15. Young learners

What are ‘young learners’ (YL)? In methods there is no concord as to the age limits – it could be anything from 5 to 12. In practice there are attempts to train in a language at the age of 4, and even 3. If we are to take a traditional classroom mode 5 is as early as could be. The techniques and tips I’m about to provide can be used in the first year of language schools and for 8-year-olds in regular schools.

Testing should be applied to YL, as no other group would differ so in physical and mental develop. There should be diagnostic testing for: ability to grasp meaning by full use of gesture, intonate., demonstration, etc., children’s (C) creative use of limited lang. resources: activities should be encouraging to use the lang. actively for themselves, C’s capacity for indirect learning – whether they can pick up things easily; C’s instinct for play and fun; the instinct for interaction and talk: how easily they interact among themselves and adults. These qualities testify for readiness to ELT courses. With ELT for YL there should be a focus on content and attitude goals, with the latter having priority, because att. goals comprise building up pleasure and confidence in exploring the lang. Eng. can be counter-prod. in giving complic. Instruct-s; in a feedback session where the aim is for C to express their feelings and attitudes it would be counter-prod. as well. There should be clear guidelines when to use Eng. and where the first lang. is permissible. Eng. should be used for classr. routines, but it should be accompanied by gesturing. In Rus. there are 2 course-packs which are complete and allow for continuity: 1) by Nikitenko (story), 2) by Biboletova (uses role play, group work; task and learner-oriented).

Class organiz. and plan. a less.:Class. Manag-t and disciple.: When C arrive, they put their coats on pegs, bags on the floor at their table places and then join you round the board. Only books and pencil cases on the tables. Avoid clutter - very YL classrooms need to be very organized.

Use two areas of the classr. For presentat of new lang., practice activit-s. For active-s, 3 or 4 C should sit at each table. Colour-code the tables. When C move from the board to the tables, get them to move group by group, not all at once. Present new lang. at the board. Use lots of flashcards. Involve all C - ask each to perform a small task: pointing to someth., choosing a pic or sticking it on the board. When changing active., try using a rattle. This becomes a signal that C recogn.. Start the active., even if not all C are atten.. They will event-ly join in with the others. When C are working at tables let them finish as much AP. Fast finishers can do another drawing, or coloring. As C finish, write on their worksheets to explain what they have drawn, stuck or classified etc. questioning them at the same time. As to planning, adhere to a rule: keep the lesson simple. C’s minds are required to jump from one theme to another with little time to let things sink in: we don’t help C to develop their capacity to concentr., rather the contrary. As to integr. of 4 skills, if C cannot write, there are other types of paper and pencil active-s they can do (numbering, sorting out, drawing). There is an import. principle – to reuse materials. E.g. two sets of pics can be used as basis for a grid. 2nd principle is to create routines that the C recog.; they help the C to feel secure and at the same time save a lot of time and explanation. Recycle the lang. as much AP in diff. activities, contexts and using diff. skills. No textbook covers your C’s needs exactly, its necessary to supplement it with other related active-s (handicraft, physical ed. etc.) The core principle here is integrt entry points; theme can be ‘entered’ through maths, geography, art, craft, music etc. Skills and active-s: 1. list.:C.schould be trained to be reactive–respond non-verbally or use minim. of the lang( list. and arrange action dictations); 2 .speaking - kids need a reason why they should say it (tongue twisters which they can make themselves; interviewing, can-u-remem. games); 3. reading should be if poss. Interconn. with problem-solv; you might prepare some math problems in Eng. like:Ann has got 10 p; she gives 3 to Sally. Now she has --p. 4.writing – may be dealing with copying+ gap-filling active-s) 5.gram. and voc- flash cards, voc networks (recycle structures over and over again)6.gaming active-s–engaging kids in some act(making puppets, books, using rhymes)