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INTERNATIONAL HOUSE Young Learners’ Training Course

Teaching Young Learners Lise Bell/Paula de Nagy

International House Lisbon

March 2001

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List of contents: Title Page - Page 1

List of contents - Page 2 Main aims of the session / Session Outline - Page 3 Tutor’s Notes: Stage 1: Warmer - Page 4 Stage 2: Discussion Activity - Page 5 Stage 3: Poster Activity - Page 6 Stage 4: Looking at Teachers’ Books - Page 7 Homework - Page 7

Bibliography - Page 8

Materials Pages Pages 9 - 22

Answer Keys Pages 23 - 26

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Main aims of this session: The session draws on participants’ awareness of how Adults learn and encourages them to identify the key differences between teaching Adults and Young Learners. By the end of the session, they should be familiar with some of the implications of the above for the teaching of YLs. It is a hands-on session consisting mainly of group and pair work and we hope it will lead to quite a lot of reflection Notes to tutor: If running the session yourself: Many of the stages of the session are designed to encourage trainees to interact and share ideas. The initial warmer activity can be replaced with any activity that is clearly designed for children rather than adults. The session is based on materials from Teaching Children English and Teaching English in the Primary Classroom (See Bibliography for full references). You will find all you need in this pack except for the reading (Homework), which comes from: Teaching English in the Primary Classroom (Pgs 3-8) The whole session should take not much longer than 1h15 mins, with the reading and homework taking up a further 15 minutes. If you are not running the session for a group but guiding teachers through self-study, you will find suggested procedures at the end of each stage. Session Outline: Stage Activity Stage 1: Warmer Spider mobile Stage 2: Discussion Activity

Discussion – using prompt cards Main differences between YLs and Adults and Implications/Comments

Stage 3: Poster Activity Poster presentation YLs like… YLs are… YL can …

Stage 4: Analysis of Teachers’ Books

Ts evaluate how Teachers’ Books are adapted for Yls

Homework: Reading and note-taking

Reading ‘Halliwell’ Notes: differences between adults and YL

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Tutor Notes: Stage 1 Aim: Warmer and beginning of reflection Handouts: Materials Page 1 (spider mobile) or a similar activity Materials: card; crayons; string; scissors, straws; and glue Time: +/- 15 minutes Procedure:

1) Explain that they are about to do a fairly typical activity common in YL classes

2) Set up small groups to make mobile as per Materials Page 1 3) Possible tasks to set for reflection either while they are making

mobiles or to discuss after activity (as in Vale and Feunteun: Focus on instructional language).

For teachers who have never taught YLs before What did you find easy, difficult? Could you do this activity with your Adult students? Why? Why not? What makes this activity particularly suitable for YLs?

For more experienced YL teachers In addition to the above, they could also consider some additional questions such as: What language did you use during activity that could be taught to YLs? What age groups could manage this kind of activity? Would you make changes for these different groups?

If trainees are going to work through the session on their own, they could do the activity with a colleague for added input or alternatively they could simply read Materials Page 1 and the above questions and write their answers down. A suggestion is that they write all their answers throughout the course in a book which then becomes their reflection journal. Whichever way they do it, it would be wise for them to come to you and briefly discuss their answers before moving on.

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Tutor Notes: Stage 2 Aim: Discussion stage to encourage participants to draw some

conclusions from Stage 1 and other Adult/YL experience they have had

Handouts: Materials Page 2 (grid) Materials: Cards with prompts (Starting on Materials Pages 4) Time: +/- 30 minutes Procedure:

1) Divide prompt cards around the group. Encourage participants to discuss each card in terms of three categories in grid (Materials Page 2), i.e. Aspect, Main differences between YLs and Adults and Implications/Comments

2) Feedback as a whole group (See Answer Key 1 for ideas for completing grid)

If trainees are going to work through the session on their own, they could simply be given the handout to brainstorm and then sit down with the tutor for a short session where they discuss the answers (See Answer Key 1 for some suggested answers)

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Tutor Notes: Stage 3 Aim: To encourage trainees to apply the above principles to

the YL language classroom and consider concrete implications of same

Handouts: Materials Page 11 and 12 Materials: A3 paper and coloured pens, blutack Time: +/- 15 mins Procedure:

1) Trainees work in groups. Each group has an A3 sheet with one of the following prompts:

Young Learners need... Young Learners are... Young Learners like... Young Learners can...

See Materials Page 11 for an example 2) Groups spend +- 5/10 minutes brainstorming each category before

displaying them around the room, reading each others’ and adding anything they feel their colleagues have left out

3) See Materials Page 12 for an alternative way of setting up the brainstorm. This could be given to trainees as an alternative to doing the above activity if you are short of time.

(This activity was originally seen in a session run by Janet Sinclair from IH Braga) If trainees are going to work through the session on their own, they can do the activity on their own first before comparing it with Materials Page 12.

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Tutor Notes: Stage 4 Aim: Initial sensitisation to strengths and weaknesses of

coursebooks and the Teachers’ Book and encouraging participants to start thinking about the implications for planning of the principles discussed above

Handouts: None Materials: Teachers’ Book for coursebooks that trainees are likely

to be using or are familiar with. It is probably unrealistic to look at more than 2 coursebooks during such a short slot

Time: +/- 15 mins Procedure:

1) Trainees sit in pairs – each pair has one of the Teachers’ Books for the coursebooks they will be using in Teaching Practice The task to set them is as follows: Which of the principles in Stage 2 are catered for in the

Teachers’ Notes? What else will you need to consider from the principles

we’ve discussed so far when working through the coursebook?

Early finishers could be encouraged to start thinking about how they might apply the principles.

Tutor Notes: Homework Aim: Encourage trainees to reflect further on what was

covered in the session and to get them thinking about why they are doing the training course

Handouts: Materials Page 13 Materials: Reading from Susan Halliwell, Teaching English in the

Primary Classrooom, pgs 3-8 (Longman) – Not included Time: +/- 15 mins Procedure: Trainees are given handout with blank grid and reading to do before the next day of input. We suggest they first do the reading and then complete the grid. See Answer Key 2 for suggested answers to the grid. Feedback to this activity could be done at the start of the next day of input.

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Bibliography Halliwell, Susan. 1992. Teaching English in the Primary Classroom. Harlow: Longman Vale, David and Feunteun, Anne. 1995. Teaching Children English: A training course for teachers of English to children. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

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Materials Page 1 Page 139 of Teaching Children English by David Vale and Anne Feunteun (Cambridge University Press).

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Materials Page 2

ASPECT MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TEACHING ADULTS AND YOUNGER LEARNERS

IMPLICATIONS

Behaviour

Requirements of Learning Environment

Ability to Decipher Meaning

Cognitive Ability

Energy Levels/Moods

Social Skills

Concentration / Attention

Span

Memory

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Materials Page 3 Motor Skills Development

Importance of Creativity

and Imagination

Reading and Writing

Direct vs. Indirect Learning

Motivation

Interests

Learning Styles and

Expectations

Pronunciation

Attitude to Error

Attitude to Accuracy /

Fluency

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Materials Page 4

concentration/ attention span

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Memory

Motor skills development

cognitive ability

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Energy levels/ moods

Social skills

Behaviour

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requirements of learning

environment

ability to decipher meaning

pronunciation

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Attitude to error

attitude to accuracy/fluency

motivation

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Interests

learning styles and expectations

importance of creativity and imagination

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reading and writing

direct v indirect learning

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Materials Page 11

Young Learners Need...

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Materials Page 12 CHILDREN AS LANGUAGE LEARNERS

are... need... like... can...

-tactile and energetic -curious

-support and encouragement -as much opportunity to use L2 as possible

-to move about -using their imagination

-deal with chunks of language -get bored easily

-relatively uninhibited -sensitive to peer pressure

-variety of pace, focus, interaction -to relate English to their real lives

-being active -a balance of familiar & unfamiliar activities

-retain things that are memorable -acquire language we don’t ‘teach’ them

-enthusiastic -only able to concentrate for a short period of time -imaginative and creative -interested in the product & not always the process

-to learn social skills, e.g. cooperation -to be motivated -to feel at ease in the classroom

-games, chants, rhymes, stories and songs

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- concerned with meaning

-not necessarily self-motivated

-all different

The above handout was designed by Janet Sinclair by IH Braga

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Materials Page 13 On the basis of what was said in the session and your reading and experience, complete the following statements in at least 5 different ways. Be prepared to justify your answers.

Children learn English because...

Adults learn English because...

I (am going to) teach English to children because...

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Answer Key 1 MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ADULT LEARNERS

AND YOUNGER LEARNERS CONCENTRATION/ATTENTION SPAN Adults have longer concentration spans than YLs who can be easily distracted. However, YLs may be more willing than adults to concentrate for longer periods of time with certain activities e.g. games. This is an issue which needs to be addressed at the planning stage. COGNITIVE ABILITY Adults are better able to deal with abstract concepts regarding language as they have a more developed sense of how their own language works. YLs use their first language but may not be aware of the rules. This has implications for the way we deal with language e.g. grammar in the lessons. MEMORY Younger Learners are learning a lot about the world and as a result tend to learn more quickly but also forget quickly. Adults may have more developed memory skills and learning strategies at their disposal. The implications of this are that we need to make language memorable e.g. By using pictures, movement and we need to constantly recycle language and build this into our lessons as a regular feature. MOTOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT YLs are in the process of learning skills e.g. motor skills, reading skills which Adult learners have already developed. The implication of this is that we can’t expect them to cope with doing a lot of copying/writing. We can also use activities which help students to develop motor skills e.g. cutting, sticking. LEARNING STYLES The learning styles of YLs are quite different from adults. They learn by “doing” or “experiencing” and this needs to be catered for in our teaching. Some ways of catering for this are to incorporate lots of activities with movement or involving touching etc. We can also base our lessons on learning about other subjects.

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SOCIAL SKILLS YL also need to learn skills which are non-linguistic, such as behaviour and socialization which adults have already acquired and this means that there is a higher educational responsibility involved in the teaching of YLs. Activities should foster co-operation as well as competition and we should consider other skills apart from linguistic skills when planning. BEHAVIOUR YLs are used to being told how to behave and having rules set and will expect the teacher to enforce discipline in class. The implications of this are that we need to establish good classroom management and routines from the outset and make students aware of this. REQUIREMENTS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Having a learning environment which is both secure and familiar is essential with YLs whereas for adults it is a contributing factor and as a teacher we need to take the responsibility for this. ENERGY LEVELS/MOODS YLs have varying energy levels and moods and this is a fundamental feature of the YL classroom. We need to consider how to address this at a planning level and channel this energy for a positive effect. It also means we need to be much more flexible when planning lessons. ABILITY TO DECIPHER MEANING YLs tend to be more holistic as learners and more tolerant of ambiguity. This means that we can expose them to lots of language so long as the input is comprehensible. However, unlike adult learners, they are less likely to question if meaning is not clear so it is essential that meaning is made crystal clear and checked constantly. It should always be related to their realm of experience. PRONUNCIATION YLs tend to be good at mimicking and often have good pronunciation whereas adult learners may find it difficult to identify and produce sounds which do not exist in their first language. This has both advantages and disadvantages – they can pronounce things well but may not necessarily understand what they say so we need to be sure that meaning is constantly reinforced.

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ATTITUDE TO ERROR YLs are often less inhibited than adult learners and are less worried about making mistakes and this may make learning more stressful for adults. It’s essential therefore that we encourage risk taking and experimenting in L2 and don’t over- correct. ATTITUDE TO ACCURACY/FLUENCY YLs tend to value communication over accuracy whereas adults may be more aware of the importance of accuracy and therefore put more effort into achieving this goal. The implication of this is that we need to create a reason or motivation for being accurate e.g. giving points. However, communication should be encouraged whenever possible. MOTIVATION Adults motivation and purpose for learning English is usually tangible and personally imposed whereas with YLs the decision to study English is externally imposed and as a result they may need to be motivated by the learning experience itself. The implication of this is that we need to make learning fun and enjoyable. INTERESTS YLs have very different interests to adults and very different expectations of learning and classroom atmosphere (though this may change as the YLs get older) and we should cater for this in our selection of topics, activities, materials. YLs respond well when learning is made fun, physical and visual. IMPORTANCE OF CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION These play a large role in YLs lives and overall development and should be stimulated in the language classroom, both as part of this development and as a way of making lessons more motivating. Activities such as creating stories, animals etc work well here. READING AND WRITING These are skills which an adult learner has already developed and as language teachers our main aim is to encourage transference of existing strategies. Depending of the age and stage of development of the YL these skills may or may not have already been acquired. It is essential that we are aware of the stage at which our learners are at in their first language so that we don’t interfere with the teaching of these skills. We also need to

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take this into consideration when selecting/devising tasks so that we select within students’ capabilities. DIRECT vs. INDIRECT LEARNING In general, Adults tend to want to “understand” how language works and enjoy/expect to learn through formal explanation or study. They actively set about “learning” a language and are able to use the cognitive strategies at their disposal. YLs on the other hand tend to acquire language more unconsciously or “indirectly” through exposure. Ideally, a blend of both styles is required (both for adults and YLs) but this may only be possible as the child develops the necessary skills for “direct learning”. These are generally undeveloped in primary school children.

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Answer Key 2 The following notes could form part of feedback to the homework activity Why do children learn English?

- Curiosity inspired by the media and friends - Parental pressure - Pleasure of playing with new sounds - School pressure - Challenge of a new way of speaking

Why do adults learn English?

- For work - For love - For a hobby - For travel - For promotion

Why do you/will you teach English to children?

- Decision from above - I like English - A plus for my career - I like children - I can get a better school - I could use my English

The above are Vale & Feunteun’s suggested answers but they could easily be added to.