Teacher4.meHow to help your child practise English at home between online lessons (even if you don't speak English)
Short answer: You do not need to be your child's English teacher. Ask the online teacher for one or two small things to practise each week, for example a few new words, a short sentence pattern or a song, and an audio or video example to listen to. Then use them in short, regular moments at home: a few minutes at breakfast, in the car or before bed. Let your child use English while you give instructions in your own language, praise every try, and avoid correcting every mistake. Ask your child to teach you one new word after each lesson, and tell the teacher what was easy or hard. On Teacher4.me you can search for kids teachers, message a teacher without an account, and book and pay the teacher directly.
Many parents in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Thailand book online English lessons for their child and then wonder what to do in the days between lessons. Some worry that their own English is not good enough to help. The good news: you do not need to teach English at home. Your most useful job is to make small, regular, friendly practice part of family life, and to keep the teacher informed.
This guide gives simple ideas you can use whatever your own level. If your child is quiet in lessons, also read how to help a shy child speak English in online lessons. If attention is the problem, see how to keep your child focused in online English lessons.
Why does practice between lessons matter?
A child who meets new English only in the lesson has a long gap before they hear it again, and much of it can be forgotten. A few short moments of practice between lessons let your child hear and use the same words again, so the next lesson can build on them instead of starting over. It also shows your child that English is something the family cares about, not only something that happens on a screen.
Practice at home does not need to look like school. Songs, games, picture books and everyday routines all count.
What should I ask the teacher?
The easiest home practice comes straight from the lesson. After a lesson, or in a short message, ask the teacher:
- What should we practise this week? One small group of words or one sentence pattern is enough, for example colours, "I like…" or "Can I have…?".
- Where can my child hear it said correctly? A short recording, a song, a video or the lesson materials, so your child copies a good model rather than your pronunciation.
- What should my child be able to do by the next lesson? For example "name five animals" or "answer 'What did you do today?' in one sentence".
- Is there anything I should not do? Some teachers prefer that parents do not try to teach reading rules or grammar at home.
If your own English is basic, say so. A good teacher can then give practice your child can do with little help from you.
How can I fit English into a busy day?
Short and regular usually beats long and rare. Tie English to things you already do every day:
- Breakfast or dinner: easy choice questions such as "Milk or water?", "Big or small?", "Red or blue?".
- Getting dressed: name clothes and colours. "Blue socks. A red T-shirt."
- In the car or on the bus: play a song from the lesson, or count and name things you see.
- Tidying up: "Put the car in the box. Put the book on the table."
- Before bed: one short picture book or one song, the same one for several nights.
Pick one or two of these, not all of them. Stop while your child is still enjoying it; a happy two minutes is better than an unhappy twenty.
What games and activities work at home?
- Teach me one word. After each lesson, ask your child to teach you one new word or sentence. Children love being the teacher, and saying it again helps them remember.
- Guess what it is. Hide a toy in a bag; your child feels it and guesses in English, or describes it so you can guess.
- Treasure hunt. "Find something red. Find something soft." Give the instruction in English or in your own language and let your child answer in English.
- Picture talk. Look at a photo or a picture book page together. "What can you see?" Accept one word or a short sentence.
- Record a mini show. Your child records a short voice or video message for the teacher, for example "My favourite toy is…". It gives a real reason to practise.
- Songs and rhymes. Repeating the same song many times is normal and useful for young children.
For children who are learning to read, the teacher may also give letters or sounds to review; see online phonics lessons for kids for ideas.
How can my child listen to more English at home?
- Choose English videos, songs or audio stories made for your child's age, and watch or listen together when you can.
- Rewatch favourites. Hearing the same story or episode again lets your child understand more each time.
- For older children, try English subtitles on a show they already know in your language.
- Keep screen time sensible. Listening with a parent, then talking about it, is usually more useful than long passive watching.
What should I avoid?
- Correcting every mistake. It can make a child stop talking. Repeat the sentence the right way once, kindly, or just praise the try.
- Testing all the time. "What's this in English? And this?" quickly feels like an exam. Mix questions with play.
- Comparing with other children. Every child learns at a different speed.
- Teaching your own way against the teacher's. If you are not sure how to say or explain something, play the teacher's recording or ask the teacher instead of guessing.
- Using English practice as a punishment. English should feel like something good, not extra homework when your child is in trouble.
How do I tell the teacher how home practice is going?
A short note before the next lesson helps the teacher a lot. For example: "This week she practised animal words every day and liked the song. She found the question 'What is it?' hard." Specific notes like this are more useful than "She is not improving". Writing down small wins, such as the first full sentence or the first question your child asked, also lets you see progress over weeks. See how to track English progress with an online tutor.
For lesson length and how much parent support suits each age, read online English lessons for kids by age. For a general view of how practice and lessons fit together, see how much English practice do you need.
Home practice helps, but nobody can promise that a child will reach a certain level by a certain date. Every child is different, and steady, enjoyable practice usually matters more than any single activity.
Finding a kids English teacher on Teacher4.me
Open Find a teacher and search for kids, or try phonics or conversation. Read each teacher's subjects, age groups, reviews and prices, then send a short message with your child's age and level, say how much English is spoken at home, and ask what practice the teacher usually gives between lessons. Some teachers offer a trial lesson. You do not need an account to message a teacher, and you book and pay the teacher directly. For more on choosing, read the parents' guide to online English lessons for kids.
Ready to look? Find teachers for kids or browse all teachers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I help my child with English if I do not speak English myself?
Yes. Your job at home is not to teach new English but to make short, regular practice happen. Give instructions in your own language, play the teacher's audio or video example, and let your child do the English part. Ask your child to explain what they did in your language afterwards. Tell the teacher that you do not speak much English so they can send practice your child can do with little help.
How much should my child practise English at home between lessons?
Short and regular usually works better than long and rare. A few minutes most days, built into routines you already have, is easier for a child to keep up than one long session at the weekend. Stop while your child is still enjoying it. Ask the teacher what amount suits your child's age and level.
What should I ask the online teacher about home practice?
Ask three things: which words or sentences your child should practise this week, where your child can hear them said correctly (a recording, a song or a video), and what your child should be able to do by the next lesson, for example answer a question or name five objects. Small, clear tasks are easier to do at home than repeating the whole lesson.
Should I correct my child's English mistakes at home?
Try not to correct every mistake. Constant correction can make a child stop talking. If your child says something with a small mistake, you can repeat it the right way once in a friendly voice and move on, or simply praise the try. Write down mistakes that keep coming back and tell the teacher, so they can work on them in the lesson.
How do I find a kids English teacher on Teacher4.me who gives practice for home?
Open Find a teacher and search for kids, then read each teacher's subjects, age groups, reviews and prices. In your first message, give your child's age and level, say how much English is spoken at home, and ask what practice the teacher usually gives between lessons. You do not need an account to message a teacher, and you book and pay the teacher directly.