I'm an english teacher teaching/tutoring in China. The school I work for doesn't require any degree or diploma, and makes for a good job while i attend school.

However, the school's goal is to teach these students english and get them in-touch with a 2nd language as well as teach them about foriegn culture and traditions. (I tend to teach them a more international perspective)
This school tends to take a carefree route, not having textbooks and letting teachers organise and compose their classes however they see fit as long as in the end the students learn how to speak english well enough to communicate.

Most of the classes I've been asigned to teach is in middle school (6-8th grad), with one class being elementary school (1-2grade)
I would ask my co-workers, but as with most schools such as the one I'm currently teaching in (I enjoy it here- or the kids) some teachers are not teaching as well as they should, and most or all of them teach a different age level then my group.
The question I want to ask is, how do I keep classes interesting, while keeping the attention of the middle schoolers and still end up having a fun class where they can learn fluent english? They tend to not be interested in english and also not to co-operate as well as it's that time of age where they tend to "go against authority". I want to do something, more fitting for their age, yet challenging, while keeping their interest and giving them the inspiration to learn english.
How could I teach the elementary school students while making it fun? Is there any fun games that could be done in a classroom that doesn't require much equipment? I tend to just tell them words, make them copy it, and try to come up with a game with those vocabulary(20 each time). I'm begining to think that this shouldn't be the way, and there must be another method of teacing where it's not just to have them copy words.
I know that the above is somewhat impossible. Please give suggestions that would help.

For the older kids:

Drama! Get them to make up plays and stuff or do improvisation.

Another cool idea I learned is that you can give them a random picture and get them to make up a story about it. It's called picture elicitation.

Entertainment news or more common interest news...bring in light news stories that would interest the kids and get them to discuss what they think of the article. You could pose them questons...

Debates...you can make up a fake situation and ask the kids to make up arguments for and against and ultimately have a debate.

Get the students into groups and have them ask each other questions about their families, likes and dislikes.

Anything that allows them to either use their creativity or talk about themselves would be good...

Checkout lesson plans and the online community at http://china.eslteachercafe.com

There are a number of folks there living in China doing what you are doing who may be able to help you.

You can refer to Oxford Seminars' ESL Teaching Resources at: www.oxfordseminars.com/esl-teaching-resources/index.php. You will find some outstanding resources, like activities, lesson plans, etc. to help you in teaching ESL overseas.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Lyndsey Pratt
Oxford Seminars
www.oxfordseminars.com