FLE 308 (01-04) Teaching English to Young Learners

2010-11 Spring
Wednesday 8:40-11:30 / 14:40-17:30
Dr. Deniz all- opur
dsalli@metu.edu.tr
Office: Z-17
http://ocw.metu.edu.tr
Course Description
This course aims to provide students with the theoretical and practical aspects of Teaching
English to Young Learners (TEYL). More specifically, the course addresses issues related to
theories of learning, the learning strategies of young children, teaching-learning activities, the
classroom methods and techniques to be used when teaching English to young learners; the
development of games, songs and visual materials and their use in teaching and assessment
of young English learners.
Syllabus
Week
1

February 23

Week
2

March 2

Week
3

March 9

Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8

March 16
March 23
March 30
April 6
April, 13

Week
9

April 20

Week
10:

April 27

Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14

May 4
May 11

Introduction: What is TEYL?

Defining a Young Learners: Who are young learners? What are
their cognitive and affective characteristics?
Myths about young learners and TEYL
Children Learning a Foreign Language
(Cameron: Ch. 1; Linse, Ch.1)
Learning styles and Mixed ability options
(articles: Diaz- Maggioli, 1996; all-opur, 2005)
Learning Difficulties, Disabilities, Disorders
Vocabulary Teaching in YL classes *
(Cameron: Ch. 4; Linse Ch.6)
Teaching Listening & Speaking in YL classes *
(Cameron: Ch.3; Linse, Ch, 2 & 3)
Teaching Reading & Writing in YL classes *
(Cameron: Ch. 6; Linse, Ch.4 & 5)
Grammar Teaching in YL classes *
Inductive vs. Deductive/ Implicit vs. Explicit (Cameron: Ch. 5)
MIDTERM
Instructive Strategies: The role of pictures, stories, drama,
dance, songs, films, games, technology in YL classes*
(Cameron: Ch. 7)
Classroom management with YL*:
Classroom atmosphere, classroom safety, classroom discipline
Cooperating with parents of YL
(Linse, Ch.8)
Lesson Planning and preparing your own resources
Different Syllabi and Materials for YL
(Cameron: Ch.8)
Error Correction/ Mistake Management
Evaluation of Young Learners
(Cameron: Ch.10)

May 18

Poster Presentation

May 25

Poster Presentation
FLE 308 (01-04) Teaching English to Young Learners, 1

Materials
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Cambridge University Press.
Linse, T. C. (2005). Practical English Language Teaching: Young Learners. McGraw Hill: NY.
Selected articles and chapters.

Assessment
Mid-term:

35 %

Final (Take Home):

35 %

Activity Presentation:

15 %

Poster Presentation

15%

Article & Activity Presentation

In groups of 3-4, choose an article that presents an activity for young learners from
English Teaching Forum
http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/forum-journal.html
The Internet TESL Journal
http://iteslj.org
The International TEYL Journal
http://www.teyl.org
or any other journal with a practical focus (see METU Online for some examples).
I. Summarize the article briefly and indicate:
a. In what kind of a lesson would you use the activity?
b. What kind of a student group would you address with the activity?
c. What would your objectives be in using the activity?
II. Execute only the activity in class to see if it works (15 minutes).
* From the topics with an asterisk (*), choose one to select your article for the presentation.

Poster Presentation
In groups of 3-4, prepare a poster to be used with a class of young learners (decide on your
age group). Your poster may have a vocabulary, grammar or skill (reading, listening, speaking
and writing) focus. Your poster should present the language using print visuals with some
information (depending on the age of your learners).

FLE 308 (01-04) Teaching English to Young Learners, 2