Faculty of Philology and Pedagogical Sciences

Department of Two Foreign Languages

TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS

Lecturer: PhD Naci Yildiz

Prepared by: Fariza Zhexembinova

Kaskelen, 2016
 Content:

1. Chapter 1. What is teaching?

1.1 Who are young learners?
1.2 What are features of teachers?
1.3 Teachers likes VS students likes.
1.4 Need of learners.
2. Chapter 2. Types of learning styles.
2.1 Visual Learners.
2.2 Auditory Learners.
2.3 Tactile Learners.
2.4 Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
2.5 Benefits of using MI.
3. Chapter 3. What is Classroom Management?
3.1 Common Mistakes in Classroom Management
3.2 Effective Classroom Techniques.
4. Chapter 4. What is TPR?
4.1 Why is TPR particularly useful for young learners?
4.2 TPR as part of many techniques.
5. Chapter 5.What kind of Materials are used?
6. Chapter 6. What is Curriculum Planning?
7. Chapter 7. Helpful Ideas for teaching YL.
7.1 Supplement activities with visuals, realia and movement.
7.2 Involve students in making visuals and realia.
7.3 Move from activity to activity.
7.4 Teach in themes
7.5 Use stories and contexts familiar to students.
7.6 Establish classroom routines in English.
7.7 Use L1 as a resource when necessary.
7.8 Bring in helpers from the community.
7.9 Collaborate with other teachers in your school.
7.10 Communicate with other TEYL professionals.

Chapter 1. What is Teaching?

 Teaching is the art and science of helping others to grow in their knowledge and understanding.
But more than that:

Teaching is never forgetting that for a moment each day you might be the only person who
touches someone's life.
Teaching is constantly being aware of what you are doing wrong in the classroom and trying
to find ways to fix them.
Teaching is keeping up with both the latest research and honoring the enduring traditions.
Teaching is worrying that you don't know about the subject deeply to make it easily
accessible to everyone.
Teaching is running around before school getting your room ready, the copies made, the
desks straightened, and being careful to check that the whiteboard markers are still good.

1.1 Who are young learners?

 As English has become the dominant/ international/ common language in the world, it has also
become one of the components of tertiary, secondary, primary and even pre-school education in the
EFL teaching contexts. Thus, the concept of young learners has started to cover a larger age range
than it did 2 or 3 decades ago. This change can clearly be seen in the quality and quantity of course
books written for different ages and levels of young English language learners, and the publications
made in this area. Moreover, it also brings a demand for competent English language teachers to
teach (very) young language learners.

As the concept teaching English to young learners suggests, age plays a crucial role in what we
teach and how we teach it, since a young learner class is different from an adult and/or a teenager
class in terms of the learners language learning needs, the language competences emphasized, and
the cognitive skills addressed. Thats why, it is highly important to show the differences of these
three learner groups keeping in mind the fact that every learner is unique and such lists can only
reflect generalizations (Harmer, 2007).

Young learners:
They respond although they do not understand.
They learn from everything around them: they learn indirectly rather than directly.
They understand mostly when they see, hear, touch and interact rather than from
explanations.
Abstract concepts are difficult to deal with.
They generally display a curiosity about the world and an enthusiasm for learning a
language - They like talking about themselves and respond to learning that uses their
lives as the main topic.
They love discovering things, making or drawing things, using their imagination,
moving from one place to another, solving puzzles.
They have a short attention span; they can easily get bored after 5-10 minutes.
Teachers should have a rich repertoire of activities to help young children receive
information from a variety of sources and plan a range of activities for a given time
period.
Teachers should work with students individually or in groups
Teachers need to be aware of the students interests to motivate them.
The classroom should be colorful and bright with enough room for different activities.

So now let us discuss the main question who young learners are in fact. As one year of age makes
a huge difference among children, the generalizations made for young learners may need more
detailed analysis and some sub categorization.

Very Young Learners Young Learners Older/ Late Young Learners

Age: 3-6 years old Age: 7-9 years old Age: 10-12 years old
Grade: Pre-school Grade: 1 st 3 rd grade Grade: 4 th - 6 th grade
Education
Language Focus/ Skills Language Focus/ Skills Language Focus/ Skills Used:
Used: Listening &
Speaking
Vocabulary Items
(concrete & familiar
objects)
No Grammar Teaching or
met language (cant
analyze language but may
be exposed to chunks
through songs, classroom
language)
No reading & writing (may
recognize letters or short
words)
Characteristics:
*Low concentration span
but easily excited
*High motivation; active
involvement
*Love talking but
problems in sharing
*Short memory: Learn
slowly Forget easily
*Repetition and revision is
necessary
*Limited motor skills
(using a pen and scissors)
but kinesthetic and
energetic
*Learn holistically
*Love stories, fantasy,
imagination, art, drawing
and coloring
Adapted from: Ersz, A. (2007). Teaching English to young learners. Ankara: EDM Publishing.
Used: Listening & Speaking Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing
Vocabulary Items (concrete Vocabulary Items (concrete &
& familiar and new objects) abstract)
New in Reading and Writing Grammar (inductive)
(word to sentence level)
No Grammar Teaching or
met language (chunks
through songs and classroom
language)
Characteristics: Characteristics:
*Low concentration span: *Longer attention span but still
Wide variety of activities children
needed *Short memory: *Taking learning seriously
frequent revision is needed *World knowledge
*Logical-analytical: Asking *More cooperation in groups and in
questions pairs
*Problems in sharing in *Developed social, motor and
group work intellectual skills
* Developing confidence in *Learning strategies are used and
expressing themselves developing
* Developing world
knowledge *Limited motor
skills (left-right)
*Reasonable amount of input
*Love stories, fantasy,
imagination, drawing &
coloring
 1.2 What are the features of teachers?

"Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition."

Jacques Barzun

A teacher is the one who shapes an individual's personality and life. It is one of the noble
professions as it contributes in building the future of a country and overall society. Teachers play a
significant and valuable role as they influence the lives of children who are the future of tomorrow.
Students get influenced by a teacher's characteristics, affection, commitment, competence, morals,
and ethics. So it is important that only best and intelligent human beings are allowed to become
teachers so that a safe future is ensured.

In School:

Teachers are certainly role models for students, so they must be at their best in front of kids.
There are various roles a teacher has to play in school.
The first role is that of a facilitator. He/she should impart all the knowledge and skills
related to a particular field.
He/she should also provide children with the right attitude so that they can make the best use
of their knowledge and intelligence.
One of the other responsibilities is guiding students at every stage by providing them
guidance, support, and inspiration so that they can find the right path, be it in career or in
life.
Supervising is also one of the qualities as he/she warns and convinces students if they are
involved in wrong things.

Teachers are no more the people who come to the class, give lectures, and walk out. An ideal
teacher is someone who seeks the participation of all the students, takes student's opinions into
account, uses different teaching media, and makes learning a fun activity. As someone rightly said,
a good teacher teaches from the heart and not from the book. So, to take up a job as a teacher one
must have passion for the subject so that he/she can pass the same passion to his/her students. One
of the important roles of a teacher is also that of respecting a student's opinion. A teacher must
always be open to learn new things and must keep himself/herself updated with the latest
developments. These were some of the qualities of a good teacher. Apart from dealing with
students, a teacher also has to maintain a dialog with parents, so that they nurture their kids in the
right manner.

In Society:

The role of a teacher in education system is pivotal. He/she is virtually the yardstick that decides
the quality of an education system. It is the teacher who decides if it is a success or a failure. It is on
his/her shoulders, which the entire education system rests as he/she single-handedly shapes the
generation. As we mentioned earlier, a teacher plays a crucial role in the development of society.
Someone once said that if you want to study the nature of the citizens of the country then meet
some teachers and study their nature. After all, the society is a replica of teachers living in it.
Teachers help mere students transform into good human beings with a positive attitude, confidence
and motivation to pursue excellence.

The future of an entire generation depends on the teachers. If they are corrupt and unprofessional,
then an entire generation will result in the same. This can result in corrupt judiciary, betraying
army, unfaithful bureaucracy, untrustworthy politicians, etc., which leads to a chaotic and
deplorable society. So, a teacher is an architect of a new generation that determines the quality and
future of our tomorrow. But, the profession is not given the respect that it deserves. We must
understand that teaching is the only profession that teaches all the other professions, and so, its
significance and greatness is much higher.

With these insights on the role of a teacher, it is clear that they make a tremendous contribution to
our society and hence must always be held high.

In order to understand better the features of teacher, let us discuss what ideal teacher should be
like. An ideal teacher should have many qualities. A student remembers such a teacher for long.
The effect of his personality on students lasts long. An ideal teacher is the one who is loved and
respected by every student. He must try to win the hearts of all students. He should try to establish a
kind of relationship and bond between the hearts and minds of himself and the students.

An Ideal teacher should be a scholar. He must have the knowledge of the subject he teaches in the
class. He should teach the subjects in an interesting way. He should be able to make the students
really interested in their subject. An ideal teacher should express well, should have a good voice and
must have love for teaching. The students should feel that their minds are growing under his
teaching. An ideal teacher deals with the subject well. He makes his subject interesting too.
 An ideal teacher is the one who makes his students think and enhances their creativity. He not
only passes information to them but also develops love for learning. He activates the minds of his
students. He teaches them how to think and grow logical power. He brings into play the hidden
mental powers of students. He must be a man of ideas. He should explain things in a scholarly and
interesting way.

An ideal teacher is ideal in all respects. He does not use words of learned lengths. He does not use
difficult sentences. His language must be clear, easy and simple so that students may understand it.
His teachings should be a tonic to the mind. An ideal teacher should be self respecting man. Thus
his students also acquire self-respect and dignity from him.

8 characteristics of a Great Teacher:

Three years ago, as a young, eager pupil, I would have told you that a great teacher was someone
who provided classroom entertainment and gave very little homework. Needless to say, after
entering the university and trying to be a teacher on me own, my perspective has changed.

1. A great teacher respects students. In a great teachers classroom, each persons ideas and
opinions are valued. Students feel safe to express their feelings and learn to respect and listen to
others. This teacher creates a welcoming learning environment for all students. If you want to be
respected, first show respect.

2. A great teacher creates a sense of community and belonging in the classroom. The mutual
respect in this teachers classroom provides a supportive, collaborative environment. In this small
community, there are rules to follow and jobs to be done and each student is aware that he or she is
an important, integral part of the group. A great teacher lets students know that they can depend not
only on her, but also on the entire class.

3. A great teacher is warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. This person is approachable, not
only to students, but to everyone on campus. This is the teacher to whom students know they can go
with any problems or concerns or even to share a funny story. Great teachers possess good listening
skills and take time out of their way-too-busy schedules for anyone who needs them. If this teacher
is having a bad day, no one ever knowsthe teacher leaves personal baggage outside the school
doors.

4. A great teacher sets high expectations for all students. This teacher realizes that the
expectations she has for her students greatly affect their achievement; she knows that students
generally give to teachers as much or as little as is expected of them.

5. A great teacher has his own love of learning and inspires students with his passion for
education and for the course material. He constantly renews himself as a professional on his quest
to provide students with the highest quality of education possible. This teacher has no fear of
learning new teaching strategies or incorporating new technologies into lessons, and always seems
to be the one who is willing to share what hes learned with colleagues.

6. A great teacher is a skilled leader. Different from administrative leaders, effective teachers
focus on shared decision-making and teamwork, as well as on community building. This great
teacher conveys this sense of leadership to students by providing opportunities for each of them to
assume leadership roles.

7. A great teacher can shift-gears and is flexible when a lesson isnt working. This teacher
assesses his teaching throughout the lessons and finds new ways to present material to make sure
that every student understands the key concepts.

8. A great teacher maintains professionalism in all areasfrom personal appearance to

organizational skills and preparedness for each day. Her communication skills are exemplary,
whether she is speaking with an administrator, one of her students or a colleague. The respect that
the great teacher receives because of her professional manner is obvious to those around her.

1.3 Teachers likes VS students likes

In order to make young learners to study, to learn something teacher needs to grab their attention
by finding what they like and love to do. Here the list of young learners likes:
Games. The most effective way of grabbing their attention is by playing games. Games
should be active, noisy, interesting, attractive, colorful, short (long games can be boring for
young learners).

Cartoons, short educational videos/movies. According to the opinion of several teachers,

this is the best way of teaching languages to young learners. Here all 4 skills can be
acquired (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).

Songs. Young learners can be taught everything in a song way, even grammar.

Pictures/images. By using pictures we can ask them to draw or to bring some pictures
relevant to a topic. It is very useful for visual learners.

Storytelling. Children do not like reality that is why they prefer to live in their own created
life. Teacher need to tell young learners something artificial or ask them to create a short
story.

Drama/Role playing. Imitating is another feature of children that can be used in teaching
and learning a language.

Toys.

Something real/observable. It is good for visual and kinesthetic learners, because they can
see it (for example, a red apple), they can touch it and smell it.
Young learners also love teacher who is honest, active, positive, creative, interesting,
extraordinary, supportive, educated and who is good at his/her subject, who can inspire, motivate.

Likes of the teacher:

 Hardworking students;
Extraordinary;
Responsible;
Feedback from ss;
Progress;
Achievement of ss;
Organized ss;
Accurate, punctual;
Self-responsible students.
By the way there are special physical needs that are needed to the teachers in teaching young
learners. As:
Place, atmosphere;
Time;
To be safe and sound;
Plans for each class;
Materials(books, pictures, technological devices);
Experience.
 1.2 Needs of learners.

Childrens characteristics are influenced by their developmental needs. Young learners have 3
principle needs that should be met to stimulate learning:

Physical needs

Social/Emotional needs

Cognitive/Intellectual needs

It is essential for the teacher to understand the implications of the characteristics and needs of
young learners. These factors will help the teacher make decisions about:

How the teacher builds a lesson;

How to make sure that the young learners are fully involved in the learning process;
How to go about getting the learners to achieve lesson objectives;
How learners will respond.

Young learners by nature are very active. Jean Piaget theorized the need for kinesthetic activity
allowing for children to construct knowledge by actively interacting with the physical environment.
He further points out that children learn through their own individual actions and exploration. The
implications for learning are that children benefit most by knowledge presented through games,
even though they are not necessarily aware that they are learning. They respond to language
according to what it goes and what they can do with it.

Learners eagerly explore language to understand it through physical activities. The choice of
activities for presenting and practicing language to young EFL learners should provide them with
bodily-kinesthetic activities:

Total Physical Response (TPR);

Playing games;
Singing action songs;
Responding by movement;
Making things (handicrafts);
Doing project works;
Participating in hands on activities;
Doing Experiments.

Young learners also need to interact with others and receive positive reinforcement. Young
learners construct knowledge through other people. Lev Vygotsky theorizes that development and
learning take place in a social context.

YLLs apply what they have learned by exploring language through social interaction. In order for
this to be successful, they need emotional encouragement through praise and reinforcement to carry
out that interaction.
 The implications for L2 learning are that children need ample exposure to the target language and
opportunities to experiment with and practice it. They also need praise and positive reinforcement.

The following activities for young language learners engage them with the target language
through social interaction:

Exposure to graded and authentic language (audio, video, visitor);

Role plays;
Question and answer sessions;
Collaboration activities;
Project and group work;
Participate in daily routine where the learner has to interact with others.

Interaction should also promote emotional, well being:

Allow the learner to be part of the class routine by giving them roles and/or responsibilities.
This will expose them to familiar language and give them a sense of self-worth.
Encourage and praising learners often;
Guide learners to take new steps;
Encourage learners to work with others;
Help learners feel safe and comfortable in their environment.
Encourage learners to express their emotions;
Choose age appropriate activities;
Motivate learners through activities that interest them.

Cognitive development is the learners ability to process the sensory information collected. These
abilities include:

Analyze;
Evaluate;
Retain information;
Recall experiences;
Make comparisons;
Determine action.

Language is important in a childs cognitive development. Jerome Bruner claims that language is
the most important tool in cognitive growth. To encourage the learners cognitive development,
language should:

Provide opportunities to develop numeracy skills;

Provide opportunities to develop literacy skills;
Develop the ability to think abstractly;
Provide opportunities to use language creatively.

Some tasks that develop cognitive thinking skills are:

Making comparisons;
 Categorizing;
Focusing attention;
Memorizing;
Exploring space, time and numbers;
Making associations;
Analyzing cause and effect;
Solving problems;
Creative thinking.

From what we have explored about young learners, it is evident that YLs learn in very different
ways from older/adult learners. Some distinctive differences are listed below:

Young learners are more enthusiastic and lively;

They want to please the teacher rather than their peer group;
They take risks even when they do not know the possible outcome;
However, they will lose interest more quickly;
They are not able to motivate themselves if they are not interested in a task;
They cannot use language to talk about language;
Their lack of inhibition allows them to advance a t a quicker pace.
 Chapter 2. Types of learning styles

There are three main types of styles in which individuals are often categorized under when it
comes to learning. Once you have determined which type of learner that you are, you are able to
employ the skills and therefore increase the information that can be learned, as well as increase the
ease in which the information is learned.

2.1 Visual Learners

Visual learners learn new skills by seeing and learn new information best through visuals. Using
diagrams and other visual methods of learning are recommended for these types of learners.

How can you identify if you are a visual learner? If you learn best and take notes when visual
information s being presented, and create your own charts and graphics while learning then you
may be a visual learner. Through the use of hand-outs, charts and visual information, the visual
learner should be easily able to readily absorb the information.

2.2 Auditory Learners

Auditory listeners learn best through the use of verbal communication and lectures. Auditory
learners can have information revealed to them through written works, but in most cases, the
information is not going to make sense or "click until the information has been heard. There are
many things that auditory learners listen for while they are learning a new skill. They listen for the
tone of voice, the pitch within the voice and even the speed of the person that is teaching the new
skill or information. All of this information that has been interpreted is then used when learning.

Auditory learners will benefit from creating recordings of the information that is being taught, as
well as benefit from information that has been played back from these recordings. Most auditory
learners tend to repeat things aloud, so they are able to easily learn the information that is being
repeated.

2.3 Tactile Learners

There are some people that learn better by completing the actual. These people are referred to as
"tactile or "kinesthetic learners. Through this learning method, the person learns best when they
take a hands-on approach to learning. Tactile learners may suffer from a short attention span which
can make it difficult to learn new skills unless the hands-on approach is taken.

There are many approaches that tactile learners can take while trying to master new skills. Tactile
learners can use hands on approach to take part in experiments, as well as other approaches where
the individual can use their hands.
Benefits of Determining Your Learning Type

Some of these benefits of learning which category that you fall under when it comes to learning
type include:

Being able to learn and absorb information the first time that you hear it and reducing the
amount of time and repetition that is required when learning.
Reducing the amount of reviewing and study time using methods of learning that are not
compatible with your learning ability.
Defining your learning type can help you to choose the best study method for you. The
majority of people are unsure about which methods that they should use to study and
therefore learning which method enables you to learn best can enable you to learn
effectively with the least amount of knowledge.
 2.4 Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences utilizes aspects of cognitive and

developmental psychology, anthropology, and sociology to explain the human intellect. Although
Gardner had been working towards the concept of Multiple Intelligences for many years prior, the
theory was introduced in 1983, with Gardner's book, Frames of Mind.

Verbal/Linguistic

Verbal/Linguistic intelligence refers to an individual's ability to understand and manipulate words

and languages. Everyone is thought to possess this intelligence at some level. This includes reading,
writing, speaking, and other forms of verbal and written communication. Teachers can enhance
their students' verbal/linguistic intelligence by having them keep journals, play word games, and by
encouraging discussion. People with strong rhetorical and oratory skills such as poets, authors, and
attorneys exhibit strong .

Logical/Mathematical
 Logical/Mathematical intelligence refers to an individual's ability to do things with data: collect,
and organize, analyze and interpret, conclude and predict. Individuals strong in this intelligence see
patterns and relationships. These individuals are oriented toward thinking: inductive and deductive
logic, numeration, and abstract patterns. They would be a contemplative problem solver; one who
likes to play strategy games and to solve mathematical problems. Being strong in this intelligence
often implies great scientific ability. This is the kind of intelligence studied and documented by
Piaget. Teachers can strengthen this intelligence by encouraging the use of computer programming
languages, critical-thinking activities, linear outlining, Piagetian cognitive stretching exercises,
science-fiction scenarios, logic puzzles, and through the use of logical/sequential presentation of
subject matter.

Visual/Spatial

Visual/Spatial intelligence refers to the ability to form and manipulate a mental model.
Individuals with strength in this area depend on visual thinking and are very imaginative. People
with this kind of intelligence tend to learn most readily from visual presentations such as movies,
pictures, videos, and demonstrations using models and props. They like to draw, paint, or sculpt
their ideas and often express their feelings and moods through art. These individuals often
daydream, imagine and pretend. They are good at reading diagrams and maps and enjoy solving
mazes and jigsaw puzzles. Teachers can foster this intelligence by utilizing charts, graphs,
diagrams, graphic organizers, videotapes, color, art activities, doodling, microscopes and computer
graphics software. It could be characterized as right-brain activity.

Bodily/Kinesthetic

Bodily/Kinesthetic intelligence refers to people who process information through the sensations
they feel in their bodies. These people like to move around, touch the people they are talking to and
act things out. They are good at small and large muscle skills; they enjoy all types of sports and
physical activities. They often express themselves through dance. Teachers may encourage growth
in this area of intelligence through the use of touching, feeling, movement, improvisation, "hands-
on" activities, permission to squirm and wiggle, facial expressions and physical relaxation
exercises.

Naturalistic

Naturalistic intelligence is seen in someone who recognizes and classifies plants, animals, and
minerals including a mastery of taxonomies. They are holistic thinkers who recognize specimens
and value the unusual. They are aware of species such as the flora and fauna around them. They
notice natural and artificial taxonomies such as dinosaurs to algae and cars to clothes. Teachers can
best foster this intelligence by using relationships among systems of species, and classification
activities. Encourage the study of relationships such as patterns and order, and compare-and-
contrast sets of groups or look at connections to real life and science issues. Charles Darwin and
John Muir are examples of people gifted in this way.

Musical Intelligence

Musical intelligence refers to the ability to understand, create, and interpret musical pitches,
timbre, rhythm, and tones and the capability to compose music. Teachers can integrate activities
into their lessons that encourage students' musical intelligence by playing music for the class and
assigning tasks that involve students creating lyrics about the material being taught. Composers and
instrumentalists are individuals with strength in this area.

Interpersonal

Although Gardner classifies interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences separately, there is a lot
of interplay between the two and they are often grouped together. Interpersonal intelligence is the
ability to interpret and respond to the moods, emotions, motivations, and actions of others.
Interpersonal intelligence also requires good communication and interaction skills, and the ability
show empathy towards the feelings of other individuals. Teachers can encourage the growth of
Interpersonal Intelligences by designing lessons that include group work and by planning
cooperative learning activities. Counselors and social workers are professions that require strength
in this area.

Intrapersonal

Intrapersonal Intelligence, simply put, is the ability to know oneself. It is an internalized version
of Interpersonal Intelligence. To exhibit strength in Intrapersonal Intelligence, an individual must be
able to understand their own emotions, motivations, and be aware of their own strengths and
weaknesses. Teachers can assign reflective activities, such as journaling to awaken students'
Intrapersonal Intelligence. Its important to note that this intelligence involves the use of all others.
An individual should tap into their other intelligences to completely express their Intrapersonal
Intelligence.
 2.5 Benefits of Multiple Intelligences

Using Multiple Intelligences theory in the classroom has many benefits:

As a teacher and learner you realize that there are many ways to be "smart"
All forms of intelligence are equally celebrated.
By having students create work that is displayed to parents and other members of the
community, your school could see more parent and community involvement.
A sense of increased self-worth may be seen as students build on their strengths and work
towards becoming an expert in certain areas
Students may develop strong problem solving skills that they can use real life situations
 Chapter 3. What is Classroom Management

Classroom management is a very important aspect of teaching. Once you get your classroom
management strategies together you will find that teaching is a pleasure and your students will excel
at learning.

Get prepared.

You must be prepared each time that you walk into your class room. Children know when their
teacher has done their homework and they respect the fact that their teacher cares enough about
their learning to prepare themselves to teach the lesson. Each day you should carefully plan your
day by developing a daily schedule as well as a lesson plan that is closely aligned to the stipulations
provided by the school district. These plans should universally address needs as well as the learning
styles of each student in your classroom; in other words students who are visual learners should be
given lessons and activities that comply with their style of learning, students who auditory learners
should receive instructions in this area, students who need extra time should get that time, students
who are overachievers should have additional assignments that they can independently complete
and so forth. If you are prepared you and your students will have an enjoyable and productive day
every day.

Make your room attractive.

You should work to have an attractive room that you as well as your students can appreciate and
enjoy. This type of environment sets the tone for learning so take some time to make your room
attractive and conducive to learning. Display attractive bulletin boards in your room that shows
such things that you and your students are doing such as your student's work, art projects, science
exhibits or other noteworthy class room information. Your room can also have learning centers, a
room library, game area, listening center, computer, science corner and so forth. Be creative and
make it an attractive fun place to learn.

Set classroom rules.

Classroom Rules- Children need rules to follow plus you need guidelines for your kids to follow
in order to teach and get the most from the day. Sit with your students in the beginning of the year
or anytime to design rules to live by in your room as well as in other parts of the building. Research
proves that students who are involved in the designing of their rules will be more likely to follow
them so allow your students to work on this project with you. Once these rules are made then make
it everyone's responsibility to see that the rules are followed. You can put some kind of short term
reward in place for those who follow the rules such as give your students stickers, stars, pencils or
some other token. You can celebrate your whole group by having a classroom party or show a
movie for those students who met you and your class's standards that all of you set for yourselves.
This will encourage your other students to continue following the rules as well as motivate students
who didn't quite make it to try to get the prize the next time. Remind the students of these rules
often and encourage all of them to obey the rules and encourage each other in positive ways to have
a well mannered classroom.

Be enthusiastic about your lessons.

When you teach a lesson teach it as if you love what you are doing and be interactive with your
students and engage them to participate. Develop a method to call on each one of your students and
don't let a few of your talkative ones dominate the class. Encourage all of your students to
participate in your lesson and if a student gives a wrong answer, encourage and help them to
succeed by helping them come up with the correct answer by giving clues, asking questions and
probing them. Make sure that you always thank all students for their participation in class lessons.
Please remember to give students enough wait time to answer the question because students are all
different and some need more time than others. You never want to shut down your students keep the
answers flowing and always continue to encourage and bring forth the best in them.

Be fair with your students. As a teacher it is necessary for you to be fair to all of your students.
Make a point to always hear students out and treat each one of your pupils with dignity and respect.
Don't make differences in them and give the ones that appear a bit disobedient as much respect as
you give those who present themselves respectfully all of the time. They will all love and appreciate
you for this attitude of being fair to all students.

Keep good student records.

When children do their work then their work should be graded and recorded in your grade book.
This gives you an assessment of how the children are doing as well as it shows you the areas that
they need help. It also lets the kids know that you mean business and these assignments are
important and will impact their grades. Be fair with your grading system and let the children see
how and why they received the grade that you gave them, and help them to set goals for themselves
and explore ways with them that will help them to understand the concepts taught. Papers can be
graded by the teacher and some can be graded as a class assignment by students under the guidance
of their teacher. Correcting papers are a basic learning tool and students will learn as they go
through answers and read or hear comments made by other students and or the teacher.

3.1 Common Mistakes in Classroom Management

In an effort to maintain order in the classroom, sometimes teachers can actually make the
problems worse. Therefore, it is important to consider some of the basic mistakes commonly made
when implementing classroom behavior management strategies. For example, a common mistake
made by teachers is to define the problem behavior by how it looks without considering its function.

Interventions are more likely to be effective when they are individualized to address the specific
function of the problem behavior. Two students with similar looking misbehavior may require
entirely different intervention strategies if the behaviors are serving different functions. Teachers
need to understand that they need to be able to change the ways they do things from year to year, as
the children change. Not every approach works for every child. Teachers need to learn to be
flexible. Another common mistake is for the teacher to become increasingly frustrated and negative
when an approach is not working.

The teacher may raise his or her voice or increase adverse consequences in an effort to make the
approach work. This type of interaction may impair the teacher-student relationship. Instead of
allowing this to happen, it is often better to simply try a new approach.

Inconsistency in expectations and consequences is an additional mistake that can lead to

dysfunction in the classroom. Teachers must be consistent in their expectations and consequences to
help ensure that students understand that rules will be enforced. To avoid this, teachers should
communicate expectations to students clearly and be sufficiently committed to the classroom
management procedures to enforce them consistently.

"Ignoring and approving" is an effective classroom management strategy. This involves ignoring
students when they behave undesirably and approving their behavior when it is desirable. When
students are praised for their good behavior but ignored for their bad behavior, this may increase the
frequency of good behavior and decrease bad behavior. Student behavior may be maintained by
attention; if students have a history of getting attention after misbehavior, they may continue this
behavior as long as it continues to get attention. If student misbehavior is ignored, but good
behavior results in attention, students may instead behave appropriately to acquire attention.
 3.2 Effective Classroom Techniques
Effective classroom management is much more than just administering corrective measures when
a student misbehaves; it's about developing proactive ways to prevent problems from occurring in
the first place while creating a positive learning environment.

Establishing that climate for learning is one of the most challenging aspects of teaching, and one
of the most difficult skills to master. For those new to the profession, failure to set the right tone
will greatly hinder your effectiveness as a teacher. Indeed, even experienced faculty may sometimes
feel frustrated by classroom management issues. Strategies that worked for years suddenly become
ineffective in the face of some of the challenges todays students bring with them to the classroom.

Practical ways to create favorable conditions for learning, including how to:

Get the semester off on the right foot

Prevent cheating

Incorporate classroom management principles into the syllabus

Handle students who participate too much

Establish relationships with students

Use a contract to help get students to accept responsibility

Employ humor to create conditions conducive to learning.

 Chapter 4. What is TPR?

TPR simply means total physical response. This was a term coined by Dr. James Asher at San
Jose State University in 1965. He showed how students can learn a language by listening to and
carrying out instructions.

Ashers theory is that languages can be more easily learnt if we look at how infants learn their
first language. Before being able to speak, a baby reacts physically to language and then moves to
verbal expression. During the pre-speech period, the baby internalizes the language.

The use of TPR in the classroom in many ways tries to take advantage of this ready-made learning
capacity that everyone has. In a way, the teacher takes on the role of the parent giving prompts,
setting patterns, playing games, and the student then responds physically to the prompt. The teacher
then responds positively to the correct response, much in the way that a parent would. This
reinforces the learning and encourages further steps.

TPR also recognizes a silent period during which the learner is absorbing the new language and
cannot yet produce new words with confidence. Whether you have heard the term TPR or not,
almost all pre-primary teachers have likely used it instinctively.

4.1 Why is TPR particularly useful for young learners?

TPR techniques can be used with adults in many ways, but they really lend themselves to teaching
young learners because of childrens:

need to move

lack of inhibition in moving in front of others

natural desire to mimic

innate desire to react

enjoyment of tactile activities

Huge amounts of energy.

From the moment you wave and say Hello and they respond in kind, TPR is kicking in. From
that point on, you might instruct the children to move to different places in the classroom, use a
puppet to animate meaning and shake hands with the children, play a game involving actions, ask
the children to touch or point to things in a book, or you sing a song with actions. All of these
activities incorporate TPR.

TPR appeals to a number of learning styles. It most obviously appeals to the kinesthetic learner
who learns best through physically doing something or connecting to memory through actions.
However, visual learners will take visual cues from seeing the actions associated with the
instructions given. Auditory learners will particularly benefit from TPR chants and songs in which
the words and rhythms associated with movement will be memorable to them.

However, to me the most important thing is that TPR brings language to life and makes language
learning an enjoyable experience.

4.2 TPR as part of many techniques

TPR is one of many teaching techniques appropriate for young learners. You will invariably find
that a number of different techniques work better with different children/groups. The great
advantage of TPR is its accessibility, liveliness and attractiveness to the learner. TPR is particularly
suited to the young learner who is beginning a new language; however, it can be used for older
learners and even adults.

TPR is something that both teachers and learners enjoy.

 Chapter 5. What kind of Materials are used?

To master a foreign language, pupils must be engaged in activities which are characteristic of the
language; they should hear the language spoken, speak, read, and write it. Classroom practices
which are restricted to teachers presentation of linguistic material (vocabulary, grammar) and the
testing of pupils knowledge cannot provide good learning. The teacher covers content but does
not instruct pupils. The majority of pupils remain passive, and work only to memorize what the
teacher emphasizes. To achieve effective classroom learning under the conditions of compulsory
secondary education, the teacher must use all the accessories he has at his disposal in order to
arouse the interest of his pupils and retain it throughout the lesson which is possible only if the
pupils are actively involved in the very process of classroom learning. To teach a foreign language
effectively the teacher needs teaching aids and teaching materials. During the last few years
important developments have taken place in this field. As a result there is a great variety of teaching
aids and teaching materials at the teacher's disposal.

Teaching Aids.

By teaching aids we mean various devices which can help the foreign language teacher in
presenting linguistic material to his pupils and fixing it in their memory; in testing pupils
knowledge of words, phrases, and grammar items, their habits and skills in using them.

Teaching aids which are at teachers disposal in contemporary schools may be grouped into (1)
non-mechanical aids and (2) mechanical aids. Non-mechanical aids are: a blackboard, the oldest
aid in the classroom; the teacher turns to the blackboard whenever he needs to write something
while explaining some new linguistic material to his pupils, correcting pupils' mistakes, or
arranging the class to work at some words and sentence patterns, etc.; the blackboard can also be
used for quick drawing to supply pupils with objects to speak about; a flannel board (a board
covered with flannel or other soft fabric for sticking pictures on its surface), it is used for creating
vivid situations which would stimulate pupils oral language; the teacher can have a flannel board
made in a workshop or buy one in a specialized shop; the use of a flannel board with cut-outs
prepared by the teacher or pupils leads to active participation in the use of the target language, as
each pupil makes his contribution to working out a scene on the flannel board; a magnet
board (a board which has the properties of a magnet, i.e., can attract special cards with letters,
words, phrases or pictures on it) used with the same purpose as a flannel board.

Mechanical aids are: tape recorders (ordinary and twin-track); the same tape may be played back
as many times as is necessary, the twin track tape recorder allows the pupil to play back the tape
listening to the speakers voice and recording his own on the second track, the lower one, without
erasing the first track with the voice of the speaker, the tape recorder is considered to be the most
important aid in teaching and learning a foreign language; record player is also an audio equipment
available in every school; the record player is an indispensable supplement to contemporary
textbooks and other teaching materials as they are designed to be used with the long-playing records
which accompany them; projector used for projection of illustrations and photographs; a filmstrip
projector which can be used in a partially darkened room; an overhead projector used for
projection of a table, a scheme, a chart, a plan, a map or a text for everyone to see on a
screen; television would make it possible to demonstrate the language in increasingly varied
everyday situations; pupils are invited to look, listen, and speak; television and radio programmes
are broadcast, but it is not always easy for teachers using these programmes to synchronize their
lesson time with the time of the television or radio transmissions; a language laboratory, this is a
special classroom designed for language learning. It is equipped with individual private or semi-
private stalls or booths. They are connected with a network of audio wiring, the nerve centre of
which is the monitoring console which has a switch board and tape decks, making it possible to
play tapes and send the programme to all or any combination of booths. The teacher at the
monitoring console can listen in, or can have a two-way conversation with any pupil.

There are two main types of language laboratories - library and broadcast systems. The language
laboratory is used for listening and speaking. The pupils participation may be imitation or response
to cues according to a model.

Teaching Materials.

By teaching materials we mean the materials which the teacher can use to help pupils learn a
foreign language through visual or audio perception. They must be capable of contributing to the
achievement of the practical, cultural, and educational aims of learning a foreign language. Since
pupils learn a foreign language for several years, it is necessary for the teacher to have a wide
variety of materials which make it possible to progress with an increasing sophistication to match
the pupils continually growing command of the foreign language. Good teaching materials will
help greatly to reinforce the pupils initial desire to learn the language and to sustain their
enthusiasm throughout the course.

The following teaching materials are in use nowadays: teachers books, pupils books, visual
materials, audio materials, and audio-visual materials. A teachers bookmust be comprehensive
enough to be a help to the teacher. This book should provide all the recorded material; summaries of
the aims and new teaching points of each lesson; a summary of all audio and visual materials
required; suggestions for the conduct of the lesson and examples of how the teaching points can be
developed. Pupils books must include textbooks, manuals, supplementary readers, dictionaries,
programmed materials.

Textbooks.

The textbook is one of the most important sources for obtaining knowledge. It contains the
material at which pupils work both during class-periods under the teachers supervision and at home
independently. The textbook also determines the ways and the techniques pupils should use in
learning the material to be able to apply it when hearing, speaking, reading, and writing. The
modern textbooks for teaching a foreign language should meet the following requirements:

- The textbooks should provide pupils with the knowledge of the language sufficient for developing
language skills, i. e.; they must include the fundamental of the target language.

- They should ensure pupils activity in speaking, reading, and writing, i. e.; they must correspond
to the aims of foreign language teaching in school.
- The textbooks must extend pupils educational horizon, i.e., the material of the textbooks should
be of educational value.

- The textbooks must arouse pupils' interest and excite their curiosity.

- They should have illustrations to help pupils in comprehension and in speaking.

- The textbooks must reflect the life and culture of the people whose language pupils study.

Each textbook consists of lessons or units, the amount of the material being determined by the
stage of instruction, and the material itself. The lessons may be of different structure. In all cases,
however, they should assist pupils in making progress in speaking, reading, and writing. The
textbook should have a table of contents in which the material is given according to the school
terms.
 Chapter 6. What is Curriculum Planning?

The phrase curriculum planning can mean one of two related things: either the process of an
individual teacher to build a class curriculum, or the means through which school boards coordinate
the various curricula being used by teachers in order to achieve uniform goals. On its own,
a curriculum is basically a lesson plan that functions as a map for learning. Careful planning is
required to ensure first that the lessons actually touch on all required topics, and also that they meet
school or governmental standards of basic education.

Planning Goals

Teachers must typically have a solid idea of where their courses are headed in order to teach them
effectively. A curriculum plan is one of the best ways for teachers to look objectively at what needs
to be taught over the course of a semester or year, then organize an effective way to get from
beginning to end.

Most of the time, teachers are not working in isolation that is, they are usually teaching
alongside many others who are covering similar ground. A large elementary school is likely to have
four or five third grade classrooms, for instance. Schools typically want to make sure that all third
graders are learning the same things, no matter the teacher in charge. This is where institutional
curriculum planning comes in. Schools use curriculum plans to set overarching goals and basic
requirements that teachers must follow to ensure at least some degree of uniformity.

The Process

Teachers often draw up their curriculum plans over the summer, while school is out. Plans can
range from basic outlines to detailed charts and reports, but almost always include rough ideas of
dates, as well as major topics to be covered. Anticipated exams, papers, and other assessment
mechanisms are usually included, too.

Most schools also host curriculum planning meetings over the summer months, where teachers
gather to exchange ideas and share curriculum plans in progress. Teachers generally have to submit
their plans to a school reviewer before the year starts. Reviewers evaluate plans to make sure that
they meet any set requirements.

Main Components

Most curriculum planning comes in five phases: framing the context, planning the lessons,
implementing those lessons, monitoring progress, and evaluating learning. Teachers and school
boards usually start with context in order to keep the overarching goals at the heart of the planning
process. In a nuanced class like astronomy, the context is all but self-evident. For broader classes
like second grade or seventh grade math, however, school benchmarks and end goals must be
kept in mind in order to keep a curriculum plan on track.

Individual lesson planning and implementation is where instructors have the most flexibility.
Schools often set required reading lists or text books, but teachers can almost always organize their
lessons and their classroom activities as they see fit. Teachers are usually in the best position to
gauge individual student needs, and are generally encouraged to adapt lessons as needed to aid in
understanding. Some flexibility is also important when it comes to current events and breaking
news: should something happen in the world that directly relates to a lesson or otherwise impacts
student life, teachers will often try to weave it into the days instruction.

Measuring Success

Curriculum plans are an easy way for teachers and schools to quickly monitor progress. When
lessons are progressing according to a set plan, it is easy to notice when students are falling behind,
or when objectives are being missed. In this way, planning can be a sort of net to ensure that no
major concepts are lost through the course of teaching.

Planning is also an important way for schools to streamline student assessment. Ideally, students
should learn the same basic things no matter who their teacher is. Teachers are often required to
incorporate certain assessment rubrics into their curriculum planning in order to ensure uniformity
within the school, school district, or region. Sometimes this is as strict as standardized tests. More
often, teachers have the freedom to write their own tests and paper assignments, but must usually
use student results to prove that certain concepts have been mastered.

Special Considerations for Home School

Parents who elect to home school their children often face unique curriculum planning issues. In
some places, home school curriculum is set by local government entities, the same as in public and
most private schools but not always. Parents must usually spend a lot of time researching and
planning their curricula to make sure that their children learn as well as their peers in more
traditional schools.

In the home school setting, there is not usually any school board looking for uniformity. Rather,
the onus is on the parent to ensure that the chosen curriculum will incorporate everything the
student will need to know. A plan that is too easy can disadvantage children when it comes to
standardized tests and college or university admissions. Plans that are too challenging, however,
often cause students to miss important things. A number of home school organizations and
community groups provide curriculum planning resources to parents looking to find the right
balance.
 Chapter 7. Helpful Ideas for teaching young learners.

Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) has become its own field of study as the age of
compulsory English education has become lower and lower in countries around the world. It is
widely believed that starting the study of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) before the critical
period12 or 13 years oldwill build more proficient speakers of English. However, there is no
empirical evidence supporting the idea that an early start in English language learning in foreign
language contexts produces better English speakers (Nunan 1999). Levels of proficiency seem to be
dependent on other factorstype of program and curriculum, number of hours spent in English
class, and techniques and activities used (Rixon 2000). If an early start alone is not the solution,
then what can EFL teachers of young learners do to take advantage of the flexibility of young minds
and the malleability of young tongues to grow better speakers of English? As the age for English
education lowers in classrooms across the globe, EFL teachers of young learners struggle to keep up
with this trend and seek effective ways of teaching.

7.1 Supplement activities with visuals, realia, and movement.

Young learners tend to have short attention spans and a lot of physical energy. In addition,
children are very much linked to their surroundings and are more interested in the physical and the
tangible. As Scott and Ytreberg (1990, 2) describe, Their own understanding comes through hands
and eyes and ears. The physical world is dominant at all times.

One way to capture their attention and keep them engaged in activities is to supplement the
activities with lots of brightly colored visuals, toys, puppets, or objects to match the ones used in
the stories that you tell or songs that you sing. These can also help make the language input
comprehensible and can be used for follow-up activities, such as re-telling stories or guessing
games. Although it may take a lot of preparation time to make colorful pictures and puppets or to
collect toys and objects, it is worth the effort if you can reuse them in future classes. Try to make
the visuals on thick paper or laminate them whenever possible for future use. Sometimes you can
acquire donations for toys and objects from the people in your community, such as parents or other
teachers. A great way to build your resources is to create a Visuals and Realia Bank with other
teachers at your school by collecting toys, puppets, pictures, maps, calendars, and other
paraphernalia and saving them for use in each others classes.

Included with the concept of visuals are gestures, which are very effective for students to gain
understanding of language. In addition, tapping into childrens physical energy is always
recommendable, so any time movement around the classroom or even outside can be used with a
song, story, game, or activity, do it! James Ashers (1977) method, Total Physical Response (TPR),
where children listen and physically respond to a series of instructions from the teacher, is a very
popular method among teachers of young learners. This popular method can be used as a technique
with storytelling and with songs that teach language related to any kind of movement or physical
action. Children have fun with movement, and the more fun for students, the better they will
remember the language learned.
 7.2 Involve students in making visuals and realia.

One way to make the learning more fun is to involve students in the creation of the visuals or
realia. Having children involved in creating the visuals that are related to the lesson helps engage
students in the learning process by introducing them to the context as well as to relevant vocabulary
items. In addition, language related to the arts and crafts activities can be taught while making or
drawing the visuals. Certainly students are more likely to feel interested and invested in the lesson
and will probably take better care of the materials (Moon 2000).

You can have students draw the different animal characters for a story or even create puppets. For
example, if the story is Goldilocks and the Three Bears, you may want to use puppets to help show
the action of the story. To get students more excited about the story, have them make little pencil
puppets of the three bears and Goldilocks before the storytelling. Its a nice little art project that
doesnt have to take up too much time. If your students are too young to draw well, make copies of
the characters on paper and have students color the characters and cut them out. The cut-out paper
pictures can be taped to their pencils. After the storytelling, you can use the puppets to check
comprehension of the story plot and have students practice the language by retelling the story using
their puppets.

If you cannot spare the time in class to make the visuals you want to use, another idea is to consult
the art teacher at your school (if you have one) and combine your efforts. If the art teacher is
making some objects, pictures, or puppets, you could ask the teacher to make them for use in a
particular storytelling or game in your class. Then, when students come to English class, they will
bring their art projects to use. In addition, before the lesson, you can warm up by having students
explain in English what they made in art class.

Some activities could use objects, toys, stuffed animals, or dolls. A show and tell activity is a
perfect way to get students interested in the lesson with their own toys. The introduction to the
lesson could be a short show and tell presentation that gives students a chance to introduce their
objects in English. After this activity, get right into the lesson using the objects the students brought
in.

7.3 Move from activity to activity.

As stated before, young learners have short attention spans. For young students, from ages 5 to10
especially, it is a good idea to move quickly from activity to activity. Do not spend more than 10 or
15 minutes on any one activity because children tend to become bored easily. As children get older,
their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time increases. So for students ages 57, you should
try to keep activities between 5 and 10 minutes long. Students ages 810 can handle activities that
are 10 to 15 minutes long. It is always possible to revisit an activity later in class or in the next
class.
 For example, if you are teaching a song or telling a story, dont stay on that song or story the
whole class time. Follow up the song or story with a related TPR activity to keep the momentum of
the class going. Then have students play a quick game in pairs. As shown in this brief example,
varying the types of activities also helps to keep young learners interested. Scott and Ytreberg
(1990, 102) suggest creating a balance between the following kinds of activities:

quiet/noisy exercises

different skills: listening/talking/reading/writing

individual/pairwork/groupwork/whole class activities

teacher-pupil/pupil-pupil activities

When teachers mix up the pace of the class and the types of activities used, students will be more
likely to stay focused on the lesson, thereby increasing the amount of language learning in class.

7.4Teach in themes.

When you plan a variety of activities, it is important to have them connect to each other in order
to support the language learning process. Moving from one activity to others that are related in
content and language helps to recycle the language and reinforce students understanding and use of
it. However, moving from activity to activity when the activities are not related to each other can
make it easy to lose the focus of the class. If students are presented with a larger context in which to
use English to learn and communicate, then attainment of language objectives should come more
naturally. Thematic units, which are a series of lessons revolving around the same topic or subject,
can create a broader context and allow students to focus more on content and communication than
on language structure.

It is a good idea to use thematic unit planning because it builds a larger context within which
students can learn language. When teaching English to young learners this way, you can incorporate
many activities, songs, and stories that build on students knowledge and recycle language
throughout the unit. This gives students plenty of practice using the language learned and helps
them scaffold their learning of new language. Common themes for very young learners are animals,
friends, and family, or units revolving around a storybook, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar by
Eric Carle, which includes food and the days of the week. As children get older, units could be
based on topics such as the environment, citizenship, and shopping, or based on a website or book
relevant to them.

Haas (2000) supports the use of thematic unit planning for young foreign language learners by
pointing out that Foreign language instruction for children can be enriched when teachers use
thematic units that focus on content-area information, engage students in activities in which they
must think critically, and provide opportunities for students to use the target language in meaningful
contexts and in new and complex ways. A good way to plan a unit is to explore what content your
students are learning in their other classes and develop English lessons using similar content. Look
at the curriculum for the other subjects your students take in their native language (L1) or talk to
your students other teachers and see if you can create a thematic unit in English class related to
what you find.

7.5Use stories and contexts familiar to students.

When choosing materials or themes to use, it is important that you find ones that are appropriate
for your students based on their language proficiency and what is of interest to them. Because
young learners, especially VYLs, are just beginning to learn content and stories in their native
language in school and are still developing cognitively, they may have limited knowledge and
experience in the world. This means that the contexts that you use when teaching English, which
may be a completely new and foreign language, should be contexts that are familiar to them. Use of
stories and contexts that they have experience with in their L1 could help these young learners
connect a completely new language with the background knowledge they already have. Teachers
could take a favorite story in the L1 and translate it into English for students or even teach the
language based on situations that are found in the native country, especially if the materials the
teachers have depict English-speaking environments that are unfamiliar to students.

This is not to suggest that stories and contexts from the target culture should not be used.
Certainly one goal of foreign language instruction is to expose students to new languages and new
cultures in order to prepare them to become global citizens in the future. However, teachers should
not be afraid to use familiar contexts in students L1 in the L2 classroom. In fact, even when
presenting material from the target, English-speaking cultures, it is always a good idea to relate the
language and content to students home culture to personalize the lesson and allow students an
opportunity to link the new content and language to their own lives and experience. Young learners
are still making important links to their home cultures, so it is important to reinforce that even in L2
instruction.

7.6 Establish classroom routines in English.

Young learners function well within a structured environment and enjoy repetition of certain
routines and activities. Having basic routines in the classroom can help to manage young learners.
For example, to get students attention before reading a story or to get them to quiet down before an
activity, the teacher can clap short rhythms for students to repeat. Once the students are settled
down, the teacher can start the lesson by singing a short song that students are familiar with, such as
the alphabet song or a chant they particularly enjoy. Here is a chant with TPR that can get students
ready to begin the class.

Reach up high! (Children reach their arms up in the air)

Reach down low! (Children bend over and touch their toes.)

Lets sit down and start the show! (Children sit down.)

Look to the left! (Turn heads to the left.)

Look to the right! (Turn heads to the right.)

Lets work hard and reach new heights!

The movements can be substituted to teach new words. For example, instead of Look to the left!
Look to the right! the teacher can use Point to the left! Point to the right! Providing some
variation can keep this chant engaging. Just remember to keep the ending since it starts the class on
a positive note.

Add classroom language to the routines as well. When its time to read a story, the teachers can
engage students in the following dialogue:

Teacher: Its story time! What time is it, everyone?

Students: Its story time!

Teacher: And what do we do for story time?

Student: We tell stories!

Build on this language by adding more after students have mastered the above interaction. The
teacher can follow up the previous interaction with: Thats right! The story is called The Very
Hungry Caterpillar. Whats the story called? (Students answer.) Whatever the routine is, the
teacher should build interactions in English around that routine. As Cameron (2001, 10) points out,
we can see how classroom routines, which happen every day may provide opportunities for
language development. The example below illustrates how the teacher and students can have real
communicative interactions in English using some classroom language.

Teacher: Good morning, class!

Students: Good morning, Ms. Shin.

Teacher: Faida, what day is it today?

Faida: I dont know.

Teacher: Okay, then ask Asli.

Faida: Asli, what day is it today?

Asli: Today is Tuesday.

Teacher: Good! And what is Tuesday?

Students: Tuesday is Storytelling Day!

Notice that the communication is real and that a routine has been establishedthat Tuesday is
Storytelling Day. Once students become fluid with certain interactions, as in the example above,
you can begin introducing more language into the daily routines.
 7.7 Use L1 as a resource when necessary.

Because many interpretations of various communicative approaches try to enforce the English
only rule, teachers sometimes feel bad when they use L1. Teachers these days are mostly
encouraged to teach English through English, especially at the younger ages. One reason is to give
students the maximum exposure to the English language. Why not use L1? It is one quick, easy way
to make a difficult expression such as Once upon a time comprehensible. After you quickly
explain a difficult expression like that in L1, students will recognize the expression in English every
time it comes up in a story. Since EFL teachers usually have a limited amount of time with students
in many classroom situations, that time is too precious to waste. If it is more efficient to use L1 for a
difficult expression or word, just use it. Concentrate on building communicative skills. Save your
time for the target language that is actually within students reach. For words that students can
figure out, the teacher can rely on visuals, realia, and gestures. Important in the decision to use L1
to translate new language is carefully defining the language objectives for the activities. The teacher
should spend class time focusing on those target language objectives rather than spending time
trying to make a difficult word or expression comprehensible in English.

In addition, some students who have very low proficiency can easily become discouraged when
all communication in the classroom must be in English. Sometimes these students can express
comprehension of English in their native language, and this can be acceptable for lower level
students. However, whenever possible, take the answers in L1 and recast them in English. In
addition, directions for many activities can be quite complicated when explained in the L2, so
consider using L1 when it is more important to spend time doing the activity rather than explaining
it. In short, use L1 in the classroom as a resource for forwarding the learning process without
becoming too reliant on it.

7.8 Bring in helpers from the community.

If possible bring in helpersparents, student teachers from the local university, or older students
studying Englishto tell a story or help with some fun activities. Collaborate with others who are
studying English, studying to be English teachers, or who speak English well in order to expand the
English learning community. Having someone new and interesting do a storytelling can get students
more excited and create a break in the regular routine. The best scenario would be to carefully
coordinate the guest with your language objectives. Using helpers means taking extra time to
communicate your expectations with the guest and working this special event into your lesson plan.

Besides storytelling, helpers could assist in the class when you want to do group work or
cooperative activities. With young learners, group activities can be hard to coordinate, so utilize
volunteers in the community to help manage the class for special activities. For example, you may
have stations set up around the classroom, each station representing information about the seven
continents. Students need to collect information about the geography, wildlife, and countries from
each continent. If you have English-speaking volunteers at each station, then students will be more
likely to stay on task.
 7.9 Collaborate with other teachers in your school.

As mentioned in #4 (Teach in themes), it is useful to find out what students are learning in their
other classes, in their native language. Collaborate with other teachers in your school to make the
learning experience richer for your students. Connect your lessons to the topics, activities, and
stories your students are learning in their native language by planning related thematic units that
parallel the learning in other subjects. Since students learn language better when it is connected to
their real life, it is a good idea to consider what else they are learning in a school day. Most
childrens lives revolve around home and school, so try to coordinate with other teachers to find out
what is relevant to students; then add English instruction on top of that.

If other teachers at your school are willing, visiting each others classrooms can be a wonderful
way to get to know what is being learned in each others classes and how. It can aid in the creation
of more effective lessons for students and can increase their ability to make connections between
language and content. If teachers have some anxiety about being observed, Crandall (1998, 4)
suggests that, A focus on shared students and their attempts to negotiate meaning and construct
understandings in both classes can help keep the attention focused on student learning, rather than
on teacher effectiveness. Then the EFL and content teacher can view the observation as a great
opportunity to build bridges between the language and content for their students.

7.10 Communicate with other TEYL professionals.

As helpful as it may be to collaborate with the other teachers at school to see what content is
most relevant to students, it is also important to keep in contact with other TEYL professionals,
both in your local area and internationally. Doing so through local and international professional
organizations, in-service programs, or special teacher education courses, such as an online TEYL
course, helps to keep you current with trends in the field. Most importantly, keeping in contact with
other TEYL professionals helps keep your classroom fresh with new ideas, and collaboration can
help to construct new ideas and solutions to the common problems that teachers face.
References:
1. Thomson, Young Learners
2. http://documents.tips/documents/tkt-young-learners-needs
3. http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents
4. http://doclecture.net/1-1278.html
5. Dyson L, Children Learning English as a Foreign Language: TPR in Pre-Primary Language
Learning, Pearson Longman