"Teaching young learners"

him into the world."
- Maria Montessori

of young learners
identify and develop activities that are appropriate

for different ages of young learners and justify your answers
compare and contrast strategies
for teaching different age groups

identify strategies for young learners
and determine their efficacy based
on age

…the power to learn languages is so great in the young child that it doesn’t matter how many languages you seem to throw their way…Children can learn as many languages as you can allow them to hear systematically and regularly at the same time
--Dr. Susan Curtiss, Professor of Linguistics at UCLA

So what do you want know about teaching young learners?
What

the experts know is that since a child’s ability to communicate orally in his/her first language takes place before learning how to read and write, an effective EFL program for young learners should go through the natural stages of learning a language….

Basic oral/aural developmentEmergent literacy skills Reading & writing

experiences:

What ways are 5-8 year olds the same as 9-10

year olds?


2. How are they different?

VS.

a class of….
five-year-olds
eight-year-olds
ten-year-olds

1. With your designated,

group describe your students in these areas:
emotional development
social development
physical development
thinking development
2. Now compare your answers with those from the chart (handout)

Group Activity 1

holding things or moving
Age 9-10
Learners begin to develop the

ability to learn by seeing or listening

interested in specific themes or topics.
Likes fun and adventure.
Likes praise

and have attention of adults.
Wants to please adults.
Age 9-10
Is motivated to learn things that are interesting to them.
Likes to memorize and learn new information.
Wants to understand why things happen.

active.
Is developing but may have difficulty with tasks like writing.
Age

9-10
Can do precise tasks and has developed the ability to do physical activities like sports or game.

Age 9-10
Is independent and likes to do things for himself/herself

.
Will do things without being asked.

in groups but needs supervision.
May have difficulty expressing or understanding

feelings
Age 9-10
Begins to think about and understand relationships with others.
Likes to work with other learners.

but has difficulty identifying steps or details.
Has difficulty planning ahead.
Age

9-10
Can classify things using simple characteristics.
Understands cause and effects.
Knows strategies that can be used to solve problems or learn (for example, asking for help, taking notes).
Can identify similarities and differences.

learn.
Age 9-10
Active learners; want to know more about the

world

of their experience or beyond their community.
Age 9-10
Learners are

curious about the world and are developing a greater understanding of things beyond their family and community.

is presented in a context and connected something that is

familiar for them.
Age 9-10
Begins to understand things, which s/he can’t see.
Can understand abstract ideas.

get the integral picture of the world
The learning content

should be contextualized, communicative and meaningful and reflect cross-cultural perspectives.

2.Simple tests can be used with older learners
3.Use poems appropriate

to lg. competency

tell stories (historical or scientific)
5.Use songs appropriate to lg. competency

6.Difficult for 5-6 without reading skills

have difficulty identifying categories
10.Younger learners may have difficulty identifying a

sequence of events

have trouble identifying sequence of events

for older students
16.Too abstract for children

activities with their students? Why?
1. Use teaching aids: chalkboard picture,

big books, puppets, realia
Why is this good for young learners?

2. Use short and varied activities
How can the teacher vary activities? Name a few….

3. Present new information in contexts that are connected with learners’ lives
Why is this important?

4. Teach in themes
Why?

5. Establish classroom routines
Why?

6. Give learners the opportunity to move
Why?

7. Make the classroom rich and interesting
Why is this important?

Group Activity 3- In your groups answer the following questions:

to various themes and determine why they are appropriate for

young learners
Report out to the group

for its own sake.
The child is NOT DISTURBED by the

language he does not understand.
The child ENJOYS THE REPETITIVE events of his life, and uses this enjoyment to help him learn.
The child USES HIS PRIMARY INTERESTS to help him learn.
The child directs his attention to things that are EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
The child possesses a natural desire TO CALL AN OBJECT BY ITS NAME.
The child uses his natural desire TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE AROUND HIM to help him learn new language.
The child adds words to his speaking vocabulary more easily IF HE ALREADY KNOWS HOW TO PRONOUNCE THEM.
The child IMMEDIATELY USES the language, and his SUCCESS IN COMMUNICATION BUILDS CONFIDENCE.
The child brings TREMENDOUS INGENUITY to the task of learning.
Child should get the INTEGRAL picture of the world
The learning content should be CONTEXTUALIZED, COMMUNICATIVE and MEANINGFUL and reflect cross-cultural perspectives.

from this workshop?
Yay, we’re
finished…
Thanks!!