Teaching english to very young learners

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

THE LANGUAGE LEARNING PROCESS: LANGUAGE ACQUISITION & LANGUAGE
LEARNING.
MAIN PRINCIPLES OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING TO YOUNG CHILDREN.
PLANNING FOR YOUNG LEARNERS.
BEGINNING WITH CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT.
ORGANIZING THE CLASSROOM.
ESTABLISHING DAILY ROUTINES.
CLASSROOM RULES.
CIRCLE TIME. FINGER PLAYS. ROUTINE SONGS & TRANSITIONS.
REFERENCE CHARTS: WEATHER CHART- CALENDAR- HELPER CHART . DAILY
SCHEDULE.
VISUAL AIDS & MANIPULATIVE.
INTERACTIVE BOARDS: FELT BOARD – MAGNET BOARD – POCKET CHART – WORD
WALLS
DRAMATIC PLAY & GAMES.
TPR : TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE.

CRITERIA TO CHOOSE GAMES. RESOURCES FOR GAMES.
MATCHING MATS & FILE FOLDER GAMES.
USING & MAKING OUR FLASHCARDS.
HOW TO USE POSTERS WITH LITTLE KIDS.
WORKING WITH REALIA.
USING PUPPETS WITH YOUNG LEARNERS.
WORKING WITH MASKS & HEADBANDS.
RHYMES, POEMS & CHANTS IN THE CLASSROOM.
POEM ACTIVITIES.
USING MUSIC WITH VERY YOUNG LEARNERS.
HOW TO TEACH SONGS TO KIDS.
ACTION SONGS.
STORY TIME: STORY TELLING & STORY READING.
PROCEDURE TO READ A STORY TO LITTLE KIDS.
WAYS TO COMPLIMENT YOUR STORY.
EMERGENT READERS.
PERSONALIZED BOOKS.
USING BIG BOOKS.
IMPLEMENTING LEARNING CENTERS.
A CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROGRAM FOR VERY YOUNG LEARNERS.
ASSESSING STUDENTS’ PROGRESS.
ASSESSING WITH WORD WALLS & PORTFOLIOS.
COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS.
PARENTS MEETINGS.
SCHOOL-HOME CONNECTION.
OPEN CLASSES.
SOME CONCLUSIONS: REMEMBER HOW CHILDREN LEARN.
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER.
REFERENCES.
RECOMMENDED WEB SITES & LINKS.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

2


MAIN AIM OF LANGUAGE TEACHING IN
KINDERGARTEN
AND EARLY PRIMARY GRADES:
“Pleasant,

gradual and effective acquisition and learning
of the English language through interaction and fun
in whole meaningful situations”

From our main aim and principles, we infer that:

TEACHERS:

Teachers are “Facilitators”.
They become observers and they interact with their students.
Teachers should create a positive learning environment, surrounded by
foreign language print.
Expose students continuously to English and don’t translate if it is not
necessary.
They demonstrate and model, using body language, gestures, mime,
etc…
They should provide time according to students’ needs, interests,

learning styles: give time to listen, understand and participate.
Teachers should provide lots of learning opportunities: practical,
meaningful and purposeful. Give same opportunities to everybody.
Involve children in hands-on activities: children's minds are incredibly
open and they learn by absorbing ideas and concepts directly.
Children need to be actively involved: get students up and out of their
chairs and moving around.
“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

3


How to teach EFL YOUNG Learners:
THINGS CHILDREN LOVE TO DO:
CHANGE YOUR ACTIVITIES every 5-10 minutes: this is vital because young
children need variety as they get bored easily and have a very short attention
span.
VARY THE PACE DURING THE LESSONS: mixing up excitable games with
quiet ones. You do not want your children getting bored but you do not want them
getting over-excited either, so vary the pace according to the mood.
R-R-R: Repeat, review and revise. Use short games to review vocabulary and
phrases you have taught. If you neglect this, the children will have no recollection
of the language you have covered!
MAKE YOUR LESSONS PLAYFUL and full of physical movement. Children
will enjoy them more, be more motivated and remember the language better.
Teach in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with plenty of encouragement.
AVOID COMPETITION: It can be stressful and overwhelm them. Play games
where everyone wins, or where you do not single out a winner. Everyone plays

and takes part in harmony.
ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT YOUR YOUNG LEARNERS: Never tell
them they cannot do it, they are no good at it or that they have failed.
USE PUPPETS: Bring in puppets and have the puppet introduce the new
vocabulary for the lesson. If you do not have a puppet you can make one from a
paper bag, or by sewing a couple of buttons on a sock.
USE A LOT OF CHANTS RHYMES AND SONGS. These are great for
movement and frequent repetition of vocabulary and phrases.
Do not burden your children with reading and writing. Preschoolers are still
learning to write in their own language. There is plenty of time for that later.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Concentrate on listening and understanding, building
vocabulary and the acquisition of short phrases.
Concentrate also on speaking practice, starting with single words and short
phrases, and gradually moving onto longer sentences and questions.
AVOID ABSTRACT CONCEPTS and concentrate instead on concrete real items
that the children understand and relate to. For example start with familiar topics
such as colors, numbers, greetings, animals, fruit, food and drink, families, body
parts, shapes, clothing, the weather, days of the week and short everyday sentences
and phrases.
“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

4


BE POSITIVE: Use please and thank you. Rather than telling kids what not to do
focus on positive behavior.
BE PREPARED: practice telling the stories, playing games, using posters, etc…
before you go into class and have your picture flashcards and materials ready. This

will allow you to be relaxed and to enjoy the class and the children rather than
frantically trying to organize your materials while the children become restless and
bored.
Mix up active participation and listening. If the children become restless do
something active.
BE FLEXIBLE: If something is not working then change the game or activity.
INVOLVE SHY CHILDREN TOO: give them a central role and help them come
out of their shell.
USE REALIA& PROPS: Bring in real objects when you can, such as clothes to
dress up in, or props for acting out little plays or stories.
When you cannot bring in real items use whatever objects are available in your
class, and use colorful pictures of real items in the games.
USE STORIES: Stories are a fabulous resource for young kids, who will want to
hear the same stories told over and over again.
You can use games and activities to teach the key words in the story, inspire the
children with colorful illustrations to help them understand, and act out parts of
the stories or the whole story afterwards with role plays, games and make believe.

ESTABLISHING DAILY ROUTINES
ROUTINES are established patterns of behavior, and teachers should have a clear
plan:
- For Circle Time.
- To get children’s attention.
- To greet children and the Flag.
- To call the roll.
- To check weather’s conditions.
- To choose Classroom’s Helpers.
- To schedule activities for the lesson/day.
- To practice activities which involve movement (TPR / Action songs)
- To give out & collect classroom materials.

- To start and to stop “written activities”.
- To tidy up.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

5


1- BEGINNING THE LESSON:
- Always begin the lesson with the same routine (a song, a chant) that make your
students realize that “the English lesson” has begun. Never start with something
new!
- Then revise a few items of vocabulary and add 1 or 2 new ones.
- Check that everybody has got all the materials needed before starting.

2- EXTRA MATERIALS:
- Have extra materials for those who always finish before the others:
a child with nothing to do is a potential source of trouble.
FREE CHOICE TIME: KEEP A BOX WITH EXTRA
MATERIALS with:

Extra pictures
to color

Easy puzzles
to solve

Simple colorful

books to look at

Picture cards
to play with

Memory games
Word searches
Puzzles
Crosswords

3- BRINGING WORK TO AN END:
- If children are working on something and the lesson is soon going to end, warn
them.
4- TIDYING UP:
- It is very important that children learn to look after their things and tidy up at the
end of the lesson/day.
- have specific shelves and boxes for different things.
- Create a Routine Song for this moment:

SONG FOR TIDYING UP
(Tune: Arroz con leche)
“It’s time to clean,
To tidy up…
Put everything in order,
tomorrow we come back!

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

6


USING A BEHAVIOR CHART:
Young children often need visual aids to help them judge their behavior.
Behavior charts can be quite effective.

A COLOR CODED CHART: is a favorite for small children.
1- Each child has a pocket or hook containing three cards.
2- Use green, yellow, and red, as these are easily recognizable symbols of go, slow
down, and stop.
3- Students will receive one verbal warning, and if negative behavior continues,
the child will be asked to change his/her color to yellow.
4- This is an opportunity for the child to change negative behavior. It also allows
the child to see his/her behavior in contrast to the rest of the class.
5- Finally, if inappropriate behavior continues, a child will change the color to red
and the appropriate consequences will ensue.

NOTE:
By physically changing
the color themselves,
students are taking
responsibility for their
actions, as well as
processing the effects
of positive and negative
behavior.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

7


Young children often need “visual aids”
to help them judge their behavior.
• BEHAVIOR CHARTS can be effective visual aids!1

 CIRCLE TIME is when everyone sits together as a
group for an activity.
The activities can include games, music, movement,
stories, puppets and finger plays.
Generally, the same type of activities are done in the
same order each day.
“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

8


FINGERPLAYS are a surefire way:
- to capture children’s attention.
- to focus the action on yourself.
- to develop Fine Motor skills.
-To help kids develop finger control, and hand stretch.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

9


Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumkin?
(Hide hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am!
(Show L thumb, then R thumb)
How are you today, sir?
(Wiggle L thumb)
Very well, I thank you.
(Wiggle R thumb)
Run away, run away.
(Hide LH behind back, then RH)
2. Where is Pointer?....
3. Tall man?....
4. Ring man?....
5. Little man (or Pinkie)?....
6. Where is family? Where is family?....
(Hide hands behind back)
Here we are! Here we are!
(Show LH, fingers erect, then RH)
How are you today, sirs?
(Wiggle fingers of LH)
Very well, we thank you,
(Wiggle fingers of RH)
Run away, run away.
(Hide LH behind back, then RH)

CREATE YOUR OWN ROUTINE SONG:
Think about: Key phrases / Vocabulary being taught.
•

Suggestions / Permissions.

•

Identify a familiar tune: for example: “Arroz con leche”

•

Match the language with the rhythm.

•

Check the grammar!!!

•

Use TPR.

•

Use props.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

10


ROUTINE SONGS for:
•

To get children’s attention

•

To line up.

•

To sit in a circle.

•

To be ready for the snack.

•

To put things away.

ROUTINE SONGS FOR CIRCLE TIME:

TO MAKE A CIRCLE:
(Tune: Tres cocineritos)
“Come…let’s make a circle,
a circle…a circle…

Come let’s make a circle
a circle with me.
A big one… a big one…
A small one…a small one…
Come let’s make a circle,
A circle with me!”

TO BE IN SILENCE
( Tune: Twinkle, twinkle)
“Flying, flying
Little clip,
It goes quickly
To my lips…CLIP!”

TO SIT DOWN:
(Tune: Mary had a little lamb)
“Everybody sitting down,
Sitting down,
Sitting down.
Everybody sitting down
On the floor!”

SNACK TIME:
(Tune: A guarder…a guardar)
“Tea-time, tea-time,It’s time for tea…
Everybody waits, everybody sits.
Tea-time, tea-time, It’s time for tea…
A cookie for you and a cookie for me…
One…two…three!!

TO CLEAN UP:
(Tune: Arroz con leche)
“It’s time to clean,
To tidy up…
Put everything in order,
tomorrow we come back!

TO MAKE A LINE:
(Tune: Andar en tren)
“Traveling by train…
It’s the best way,
The driver says…
All aboard the train!”

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

11


 Make a simple circular chart with a
spinning arrow and a selection of
weather symbols
 Use a large paper plate, place symbols
(sun, clouds, rain clouds, wind, etc)
around the outside of the circle.
 Make an arrow shape half the width of
the overall circle, and fix to the centre
with a paper fastener, allowing for

easy movement around the whole
chart.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

12


VISUAL AIDS are TEACHING RESOURCES
that teachers can use to support a learning activity
AS A VISUAL AID YOU CAN USE:

YOURSELF
FLASHCARDS

POSTERS

THE CHALK BOARD

INTERACTIVE BOARDS

REALIA: real objects

CHARTS

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

GAMES

PICTURES

PUPPETS

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

13


BAKING-SHEET - TRAY
MAGNET BOARDS:



Use a Non aluminum tray or a tin baking sheet.
Add a self-stick paper background :
- Light blue for the sky.
- Green for the grass.

__
______

MIME

SONGS
RHYMES

MIME
MIME

CHANTS
CHANTS
CHANTS

SONGS
SONGS

RHYMES
RHYMES

PUPPETS
PUPPETS ACTIVITIES SIMULATION
SIMULATION
SIMULATION
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES

ROLE-PLAYS
ROLE-PLAYS

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

14


The game should:
- Be relevant linguistically.
- Have an aim and purpose.

purpose
- Be simple to explain.
- Easy to set up and play.
- Easy to carry out.
- Everyone should be able to participate in it.
- It should be FUN !!!!!!!

1) Seat all the players in a circle, close together.
2) A player walks quickly around the outside of the
circle gently tapping the seated players on the
head saying “DUCK" each time until he or she
decides to switch to “GOOSE!"
3) At this point, the child chosen as “The Goose”
gets up and chases the child who tapped him
round the circle, trying to catch him before he
does a complete circle and sits down in the
“Goose's" spot.
4) The “GOOSE" now becomes the “DUCK" and
repeats the game as described above.
TEACHING TIP: Every few rounds change the
vocabulary, so if sticking to the animal theme
play with : “Tiger, tiger, snake!” - “Cow, cow,
pig!”, etc…

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

15

Use paper plates to prepare different activities to
revise vocabulary, concepts,
poems, chants, etc…

MATCHING STICKS are very easy and inexpensive to make
and they can be used for many developing skills.
You will need: craft sticks (these can be found in any crafts
store)- white paint
markers. The first step is to paint the craft sticks white and let
them dry.
Then use a marker to write on the skills you are working on.
Use MATCHING STICKS for: Letters- Colors - Shapes –
Numbers- Sight words
Addition- Name recognition, etc.
Children are given the sticks to match and they can sit on the
floor or at the table and match the sticks together. You can also
but velcro on the back and use on a felt board or magnets and
use on a magnet board.
“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

16


Matching Mats are designed to build visual
discrimination skills in children ages 3 to 6 years of age.
They are perfect for group and individual use in either
structured or free play.

Each matching mat has 12 squares that are to be matched
with the identical square piece.

____________________________________________________
“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

17


a) Make a list of the flashcards.
b) Use good quality cards.
c) Make all the flashcards the same size.
d) Make sure that they are big enough to be
seen by all children in the class.
e) Draw big and bold pictures
f) Color them.
g) Write the name of each word on the back
and front of the flashcards.
h) Protect the cards with transparent contact
paper or wide scotch tape.

The word REALIA means using real items found in the world around us
to help teach English.
Using Realia, helps to make English lessons memorable,
memorable creating a link
between the objects, and the word or phrase they show.

Materials from the “real world” brought into the

classroom for practice!!!
__________________________________________________________

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

18


FOR MOTIVATION
Children try to speak without inhibition

FOR CROSSCROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES :
Puppets can be used in most topics of the syllabus.

TO TEACH VOCABULARY
Eg: parts of the face / clothes

TO TEACH LANGUAGE
Commands when making puppets: Color the…

PUPPETS are a fun medium for teaching Very Young Learners different
skills.
The most commonly used form of teaching with puppets is using them with
literature units.

Draw a face on your clenched fist
By moving the thumb up and
down you have a mouth to speak !

Draw a face on each finger

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

19


Slide your hand inside a sock.
Poke the end of the sock into the hollow
between your extended fingers and thumb
Spread your fingers wide to make the
puppet smile, move thumb and fingers
together and away from each other to
close and open the "mouth".
Glue construction paper or felt facial
features to the sock.
Add some yarn hair.

Gardening gloves or colored gloves:
- Glue Velcro fasteners onto the tips
of both gloves.
- Create story characters out of felt
and glue Velcro circles onto their
backs

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

20


Print the pages.
Color and cut them apart.
Staple them to a popsicle stick and use as puppets to
retell the story.

A POEM is language in verse form with a clear emphasis on rhyme.

A RHYME is a group of words ending in the same sound.
A CHANT is a short rhyme focused on particular aspects of
grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, structure,
or functions of English.

Nonsense rhymes, funny words and sounds repetitive
patterns and rhythms are wonderful for young kids
to start working with “Poetry”.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

21


1)
2)

3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

Say the Rhyme yourself.
Demonstrate the actions.
Ask children if they can guess what it means.
Practice saying the Rhyme with all the class.
Explain difficult words on the board, with pictures.
Copy the Rhyme on a POSTER (“Rebus Sentences”).
Teach the actions.
Ask students to do the actions as you/they say the
Rhyme/ Chant/ Poem.

 When you use songs that can be taught through gestures,
very little pre-teaching is necessary.
Teachers can seat the students in a circle, teach some very
simple gestures, and then play the music while everyone
gestures along.
Most kids will sing along right away, but even the kids who
aren't ready to sing will be able to participate with
gestures.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

22


Place chairs in a circle facing out.
Put musical instruments on each chair.
HOME-MADE: Shakers/Drums/ Bells/
Horns/ tambours
Turn on music, each child selects an instrument
Begin marching around the chairs playing with the
music and singing a well-known song.

SONG
Two groups: gardeners
and plants.
Act out the song: to sow,
to water, to weed, to grow.
Tune: “Old Mac Donald”

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

“I will plant a garden green
Then I’ll watch it grow…
I’ll dig some holes here in the
dirt
In a nice straight row.
I’ll dig one here
I’ll dig one there
Here a hole, there a hole,
Everywhere a hole, hole
I will plant a garden green

Then I’ll watch it grow.”
(in the hole I drop a seed)
(I’ll water each plant one by
one)
www.gracebertolini.com.ar

23


 Add a meaningful context for language.
 Promote children’s interest in learning to read.
 Provide a home connection.

STORY READING WITH LITTLE KIDS:
TECHNIQUES to use with Young Learners:
- PREDICTION
- ANTICIPATION
STORIES SHOULD BE:
- Predictable.
- Simple.
- Age-appropriate
STORIES SHOULD HAVE:
- A good plot.
- Wonderful pictures.
- Repetitive patters with rhythm & rhyme.

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

24


1) Select the appropriate book.
2) Discuss the book cover: Ask about what they see in
the cover.
3) Point out the title and ask them to predict the story.
4) Point out the author, illustrator and dedication (a gift
the author does).
5) At the beginning, point to each word
- progression from left to right.
- page sequence.

Provide SIMPLE PUPPETS representing each
character of the story.
CREATE BIG BOOKS reproductions.
Create a new story (ALTERNATIVE BOOKS)
- with different characters, setting, etc...
- substitute nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc…

“Teaching English to Very Young Learners”

www.gracebertolini.com.ar

25