Module 1-introduction to the course

Instructor: Nguyen Thi Hoai Minh, M.A in TESOL
1
Course overview
What do you expect to learn from the
course?
2
Course overview
The course provides a comprehensive overview
of the issues surrounding the teaching of young
learners:

theory and practice;

classroom techniques;

clear examples, tasks.
3
Course objectives
At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

understand the special characteristics of children as
language learners;

manage children language classes;

create, adapt and analyse activities and resources for
YL

apply theoretical background into practice of teaching
language skills.
4

Course requirement
The students have to:

attend 80% of class time

participate into class activities

bring blank paper, a pencil, a rubber, color
crayons/pencils to class

do homework assignments
5
Coursebooks

Pinter, Annamaria. 2006. Teaching Young Language
Learners. Oxford University Press.

Moon, Jayne. 2000. Children Learning English.
Macmillan Publishers Limited.
6
Course assessment

Attendance : 10%

Group teaching practice: 20%

Final exam: 70%
(true/false, multiple choice, ordering,
matching, lesson planning)
7

8
Defining a young learner

Age: 5/6 – 11/ 12 years old (Philips 1993);

Starting formal schooling
9
Characteristics of young learners

What characteristics do children bring to
class?

What do you know about how children
learn languages?

Brewster 2002, task 1, p. 13

Moon 2000, task 1, p. 2
10
Contexts for learning English

Time for learning English

Exposure to English

A real need for English

Variety of input

Meaningful input

(Moon 2000, pp. 1-2)
11
Children as language learners

Using language creatively

Going for meaning

Using chunks of the language

Having fun

Joining in the action

Talking their heads off

Feeling at home
12
Supporting young language learners

Create a real need and desire to use English

Provide sufficient time for English

Provide exposure to varied and meaningful input

Provide opportunities for language practice and use in
context

Create a friendly atmosphere


Provide feedback on learning

Help children notice the underlying patterns in language
(Moon 2000, p. 10)
13
Teaching Demonstration
(Moon 2000, p. 11)

What did I do to…

create a real need and desire to use English

provide exposure to varied and meaningful input

provide opportunities for language practice and use in
context

create a friendly atmosphere

provide feedback on learning

help children notice the underlying patterns in language
14
15
Techniques – using language

repeating pupils’ answers

rephrasing pupil’s answers


prompting through a rise in intonation

framing sentences

using gestures and actions

…
16
More techniques

activating background knowledge

giving positive feedback

creating meaningful purposes for using language

encouraging predictions

using visual reinforcement

…
17
Techniques

(Moon 2000, p. 75)
18
Demonstration
The wheels on the bus
Go round and round

Round and round
Round and round
The wheels on the bus
Go round and round
All day long
19
The driver on the bus
Turns right and left
Right and left
Right and left
The driver on the bus
Turns right and left
All day long
20
The children on the bus
Jump up and down
Up and down
Up and down
The children on the bus
Jump up and down
All day long
The driver on the bus
said,
‘move on back’
‘move on back’
‘move on back’
The driver on the bus
said,
‘move on back’
All day long

21
22
Group discussion
What factors influence
children’s attitude to
learning English?
23
24
It is not
complicated and
it is a beautiful
language.
That way I have
more culture. I
can understand
computers and
game instruction.
My English is
poor. I feel a
bit behind.
What influences children’s attitude

Teachers and teaching methods

Seeing the needs for English outside school

Parental and peer influences

Personal preferences, interest in language
25