Frequently asked questions and resources

It’s important that yor child knows what the classes are like, so that they feel safe and adapt better to this new environment. To prepare them, you can tell them that at the British Council they’ll play in English, sing and listen to stories, colour and do crafts, and if they work nicely and behave well, they will get a sticker at the end.

Children need to know that in class:

• We listen when someone else speaks. 
• We play nicely, without being aggressive.
• We ask for permission to leave the room.
• We ask nicely for things, say please and thank you.
• We wait for our turn, share things and respect other people’s property.
• We speak and behave nicely to each other.

Some children are less independent and tolerant to change. It may happen that in the first lesson(s) the child may cry and refuse to take part in the lesson. If that’s the case, the teacher or the teaching assistant will encourage the child to join in, throughout the class. We don’t force children to take part, but we create the conditions for them to join in when they feel ready. We also don’t allow crying children in the classroom, as this will affect the class environment and alarm the other children in the group. If your child persistently refuses to take part, the teacher will talk to the parent to find a solution together. 

The lessons differ depending on what the children study on the day, but what the generally happens in class is: 

• Hello circle, for the children to say hello and interact
• Games using flashcards, puppets, physical movement, etc
• Singing songs and listening to stories
• Using the interactive whiteboard for games, songs or short films
• Crafts and worksheets 
• Goodbye circle and sticker time

Nothing. We have everything we need here (coloured pencils, glue, scissors etc). What’s more, to be able to use these resources, children need to ask for them in English.

It’s important your child gets exposure to English outside the class, too. You can help them by:

• asking about the English class, what they studied, what they liked and didn’t like and why.
• using the resources on this website to practise the songs and words at home. Ask them to teach you the movements for the songs.
• asking about the stories they did. Ask what words they remember in English. 
• praising them when they remember the words or songs.
• using the internet resources listed in the useful links document below.
• using the British Council library subscription to borrow books and DVDs. 

There’s no problem, you can bring it the following time. Children are not evaluated on their homework. They receive worksheets for homework because they usually enjoy colouring and it helps develop their motor skills.

Children are evaluated on their class participation, class work, speaking and behaviour. Each of these aspects is graded, and parents are sent a written end of term report on the child’s progress. Feedback can be requested from the teacher during the term, as well. Parents will be invited to attend the last class of the term, to see how children work in class, and what they have studied.

For timetable reasons, the lessons your child misses can’t be made up, as all First Steps groups cover the same information at the same time. There is a maximum number of children in class, and we can’t allow other children to join once a group is full. What’s more, your child would feel uncomfortable in a new group, with new children and a new teacher for only one lesson. The information is continuously reviewed, so even if a child misses one or several lessons, they can still learn the songs and vocabulary items. If you’d like to know what was covered during the class, please contact us at contact@britishcouncil.ro and we will send you the information and the worksheets used, if necessary. You can also use the resources on this website to consolidate your child’s learning. 

Teachers have a choice of worksheets to choose from, and will use the materials that are best for their class. If you’d like the electronic copy of one of the worksheets, please contact us at contact@britishcouncil.ro and we will email it to you, if possible.

As the children are very young, teaching needs to be more flexible. Children of this age learn better from games, songs, stories and crafts, so the focus is on this sort of activities. A course book is not essential for this age, and by being able to select the worksheets which are most appropriate for a group,  the teacher can address the children’s needs better.

We would like children to be exposed to them in class, first, in a communicative way, so the recordings and parent worksheets are released at the end of the unit so that children are not accidentally exposed to language that has not yet been done in class.

You will receive a report at the end of the term. If you’d like feedback during the term, you can email us at contact@britishcouncil.ro to request feedback, or to arrange a meeting with the teacher at a mutually convenient time. You can also ask the teacher before or after the lesson, but bear in mind that the teacher’s time may be limited.

Our children groups have an assistant so that children are permanently monitored and supported in their learning. Their role is to assist the children and the teacher in class with all necessary tasks, from accompanying the children to the toilet during the lesson to monitoring them in the lesson. The assistants also facilitate communication with parents and guardians, if they don’t speak English.