Many tutors are slightly apprehensive about teaching a KS1 or KS2 student, and this is entirely understandable. The way in which students are taught changes fairly dramatically after KS2, but we hope that this page will give you the confidence to teach at these levels.
Teaching Resources
The teachers’ section of the Department for Education and Skill’s website has Numeracy and Literacy plans for KS1 and KS2. It also has many Lesson plans, as do the BBC Schools and Hamilton Trust websites.
www.dfes.gov.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers
www.hamilton-trust.org.uk
Please realise that many of these lesson plans are designed for class teaching, but they can still give ideas on how to make your lessons fun and relevant.
Tips for your lessons
Be as creative as possible. Obviously there is a curriculum, but there are many ways to teach everything. If you can find something that excites and interests a student, then use that to incorporate the learning objectives that you’re aiming for. An example would be to devise a game or a challenge, which to complete the student must understand the idea/concept/skill that you are attempting to communicate, or even better realise it themselves, and then use this to play the game, or meet the challenge.
There is a tendency, if you have only taught older students before, to try and teach too much too quickly. The curriculum may seem light, but remember that you’re teaching the building blocks of your student’s future understanding, so don’t worry about reinforcing ideas over and over again. As long as your lessons are original and enjoyable, it will not feel repetitive.
Up until around age 10 everyone’s concentration span is roughly the number of minutes of their age. You should be mindful of this, and realise when your student needs a break.
Reasons for tuition
Parents often request tuition because of their own insecurities about helping their child effectively. If possible, try to involve a student’s parents by encouraging them to observe the activities during your lessons, because they may then feel more confident to repeat these activities when you’re not there.
Tuition may be needed because a student has learning difficulties. In this case you should ask the parent to get hold of their child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), which will specify SMART targets (Specific, Manageable, Assessable, Realistic, Time-specific) that you will be able to work towards.
If we are made aware of a student’s learning difficulties then we will give you that information when offering the student to you. We want you to feel comfortable when tutoring, so please tell us if you do not want to take on a particular student.