2. OVERVIEW
• Start to look more closely at the practical side of
teaching young language learners
• Think about ways to approach teaching vocabulary,
grammar and pronunciation
• Look at how to create a supportive environment that
encourages young learners to learn about and reflect on
their learning
• Consider the use of topic and activity-based teaching
• Think about planning activities across topic areas
3. Capture the YL’s Monitor the learning
interest & that may, or may not,
motivate them be taking place &
with appropriate provide scaffolding
and engaging Planning and guidance for all
activities activities aspects of their
for YL language learning
Show them how to
learn to learn, helping
them become more Encourage them to
aware of what they take a more reflective
are doing in class approach to learning
activities the language
4. When Introducing Vocabulary to Young Learners….
When Introducing Vocabulary to Young Learners….
…the meaning of the words
…the meaning of the words ….a lot of vocabulary is learned
….a lot of vocabulary is learned
has to be made clear &
has to be made clear & in chunks and phrases
in chunks and phrases
be supported by flashcards,
be supported by flashcards, E.g., Can I/have aa...?
E.g., Can I/have ...?
pictures, gestures or realia.
pictures, gestures or realia. (Can IIhave a...?)
(Can have a...?)
….by uttering only one or two words,
….by uttering only one or two words,
there can be aasentence full of meaning
there can be sentence full of meaning
expressed if the child is supported
expressed if the child is supported
and encouraged to use communicative
and encouraged to use communicative
intonation and gestures E.g., Repeat, please.
intonation and gestures E.g., Repeat, please.
5. 1. Picture & flashcards
1. Picture & flashcards
shown to children as
shown to children as
they hear words
they hear words
2. Stories with new
2. Stories with new
The
The contextualized
contextualized
Vocabulary meaning of
meaning of The
Vocabulary The language
language
needs to be the words
the words context
needs to be should be context 3. Games, where the
taught in
taught in should be could be
could be 3. Games, where the
context clear to the
clear to the given need to use the words,
need to use the words,
context young given chunks or phrases is
young through:
through: chunks or phrases is
learner
learner linked to the
linked to the
motivation
motivation
4. Songs, where the new
4. Songs, where the new
language is repeated
language is repeated
in aafun way
in fun way
6. TEACHING PRONUNCIATION
Students need to hear lots of target language
from to like
different speakers --
different speakers hear the music of the songs, chants,
songs, chants,
their teacher,
their teacher, target language and stories, role-plays
stories, role-plays
voices from video
voices from video imitate the sound of and games that
and games that
and audio
and audio English through the encourage them to
encourage them to
recordings, or any
recordings, or any words they are interact with the
interact with the
guest to the class
guest to the class learning. language by
language by
that speaks English
that speaks English listening to and
listening to and
with them.
with them. using it.
using it.
7. Considerations to be taken into account
when Teaching Pronunciation
• If children learn a foreign or second language
early in their lives, they can attain near native-
like pronunciation, but only if the models they
hear are near native-like, too.
• Just like adults, children may have trouble
pronouncing certain English-language sounds,
often they do not know how to form their lips and
mouths to correctly articulate some sounds.
8. Considerations to be taken into account
when Teaching Grammar
• For younger children, due to their • YLs under the age of 8 or 9
level of cognitive development, it benefit from many repetitions
is not conceptually appropriate of a grammar point in
to present grammar as a set of different, meaningful contexts
explicit rules and forms to be
analyzed.
• For more older children with
more developed powers of
• YLs benefit from “noticing” and analysis, grammar should
paying attention to features of continue to be presented in
grammar presented as “chunks” meaningful contexts and may
of language in familiar contexts include brief details about the
such as songs, dialogues, grammar points for students
stories, and other contexts. to notice and think about.
• Few YLs benefit from memorizing
rules and analyzing forms.
The balance between fluency and accuracy in activities is what
helps children acquire the grammar of English.
9. Teaching Grammar to Very YLs (listen & identify)
Teacher Talk: (Wave your hand over the page.) “Look! I see a
park. I see boys and girls. The boys and girls are in the park.”
Repeat. “The boys and girls are in the park.”
1. Teacher: (Point 3. Children’s
to the slide. Ask Response:
children to listen, (Listen, point,
point, and repeat) and repeat.)
This is a slide. This is a slide.
2. Teacher: (Point 4. Children’s
to the swings. Ask Response:
children to listen, (Listen, point,
point, and repeat.) and repeat.)
These are These are
swings. swings.
10. Teaching Grammar to YLs (Present Simple)
Helping Grammar 2. Listen, Point and say.
Repetitions of
Hands in context a grammar
1. My father is a coach.
point, using it
He teaches soccer. as chunks.
1.Read, Listen and sing.
2. My sister is a secretary.
Helpers
She types letters.
There are many helping
hands in my family. 3. Point, Ask and Answer 4.
We like to help each What does He’s a coach.
other and our community. Oral & your father do?
written
Teachers help us learn a production
lot, and TV reporters, too.
My mother is a teacher.
What does your mother 5. Look and write.
do?.
1. What does she do? She’s a police officer.
2. What does he do? He’s a __________.
11. Making the English Classroom a Supportive
Language Environment
1. Encourage 2. Develop an 3. Support
learners to speak learning
environment of through the
out (without fear trust
of making organization of
mistakes) the classroom
4. Use a variety 5. Provide lots of
of materials and comprehensible
models to and
present the contextualized
language language
12. Encourage learners to speak out (without fear of
making mistakes)
1. What did
1. What did 2. IIgoed
2. goed
1.What
1.What 2. IIgoed
2. goed you do to the
did you do you do to the
did you do to the
to the yesterday? park.
yesterday? yesterday? park.
yesterday? park.
park.
3. Oh,
3. Oh,
3. Oh,
3. Oh, you went
you went
that’s not
that’s not to the
to the
good. It’s
good. It’s park!
park!
wrong to
wrong to
say I I
say
“goed”.
“goed”.
••The boy is hypothesizing the
The boy is hypothesizing the The same situation but this time, the
The same situation but this time, the
regular past tense of the verb “go”.
regular past tense of the verb “go”. modeled example given by the
modeled example given by the
••The teacher’s correction could teacher would allow the child to
teacher would allow the child to
The teacher’s correction could
demotivate the learner discouraging continue on the hypothesis circle and
continue on the hypothesis circle and
demotivate the learner discouraging
him from trying to hypothesize in realize from this feedback that he
realize from this feedback that he
him from trying to hypothesize in
English again. needed to adjust what he had said.
needed to adjust what he had said.
English again.
13. Develop an environment of trust
Develop an environment of trust
••the language classroom needs to be aaplace where the young learner does
the language classroom needs to be place where the young learner does
not feel threatened or frightened
not feel threatened or frightened
••the teacher needs to be patient as students trial things, and by modeling
the teacher needs to be patient as students trial things, and by modeling
back any changes they need to make in their language
back any changes they need to make in their language
••creating and posting English classroom rules that all the YLs have discussed
creating and posting English classroom rules that all the YLs have discussed
and agreed to. E.g.: We will listen to each other patiently.
and agreed to. E.g.: We will listen to each other patiently.
We will help each other say things in English.
We will help each other say things in English.
Support learning through the organization of the classroom
Support learning through the organization of the classroom
The English classroom should support the students' learning by having:
The English classroom should support the students' learning by having:
••examples of students' work on the walls
examples of students' work on the walls
••picture dictionaries and storybooks available to be used
picture dictionaries and storybooks available to be used
••lists of different types of words on the wall, such as describing words,
lists of different types of words on the wall, such as describing words,
action words, joining words, question words, and so on
action words, joining words, question words, and so on
••songs and chants (written on chart paper) available to review
songs and chants (written on chart paper) available to review
••labels on classroom items in English (door, window, desk) to help prepare
labels on classroom items in English (door, window, desk) to help prepare
beginner students for the written language by introducing models of it
beginner students for the written language by introducing models of it
14. Use aavariety of materials and models to present the language
Use variety of materials and models to present the language
Use aavariety of means to expose YLs to different language models. E.g.
Use variety of means to expose YLs to different language models. E.g.
••CDs with aarange of different speakers
CDs with range of different speakers
••videos and DVDs that allow children to see the faces and mouths of those
videos and DVDs that allow children to see the faces and mouths of those
speaking English
speaking English
••A variety of written models to stimulate the visual learning of the language
A variety of written models to stimulate the visual learning of the language
including books, posters, examples of children’s work, pictures with captions,
including books, posters, examples of children’s work, pictures with captions,
and labeled objects
and labeled objects
Provide lots of comprehensible and contextualized language
Provide lots of comprehensible and contextualized language
••Teachers must also remember the need to introduce lots of comprehensible
Teachers must also remember the need to introduce lots of comprehensible
and contextualized language in the English class within meaningful and
and contextualized language in the English class within meaningful and
purposeful activities
purposeful activities
••Classroom instructions (used repeatedly and with gestures) enable
Classroom instructions (used repeatedly and with gestures) enable
students to respond to and use the language. (Johnny, please come here.
students to respond to and use the language. (Johnny, please come here.
Hand out the notebooks to the students.)
Hand out the notebooks to the students.)
15. Topic and activity-based teaching is based on topics (like food, pets, house,
colors, and so on) within activities which allow the language to be introduced,
practiced, recycled, consolidated and acquired by YLs
• Many teachers and specialists in the EYL world believe that topic and activity-based teaching is
the most suitable way for children to learn and use the target language.
• This is because of how children learn, develop and change during these early years.
• Many English textbooks for young learners are designed around this approach.
• A topic and activity-based approach to learning has children linking language to interactive experiences
where children talk about what they are doing, what they are seeing and what they are experiencing.
• As teachers, we can encourage this interaction and natural way of language learning by planning suitable
activities and selecting topics that are especially interesting and relevant to our students.
16. These three activities present the topic of food, but are
aimed at different age groups considering their
cognitive stages and learning abilities
17. Topic - Food
Function
-Talking
about likes
and dislikes
••Teachers can teach the same topics to the same group of
Teachers can teach the same topics to the same group of
children over a number of years (and recycle the language),
children over a number of years (and recycle the language),
but as the children grow in age, linguistic ability and maturity,
but as the children grow in age, linguistic ability and maturity,
we will be looking at different aspects of these topics, so the
we will be looking at different aspects of these topics, so the
input never has to be the same.
input never has to be the same.
18. Stage 1: Select the Topic
When planning lessons around a specific topic , the teacher should
consider five stages:
1. Brainstorming is one of the best ways to plan a topic and the
lessons that are linked to it.
Put the topic title in the center of a page.
19. Stage 2: Think of appropriate activities linked to the topic
Brainstorm the
variety of
activities that
are suitable for
the age group
you are thinking
about and are
linked to this
topic.
A lesson for 8
to 10 year-old-
student
20. Stage 3: Consider the language for each activity
Think about what language (vocabulary and structures) will be used in each
activity.
21. Stage 4: Plan the focus/approach for each activity
Look at each of these activities and briefly consider the focus for each
activity as well as the type of approach to take. Consider the class survey,
and develop it as you would all the other activities in your brainstorm.
Activity: Carry out a class survey of favorite food
Language focus for this activity:
• What is your favorite food?
• Food vocabulary chicken
• It’s (chicken).
• My favorite food is (chicken).
Resources needed for the Outcome of activity:
activity: Timing of the
• A list of favorite
activity:
• Children need paper and foods of children
pencils / pens. 10-15 minutes
• A result from survey
• Teacher needs a board or
flipchart to gather results
22. Stage 5: Consider the order of activities
Look at how the activities flow together, considering vocabulary and
structures and the challenges required in completing each activity. If you
look at the brainstorm chart below, you will see that the activities have
been ordered by how the language is introduced and developed.
••After determining
After determining
the desired
the desired
outcome of each
outcome of each
activity, the
activity, the
teacher will put
teacher will put
together more
together more
detailed lesson
detailed lesson
plans that look
plans that look
more closely at the
more closely at the
steps required to
steps required to
achieve the
achieve the
proposed goals.
proposed goals.