Teaching english in the pre primary classroom

Teaching English in the Pre-Primary classroom.

Reflection

Even if you haven’t taught this age range, just draw on your general knowledge of the 3–5 year olds you know.

•Think of them as learners,

•as first language learners and then

•as learners of English.

Your ideas may have included:

• They learn very quickly

• They have so much fun with learning

• They have incredible energy

• Everything is new to them

• They are such active learners, processing new experiences, asking questions, trying things out, experimenting, practicing over and over until they master new skills.

How many words they learn by:

• 2 years old• 200 – 300;• 3 years old• 900 – 1000;• 4 year old• 1500 – 2000;• 5-6 years old• 2000 – 3000 (use) 20000 – 24000 (understand)

3 – 4 new words a day on average

• Important child development theories;

• Different stages of child development;

• Teaching techniques for different stages of development.

Jean Piaget. Some of the most influential theories

today.

• Stage 1 (sensorimotor) - from birth to two years old - learning takes place through the senses and manipulation of objects;

• Stage 2 (preoperational) – from 2 to 7 years old - learners use words and images to represent objects; use imagination, not logic, to explain events;

General features of 3-to-7 -year-olds

Learn to draw

Develop motor skills

Enjoy singing, chanting and

moving

Like games and physical activities

Self-centred

Start to develop the ability to reason and

think,

Learn about the world through

reacting to input through the

senses

Have short attention spans:-need activities

varied often

Ask a lot of questions

Do not differentiate between fact and

fiction

Piaget and the language classroom

• Children should only do tasks they are ready for.

• Children need a physical connection to learning.

How?• Children develop receptive skills first.• Children are developing cognitively and

socially.• Children learn by doing.• The language syllabus must be relevant to

children’s age group to help them to express themselves.

• The grammar is embedded in meaningful and motivating contexts.

• Children need regular recycling and revision.

The principles of early language acquisition

• Principle 1: Listening comprehension has a priority;

• Principle 2: Learning has to be fun, so all senses are engaged;

• Principle 3: Tasks need to be action oriented.

Plus…• Understand how your children like to learn best. • Which are the child's dominant senses? • Some children like listening to reading aloud.

You could use reading stories to encourage this kind of child. And most children enjoy learning through songs, chants and rhymes.

• Does your child like to touch things and physically move about? Some children have tons of energy to burn off! You could play games to get them moving or running around, acting out rhymes or stories or even dancing!

Main teaching method:

T

P

R

• Total

• Physical

• Response

Main types of activities:• Listen and look;• Listen and repeat;• Listen, look and point / show;• Trace;• Trace in the air;• Colour;• Listen and sing;• Listen, sing and move;• Cut, listen and stick;• …

My Little Island 3 levels; 3-6 years old

Components for pupils:

• Pupil’s Book with stickers & CD-ROM

• Activity Book & Songs and Chants CD

Components for the teacher:

• Teacher’s Book

• Active Teach

• Class Audio CD

• Picture Cards

• Posters

• Big Book

• Squirrel puppet

My Little Island digital.CD-ROM 1•My toys – activities•Story time

Songs and chants CD•15 Please and thank you•16 This is my family•14 Arms ready to make a circle•32 Hold up fingers, let’s count

My Little Island Active teach•P 6 tracing•P7 Listen, colour and say•P 102 New Year song