Session 2

How Children Learn Part 1

1. At birth, a baby’s brain has:

A. One million brain neuronsB. Ten thousand brain neuronsC. One hundred billion neurons

2. How fast does a child’s brain grow in the early years ? By age three, a child’s brain

A. Has tripled in weight B. Has doubled in weightC. Is the same weight as at birth

The Amazing Brain

3. Which of the following statements is accurate ?

A. After birth, the brain does not change

B. The experiences which we have in our lives help to shape

the brain

C. The brain is already fully developed at birth

4. Which of the following statements is accurate ?

A. You can continue to learn new things/new skills at any age

B. The brain is like a spongeC. Your genes are your destiny

Experiences shape the brain

We have a great deal of control over the way our brains grow.Our experiences can literally shape the way the brain develops.

Learning involves feelings

Experiences which involve strong feelings, whether positive or negative are more likely to be remembered. This can act as a motivator or barrier to future learning.

Remembering is multi sensory

If children use many different senses and many different ways of learning something, the more likely they are to remember it later. It gives them many different ways of recalling.

Making sense is essential for learning

Children are more likely to learn from experiences which make sense to them and they find relevant and interesting. This enables the brain to create strong networks.

Children’s characteristics

Children have no reason for learning

English

Quotes from Nikolov, M. 1999 Language Teaching Research Vol 3/1, 33-56

Children give priority to meaning rather than form

The 10 year old pupil is looking at a picture of a man sleeping under a tree

1 P : the man is sleeping T : and then ?P : the mango is fell downT : then ?

5 P : two men is taking his drumT : two P : two men is taking his drumT : you say two men ( teacher stresses the words

two men )P : two meen men ( pupil tries changing the

pronunciation).10T : no (the pupil still does not provide the answer the

teacher wants )P : is taking his drum T : again do you say is P : two men are taking his drum (teacher finally gets

the answer she wants)

( from Moon, J. 2000 Children Leaning English. Macmillan Page 5)

Children’s ability to learn from active and direct experience

Picking up language in chunks

‘Finished’‘How are you ?’

‘Me too’ ‘‘Gimme ‘

Using language creatively

T: Where did you draw the leaves ?

Child : on the flower’s stick

ConclusionsChildren bring to the classroom many instincts, abilities and

characteristics.

These make them different in some distinct ways from adults.

Many of these instincts and abilities are very helpful for second

language learning.

Teachers need to develop an approach to teaching which takes

account of children’s characteristics and makes use of their abilities

and special instincts.