-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
1/7
Teaching English to Young
Learners
KH Grunnsklaskor 2003
Samuel C Lefever
-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
2/7
Why teach English at the
primary level?increased use of and exposure to English indaily
life practical need
exposes children to understanding of foreigncultures
tolerancelinks communication to the understanding ofnew
concepts
the earlier you start the more time you get tolearn the
languagestimulates language awareness benefittingboth L1 and L2
-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
3/7
-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
4/7
Are children better language
learners?children are less conscious of learningEnglish as a
school subject learningcomes more naturallychildren devote more
time to languagelearningL2 learning differs from L1 acquisition
Conclusion: beginning at an early age can giveadvantages; it
need not do any harm giventhe availability of trained teachers and
theuse of appropriate materials
-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
5/7
Characteristics of young learners
(8-10 years old)keen and enthusiastic motivatedcurious and
inquisitive
outspoken clear viewslearning can be closely linked to
thedevelopment of ideas and concepts
rely on spoken word as well as thephysical world to convey
andunderstand meaning
-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
6/7
Characteristics of young learnerslearn by doing/hands-on
experience
(physical movement and activity necessary tostimulate thinking
understanding comes
through hands, eyes, and ears)a sense of fairness can work with
andlearn from others
have some sort of language awarenessand readinesscapacity for
indirect learning - guessing
-
7/28/2019 Teaching Eng Young Learners
7/7
Implications for teachingfocus on words and interactionplay with
the languagedevelop the awareness of languageensure variety in the
classroomroutines and repetitionscaffolding and
modellingcooperation not competitiongrammar is absorbed
student-directedassessment and encouragement
