positive reinforcement.

Should Teens Play while Learning?

This method of teaching English and making it fun isn’t limited to the early years. Helen Doron Teen English programmes teach reading, writing, speaking, and grammar and are compliant with the Common European Framework of Reference for English. While there are serious aspects to what the students are learning, the activities are filled with games, songs and keep the students entertained, engaged and learning.

I teach a group of teens that are in tenth and eleventh grades. They are amazing; they are fun to teach and they look forward to coming to class as they are stimulated with learning vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehensions at high levels yet have tremendous fun doing so. When games, fun, movement, songs, and engagement are present, the ease of long-term learning is optimum. Many of our students don’t enjoy English at school, but love coming to our classes as the small group and the enjoyment of the class mean that they will feel secure in and enjoy the class.

More than English

Our students learn so much more than English. Through their Teen English programme they learn about good study habits and techniques and optimal ways of learning.  Yes, it’s a long day for these students and many of them have been up since very early in the morning, but they are always focused, because there’s so much variety. In class, we talk, we write, we move, we play games, we sit on the floor, we get up, we go back to the books, and we return to the games. Time flies and the students are learning.  Helen Doron students benefit from a methodology that introduces techniques and activities that increase brain capacity —all while we’re teaching them another language. When a teen finds the right programme that challenges, energizes, motivates and encourages him it won’t matter what day or time the programme is offered, it will be the perfect fit.

About Helen Doron

Helen began a small home business in 1985 and created a unique methodology with original and revolutionary learning materials. Her courses flourished and the business grew rapidly as Helen added teachers, teacher training courses and additional programmes based on her exclusive methodology of creativity and self-expression. New disciplines were added – maths, fitness, and infant development – and all were united under the brand name Helen Doron Educational Group.

Helen Doron Educational Group stands at the forefront of innovative educational systems providing exclusive learning programmes and quality educational materials for babies, children, adolescents and teens the world over. Helen Doron Educational Group has become one of the largest children’s educational franchisors worldwide, with close to 90 Master Franchisees and over 900 Learning Centres in 35 countries across 5 continents, and full kindergarten programmes in Turkey and South Korea.

For more information about Helen Doron English: www.helendoron.com