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Teaching English to Young Learners
Evelyn TurnerEnglish Language FellowUnited States Department of State
Good Things I Saw in Schools:Knowledgeable teachers working hard
Teachers making English fun
Warm relationships with students
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Teachers usually kept a good pace to maintain interest
Physical activities alternated with table work
Familiar directions given in English 3
Songs used for teachingNew material was in “small bites”
New material built on old material
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Authentic language – greetings
Off-task students gently redirected
Scaffolding techniques to help a student who only knew part of the answer 5
Teacher adjusted her directions when she was misunderstood.
Spanish used only as a help, the rest of the lesson was in English.
Lots of repeatingChildren having fun
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However, there was often a problem with children waiting while the teacher organized materials.
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Let me share an experience.Instructional time in reading groups:
Group 1 above level – 20 minutes
Group 2 on level – 20 minutes
Group 3 below level – 40 minutes
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After six months:
Group 1 still above levelGroup 2 still on levelGroup 3 doing better than group 2
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What I learned:
Every teaching minute is precious and important.
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If I were teaching, I would try to minimize wait time:Tear out the workbook pages before class.
Have only one kind of page in the student’s journals.
Have items organized and ready to hand out.
Constantly look for other ways to minimize wait time.
Remember!11
Every teaching minute is precious and important.
Besides!
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If you don’t have something for them to do every minute,
they will find something to do
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And you probably won’t like it!
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When teaching Young Learners we need:
1. To know what they are like and how they learn.
2. Appropriate classroom approaches.
3. Best practices for teaching young learners.
4. To develop a strategy for using Spanish.
Then we will review and do an exit ticket.
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Who are Young Learners?Very Young Learners are under 7 years old.
Young Learners are 7 – 12 years old.
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Why are we teaching them English at such a young age?English is important for their future.
We want them ready for success in our globalized society.
Children learn languages more easily than adults.
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Is starting early a good idea?Program and curriculum in tune with their needs
Appropriate techniques and activities
Enough class time spent on English
Teachers prepared to teach Young Learners
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Think Pair ShareWhat were you like as a Young Learner?
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1. What are Young Learners Like?ImpulsiveInquisitiveLearn from other peopleEnergeticWant to be entertainedThey want your attention.They want you to love them.
(Joan Kang Shin, 2010)
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What are we trying to create by starting so young?
Learners who have a positive attitude toward English (Learning English is fun!)
Life long learners of English 21
Teacher: Are you ready to work hard and learn English?
Students: Yes. We are ready to play and have fun in English.
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How do they learn?They are active learners. (Piaget, 1970)
They learn through social interaction. (Vygotsky, 1962)
They learn through scaffolding by adults. (Bruner, 1983) 23
2. Our classroom approaches need to reflect what they are like and how they learn.
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They are active learners and need an experiential approach.
People remember:20% of what they read20% of what they hear30% of what they see50% of what they see and hear70% of what they see, hear, and
discuss90% of what they see, hear,
discuss, and practice. (Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension,
2004)25
Activities should be:
ScaffoldedEnjoyableSocialMeaningfulFull of practice
Shin (2006)
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Scaffolding is giving part of the answer so the student can get all of the answer.
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Successful scaffolding:
Creates interest in the task.Breaks the task into small steps.Reminds the child about the purpose or goal.
Points out important parts of the task.
Controls the child’s frustration.Models the task.
Bruner (1983)
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Activities should be enjoyable.
TPR◦Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
◦Use the body to make ABCs
◦Peanut, Peanut Butter and Jelly
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Peanut, peanut butter – and jelly!
Peanut, peanut butter – and jelly!
First you take the peanuts and you crunch ‘em, you crunch ‘em.
Then you take the grapes and you squish ‘em, you squish ‘em!
Then you take the bread and you spread it, you spread it.
Then you take the sandwich and you eat it, you eat it!
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Activities should be social.Make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in English.
Older students write the steps they used.
Younger children tell the teacher what they did step by step. The teacher writes it on a chart.
Everyone reads what they wrote to a partner or as a whole group.
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Activities should be full of practice.
Days of the Week songJazz chants◦Hi, how are you?Fine, and you?
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3. Best PracticesUse visuals, realia, and
movement.Let students make the visuals.Alternate the level of activity.Allow students to relate personal
experience.Develop classroom routines in
English.Have a plan for when to use
Spanish in the English class. 33
Use bright visuals, realia, and movement.
Weather song: What’s the weather, what’s the
weather, what’s the weather like today?
Tell us (student’s name), what’s the weather.
What’s the weather like today?Is it sunny, is it cloudy, is it rainy
out today?Is it snowy, is it windy.What’s the weather like today.
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Alternate the level of activity.
Quiet and noisyDifferent skills
◦listening, speaking, reading, writing
Alone, pairs, small groups, whole class
With the teacher, with other students
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Use finger plays for quiet.Here is a turtle.He lives in a shell.He likes his homeVery well.When he gets hungry,He comes out to eat.Then he goes back in his shell to sleep.
Feldman, Jean (2000)
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Develop classroom routines in English.
“Good morning class. How are you?”
“We are ready to learn.”Day and date routineMoving from activity to activity routine
Attention getting routineEnd of class routine
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Moving from activity to activity routine:
I love EnglishI love EnglishYes I do.Yes I do.Come and be my partner.We will learn together.Yes we will.Yes we will.
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Attention getting routine:
Sh, sh, stop that noise.Sh, sh, stop that noise.Tell all the boys to stop that noise.
(Repeat with girls and everyone.)
(Carolyn Graham)
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Another attention getting routine:
When I say peanut, you say butter.◦Peanut butter◦Peanut butter
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End of class routine:
Turn to your partner and say:
You were wonderful.You were great.See you next time,And don’t be late!
Joan Shin41
4. Develop a strategy for using Spanish.
Think, pair, share:
When should you use Spanish in your English class?
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Use Spanish to:Explain difficult concepts.Give complicated directions.
Keep your language objectives in mind.
Allow students to help each other in Spanish. You will know if they are on-task!
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Review
Discuss with your partners what young learners are like and what they need to be able to learn.
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Exit ticket
Make a note about one thing you will remember when thinking about teaching English to Young Learners.
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Turn to a partner and say:
You were wonderful.You were great.See you next time,And don’t be late!
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