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© Oxford University Press 2012

Very Young Learners | Summary of Abstracts

Essential sessions: Very Young Learners - The Basics (session 1)

This introductory session will give participants the opportunity to explore the key characteristics of Very Young Learners (VYLs) and how they differ from older learners in terms of their needs and development. Theoretical foundations followed by practical suggestions will help participants learn about the basics when dealing with this age group. Classroom Management (session 2)

This session will address various aspects of classroom management, drawing on participants’ experiences. We will discuss ways of managing the class so as to prevent unnecessary disruption, including routines, rules and consequences, ways of getting attention and keeping learners engaged. Classroom Language (session 3) In this session participants will identify key structures and vocabulary necessary in the VYLs classroom and find out more about how to use English effectively to help the children in their class learn English. This includes listening to real classroom extracts for useful words and phrases.

Optional sessions: Art and Crafts Art and craft activities are an important part of the pre-school curriculum and need to be a common feature in classes. Children need both free and guided art and craft activities and it is important to provide opportunities for both, but how does it help with their language development? In this session participants will consider the benefits of art and crafts for language learning. They will also share practical ideas and examples of art and craft activities for this age group. Songs and chants Research has shown that songs and chants help children retain vocabulary and structures and that they are a wonderful way of teaching English in a meaningful context. In this session we will consider when and how to use songs and chants effectively. There will also be opportunities to share our favourites and to learn how to create our own chants. Puppets Using puppets in class with VYLs breaks down barriers and helps children develop oral skills. In this session we will discuss how and why we use puppets. We will then consider how to use them effectively as classroom assistants. There will be opportunities for participants to practise using puppets and to plan a short lesson.

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© Oxford University Press 2012

Very Young Learners | Summary of Abstracts

Drama It has long been recognised that pretend play is important in a child’s development, but recently research has shown that the intervention of an adult in this play can extend the interaction and enrich the language used. It follows that the teacher could make use of this natural phenomenon to encourage the use of second language. In this session we will share ideas, look at how we can use simple props effectively and imaginatively, and help each other to overcome any challenges we face in the classroom. Reading and Writing Very young learners may or may not have already started to read and write in their own language, so we will look at the early stages of learning to read, developing their interest in books and words. We will also be looking at activities to develop the little ones’ gross and fine motor skills and then move on to letter recognition and formation and finally word recognition. Storytelling

Since the beginning of time, storytelling has played an important role in peoples' lives and stories of all sorts have been used as a vehicle to relate to one another. In this session participants will talk about why and how stories

should be used in class and look at a wide range of before, during and post story activities, before preparing and presenting stories to the group. There will be plenty of opportunities for sharing ideas and experiences. Teaching through Games

Games help children to acquire language in the natural way that native speakers do, and the children are motivated to learn because they are enjoying themselves. Games also teach social skills such as co-operating and obeying rules. However, very young learners have certain characteristics that need to be taken into consideration when planning language games. This session will help teachers think about what games are most suitable and fun for their children. Assessment Assessment of young children is extremely complex, and there is no one assessment measure that will meet the needs of all the various stakeholders. In this session we will first consider your stakeholders’ specific requirements in terms of assessment and reporting. We will then discuss a variety of assessment strategies appropriate for 3 to 6 year-olds and take a look at some published materials and websites that can help us. We will also look at managing parents’ expectations.