Teaching Young Learners

Mster Universitario en Enseanza del

Ingls como Lengua Extranjera
Universidad de Alcal

Curso Acadmico 2013/2014
2 cuatrimestre



2

GUA DOCENTE

Nombre de la asignatura: Teaching Young Learners
Cdigo: 200430
Departamento: Filologa Moderna
rea de Conocimiento: Filologa inglesa
Carcter: Optativa
Crditos ECTS: 4
Cuatrimestre: 2
Profesorado:
- Teresa Fleta
- Elizabeth Forster
Correo electrnico:
- tfleta@perlaunion.es
- Elizabeth.forster@britishcouncil.es
Idioma en el que se imparte: Ingls

1. MODULE DESCRIPTION

The aim of this module is to work on effective teaching techniques to develop
content, language and culture through the medium of English. The course contains a
mixture of theory and practice, which can be applied directly to Teaching English to
Young Learners. The module will be supported by books, articles and by on-line and
face-to-face sessions.

2. AIMS

Generic competences:

- To improve the presentation of English at school. To provide young learners with
quality and quantity input and to create the best teaching and learning environment.
- To understand the importance of social and verbal interaction for language learning
in infancy.
- To facilitate language and content learning in the young learners classroom by
incorporating songs, picture books, drama, rhymes, poems, puppets, crafts and
also indoor and outdoor games.
- To better understand how to exploit theories such as Multiple Intelligences, Total
Physical Response, Collaborative Learning and Neurological Learning with young
learners.
- To understand the value of formulaic language in second language learning.
Specific competences:
- To develop different strategies for teaching content, language and culture through
English based on recent research studies and on innovative teaching practices.


3

- To develop topic and task-based teaching. How to choose, use and adapt songs,
children's literature and games to develop the skills. How to create, select and
adapt materials and activities to make English accessible to young learners.
- To design activities which put all the multiple intelligences into play in the
classroom with an emphasis on creative writing.
- To learn how to stimulate the learning of formulaic language through rhythmic and
musical activities and how to invent songs and chants which respond to the specific
needs and language levels of the young learner.
- To design activities based on the theory of Collaborative Learning with emphasis on
language learning.
- To work on cooperative learning techniques which will improve peer dynamics and
facilitate collaborative learning.

3. MODULE CONTENTS

Units
Credits
Section I: Learning English at school at an early
age

- A portrait of a young learner. Children as language
learners. Factors concerning early L2 leaning at
school: the age factor. Approaches to early L2
teaching. Learning across the curriculum: the adoption
of CLIL for teaching and learning language and
content.

- Sounds before words. Finger plays, rhymes, songs,
chants, and poems to learn language, content and
culture.

- The power of storytelling. Story time: presenting
English through picture books. Storytelling: making the
most out of stories.

- The use of visuals, puppets and games. Graphic
organizers and mind maps. Pre-reading and writing
activities. Hands-on activities to develop motor control
skills.

- Features of classroom discourse. Theory and
research behind teaching techniques and learning
strategies. The value of social, verbal and non-verbal
communication in the young learners classroom.
Exploring and understanding classroom interaction for
teaching and for learning. Identifying interaction
patterns.

2 credits


4

Section II: Learning English at school at lower
primary level

- Brief theoretical introduction to theories of Multiple
Intelligence, Total Physical Response, Left Brain,
Right Brain Learning, Formulaic Language and
work with chants and songs and how to exploit and
use for learning structures, vocabulary and to
facilitate pronunciation.
- How to use art to stimulate language and how to
combine chants and drama work to teach
vocabulary and structures.
- How to initiate young learners into creative writing.
- How to use Formulaic Language to facilitate
communicative development of young learners.
- Techniques to build and strengthen healthy
classroom dynamics which facilitate better peer
learning possibilities through collaborative learning
activities.

2 credits

Class timetable

Date Unit Activity / Assignment
See class
schedule
on the
Masters
website
Unit 1: Early L2 learning at
school. Approaches to English
teaching at school. Auditory
and verbal learning. Singing to
develop the aural and oral
skills.

The value of songs, rhymes, chants
and of indoor and outdoor games to
teach content, language and
culture.
Creating and adapting songs,
chants and rhymes.
See class
schedule
on the
Masters
website
Unit 2: Learning content,
language and culture through
childrens literature and
drama.
Picture books as a powerful
resource to provide students with
opportunities to learn content and to
develop the oral and cognitive skills.
Ways of adapting and exploiting
picture books and drama.
See class
schedule
on the
Masters
website
Unit 3: How to make use
of different resources in
class: visuals, puppets, props,
crafts, graphic organizers and
mind maps. Observing
classroom practice.
Classroom discourse: language,
interaction and learning. Analysis of
interaction patterns. The relationship
between teachers and students:
linguistic interaction and the learning
that occurs.
Action Research: observing students
and teachers in class to assess
language and content learning.


5

See class
schedule,
but note
time will be
from 18:00
21:00
Unit 4: The why and the
how of making optimum
use of songs and chants
with young learners.

Brief introduction to the theories of
Multiple Intelligence, Total Physical
Response, Left and Right Brain
Learning, Collaborative Learning
and Formulaic Language. Work with
chants and songs for the learning of
structures, vocabulary, stress and
pronunciation of English
See class
schedule,
but note
time will be
from 18:00
21:00
Unit 5: Using multiple
intelligences to stimulate
creative writing with
young learners.
How to use art, music and drama to
stimulate language learning and
initiate young learners into creative
writing. How to combine chants
and drama work to teach
vocabulary and structures.
See class
schedule,
but note
time will be
from 18:00
21:00
Unit 6: Formulaic
Language with young
learners. Design and
exploitation of
collaborative learning
activities.
How to use Formulaic Language to
facilitate communicative
development of young learners.
Practical ideas for building healthy
class dynamics and examples of
collaborative learning activities
based on language
Discussion as to how to select and
prepare a topic from the three units
which will result in the final
assignment.

4. TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS

4.1. Student workload (100 hours)

Class contact hours 18
Independent study 30
Readings 20
Assignments 32

4.2. Learning activities

This module is taught through both on-line activities and through face-to-face
teaching sessions. During the two face-to-face week sessions, the participants will
focus on children under 7 (the first week), and on 6-9 year olds (the second week).
Thereafter, the course is based on self-study, which the student follows in their own
time, working to modular deadlines. Students will be supported on- line by the
teachers throughout the course.

During the face-to-face sessions, individual and group work are expected:


6


- Students will become familiar with picture books, songs, rhymes, role-play activities,
crafts and music games, and will learn to exploit these materials in the young
learner classroom.
- Students will be expected to participate in workshop sessions where they will be
asked to design activities based on the content presented.

5. ASSESSMENT

In order to complete this module, each student must successfully fulfil the following
requirements:

1. Class Attendance & Participation during the two face-to-face weeks: 20%.

2. The completion of tasks and a final paper related to the topics discussed
during the first week of the course and based on the materials used and
analysed in class: 40%.

3. A final assignment related to the topics discussed during the second week of
the course: 40%.

Since much of the face-to-face sessions is dedicated to lectures, presentation of
activities, elaboration of teaching materials, participation and class discussion, full
attendance is considered part of the grade. Full attendance and participation
means attending class each session, and completing assignments and tasks on the
due dates, as well.

Should a student for some reason want to opt for final assessment she/he will have
to ask for permission in writing to the coordinator of the Masters. Should
permission be granted, 100% of the mark will be based on two final assignments
which will have to be more extensive than those from students who have attended
regularly to compensate for the absence of class attendance and participation.

Plagiarism in any of the work submitted will not be tolerated and will result in an
immediate fail of the affected part of the evaluation. No resubmission will be possible.

The two final assignments will be sent to the course tutors by e-mail by May 15th.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Core Books

Brewster I., Ellis G., Girard D. (2003) The Primary English Teachers Guide. London:
Penguin English.
Cameron, L. (2003) Teaching Languages to Young Learners. 5
th
edition. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Dunn, O. (2012) The Primary English Teachers' Guide. London: Penguin English.
Gardner, H. (1993) Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: Basic.


7

Gass, S. and L. Selinker (2008) Second language acquisition: an introductory course.
3
rd
edition. Hilldale, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum.
Graham, C. (2006) Primary Resource Books for Teachers Creating Chants and
Songs. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Halliwell, S. (2008) Teaching English in the Primary Classroom. 18
th
edition.
Longman/Pearson.
Lightbown, P. M., and N. Spada (2006) How Languages are Learned. 3
rd
edition.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lyster, R. (2007): Learning and Teaching Languages Through Content: A
counterbalanced approach. The Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing
Company.
Moon, J. (2005) Children Learning English. 3
rd
edition. Macmillan Heinemann.
OGrady, W. (2005) How Children Learn Language. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Pinter, A.M. (2011) Children Learning Second Languages. Palgrave Macmillan.
Willis, D. and J. Willis (2007) Doing Task-based Teaching. Oxford: OUP.

Recommended reading

A list of the recommended reading (chapters of books and articles from journals) and
the course outline will be facilitated to students before the module begins.