Young learners, those attending preschool and kindergarten, will not have
any personal reason for studying English.
It is simply another subject that they have to study at the kindergarten or
that their parents have told them they need to learn. At this point in their
lives, they may not know or comprehend how important these classes can be. They
might view these classes as simply another fun daily activity and that is just
fine. But even at this early age, we can encourage them to develop an
interest in learning English which will stay with them long after they have
finished the classes.
How To Understand And Teach
Young Learners Better
1.
What Young Learners Want?
Children at this level are just
starting their academic careers. The kindergarten may be intimidating for only some
of the children in the group so, in order to encourage everyone to participate,
it is important to make the activities relaxed and fun. YL Students will
be learning very basic material but we can design creative lessons that get
students moving around and speaking with one another. Young learners are generally
very enthusiastic about songs, especially if they can sing along, and active
games. Be sure to provide
lots of encouragement and positive feedback. We should
create a safe, stress-free environment that everyone can enjoy learning in.
2. How Young Learners Behave?
Keep exercises fun and short
because these children have short attention spans and are easily
distracted. Overacting and projection will help keep the focus on you.
Teach students how to behave in a classroom by asking them to be quiet while
you are talking and raise their hands if they have questions or want to answer
a question. This may not be directly related to ESL but it is important that
students learn good behavior early on; it will make their transition to primary
school easier. We should teach them to respond to basic classroom English
phrases such as “Please sit down.” because these are expressions
that they will hear repeatedly throughout their study of English. For children
at this age, we are responsible not only for starting to teach them English,
but also for preparing them for their next level of education. Children will
perform better in their classes if they behave well and have a good
understanding of basic principles.
3. What To Focus On?
The primary focus of these
lessons will be on communication and laying a solid foundation for further
English coursework. Children should practice the different sounds of the
English language and learn material such as the alphabet, numbers, colors and shapes. We will introduce vocabulary words gradually and may choose to study some
simple structures that relate to everyday life too. It could be that reading and
writing never enter into our classes but a focus on speaking and listening will
help children become more comfortable and confident with English.
4. More YL Tips:
There are many other things we
can do to ensure that children succeed in class. We need to track individual
and class progress so that the children can visually see what they have
learned and how they are doing. Encourage children to try their best and create
a constructive learning environment where they do not worry about making
mistakes. Create activities and exercises that are entertaining. Help children
learn how to interact with one another as well as how to speak English. The
more the children are exposed to certain material, the faster they will learn
it. This is how native speakers learn English, by listening to people around
them and expanding their range of vocabulary gradually.
“These learners can be a real pleasure to teach because they do not feel
stressed by their studies and approach everything with youthful innocence.”
WE, the teachers and the parents play an important role in helping them
develop into lifelong learners. Foster a love of learning by creating activities
that appeal to them, suit their maturity level, and focus on what will help
them excel in future English courses.
Autor: Swathi
Native Speaker w Przedszkolu Żyrafa
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