elt advantage teyl lesson 1

8/17/2019 ELT Advantage TEYL Lesson 1

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Lesson 1: How Do Young Learners LearnLanguages?

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Lesson 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Introduction

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Annie Hughes talking about the ELT Advantage course AnIntroduction to Teaching English to YoungLearners%videoscript&

'He""o( ) nae is *nnie Hughes and we"coe to the +L,

*dvantage course An Introduction to Teaching English to Young

Learners. In this course )ou wi"" "earn a-out teaching +ng"ish as a

#oreign or additiona" "anguage to )oung "earners #ro three to 1.

)ears o"d! You wi"" consider how )oung "earners deve"op

cognitive")( how the) "earn "anguages( and how )our

understanding o# these two areas can he"p guide )ou in )our ro"e

as a teacher o# )oung "earners and a teacher o# "anguage!

Whenever possi-"e( this course wi"" co-ine theor) with practice

in providing e/ap"es that wi"" he"p i""ustrate how )ou can teach

"anguage to )oung "earners in )our c"assroo! In the 1. "essons(

)ou wi"" -e introduced to wa)s o# teaching the #our "anguage ski""s

%"istening( speaking( reading and writing&( as we"" as techniques #or

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using stories( songs and rh)es( gaes and ro"e0p"a) in )our

c"assroo! You wi"" a"so consider the ro"e o# assessent and

eva"uation in teaching +ng"ish to )oung "earners!

You a) -e working in an English as an Additional, Foreign orSecond Language (EAL, EFL or ESL) situation! ,o teach +ng"ish

in an) o# these settings we need to consider the sae overa""

issues a-out teaching and "earning and so this course wi"" -e

use#u" to )ou in an) o# these teaching environents( whether )ou

are an e/perienced teacher wanting to re#resh and re#"ect on )our

understanding o# teaching +ng"ish to )oung "earners or a new

teacher!'

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Annie Hughes talking about how young learnerslearn%videoscript&

'In this "esson( we wi"" take a "ook at how )oung "earners deve"op

and "earn( how the) "earn "anguage( and then how the) "earn a

new "anguage! We wi"" particu"ar") -e "ooking at the needs o#

)oung "earners and what we ust keep in ind i# we want to teach

the! *dditiona"")( we wi"" -e thinking a-out di##erent t)pes o#

)oung "earners and considering that we a"" "earn in ver) di##erent

wa)s!'

An Overview of Teaching English to Young Learners,eaching +ng"ish to )oung "earners %,+YL&( inc"uding chi"dren within the 01. age range( in aeaning#u" and eora-"e wa) requires a person to understand how chi"dren "earn and howthe) "earn "anguages! In this "esson( we wi"" "ook at soe theories o# how chi"dren "earn anddeve"op and how the) ight "earn an additiona"( #oreign or second "anguage! In the ne/t "esson(

we wi"" consider the ip"ications these theories a-out "earning have #or teaching +ng"ish to)oung "earners!

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An approach to TEYL

,o -egin( we wi"" -rie#") consider iportant issues we need to -e aware o# so that we can get a

c"ear overview o# what is invo"ved in ,+YL! ,o i""ustrate this( I sha"" use a diagra %see 2igure

1!1& to show how a nu-er o# -ui"ding -"ocks %each representing a di##erent part o# "anguage

"earning and teaching& can -e p"aced together to create a structure that can represent our

approach to ,+YL! 3) stacking these -"ocks one on top o# the other( we can consider how each

is crucia" #or the support and deve"opent o# the ne/t in this tower of understanding.

Figure . !uilding "loc#s of understanding in teaching English to $oung learners

*s )ou can see #ro 2igure 1!1( the #oundation -"ock( which supports a"" the other -"ocks and is

crucia" to the strength o# this tower o# understanding( is %ow $oung learners de&elo' and learn

and learn languages. *#ter "ooking at how "earning takes p"ace( we can e/aine ore care#u"")

what is invo"ved in teaching with I'lications for teaching English to $oung learners. ,hen( we

can consider the various teaching techniques which can -e ip"eented to he"p chi"dren

deve"op di##erent ski""s with %ow we can teach language to $oung learners (loo#ing at areas

such as teaching &oca"ular$, 'ronunciation and graar as well as to'ic"ased teaching), A

focus on the four s#ills (listening, s'ea#ing, reading, writing) in TEYL, and *se of stories, songs,

rh$es, gaes and role'la$s in TEYL. 2ina"")( on the top o# the tower is E&aluation,

assessent and research in TEYL, which a""ows us to "ook ore c"ose") at the outcoes o#

teaching and "earning in our c"assroos!

Providing supportWithout the #oundation -"ock and( in #act( a"" these -"ocks in p"ace( this tower wou"d not -e

supported and wou"d co""apse! Sii"ar")( our provision #or teaching +ng"ish to )oung "earners

wou"d a"so co""apse( and -e unsuccess#u" soewhere a"ong the wa)( i# we issed an) o# these

-"ocks o# understanding in p"anning and carr)ing out our "essons #or our )oung "anguage

"earners!

During the 1. "essons o# this course( we wi"" e/aine ore c"ose") the -"ocks i""ustrated a-ove! I

hope )ou wi"" coe to understand ore a-out each o# the( and wi"" a"so recogni4e that the)

are insepara-"e and dependent on each other and shou"d a"wa)s -e kept in ind during )our

"anguage teaching!

Chapter .


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A rief Historical !nderstanding of How "hildren Learn and #evelop

We do not have roo in this course to consider a"" the studies that have invo"ved chi"dren5s

"earning( or their "earning o# #oreign or second "anguages! However( we wi"" take a -rie# "ook at

those that have particu"ar re"evance and interest to us as ,+YL practitioners toda)!

$iews of Piaget

We wi"" go -ack in histor) to "ook at the work o# 6ean 7iaget( a we""0known theorist in

deve"openta" ps)cho"og)( who tried to work out how chi"dren thought and deve"oped

cognitive")! In the 189s and 18;s( 7iaget set up various e/perients to ascertain how

chi"dren thought in and a-out di##erent situations so that he cou"d deterine how the)

cognitive") deve"oped! He was particu"ar") keen to understand how a chi"d( as a 5"one scientist5

or thinker( wou"d so"ve pro-"es during his or her "i#e e/periences( and how approaches to

pro-"e0so"ving ight change as that individua" got o"der and had ore "earning e/periences!

7iaget5s assuption was that chi"dren active") constructed know"edge #ro their e/periences!

2ro -irth( he saw the as tr)ing to ake sense o# the wor"d through their actions! ,his ade

chi"dren centra" to their own "earning! 7iaget wanted to tr) to esta-"ish how chi"dren ade senseo# their wor"d and how the) tried to work things out #or these"ves! %7iaget 189;( Caeron

.1&

#evelop%ental stages of children

3ased on the resu"ts #ro his work and research with chi"dren( carried out

under rather strict conditions in research "a-oratories( 7iaget suggested that

chi"dren deve"oped through speci#ic stages! ,hese stages were:

• Sensori+otor Stage (fro - onths) in which chi"dren seeed to

"earn through interaction with the wor"d around the( "arge") through the use o# theirsenses! ,his was a stage where 7iaget #e"t chi"dren were particu"ar") egocentric andwere on") a-"e to think a-out things in ters o# how the) interacted and "inked with

these"ves!

• reo'erational stage (fro - onths / $ears) in which chi"dren were

deve"oping towards the ne/t stage! ,he) were starting to use soe aspectso# the concrete wor"d around the and were a"so -eginning to interna"i4e in#oration ina ver) -asic wa) through the use o# their iagination and eor)!

• 0oncrete 1'erational Stage (fro / $ears) in which chi"dren

were a-"e to operate and "earn through their interactions with theconcrete wor"d around the and were oving towards the #ina" stage which wou"d

invo"ve ore a-stract thinking!

• Foral 1'erational Stage (fro a''ro2iatel$ $ears of age to

adulthood) in which chi"dren were a-"e to deve"op ore a-stract thoughtand understanding in this #ina" stage o# cognitive deve"opent!


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Influential findings in Piaget&s work

7iaget5s work particu"ar") tried to identi#) how chi"dren cou"d assimilate %add new

know"edge to support o"d know"edge a"read) esta-"ished -) the&

and accommodate %change their present understanding o# soething -ased onthe new e/perience the) have had&( and how the) ight deve"op their cognition and

understanding using -oth!

7iaget -e"ieved the stages( out"ined a-ove( were #air") #i/ed in age and that chi"dren went

through the in this particu"ar sequentia" order! He -e"ieved that chi"dren cou"d on") ove onto

the ne/t stage when the) had cop"eted the stage -e#ore and were read$ to do so!

7iaget5s work was high") in#"uentia" and his #indings were "inked to c"assroo teaching and

ethodo"og)! ,his was done -) -asing teaching on the 5readiness5 o# chi"dren to ove onto the

ne/t stage o# deve"opent! =an) o# us a) ree-er the ters 5readiness5 and 5reading

readiness5 when thinking a-out the in#"uence his work has had on the teaching o# chi"dren overthe "ast > or so )ears! %Caeron .1&

*nother in#"uentia" #inding o# 7iaget5s was his -e"ie# that it was ver) iportant that chi"dren -e

given thinking tie when #aced with an e/perience or pro-"e that the) tried to so"ve!

Issues with Piaget&s work

However( through the )ears( there has -een discussion a-out soe o# 7iaget5s #indings!

,hrough the work of 'argaret #onaldson %18;&( an) o# 7iaget5s e/perients were

recreated and she #ound that his o-servations and easureents did not rea"") re#"ect the wa)

chi"dren were actua"") a-"e to think! ,hrough her research she #e"t that chi"dren were a-"e to

achieve and understand ore than 7iaget -e"ieved the) cou"d! She #ound 7iaget had not( #or

e/ap"e( take into account what sense chi"dren were aking o# the t)pe o# adu"t questioning

that was used in the e/perients he carried out( or the #act that the e/perients were taking

p"ace in ver) unnatura" and chi"d0un#riend") settings( such as science "a-oratories! %Caeron

.1( Dona"dson 18;&

7iaget5s work has a"so coe under quite heav) criticis -ecause he did not consider the ro"e o#

"anguage to -e an iportant cata")st in the cognitive deve"opent o# the chi"d( whereas an)

other peop"e -e"ieve "anguage is centra" to a chi"d5s deve"opent!

Lasting i%portance of Piaget&s work

Despite these concerns( 7iaget5s work was ver) iportant #or us a"" -ecause he esta-"ished the

idea o# the chi"d as a "one scientist who was active") seeking answers! He was a"so one o# the#irst to suggest that chi"dren had the need #or thinking tie!

,hough 7iaget5s #indings are no "onger thought to i""ustrate e/act") the wa)

we understand chi"dren5s "earning( he was the #irst person to tr) to esta-"ish

e/act") what was going on in the chi"d5s head! He a"so thought a-out the

chi"d as an individua" who deve"oped and thought as an individua" rather

than a sa"" version o# an adu"t or a passive and ept) vesse" waiting #or

adu"ts to #i"" his or her ind with in#oration! 7iaget5s work was thus ver)

iportant as a #irst step in gaining understanding o# the cognitive deve"opent o# chi"dren!

Chapter Language is "entral to "hild #evelop%ent


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Lev $ygotsky %18;& and 6eroe runer %18( 188( 3runer and Haste 18;& -e"ieved( in

contrast to 7iaget( that "anguage was centra" to the cognitive deve"opent o# chi"dren! In

particu"ar( the) thought it was instruction %provided -) an adu"t( a teacher( or a ore a-"e peer&

that he"ped chi"dren to "earn and deve"op!

(uiding the &thinking& process$)gotsk) and 3runer -e"ieved that the act o# internalization f or chi"dren %oving thought #ro

soething that was spoken out loud to thought that was in their heads& was he"ped and

supported when another ore know"edgea-"e person ta"ked the 5thinking5 process through with

chi"dren and instructed or guided the a"ong as the) did so! 2or e/ap"e( an adu"t ight guide

a chi"d through putting together a pu44"e -) sa)ing: Let3s ta#e all the 'ieces out of the "o2 and

turn the o&er. 4ow let3s find all the 'ieces with the straight edges and 'ut the o&er here. And

where are the four corner 'ieces5 1h, $es. %ere the$ are6

Whi"e 7iaget ta"ked o# chi"dren working through di##erent stages o# "earning on their own(

$)gotsk) %18;& descri-ed the di##erence -etween what chi"dren cou"d achieve %and how the)

cou"d deve"op& on their own and what chi"dren cou"d achieve %and how the) cou"d deve"op&

when an adu"t was a-"e to work with the as the 7one of 'ro2ial de&elo'ent.

Encouraging develop%ent and growth

3runer %18(188( 3runer and Haste 18;& deve"oped this

idea #urther and descri-ed the cognitive support that cou"d -e given to chi"dren

-) a ore know"edgea-"e other as scaffolding. With sca##o"ding( chi"dren cou"d deve"op and

grow -ecause the adu"t wou"d give support to their thinking and encourage the to think in

wa)s that wou"d deve"op their own a-i"it) to think through situations!

Sca##o"ding is o#ten seen when parents or teachers ask chi"dren what the) are e/periencing! 2or

e/ap"e( in a situation where an adu"t is p"a)ing with a chi"d at the -each( the adu"t ight

encourage the chi"d to deve"op in his or her thinking -) asking questions such as: %ow does the

stone feel5 Is it hea&$5 8o $ou thin# it would sin# if $ou 'ut it in water5 %ow could we 'ut the

stones together so that the$ would a#e a wall5 8o $ou thin# the "ig ones should "e at the to'

or the "otto5 6

Figure .9 A &iew of scaffolding: 6ust as sca##o"ding can provide support to a

-ui"ding in its initia" stages o# deve"opent( a ore know"edgea-"e other can

provide support to a chi"d and encourage hi or her on to higher stages o#

deve"opent!

'aking sense of e)periences

@eturning again to Dona"dson5s work %18;&( she -e"ieved that chi"dren were a-"e to cognitive")

deve"op -) tr)ing to a#e sense o# the e/periences that the) had( and -) asking questions and

tr)ing things out( or h$'othesi7ing.


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,o soe e/tent( this idea o# the chi"d as h)pothesi4er "inks -ack to what 7iaget set out to

e/p"ain with his e/perients! 3ut( perhaps( 7iaget approached his investigation too c"inica"")

and not in a chi"d0#riend") enough wa) to gain c"ear insights into what chi"dren rea"") were a-"e

to do in their inds! Dona"dson #e"t that 7iaget5s view o# the chi"d as ver) egocentric was not

necessari") the case! Dona"dson5s work( in contrast( showed how )oung chi"dren were a-"e to

think in wa)s that 7iaget #e"t the) cou"d not!

Figure .; The child as h$'othesi7er.

In considering the chi"d as h)pothesi4er( Dona"dson #e"t the chi"d continues to h)pothesi4e unti"

the origina" h)pothesis -ecoes changed or adapted -) the #eed-ack that continues to -e

received! ,he chi"d then changes interna"i4ed ru"es to new ones or adapts the ones previous")

he"d!

How #o *e Think "hildren Learn Language+

Learning a "anguage is a cop"e/ process! However( we can see in a"" corners o# the wor"d( thatchi"dren soehow "earn to speak their native "anguage without #ora" training! How does this

happen? ,here are theories a-out this( and there is continued research in the search #or

answers! We wi"" touch on a #ew theories -e"ow!

Language learning , innate and universal+

I# we ove on to think a-out the "earning and deve"opent o# "anguage in chi"dren( particu"ar")

their other tongue( we #ind that Aoa Chosk) %18B8& -e"ieved that "earning was innate! ,his

idea was deve"oped -) the group ca""ed the Innatists( so ca""ed -ecause the) #e"t that "earning

%and there#ore "anguage "earning& happened to a"" individua"s( and there#ore( ust -e innate and

universa"!


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Chosk) #e"t that there was an innate "anguage capacit) in a"" o# us which he ca""ed

theLanguage Acisual, Auditor$

and ?inesthetic (>A?) "earning st)"es!

I# )ou are a visua" "earner( )ou wi"" need to see what is happening and "ink this to )our

understanding! 2or e/ap"e( )ou a) need to see an e/ap"e o# a picture -e#ore )ou can draw

one! I# )ou are an auditor) "earner( )ou wi"" need to hear the input! 2or e/ap"e( )ou a) need

to hear ver-a" instructions as )ou carr) out a atheatica" su! inesthetic "earners are those

who pre#er to "earn -) ph)sica" invo"veent! 2or e/ap"e( )ou a) need to touch and

anipu"ate a pu44"e or gae -e#ore )ou can understand how it works!

'ultiple intelligences

Linked c"ose") with this understanding o# the three t)pes o# "earning st)"es is the work o# Howard

ardner %188& who suggested that there are actua"") a "ot o# di##erent "earning st)"es

or intelligences,as he ca""ed the( that we a"" have at our disposa"! He -e"ieved that we

individua"") #avor and use soe ore than others( and soe to a greater or "esser e/tent than

others( too!

Initia"") ardner suggested there were seven such +ulti'le Intelligences, -ut in his "ater work he

suggests there a) -e an) ore! ,he initia" seven are noted -e"ow!

Linguistic

Inte""igence

@eading( as we"" as the creative use o# words %such as doing

crossword pu44"es& is usua"") enEo)ed -) those #avoring thisinte""igence! We wou"d pro-a-") see a Eourna"ist using this


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inte""igence ore than other peop"e!

Logica"0

=atheatica"

Inte""igence Sorting and ordering are #avored -) this inte""igence( which a"so

inc"udes c"assi#)ing( ranking and sequencing! 7eop"e who enEo)

research and organi4ation o# research resu"ts wou"d "ike") show

high tendencies to use this inte""igence ore!

Spatia"

Inte""igence: ,his inte""igence "inks we"" with the use o# diagras( aps(

charts( p"ans( pictures and seeing how things #it together!

Cartographers and designers are "ike") to show strong signs o#

this inte""igence!

inesthetic

Inte""igence

,his inte""igence "eans toward the ph)sica"! Interaction with and

anipu"ation o# these"ves and o-Eects is iportant to this

inte""igence! Dancers( acro-ats( g)nasts and sportspeop"e use

this inte""igence a great dea"!

=usica"

Inte""igence

,he use o# rh)th( usic and song is particu"ar") iportant to

this inte""igence! Songwriters( singers and usicians wou"d use

this inte""igence uch ore than others!

Interpersona"

Inte""igence ,his inte""igence "inks we"" with persona" interaction with others

and peop"e #avoring this inte""igence usua"") re"ate we"" to

others! 7eop"e who enEo) counse"ing( teaching( training and

deonstrating use this inte""igence a "ot!

Intrapersona"

Inte""igence

,his inte""igence #avors re#"ection and persona" thought a-out

what is happening to individua"s and the wor"d around the!

F#ten re"igious "eaders have a strong tendenc) to use this

inte""igence ore than others!


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ardner has a"so deve"oped the idea that there are other inte""igences such as eotiona" and

natura"ist inte""igences! +otiona" inte""igence is when )ou are so attuned to )our eotions and

the eotions o# others that )ou "earn through these #ee"ings! Aatura"ist inte""igence is where )ou

"earn through -eing invo"ved in the natura" wor"d!

"onsidering your learning style

Do )ou #ee" )ou use soe o# these inte""igences ore than others? We a"" do( though it is

interesting and ver) revea"ing to -e aware o# the inte""igences )ou #avor!

With re#erence to "anguage "earning in particu"ar( 3eran %188 in +""is and 3rewster ..& #e"t

that there was a c"ear "ink -etween success in "anguage "earning and pre#erred "earning st)"es(

so he carried out soe research in an average adu"t c"ass o# "earners! He #ound that .8G were

visua" "earners( >G were auditor) "earners and a surprising ;G were kinesthetic "earners!

,his sees to -e a ver) interesting resu"t and as such( we cannot underestiate what the

ip"ications ight -e #or our own c"assroo teaching! Do we teach to each o# these "earning

st)"es in the sae wa) or not?

,he research o# one o# ) own =* in ,+YL students( @osear) Seets in Swit4er"and in .>(

"ooked at )oung "anguage "earners and $* "earning st)"es and investigated whether "earners

acquired voca-u"ar) easier when using their pre#erred "earning st)"e! She #ound that the

students did see to -e a-"e to "earn ore words when using their pre#erred "earning st)"e

%visua"( auditor) or kinesthetic&!

Chapter B

How #o *e Think "hildren Learn a /oreign or -econd Language+

eeping ever)thing #ro the #irst chapters o# this "esson in ind( then( we wi"" now #ocus on

#oreign or additiona" "anguage "earning aong )oung "earners! I# we were to o-serve "anguage

c"assroos toda)( we ight see an) di##erent approaches to teaching and "earning underwa)

#ro c"ass to c"ass %and #ro "earner to "earner and #ro teacher to teacher&! In this chapter( we

are going to take a "ook at soe o# the wa)s we think )oung "earners "earn "anguage!

Two types of language 0I"- and "ALP1

Soe rea"") interesting work has -een carried out -) 6i Cuins %18;8& who suggests that

there are two t)pes o# "anguage that can -e acquired! ,hese are !asic Inter'ersonal

0ounicati&e S#ills (!I0S)and 0ogniti&e Acadeic Language roficienc$ (0AL). *s the

naes suggest( 3ICS0t)pe "anguage is the ever)da) socia" interactive "anguage that we a"" use

when interacting #ro a ver) ear") age! We wi"" hear that t)pe o# "anguage when we "isten to ten0

)ear0o"ds p"a)ing together on the p"a)ground! =eanwhi"e( C*L70t)pe "anguage is the t)pe o#

"anguage we use when "earning a-out and discussing content in an acadeic c"ass! ,en0)ear0

o"ds wi"" use that "anguage when stud)ing a-out the characteristics o# the sun in a science

c"ass! We need to prepare our students to use and understand -oth t)pes o#

"anguage!


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In p"anning "anguage "essons #or our new "anguage "earners %whether the) are in

an +*L( +2L or +SL setting&( we shou"d ensure the) have -een e/posed to and

have acquired the "anguage to counicate socia"") %3ICS&( so that the) are

a-"e to interact co#orta-") and eaning#u"") in the target "anguage! 2or

e/ap"e( we can encourage )oung "earners to understand and use socia"

"anguage -) p"a)ing a gae( singing a song( asking questions and giving

in#oration in an activit)( ro"e0p"a)ing an ever)da) scene( and so on!

*t the sae tie( we shou"d -e encouraging our )oung "earners to progress in their acadeic

studies as we"" as their "anguage "earning( and can -egin to teach the the t)pe o# "anguage

%C*L7& that the)5"" need to "earn ski""s and concepts in other su-Eect areas %such as "anguage

arts( atheatics( socia" studies and science& and to share their understanding o# that new

content in the target "anguage! We can guide the to understand and use acadeic "anguage

to carr) out such activities as descri-ing a t)pe o# ania"( writing a-out a #aous person( or

#iguring out a ath pro-"e! ,he) can "earn content whi"e a"so "earning a new "anguage!

F# course we need to consider an) #actors when p"anning "essons( inc"uding our students5

age( interests( cognitive "eve"( pro#icienc) in the target "anguage( iediate and "ongter needs%as +SL or +2L students&( as we"" as the requireents o# our schoo" s)ste! However( in

recogni4ing the va"ue o# introducing our students to 3ICS and C*L70t)pe "anguage instruction(

we can guide the to accop"ish tasks that wi"" he"p the progress in their "anguage "earning

and overa"" studies!

2or ore detai"s a-out the t)pe o# socia" and acadeic "anguage teachers can he"p their

students acquire %-) "anguage pro#icienc) "eve" and grade "eve"&( re#er to the guide"ines re"eased

-) the internationa" association o# ,+SFL %,eachers o# +ng"ish to Speakers o# Fther

Languages&! Check the-upple%entary 'aterials to #ind out ore a-out ,+SFL5s 7re01.

+ng"ish Language 7ro#icienc) Standards!

2elating Overall Learning Theories to TEYL

I# a #oreign or second "anguage is introduced to our )oung "earners( then it wou"d see wise to

do so in the sae wa) as an) other su-Eects are introduced to the! It is worth pausing #or a

oent here and re#"ecting on wh) )oung "earners are taught an)thing( whether it is science(

histor)( usic( or an) other o# the su-Eects the) stud) in their ear") education!

We introduce a range o# su-Eects to )oung "earners( not as pure and a-stract su-Eects( -ut as

an introduction to the interesting things that are a"" around the and are re"evant to their "ives!

We initia"") -ui"d the #oundations o# understanding in each su-Eect in a ver) practica"( hands0on

wa) so that the chi"dren can interact with the actua"( ph)sica" and here and now or concrete

aspects o# each su-Eect at the appropriate stage o# their cognitive deve"opent! We a"so do this

through sca##o"ding their "earning in each and ever) su-Eect and in he"ping support their overa""cognitive deve"opent!

,he ost iportant aspect o# teaching )oung "earners is that we shou"d recogni4e how we can

deve"op their thinking and "earning ski""s in each and ever) su-Eect with a #u"" understanding o#

what each age group o# "earner is cognitive") a-"e to do and understand( and can ph)sica"")

re"ate to and carr) out!

Linking language learning with everyday life

3e#ore e-arking on teaching a #oreign or second "anguage to )ounger "earners( then( we need

to ree-er that we are tr)ing to provide opportunities #or these "earners to #ind out a-out and

use this other "anguage! ,eachers need to show the how the new "anguage can have a "ink

with their ever)da) "ives and -e #un! ,eachers can a"so( depending on the age o# the "earners(

introduce the idea that it is positive to speak another "anguage and counicate ore easi") in


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a wor"d that is -ecoing sa""er! Language teachers( a"so need to act as entors and ode"ers

o# this target "anguage! *s entors( the) ust support and sca##o"d the "earning( and as

ode"ers( the) ust provide good e/ap"es o# the "anguage in use! ,he) ust a"so he"p )oung

"earners share their ideas a-out ever)da) things around the and e/pand their genera"

know"edge whi"e "earning a new "anguage!

-u%%ary

So( to review this #irst "esson( our present understanding o# how chi"dren "earn is

that the) "earn to think( question and tr) to ake sense o# things around the

-est when the) have the guidance o# soeone who is sca##o"ding their "earning!

,he) a"so "earn -est when the) have inte""ectua" and eotiona" support given -)

an adu"t!

,his is "ike") to -e the sae when "earning an additiona"( #oreign or second

"anguage( too! ,he entor %or teacher& shou"d -e a-"e to ode" the target "earning( questioning

and thinking so that the "earner wi"" -e a-"e to understand( use and acquire the target "anguage

ore success#u"")! %3runer and Haste 18;( $)gotsk) 18;( Dona"dson 18;& ,he entor %or

teacher& a"so needs to recogni4e that chi"dren have di##erent "earning st)"es and thus wi""respond in various wa)s to di##erent approaches! I#( additiona"")( we -e"ieve that we shou"d

active") invo"ve our )oung "earners in rea" counication in the c"assroo( we need to ensure

we teach 3ICS0t)pe "anguage as we"" as C*L70t)pe so that interaction in the target "anguage

-ecoes possi-"e and chi"dren are a-"e to "earn a-out and discuss new ideas through the

"anguage!

3e)t -teps

*#ter )ou have #inished this "esson( test your knowledge by taking a short. %ultiple4choice

5ui6! ,o access the qui4( c"ick


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English as a -econd Language 0E-L1 re#ers to +ng"ish -eing taught to "earners that is a

"anguage other than their other tongue( and is o#ten the "anguage o# their new countr) o#

residence!

hypothesi6ing is when a chi"d creates an idea a-out how soething %inc"uding a "anguage&

works and then uses this as the -asis to tria" the idea %or use the "anguage& unti" #eed-ack

in#ors the chi"d that his or her idea is right or needs adapting and then ree-ering!

internali6ation is when chi"dren take ideas the) have said out loud and interna"i4e thoseideas in their heads!

Language Ac5uisition #evice 0LA#1 is the innate device Chosk) #ee"s we a"" have that

ena-"es us to acquire "anguage! He "ater re#erred to this as !niversal (ra%%ar7

Language Ac5uisition -upport -yste% 0LA--1 is the ter given -) 3runer to descri-e the

support given -) adu"ts and entors who aid "earners to use the Language *cquisition Device

%noted a-ove& and acquire "anguage!

'ultiple Intelligences is -ased on ardner5s research that suggests that we a"" use di##erent

inte""igences( rather than one inte""igence( and that we individua"") use soe ore than others(

and these to a greater or "esser e/tent! ,here are at "east seven o# these inte""igences and

recent research suggests there are even ore than seven!

scaffolding is the support and guidance that an adu"t or entor can give a chi"d as he or she

deve"ops and "earns! ,he adu"t or entor he"ps the chi"d think in di##erent wa)s and encouragesthe deve"opent o# thought and understanding in the chi"d!

!niversal (ra%%ar 0!(1 is re#erred to a-ove under Language Ac5uisition #evice7

$isual. Auditory and 8inesthetic 0$A81 learning types invo"ve "earners who #ind the) "earn

easier when using one o# the a-ove t)pes o# interaction! 2or e/ap"e( soe a) "earn -est

when the) read a stor) %visua"&( soe when the) have a stor) read to the %auditor)&( or soe

when the) act out the stor) in ro"e0p"a) %kinesthetic&!

6one of pro)i%al develop%ent is a ter created -) $)gotsk) that re#ers to the di##erence

-etween what a chi"d can achieve on his or her own %the chi"d5s actua" "eve" o# deve"opent&

and what a chi"d can achieve with the aid o# an adu"t or entor %the chi"d5s potentia" "eve" o#

deve"opent&!

/ollow4up 2eading3runer( 6! 189! Actual inds, 'ossi"le worlds. Ca-ridge: Harvard


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ardner( H! 188! +ulti'le intelligences: The theor$ in 'ractice. London: Harper Co""ins!

Lenne-erg( +! 189;! !iological foundations of language. Aew York: 6ohn Wi"e) Sons!

7iaget( 6! 189;! Si2 's$chological studies. London: London

elt advantage teyl lesson 1

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