This month on my ESL class, we are doing a unit on Hansel and Gretel for 2 weeks. This week I introduced the story the students and talked about the characters. It is very important that you pointed to some pictures and flashcards when describing actions and events that happens in the story so the beginner ESL students can understand what you are talking about. It is also important to affirm whether they understand by asking questions and having them fill in the key words by saying it.
The more advance ESL students did some character study where they identify the qualities of the characters by using simple adjectives.
It is also a good way to introduce to them the parts of the house and identify which part of the witch's house is made of so they have a full understanding of the different parts of the house.
I also introduce the different kinds of feeling and emotions and ask them what they think the characters in the story feel and how would they feel if they are in their place. This is often challenging with beginner learners but you can tell them the equivalent word in their native language.
Then I let them draw their house and while they were drawing it, it is helpful that I move around asking each one of them what their house is made of and what are the different parts of the house made of. This will create a conversation. But before letting them draw I get to to learn how to say "my house is made of....., the walls are made of...., the windows are made of.... and so on" so when you go around asking them they can be able to describe their house.
... and then we get to make a house made of snacks. The duration of this activity may take 2 to three days depending on how fast the students can familiarize with the phrases and understand the story. However, it is very important that they learn to identify the actions, events, emotions in the story. Next week, we will continue with the "Hansel and Gretel" unit and I will post an update what activities we did.