...Teaching English to Young Learners: How They Learn and the Pedagogical Implication Rojab Siti Rodliyah (rojab.siti@gmail.com) UPI Bandung There is now a growing tendency among Indonesian people to introduce English to children starting from the early age, through either formal or informal education. This can be seen from the mushrooming of bilingual and international schools where English is used as the language of instruction as well as the increasing number of English courses aimed especially for children. Sometimes people hold a misconception regarding teaching English for young learners, in which they believe that the earlier the kids learn a foreign language, the better it will be. As a matter of fact, this assumption is not completely true. Only when handled with care will the teaching of foreign language to young learners succeed as expected. Otherwise, this will not gain a significant effect on children’s language development. This paper will elaborate some principles on how young learners learn a foreign language, which should be the foundation of the way the teaching English to young learners is conducted. Some theories on how children learn will be drawn on, followed by a discussion on the pedagogical implications. This paper is expected to give insights to English teachers in general and teachers of English for young learners in particular, about the importance of taking into account the aspects related to the way young learners learn in designing their teaching...
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...and second language acquisition, how do you think the average Malaysian student learn English? Discuss your reasons. Introduction Young children are natural language acquirers; they are self-motivated to pick up language without conscious learning, unlike adults. They have the ability to imitate pronunciation and work out the rules for themselves. The idea of “English is difficult” does not occur to them unless it’s suggested by adults, who themselves probably learned English academically at a later age through grammar-based text books. The advantages of beginning early Young children are still using their individual, innate language-learning strategies to acquire their home language and soon they also use these strategies to pick up English. Young children have time to learn through play-like activities. They pick up language by taking part in an activity shared with adults such their parents and teachers. They firstly make sense of the activity and then get meaning from the adult’s shared language. Young children have more time to fit English into the daily programme. School programmes tend to be informal and children’s minds are not yet cluttered with facts to be stored and tested. Children who have the opportunity to pick up a second language while they are still young appear to use the same innate language-learning strategies throughout life when learning other languages. Young children who acquire language rather than consciously learn it, as older children and...
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...Since parents and their involvement and attitude have a crucial role in children’s achievement in English learning, the present study is to explore and evaluate the impact of Iranian parents’ involvement in and attitude toward their children’s foreign language programs for learning English. In other words, the effectiveness of their high level of involvement and strength of attitude will be evaluated. Besides, this study is to explore whether some factors as parents’ gender, knowledge of English, income, and educational background are related in the parents’ involvement and attitude or not. To this end, first a reliable questionnaire, checked through a pilot study, was distributed among 140 parents to get the level of their involvement in...
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...Second Language Acquisition The Effect of Age and Motivation Ritgerð til BA prófs Einar Garibaldi Stefánsson Maí 2013 Háskóli Íslands Hugvísindasvið Enska Second Language Acquisition The Effect of Age and Motivation Ritgerð til BA prófs í ensku Einar Garibaldi Stefánsson Kt.: 030382-4209 Leiðbeinandi: Ásrún Jóhannsdóttir Maí 2013 Abstract This paper looks into the competence of second language acquisition by investigating how second language is acquired. Furthermore it explores the age factor in learning another language other than mother tongue and also attempts to answer if there is enough current evidence that can demonstrate clearly that starting young makes any real difference in achieving better language competence. Moreover, research such as on motivation in relation to the learning environment along with language exposure and attitudes will be discussed and data analysed to find out if it plays any significant role in aiding learners to achieve successful second language competence. It has been a common belief that starting young to learn a second language makes a significant difference in language learning. However, results indicate that this is not entirely true in all cases since there are further factors that affect successful second language acquisition achievement such as language exposure and motivation. Consequently, if there is not enough language exposure, this might prevent the learners from succeeding in learning the language. Clearly, those factors, motivation...
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...first round of the competition. Arpan speaks Hindi and English at home, and he has learned nine other languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, French, German, and Italian from the age of seven. Arpan said that he was very interested in learning languages, and he was good at quickly catching on to new things (Collins 1-2). As the world has become globalize, speaking other languages is one of the most important factors for success these days. Many parents encourage their children to learn foreign languages as soon as they can because they believe that people can learn languages faster and more effectively when they are young. According to statistics in Korea, Korean parents spend about 10 billion dollars a year on their children to learn English (Kim 1). Many children go to private English kindergartens and go to English-speaking countries to learn a foreign language effectively. However, in spite of parents’ consistent effort and support, some kids show side effects such as depression, abusiveness, and insomnia when parents have them learn a foreign language. Shin reported in MBC news of Korea about an eleven-year-old Korean boy. Since his parents had him go to an international school, he started showing all kinds of symptoms of a mental disorder. For instance, he refused to go to school, suffered from insomnia, easily got depressed, and did not want to talk to anyone (1-2). At this point, early foreign language learning needs to be defined for clear understanding. According...
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...This paper will discuss developmentally appropriate methodologies in teaching language and literacy to young children across a developmental curriculum. Also to be discussed will be the aspects/knowledge of language, language diversity and Theoretical Perspectives. There is now evidence that it is never too early to teach a child. Through research it has been discovered that the infant even before he/she is born can hear sound and as we know that is how we acquire language, by hearing spoken words. According to Otto (2010), language development begins when language speakers assume that an infant is a participating partner in conversational settings, even though it is months before the child is able to begin using conventional words. In an article written by Dr. Carmelita Lomeo-Smrtic,Ph.D, she wrote that “Teaching children to become literate members of society is a daunting task, often relegated to the elementary teacher. However, research on teaching children to become literate suggests that this process must begin well before kindergarten. Research suggests that children are primed for learning language in utero. Also from the Otto text, “research on children’s perception of speech and the development of the auditory system in utero has determined that the fetus can perceive sounds beginning with the 25th week of gestation and at the 35th week a fetus’s hearing acuity is at a level similar to an adult’s (2010). Knowing all...
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...This paper presents a model of second language acquisition based on the social‐psychology of acculturation. The model maintains that certain social and psychological variables cluster into a single variable, acculturation. The model predicts that learners will acquire the target language to the degree they acculturate to the target language group. Six studies that, in various, ways seek to test the Acculturation Model are reviewed and evaluated. Technical problems that affect such research are discussed, and the current status of the model is assessed. The extent to which form-focused instruction contributes to the acquisition of second language implicit knowledge is controversial. Whereas Krashen (1993) has argued that the effects of FFI on acquisition are peripheral, N. Ellis (this issue) sees FFI as facilitative and even necessary for developing implicit L2 knowledge. This article examines the role of FFI in developing implicit knowledge by reviewing 11 studies that have examined the effect of FFI on learners' free production. The review suggests that FFI can contribute to the acquisition of implicit knowledge and points to two variables that appear to influence its success—the choice of the target structure and the extent of the instruction. FFI involving extensive instruction directed at “simple” structures was more likely to succeed. However, limited instruction directed at complex structures also proved effective, provided that the target structures are readily available...
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...around the world many young children have the opportunity to learn a second language. Some languages taught are: Spanish, French, German, Latin, and English. Even I studied Spanish in grades fourth through twelfth and it turn out to be a fun experience for me. But not every child enjoys learning a second language. Some kids may find it hard and confusing. There are many advantages and disadvantages for children who grow up learning a second language from a young age. If successful, learning a second language can lead to increased job opportunities when the children are older, or they can see it as a wasted of time if the child grew up learning the language, but never fully grasped it. This was the case with my little sister, Maddie, who’s older now but has been studying Spanish since she was in the first grade. She has faced many ups and downs when trying to learn this foreign language. This is her experience of studying Spanish as a second language. When Maddie started learning Spanish in the first grade it immediately affected how she performed in the rest of her subjects in school and in her other activities. The first disadvantage is that children may start to mix languages and get confused with the language structures. Children may start to use their native language and incorporate it into their second language. It seemed like for the longest Maddie had this problem, mixing up her languages especially when she talked. While she was speaking English, she would replace some...
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...Dorothy Reed Grand Canyon University: ECH-425 June 13, 2014 In this paper I will be discussing the different ways language abilities and deficiencies impact the literacy development for the different age groups up to age eight. I will also include how teachers should support the English language learners when they are trying to grasp the concept of learning a new language. The word deficiency means not having enough of something that is important or necessary (Merriam-Webster dictionary). Learning to read and write ant an early age is what will help set the tone for a child’s learning in their later years of school. It was established that the early childhood years serve as an important foundation for subsequent literacy development (Neuman and Dickerson, 2001; Snow, Burns, and Griffin 1998; Whitehurst and Lonigan, 2001).Reading books aloud is the best way to help children at a young age develop good literacy skills. In a forum that I came across while I was doing my research talked about how only 58 percent of children ages 3-5 are read to daily by family members (Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2004). Just think if we as teachers, parents, and family members read to our children more throughout the week, what an impact we would be making on a child’s life and on their literacy skills for reading and writing. I have four grandchildren and I read to them at least three times a week when they are at my house. My granddaughter is seven and she helps me read to her...
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...English Language Induction Task I have chosen to study English Language at A level, as I want to expand and develop my knowledge about English Language, and explore the language further. I have been told by my parents that I developed language skills very early, well before many other children of my age. I was always very interested in books and loved to recite nursery rhymes, even before I could walk. I learnt to read at a very young age as well, I was given first stage reading books at the age of 3. This meant that when I actually started school, I was a few levels above the average. I have always loved to read and still enjoy reading a good book. I am very interested to study the development of language in children. I have been told I mispronounced words at a very young age, e.g I used to say 'squiggle' instead of squirrel, so I am interested to find out why these mistakes happen. I always enjoyed the analysis aspect in GCSE English Language and I am looking forward to actively engaging with everyday language and understand how it works. In primary school, when I was around 9 years old, we were taught French once a week for about an hour. A lot of the teaching involved reading and repeating different French words; this was backed up with the use of pictures. This gave me a very basic understanding of the French language. I expanded my knowledge of the French language by going on holidays regularly to France whilst growing up. At secondary school I developed further...
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...Open doors with the power of learning another language Students need the mental exercise of operating in another language system. Being bilingual is a springboard to further languages acquisition, and allows students to operate with a dual track mentality, furthering their capacity in all subject matter. It provides a pliability that will allow them to consider other arguments and points of view, and appreciate other cultures and ways of life. Not only this, but it provides enormous wealth to their English. A secondary language should be taught as a mandatory subject starting in elementary, as it will be easy for a child to learn with their brain that’s like a sponge, it will help them mentally, and it will prepare them for the future when entering the work force. A young child's brain is like a sponge, they soak up and retain information that adults and older children don't retain. Learning a new language at that age is a snap, they barely have to think about it. It has also been shown that these children do better on other schoolwork, such as reading and math, which counters the argument that it was take attention away from other subjects. It is also not necessary to spend a bunch of class time on learning a new language, since in elementary school students spend all day with one or two teachers. The new language can be taught side by side, such as when learning the days of the week, the alphabet, and so on. Phrases in the foreign language can be used for simple commands like...
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...Theory of Teaching Discussion Questions for Chapter 3: Individual differences in second Language Learning Research on learner characteristics 1. It is difficult to assess the influence that people characteristics have on the development of L2 learning because these are rust labels for an entire range of behaviors and characteristics, characteristics such as these are not independent of each other. Another difficulty is how language proficiency is defined and measured. 2. It would help us to understand better the way us humans learn. Intelligence 3. I think it is because learner’s strengths and weakness in these different aptitude components may account for their ability to succeed in different types of instructional programs. People who have high IQ would feel more compatible with grammar lessons and the students who have more communicative approach feel better in audio-lingual methods. Aptitude 4. Abilities targeted by language aptitude test are irrelevant for the language acquisition in communicative language teaching. I disagree with this statement because Leila Ranta (2002) found that children who were good at analyzing language were the most successful learners in an English second language program in which activities almost never involved direct attention to grammar. 5. Wesche (1981): Reported a high level of students and teacher satisfaction when students were matched with compatible teaching environments. Erlam(2005): She found that the learners...
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...impairment that have reading disorders, are usually defined as having poor reading achievement. The two main components of language development that will be discussed in this essay are: Language Deficiencies and Language Abilities. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word deficiency means: to have a lack of something needed: the state of not having enough of something necessary. In children who exhibit complications involving phonetic understanding and reading deficiencies will most likely have literacy delay and progress in their overall learning. A deficiency in English language skills can cause problems with teachers and other people whom children encounter as they progress through school and later in life. These deficiencies can be a result from complications of the central nervous system such as Dyslexia, English as a Second Language families, Autism, Loss of Hearing, Learning Disabilities and Brain Injuries. While these are categories, some of the problems that could occur with children who have language deficiencies are 1. Have trouble getting their message...
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...SEMISTER 1 ASSIGNMENTS: Describe at least 2 activities you could do in a classroom to facilitate a child’s learning during the pre-operational and concrete operational stage. (300 words) Pre-operational stage: The preoperational stage ranges from about ages 2 to 7 (Piaget, 1951, 1952). The child in this stage is pre (before) operations. This means the child cannot use logic or transform, combine or separate ideas. The child's development consists of building experiences about the world through adaptation and working towards the (concrete) stage when it can use logical thought. During the end of this stage children can mentally represent events and objects (the semiotic function), and engage in symbolic play. 1. Smell Games: Present a collection of strong smelling items such as oranges, roses, mint or vanilla for preoperational stage activities involving the senses. Have the kids try to guess the item by just using the sense of smell. 2. Sense of Touch: Similar to the sense of smell games, gather together items such as fabric, leaves, mud, sandpaper and cotton balls. Have children describe how the item feels. You can have the child sort items according to touch as well. For instance, have the kids group the rough, soft or squishy feeling items into piles. Ask the children to find all the soft feeling items in the group and pull them out. These preoperational stage activities use the senses and the child's ability to sort and make distinctions among objects...
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...org/stimulating-cognitive-emotional-development-in-children.htm Decurtis, L. (n.d.). The ASHA Leader. Retrieved May 10, 2015, from http://www.asha.org/ Publications/leader/2011/110920/Toddlers-and-Technology.htm Definition of technology in English:. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2015, from http:// www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/technology Digital Story Helps Dual Language Learner Connect with Classmates | National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2015, from http:// www.naeyc.org/technology/digital-story-helps-dual-language-learner Technology in the Critical Period Technology is defined as “the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry”(Oxford). The use of technology over the previous century and especially over the past 10 years has grown tremendously. Companies including Microsoft and Apple have virtually made anything possible through the use of their gadgets. Speculation has arose over use of these, although technology has opened connections and opportunities that people would not have otherwise. Social connections are one of the most primary examples of the advantages that technology provides. Ages zero to about six is an extremely critical period for a child to develop essential motor skills and social skills including language. Hundreds of languages are spoken around the world, and this can make communication difficult. Although, advantages...
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