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Teaching English to Young Learners Ages 6-10 years
Teaching English to early elementary students is about play and having fun.
Early Elementary Students
Use games, chants and rhymes, and songs and dance to introduce, practice or reinforce learning in the classroom
Children need to be actively involved with a hands-on approach
Early Elementary Students
Remember that younger children have a short attention span so change the activity before they get bored and off track– In other words, keep things moving
Young Learners
Students learn when they can relate new information to their own previous experiences
Students create their own meaning of the material
This creates a better way to remember what they are learning
Activities
Engaging and fun activities include: Playing games Drawing and arts and crafts Story telling and acting Reciting poems Rhythms and rhymes Drawing and writing, for example hangman and
crosswords to practice different parts of speech
Pattern Practice/Context
Children learn language through pattern practice, review and reinforcement and not through grammar that is presented in a logical way
In addition to pattern practice, language should also be presented in a context
Activities
Topics for classroom activities include: At School; days, months, directions, asking
permission, etc. Clothes and Colors Time and Place Describing People Food and Drink
Activities Continued
Families and Homes Occupations and Nationalities Asking questions such as When and Where
Children are familiar with these topics in their first language and therefore they will be more easily integrated into second language acquisition
Middle School/ Young Adolescent ages 11-16 years
From the ages of 11 – 16, students practice written as well as oral communication
At this stage of their development there will be more emphasis on reading and writing
Students have the capacity to practice grammar in a logical way and to develop writing skills
Middle School/Young Adolescent
They are capable of learning to communicate about themselves and their families, about feelings and special interests
At this point students are ready to broaden their vocabulary and to learn to listen critically
This will enable them to express their own point of view during class discussions
Middle School/Young Adolescent
Students enjoy authentic material in its original form, not simplified or abridged
Reading newspapers, comic strips, novels and poetry will give practice in comprehension skills which include:– The ability to determine the meaning of words and
phrases
Comprehension Skills
The ability to determine the meaning of words and phrases
Reading to find answers to questions Identifying the elements of a story Summarizing a written text Comparing and contrasting 2 or more texts Developing the ability to infer and predict
Reading
Reading helps promote the ability to write and the two skills go hand in hand
As students at this age are already grounded in their first language, they are more capable of acquiring skills in written as well as oral English
Skills for writing include:
Correct use of vocabulary and spelling Creation of sentences and phrases that flow Arrangement of sentences in proper
sequence Use of effective dialogue Written report or a descriptive piece
Conclusion
For the young learning comes naturally. Normally children are energetic and eager to learn
Children are generally more accepting of differences in a second language
Pronunciation seems to come easily in most cases Teaching English no matter what the age of the
students includes the same challenges and rewards encountered by teachers everywhere