Props for VIPKID classes

Props are needed to effectively teach ESL virtually. They reinforce the content and they help keep even the busiest of busy bees engaged in the lesson. When I was researching what I needed in order to teach virtually, I thought I would have to purchase a lot of props. You definitely do not! In fact, the more I work, the more I realize that the really big props can actually be challenging to work with. You need to be able to reach everything during your lessons without getting up.  When you have lessons back to back, you don't have a lot of time to set up and rearrange the props. So, I use a lot of printed out pictures as my props. To organize them,  I used an old coupon file folder. This makes it very easy to grab an image mid lesson.

This file folder is what I use the most (besides my white board!) It contains all my letter flash cards, color flash cards, shapes flashcards, VIPKID characters, cards with the weather on it, cards with places on them, and a set of images that help us discuss family members.

In addition to my file folder of print outs, I have a puppet. Young students are often very good at repeating what you say but when you want them to start asking and answering questions, it can be hard for them to do so. The puppet is very helpful for modeling conversation. 

Besides the file folder, puppet, and white board, I don't have many other props. I use a lot of TPR (total physical response) so I am very animated during the lessons. I review all the lessons the night before and if I happen to have something around the house that goes with the lesson, I will use that too. So while you definitely need props to help with lessons, you don't need to buy a bunch of themed props. In fact, you see those beautiful magnetic letters? Yeah...they never get used. It takes too much time to find the right ones. I just write on my white board. 

And here below you will see me taking a shameless selfie during a lesson while I explained a final project to take a picture showing them following classroom rules. It was 5:00 am!

Have any prop questions? let me know!