Principles of

Teaching English
to Young Learners

Fardini Sabilah, M.Pd

Myths & Misconceptions

1. Children learn better than adult.

2. Foreign language learning in school
should be started at as early an
age as possible
3. Children and adult learn languages
basically the same way
4. Adults have a longer concentration
span than children
5. It is easier to interest and
motivate children than adults
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Reasons for learning English
Have specific reason or
can create their own
Awareness of own
motivation & need to
motivate themselves
Awareness of larger goal
of language learning &
can sustain
motivation/effort
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No real reason for
learning the language
Not yet aware of
need to motivate
themselves
Goals maybe
immediate/short term
relations w teacher
as major influence on
engagement initially
 Ability to Self-Regulate
Able to focus for long
periods
Able to regulate own
behavior/feelings &
persevere despite
boredom/frustration
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Easily distracted/limited
concentration span
Still learning how to
regulate behavior/
feelings. Less able to
control feelings of
boredom/lack of interest
Goal & Expectation
Amount of time &
Intensity of exposures

Children slow pace of

learning

Time needed to develop

oral skills

Importance of affective
factors for children

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Teachers Competence
Young Learners Foreign
Language Pedagogy -
apply understanding of
YL to TEFL
Knowledge /
understanding of
childrens overall
development
Teaching Learning
Culture including good
classroom
communication skills

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 Appropriate Approach
Activity-based
Use of concrete materials
Context-embedded
Communication oriented
Multi-sensory
Play & fun oriented
Content/topic based or cross curricular
Oral-focused initially
Strongly scaffolded by teachers

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 Teaching Techniques
Games Comic Strips
Songs Puzzle
Storytelling Creating Resources
Bulletin board
Portfolio
Play

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Songs

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TEAPOT
 Iam a little teapot
short and stout
Heres my handle
and heres my spout
When I am steaming
then I will shout
Tip me over and
pour me out
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Why Song???
Add variety & enjoyment
Change pace
Provide listening comprehension
Reinforced learned language pattern
Enrich cultural understanding
Provide new insight
Motivate the learners

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Arts & Crafts

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Benefits

Promoting personal development and

helping them learn English
Learning meaning while making
Extending experience and
understanding the world and doing it
through a foreign language
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Developmental Values

Children have to make decision

More time to think and comment
Opportunities to co-operate between
learners
Have something to take home at the
end of class
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Linguistic Value

Children listen to /read instructions

Children associate language directly
with object/action/experience
Make use of the existing language skills
Receive and give praise and
encouragement
Describe, evaluate, express feelings and
ideas
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 Educational Value

Appreciate the world around them

Be more aware of their 5 senses and
developing skills in using them
Develop skills of comparing,
contrasting, classifying, sequencing
and organizing
Understand cause and effect and
develop a skill in discovering them
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Story Telling

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 Why use stories?
Bringing together aspects of the primary curriculum

Exploration of shapes, size,

textures, cause & effect
Extension to primary subjects:
science, geography, history
Making sense of the world
Emotional and social development
Stimulus to the imagination
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 Why use stories?

Linguistic rationale
Language in a meaningful context
Tying in new to familiar language
Providing natural context for
repetition of language
Theme around which to build
language system & 4 skills work
Language awareness (rhythms,
sounds, structures)
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 Story selection criteria
Age
Interest
Balance of new &
familiar language
Length
Illustrations
Natural repetition

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 Language Learning for YL Y

MUST :
Involve balanced VAK
Be in clear and meaningful context
Involve a variety of activities -stir
and settle
Involve interaction
Be based on real language use
Involve the four skills integratively
Make children feel that the
language they learn is theirs
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HO HO HO

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Thank you

Fardini Sabilah, M.Pd

English Department Lecturer
University of Muhammadiyah Malang
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