Teaching Pre School Children

TEACHING
PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN &

GRADES 1&2 ENGLISH
For:
“Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages”
(TESOL)
Australasian Training Academy Pty Ltd

60-Hour Specialisation Certificate Course
Available Online or by Correspondence
Author: Lynette Mary Wakefield
1
© 2006 Australasian Training Academy Pty Ltd Teaching Pre-School
Special thanks to
Ishara Ratnayake,
Wendy Jamison
and Mary Ann Alison
for research assistance
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Teaching Pre-school Children & Grades 1&2 English
A Certification Course for TESOL Teachers Australasian

Training Academy Pty Ltd
Published, produced, and licensed by Australasian Training

Academy Pty Ltd 2006.
Course contents, course structure, manuals, handouts,

certificates, institute logo and all intellectual property
associated to this course and other products offered by
Australasian Training Academy are strictly protected under
International copyright laws. No part of this publication, or
any of the materials associated to Australasian Training
Academy program of which this manual is a part may be
reproduced by any means in whole or ih part, without
expressed written consent from:
Australasian Training Academy Pty Ltd

Unit 6/ 31 Black Street
MILTON QLD 4064
Telephone: 07 3369 5999
Fax: 07 3369 5977
E-mail: marking@ataonline.edu.au
www.ataonline.edu.au
1300 723 928
3
TSGTCLE30A TEACH ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER
LANGUAGES
[PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN]
This document is formatted for two-sided printing.

Occasional blank pages through the document in online
form correspond with the backs of removable pages in
printed form.
4
Table of Contents
ATA: Requirements for Completing Assignments ....................................... 8

Submitting Finished Specialisation Assignments for Marking....................9
Assignment Cover Page ............................................................................. 11
Introduction to Teaching English as a Second Language ...................... 13
The Mind of the Pre-schooler........................................................................ 15
ASSIGNMENT 1..............................................................................................18
Chapter 1......................................................................................................19
Motor Skill Development Age Three.......................................................21
Activities to enhance Language Learning for Three year olds through
use of Motor Skills......................................................................................22
Motor Skills Development Age Four .......................................................24
Activities to enhance Language Learning for Four year olds through
Motor Skills Development Age Five........................................................ 27
Activities to enhance Language Learning for Five year olds through
Motor Skills Development Age Six ..........................................................30
Motor Skills Development Age Seven....................................................33
Activities to enhance Language Learning for Seven year olds through
ASSIGNMENT 2..............................................................................................36
Chapter 2......................................................................................................37
Cognitive and Native Language Development .................................. 39
Age Three .................................................................................................39
Age Four ...................................................................................................43
Age Six.......................................................................................................51
Activities to enhance Language Learning through use of Cognitive
Skills for Six year olds.................................................................................52
Activities to enhance Language Learning through the use of
Cognitive Skills for Seven year olds.........................................................55
ASSIGNMENT 3..............................................................................................57
Chapter 3......................................................................................................61
The Brain and Language Acquisition.....................................................64
Chapter 4......................................................................................................67
Listening Skill how to teach it .................................................................. 69
Activities to Teach the Listening Skill ......................................................70
Speaking Skill how to teach it .................................................................71
Activities to Teach the Speaking Skill .....................................................72
Reading Skill how to teach it .................................................................. 73
Activities to teach the Reading Skills......................................................74
Writing Skill how to teach it .....................................................................75
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Activities to Teach the Writing Skill..........................................................76
Chapter 5......................................................................................................77
Songs to Teach English for Pre-school children ...................................... 79
Songs for the Pre-school classroom ......................................................... 80
Chapter 6....................................................................................................103
Approaches, Methods and Techniques ............................................... 105
Lesson planning for Pre-school ............................................................... 112
Classroom Management for the Pres-school Classroom ................... 134
Chapter 7....................................................................................................139
Chapter 8....................................................................................................193
Action songs and Nursery Rhymes for the TESOL Classroom .............202
Bibliography...............................................................................................207
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ATA Course Requirements
Course Description: A comprehensive guide to the fun world

of teaching the English language at the core level. This
elective takes you through the learning processes for the
very young and how to adapt lessons and activities to
delight inquisitive young minds. Full of resources and
activities, everything you will need to teach ages 3 through
to 7.
Materials:
Teaching Pre-School Manual
Online or Correspondence:
 Teaching Pre-School is approximately 60 hours of

study, and assignments.
 The required assignments are listed in this section.
 This course is self-paced. You can work on it at
your own convenience however all assignments
must be completed before being submitted for
marking.
Lets Begin:
 Carefully check instructions.
 Complete all assignments, lesson plans and
activities.
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ATA: Requirements for Completing Assignments
 Complete all assignments
 Answer all assignment questions fully.
 Complete all activities and lesson plans

accurately with full detail using the Lesson plan
template. You must list all resources to be used in
the lesson but need not include the actual
resources unless stated.
 Once you have completed all the required

assignments for your specialisation, please send
them as one file in plastic sheets by mail or email
for marking.
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Submitting Finished Specialisation Assignments for
Marking
 Please complete all the assignments in your

specialisation before sending your work in for
marking.
 You can either send in your completed
specialisation for marking by either Mail or Email.
 Once received assignments will be marked by
When sending in your work via E-mail:

 When e-mailing your completed specialization
assignments please send as one file using
Microsoft Word.
 Include a ASSIGNMENT COVER PAGE with the
following details
 Email your ‘WORD file’ to:
marking@ataonline.edu.au
When sending in your work via Mail:

 Please type your assignments or neatly Print them.
 Include an ASSIGNMENT COVER PAGE with the
following details.
 Any assignments that are not legible will be
returned for resubmission.
 Address your envelope as follows:
“Teaching Pre-School” Assignments
Australasian Training Academy
P O Box 1749
MILTON BRISBANE QLD 4064
9
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Assignment Cover Page
1. Name of the Specialisation eg: “Teaching Pre-School”
___________________________________________________________
2. Your name as it appears on your passport (First & Last

Name)
___________________________________________________________
3. Your current mailing address, contact number and email

address
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. If you have completed your “TESOL Training” course

Date: _________________________
City: _________________________
Or ‘By Correspondence’ ___________________
5. I am taking this specialisation course as part of CERT IV or

DIPLOMA in TESOL.
YES or NO
6. IMPORTANT: Please specify how many specialisations you

have completed excluding this one.
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TSGTCLE30A/01 TEACH ENGLISH TO THE PRE-SCHOOL LEARNER.
1.1 Identify and advise the four basic processes of learning a second
language.
Introduction to Teaching English as a Second

Language
For many years, the basic theory of learning a second language for
school-aged children was based on the idea that in order for them to
compete with the English-speaking students they had to first be fluent
in English in order to move into the regular classrooms. This meant that
for years teachers and trainers were given extensive training to teach
ESL students, but visible improvements in the students’ learning were
hard to identify.
Virginia Collier and Wayne Thomas have studied this problem, and
have determined that students, who are taught all subjects in English,
and not just English as a second language, are much more likely to be
able to integrate and excel in all of their classes.
They have identified four basic processes to understand how students

acquire language. These are the socio-cultural, linguistic, academic,
and cognitive processes.
Socio-cultural Language Development
Academic Development Cognitive Development
Socio-cultural: This process takes into consideration all parts of

the student’s life, both inside and outside of class. The student might
feel anxiety or a sense of displacement if they are segregated into a
special ESL classroom, and discrimination or prejudice might seriously
affect the student’s ability to learn.
Language development: This process takes into consideration all

aspects of the student’s native tongue. The more the student is aware
of his or her own language, syntax, morphology, and pragmatics, the
better aware they are of how a second language functions. Without a
firm grip of meta-language skills, second language learning can be
inhibited.
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Academic development: This process helps us understand that it
is impossible to separate language learning from concept learning. As
each grade progresses to the next level, language and vocabulary
grows. By putting this process on hold for Language Arts, Science, and
Mathematics, or to segregate the students into a strictly ESL classroom,
the students start to form a gap between the academic learning they
have accomplished in their own language and the learning they must
complete in order to be successful in their new schools. This gap can
sometimes be insurmountable, leading to the student’s failing.
Cognitive development: This process helps us understand that ESL

classrooms, by definition, water down and simplify education down to
uncomplicated sentences and tasks. This limits the student’s exposure
to challenging tasks, which then slows down the entire learning
process. Regular classes are not simplified, and students who are
exposed to this simplicity have problems once they are put into a
regular classroom.
These four processes are not easily divisible and should never be
taught separately. If one process is suppressed or devalued, the other
three aspects of language learning are harmed. Second language
teachers must take all aspects into consideration to better help their
students adjust.
Second language acquisition is a lifelong learning process. The

language learned from birth to the age of five is only half the language
a student learns in his or her lifetime. Students continue to learn subtle
phonological distinctions, vocabulary, semantics, syntax, formal
discourse patterns, and complex aspects of pragmatics in the oral
system of their first language (Berko Gleason, 1993). There is no set point
in an adult’s life where we can say that he or she has completed
learning his or her own language, so it is impossible to say that second
language acquisition ever ends.
Collier and Thomas have found that students who have had no
studies in their first language take roughly seven to ten years to be on
par with native learners. On the other hand, students who have had
two or three years of education in their own language before
immigrating take five to seven years to be equal.
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1.2 Advise on the mind of the Pre-schooler
The Mind of the Pre-schooler
From the age of three Pre-schoolers tend to be more peaceful, relaxed

and cooperative. Having just grown out of the ‘Terrible Two’s” the
typical three to five year olds are full of energy, eagerness and
curiosity. Children of this age group seem to be constantly moving
about and excitedly engrossing themselves totally in whatever
captivates their interest.
This is a very rewarding age to teach as creativity is developing and

imagination is uninhibited. From this age vocabulary is rapidly
expanding as the child is now acquiring the foundation of its first
language. Intellectual skills are visibly developing as the child begins to
express individual ideas, problem solve and even plans ahead.
As their perception of the world around them expands children of this

age group also become more aware of the needs and feelings of
others around them and begin to exercise a degree of control of their
own behavior. Although striving for independence these children still
need constant reassurance from caregivers and parents that they are
not alone and have an adult on hand to render assistance when
needed.
By the age of four pre-schoolers become more social and readily enjoy
the company of a willing ear. Prone to bouts of stubbornness the four
year old can also at times argue with the caregiver as these children
begin to test their boundaries. At this age silly talk and silly jokes are
frequent as well as endless questions. Children of this age group tend
to be highly enthusiastic and try hard to contribute to the environment
around them by being ‘helpful’
From the age of five pre-schoolers are more in control of themselves

physically and emotionally. Feeling comfortable with their own abilities
this age group tends to be mostly calm and friendly. Feeling self-
confident these children can also be outgoing and reliable sometimes
called ‘Mommy’s helper’ particularly if they have younger siblings.
Social interaction is very important to this age group as they have an
expanded view of the world around them and friendships and group
activities are of major importance to them. As children of this age
group are developing mastery over all areas of development they
need constant practice of activities. Self-confidence over their abilities
coupled with curiosity about the world around them can lead to many
15
accidents. Eagerness to explore interferes with the ability to foresee
danger and potential disaster and so constant supervision is still very
much needed.
By the age of six, coordination has improved along with size and
strength. New challenges are met with a mixture of enthusiasm and
frustration as they become aware of limitations and choices.
Development of cognitive functions means that these children are
able to see rules as useful for understanding everyday events and the
behavior of others. Six year olds typically are eager to learn, lively and
have a sense of humor these children are very often affectionate and
willing learners.
Seven year olds are typically very aware of themselves as individuals

and can work hard at being responsible. By this age children tend to
take themselves more seriously and can become at times frustrated by
their own limitations. This tendency can lead to sulking or being
withdrawn. Worrying can also plague seven year olds as they become
more aware of things that happen around them, maybe the teacher
won’t be nice or will other children like me. Children at this age tend to
be more reasonable
being more willing to share and cooperate. With well-developed

cognitive functions these children are better listeners and more able to
understand and follow through with instructions allowing them to stay
on-task for longer periods of time. These children strive hard to be
perfect in what they do and so need constant and consistent praise
and encouragement.
Teaching children from pre-school to Grade 2 requires specialized

Methodologies and Techniques in harmony with the very specific
needs of this developing age group. This course has been specifically
designed for to deliver a highly practical application of these
Methodologies and teaching Techniques enabling the Teacher to
provide the very best in developmental teaching and resources.
Teaching pre-school to grade 2 to is a rewarding experience as the
Teacher can readily see the impact of his/her instruction on the highly
curious, eager to learn students.
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ASSIGNMENT 1
Q.1 What are the four basic processes to understand how

students acquire language?
Q.2 What is Socio-cultural?
Q.3 What is Language Development?
Q.4 What is Academic development?
Q.5 What is Cognitive development?
Q.6 Describe the typical three year old?
Q.7 How do 4 year olds try to contribute to the environment

around them?
Q.8 Why are six year olds both enthusiastic and frustrated?
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Chapter 1
Motor Skills Physical

Milestones from 3 to 7 Years
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TSGTCLE30A/02 MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT
2.1 Advise on motor skill development for ages 3 and 4.
Motor Skill Development Age Three
From the age of three a young child can walk up and down stairs
unassisted balancing his/herself using alternating feet and may even
jump from the last step to the floor and land on both feet without falling
over. Motor skills are clearly developing at this age as the child is
controlling its own activities. Balance is clearly evident and the young
child can balance on one foot momentarily.
At this age the child enjoys physical activities and games and is able to
kick a large ball, jump in place and can catch a large bounced ball
with both arms extended in front of their body. By the age of three
children can typically ride a tricycle [three wheeled bike] and enjoys
swinging on a swing. Children of this age need to be constantly
physically active while learning and this must be achieved through
many and varied tactile activities.
From this age the child begins to show control over the use of crayons
or marker pens holding them between the first two fingers and thumb
now instead of the fist as in the case of two year olds. When drawing
the three year old child typically using vertical, horizontal and circular
strokes on paper and readily enjoys drawing, painting and arts/crafts.
Being able to independently turn pages in a book one at a time the
three year old will pick up and look over picture books with interest.
Molding clay is another enjoyable activity that a child of this age can
participate in and is able to pound, roll and squeeze the clay showing
a beginning of hand use dominance.
The ability to carry a container of liquid for instance a cup or bowl of

water without spilling much shows the increase of hand eye
coordination as does the ability to pour from one container to another
something a child of three readily enjoys. Building blocks are another
medium children of this age can master and typically can build a
tower of blocks one atop the other. Three year olds are now able to
work the buttons and zippers on their clothing and readily play with
and adjust their clothing. At this level of motor skill development three
year olds can also wash their own hands and dry them, brush their own
teeth [although supervision is still needed].
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Activities to enhance Language Learning for Three
year olds through use of Motor Skills
At this age young children learn best by active participation rather

than by simply watching. It is very important to join in with the children
as they play, actively taking part in their games while using very Basic
English. Activities that are physical in nature but still enhance Language
Learning are games such as:
Roll the ball- have children sit in a circle and roll a ball to each and in
turn say ‘what’s your name?’ when the child grabs the ball answers
their name. [Give the child a few seconds to answer and if he/she
doesn’t answer then answer for them by saying their name, then
gesture for them to roll back the ball to you] and go on to the next
child]
Kick the ball- have the children in a circle and kick the ball to each
child counting from 1 to 10 as you go, encourage children to repeat
the counting as a chant, praise them when they repeat after you.
Copy Cat- have children copy you run and say ‘running’ then jump
and say ‘jumping’ and so on for action verbs and emotions such as
crying, laughing etc. Encourage children to repeat after you and
praise them when they do. [at this age children love to copy adults]
Play time- give children ride on cars, bikes etc… and while they are
playing repeat car and touch the car or bike and touch the bike.
Encourage the child to repeat after you ‘car’ etc.. Praise when they
do. Repeat this process when the children play with other toys. Have
them touch a toy and then teacher says its name in English child is
encouraged to repeat. When the child repeats give plenty of praise.
Play acting- Give the children tea sets or garden tools let them play
with these then when the child is holding something i.e.: cup say ‘cup’
encourage the child to repeat after you, praise when they do.
Play gym- Have children play on the play gym or swing sets and while
they are climbing say ‘climbing’ do the same for swinging, sliding and
crawling. Encourage children to repeat after you and praise when they
do.
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Resources
 ‘Realia’: [real items]

Buckets
Plastic tea sets [toy plates, cups and cutlery]
Plastic cooking utensils
Toy household items [mop, broom, brush, boxes]
 ‘Ride on toys’
Bikes
Trucks
Toy wheelbarrows
Doll prams
Shopping carts
Toys
Garden tools.
Cars
 ‘Play gym’
Swings
Slide
Ropes
Cubby house
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Motor Skills Development Age Four
A four year old child’s motor skills have developed to the stage where
they can exercise much greater control over their physical body not
only in what they can do ie: run but also in how they choose to do it ie:
run, starts, stops, runs faster and runs around obstacles.
Hopping on one foot is another motor skill that a four year old can
master and will often play games where they hop around from foot to
foot. When walking the four year old can walk in a straight line
following chalk or lines on the floor. Climbing on ladders and up trees
are highly enjoyable for this age as they discover the world around
them and they also can jump over objects from about 5-6 inches high.
Throwing a ball has also developed and children of this age can
typically throw overhand with improved aim and distance.
Crafts are highly enjoyable to this age group and children often form
objects from clay such as simple pretend cookies, snakes, basic
animals and cups. Now able to hold a crayon or marker pen with three
fingers [tripod] style drawing shows improvement and purpose. And
dexterity has also greatly improved enabling these children to thread
beads onto a piece of string and hit nails and pegs accurately with a
toy hammer.
When playing on ride on toys four year olds generally have progressed
to the point of being able to avoid collisions, turn corners and rides with
confidence. Overall this age group enjoys the same activities as a
three year old but is able to exercise a greater amount of control and
ability over their learning environment.
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Activities to enhance Language Learning for Four
Four-year-old children still enjoy many of the same activities as the

younger three-year-old child but in addition to those activities four year
olds can now also benefit and learn from more structured activities
such as:
Nature Watch: with children find and observe small bugs, collect
leaves and grow small plants discuss the names of these items in
English.
Rhyming: Make up short rhymes about objects and names sing out the
rhyme and have children repeat while using plenty of body language
and gesturing.
Dancing and Tumbling: Have children play dance games such as

Freeze and Congo Line while chanting vocabulary.
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Resources
 Outdoor Nature items: Leaves, Bugs and small collection

containers. Ant farms and worm farms.
 Dress-up Outfits for dancing and play acting.
 Tumbling mats and mini trampolines.
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2.2 Advise on motor skill development for ages 5 and 6.
Motor Skills Development Age Five
By the age of five children can typically walk backward heel to toe
and is very confident climbing up or down anything from stairs to play
equipment.
Children of this age enjoy physical activity the same as younger
children but can now do such things as tumbling or somersaulting.
Now more flexible five year olds can touch their toes without knees
bent and walk balancing on a beam. Children of this age enjoy
skipping from one foot to the other and do so often.
Hand eye coordination has improved to the point where five year olds
can catch a ball thrown to them from three feet away and can throw
back to a further distance with greater accuracy.
At this age children begin to ride bicycles with training wheels and can
do so skillfully and unaided by adults. Balance has improved also and
can now jump or hop ten times in a row without falling or losing
balance as well as able to balance on one foot at a time for up to ten
seconds.
Hand eye coordination has now developed to the point where the
child can now cut in a straight line with scissors and establishes hand
dominance.
At this age children typically begin to color within the lines and can
draw shapes and letters.
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Activities to enhance Language Learning for Five
Dress-ups: role-play, skits and charades. Children can dress up as a

character or occupation and role-play while others guess what they
are. Small plays or skits.
Puppetry: making and acting out puppet shows. Discuss with children
about characters and then make them. Disney characters are well
known and can be easier to explain.
Cooking activities: cookies and sandwiches, measuring and mixing. Do

simple cooking activities in class, have children perform all cooking
tasks while the teacher instructs in English [use gestures and body
language]
Target games: ring toss, beanbag toss, bowling, hoops and basketball.
Play the game but instruct in English. Praise in English too.
Climbing: Jungle Gym equipment and building in the sand- sand
castles etc…while children are climbing say … is climbing and so on.
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Resources
 Craft items: wood, glue, beads, felt, fabric, paper, color

markers, paint, scissors and molding clay.
 Clothing items: old uniforms [Doctors, nurse, police,

cook etc..] men’s, women’s and children’s clothes.
 Puppet materials: felt, glue, old socks, scissors and

thread. Cardboard box for stage.
 Picture books.
 Simple cooking utensils: pans, mixing bowls, spatula,

spoons, measuring equipment and food items.
 Target games: ring toss, bowls, and beanie toys etc…
 Jungle Gym: monkey bars, parallel bars and sand pit.
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Motor Skills Development Age Six
By the age of six young children have gained much greater control
over not only large motor skills but also finer ones. Movements are now
more precise and deliberate although a measure of clumsiness still
persists.
Hand eye coordination has increased the six years old dexterity
enabling the child to ride a bicycle unaided and participate in
activities such as swinging a bat and swimming.
The six year old still enjoys arts and crafts the same as the five year old,
and loves to make things. At this age writing is beginning to take shape
and can trace around objects, fold and cut paper into basic shapes.
At this age most children can typically tie own shoe laces and needs
no help with dressing. Being physically active is still important to this age
group and although a six year may try to sit still he/she will have trouble
doing so and may compensate by swinging their legs or rocking on the
chair.
30
Activities to enhance Language Learning for Six year
olds through use of Motor Skills
Short stories with large pictures should be read often and key words
demonstrated or acted out by the teacher using the pictures as visual
aids.
Collecting simple objects and labeling them with English labels is an

excellent way to develop retention of new vocabulary in young
children. Do this together as a group or individually and have children
repeat after teacher and also write labels sticking them on each item.
Dress up is still a valuable activity for this age group as is role-play and
skits. Have children dress up and guess the English name for what they
are.
Introducing easy team sports is another activity that can enhance

language learning. Have children play line up games where they throw
the ball down the line in turn counting or saying the alphabet as they
go.
31
Resources
 Art equipment: paint, scissors, craft materials, paper

and paste.
 Card and Board games: Memory cards, Fish and

Snakes and Ladders.
 Stencils: animals, alphabet, numbers and everyday

items.
 Story books: large pictures easy key words.
 Dress up clothes: uniforms and all clothing items.
32
2.3 Advise on motor skill development for age 7.
Motor Skills Development Age Seven
By the age of seven children become more cautious and tend to be a

little hesitant when participating in challenging physical activities such
as climbing or jumping. At this age children tend to practice activities
continuously until they feel they have mastered them only to then
become bored and more on to another challenge.
Seven year olds have finely tuned motor skills and so are able to throw
and catch much smaller balls can hit a ball with a bat and manipulate
a computer mouse with ease.
Seven year olds tend to sit on the floor rather than in chairs when
reading or watching TV although they still tend to fidget constantly like
younger six year olds.
Holding a pen or pencil in a tight grasp this age group tends to lean
close to the table when writing or drawing resting their head on their
forearm. When writing seven year olds show they are able to produce
letters and numbers that are becoming symmetric and uniform in
shape and size. At this age children can master a knife and a fork
although may still have trouble with cutting up food?
33
Activities to enhance Language Learning for Seven
Seven year olds benefit greatly from play acting activities and drama,
role plays and puppet shows are good ways to have them practicing
language through drama.
Have children practice short dialogue using gesturing and body

language to increase comprehension then have them act out the
dialogue in a short skit or play.
Dancing is another activity that this age group can enjoy play dancing
games like freeze to vocabulary or encourage children to dance to
the door, window, board and around the room chanting vocabulary
as they go ie… ‘I’m dancing to the door’ and so on.
Have children participate in ‘making things’ activities using TPR [Total

Physical Response Method] where teacher verbally instructs
demonstrating clearly and children follow instructions in order to make
the item.
34
Resources
 Dress up clothes including hats, scarves shoes.
 Dialogue or short plays.
35
ASSIGNMENT 2
Q.1 How do three and four year olds need to learn?
Q.2 What shows the three year old has increased hand eye
coordination?
Q.3 In what way do four year olds show they have increased
motor skills?
Q.4 How does a four year old hold a crayon or marker pen?
And what does this show?
Q.5 In what ways have hand eye coordination further

developed in six year olds?
Q.6 What language skill is starting to take shape at the age

of six?
Q.7 By what age do children tend to be a little cautious in

physical activities?
Q.8 What activities do seven year olds benefit from?
Q.9 Create a motor skill activity for 3-4 year olds for language
learning.
Q.10 Create a motor skill activity for 7 year olds for language
learning.
36
Chapter 2
Cognitive and Native

Language Development
Ages, 3 to 7 years
37
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TSGTCLE30A/03 COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.
3.1 Advise on cognitive and Language Development for 3 and 4 year

olds.
Cognitive and Native Language Development

Age Three
At the age of three children can enjoy storybooks written with simple
one and two syllable nouns and verbs with very basic vocabulary and
large action pictures. Three year olds will often comment during stories
read in their native tongue that relate to familiar topics such as family
and animals.
Children will pretend they can read at this age and try to explain
pictures. Picture books are excellent opportunities to teach new
vocabulary to this age group.
In their native language three year olds can begin to distinguish

homophones [words which sound similar] such as fish-dish in English. This
distinction shows that the children are able to cope with learning
complex new sounds and be able to produce them.
When playing children tend to mimic ‘real life’ providing excellent
opportunities for the teacher to join in and use English to describe to
the child what they are doing.
Three year olds can work on peg boards fitting 8-10 at one time before
loosing concentration. Children can draw very rough copies of very
basic shapes such as squares, circles and letters.
When asked three year olds can point to correct shapes and animals
pre-taught.
When sorting objects, children often categorize items in colors or size

putting all of one color aside from the rest. And can understand the
comparison of size as in bigger and smaller.
At this age children generally understand primary colors and can
match up similar colored items. Counting aloud is limited up to ten.
And children can typically place objects such as cubes in a row.
Time is another cognitive function developing at this age and children
often get confused with tomorrow, yesterday and today.
Socially three year olds have an understanding of concepts such as

taking turns but are not always eager or willing to do so. At this age
children are generally cheerful, laughing and playing simple games
within group activities. Three years olds are typically chatty even talking
to themselves or imaginary friends or objects. The world of make
believe is very important to this age group and play acting is carried
39
out whether alone or playing with other children.
The concept of possession is strong to three year olds and they will
defend a toy to the point of becoming aggressive even hitting and
snatching. Although, very aware of self three year olds will show
affection to other children particularly younger ones, kissing a baby or
comforting it.
Native language development at this age includes some 300 to 1000

vocabulary words. Talking about familiar objects, family and events
usually. They will talk about people who are not present such as a
friend, parent or sibling. Four word sentences are common such as
‘Mary has two bags’ or ‘Daddy is washing car’ three year olds can
adequately answer simple questions about familiar items or people
and readily enjoy chat. Very curious about their immediate world they
begin to ask constant questions about where people or things are.
What questions are also common as are how questions.
Three year olds have an understanding or social manners and use

greetings like ‘hello’ ‘please’ and ‘bye’ Vocabulary is increasing
constantly to include many nouns and phrases like ‘the small red car’.
Can now begin to elaborate on events with more than one or two
sentences about a topic or specific event ie: ‘there’s a car’ ‘it is a big
car’ ‘that car is big like Daddy’s’ Verbs are usually spoken in the
present tense when talking and plural words usually have ‘s’ added to
them such as ‘mices’ instead of ‘mice’ Questions extend to ‘why cant
I’, ‘what are you doing?’ and typically three year olds do not like taking
‘no’ as an answer when they want to do something.
40
Activities to enhance Language Learning through use
of Cognitive Skills for Three year olds
Creative Building- lay out lego or building blocks and build a house to
show them then say ‘house’ encourage children to repeat after you.
Next help children build their own houses and repeat ‘house, house’ do
this activity building as many items as possible ie: car, boat ect…
Arts and Crafts: Give children marker pens, paints or crayons. Draw or
paint the item to be taught as a demonstration repeating its name.
Help children to draw or paint the object.
Molding Clay: Give out molding clay and demonstrate to children how
to stage by stage make a particular item ie: animal being taught.
Read stories: Large picture books and Picture Dictionaries with one and
two syllable words and brightly colored pictures. Draw attention to key
vocabulary such as: the animal, what size, cute or scary use
exaggerated body language and gestures when reading. [If children
answer in their native language smile and repeat the answer to them in
English. They should not feel they have made a mistake but that this is
another way to say the item] Have children make a picture dictionary
and insert all newly learnt vocabulary in their books by either drawing
or cutting and pasting pictures.
Video: show very short video clips of vocabulary being taught. Use clips
from children’s shows. Then read a story or do a craft activity about
that item/animal.
Music: Nursery rhymes or very short children’s songs. Sing the song
repeating and encourage children to join, praise them when they do
join in be sure to use lots of body language.
♫
41
Resources
Construction sets
Large Lego.
Connecter sets.
Art and Craft:

Paints [non-toxic]
Crayons
Felt and fabrics
Paste [non-toxic]
Ice-cream sticks, pegs
Marker pens [non-toxic not permanent ink]
Molding Clay [non-toxic]
Large Picture Books:

Animal, family, home and all familiar topics many books with very large
bright pictures. Picture Dictionaries.
Video
Children’s TV shows: short 2-3 minute clips depicting the new
vocabulary word to be taught i.e.: kangaroo- short clip of a kangaroo.
TV shows such as: Playschool, Sesame Street and The Wiggles.
Music
Children’s songs and Nursery Rhymes.
The Alphabet song and all action songs and chants
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Age Four
Four-year-old children are very similar to the younger three year olds
except that by this age their understanding of the things they have
previously learnt broadens. Instead of understanding only height or size
they now can make comparisons such as: ‘the biggest mountain’ or
‘the smallest mouse’ They understand time now in relation to their daily
routine like ‘in the morning I go to school’ or ‘after I brush my teeth
mummy reads me a story and then I go to sleep’ [in their native
language]
By this age typically children are able to print several letters in their
alphabet, own name and possibly a few numbers.
Four year olds usually can recognize the majority of their own
alphabetic system and a few printed words. Some children begin to
read simple books and enjoy stories about ‘how’ how we do things,
how things work.
Silly language begins at this age and children delight in ‘toilet humor’
and make believe words they make up. Counting by rote most children
can count to 20 or possibly more and can also recognize when things
are different such as; identifying what is wrong with a picture or what is
missing such as; a puzzle piece or part of something. Native language
speech development has also progressed to children understanding
concepts such as ‘under’ ‘on’ and ‘in’ Possession is another
understood concept such as ‘that is mine’ or ‘its his toy’ or ‘her dress’
By the age of four in their own language children understand and can
answer questions related to who, why, where and how. Spoken
sentences are much larger now and topics are elaborated on in
speech in an effort to describe a thing or event. In their own language
the concept of ‘past’ is mostly understood and children will often
correctly refer to past events such as ‘mommy went to work this
morning’
When speaking to younger children, four year olds will adapt their
vocabulary simplifying to meet the comprehension of the younger
child i.e. : ‘baby hungry’ instead of ‘the baby is hungry and wants
some food’ this type of syntax adjustment shows how much the child
has progressed in language understanding and also being aware of
the needs and feelings of others. At this age children are capable of
holding basic conversations and are able to express their needs and
how they want these met. Singing is highly enjoyable to four year olds
and usually they know a few simple songs and rhymes and will
constantly sing these. In their native language typically the four year
43
old has a vocabulary of approximately 1000 to 1500 words and
understands more words heard than can use in or produce in speech.
Socially these children are very sociable and enjoy chatting with other
children more than with adults. Being outgoing and friendly they can
cooperate well with others in-group activities and tend to begin
developing a ‘best friend’. Mood swings or mood extremes are
common though and can tend to be over enthusiastic one minute and
then crying the next.
Having an overactive imagination is also common as is exaggerating,

boasting and bending the truth to suit their needs. Loudness in speech
is also typical and four year olds still find it difficult to sit still for an
extended period of time.
Although more independent the four year old will still seek adult
approval and do things to gain attention. Showing pride in their work is
a positive way this age group seeks approval from adults. ‘Dobbing’ or
‘Tattling’ on other children is a negative way the seek attention from
adults and may even at times throw tantrums.
Four year olds are mostly outgoing and happy though and readily
enjoy social occasions and interaction with others. Old enough to
understand what they want to do but often frustrated when they
cannot achieve something on their own.
44
of Cognitive Skills for Four year olds
Non strategic board games: such as memory games, Snakes and

Ladders or Candy Land where children roll a dice and move pieces
around a board are very good and can be adapted for teaching
vocabulary.
Card games: memory games can be used to teach vocabulary

successfully games such as Fish and Old Maid. Match up or snap.
Puzzles: are excellent ways to enhance Language Learning in four year

olds. Have an ABC puzzle and numbers even animals with the names in
English.
45
Resources
Board games: Snakes and Ladders ect…
Card games: Fish, Old Maid Memory Match-up.
Puzzles: ABC, Animals, Numerals, Word and Picture Match-

up.
46
3.2 Advise on cognitive and Language Development for 5 and 6 year
olds.

Age Five
The five-year-old child is a very eager and willing student. Wanting to

know everything about everything children of this age will continuously
ask questions such as: Why? What? Where? When? Who? How? Or,
How come? One simple answer is often not enough and parents often
complain the questions never stop.
Classification skills are evident at this age and children typically sort
objects by classifying them. All the toy cars, all the food items all the
blocks sorting them into different groups. Sorting can also be two
dimensions as in color or form as this age group has a good
understanding of the concept of shape and size.
Classification also extends to sorting objects from the smallest to the

tallest showing skill evidence of comparisons. Positioning is another
concept understood by five year olds as children often say ‘this is first’
‘this goes next’ and ‘that is last’
It is common to see five year olds deciding which glass has more
especially when filled with a favorite drink or which bowl is bigger.
Counting has developed to at least twenty but quite often up to one
hundred and can usually recognize numerals up to ten in their native
language. Money is another concept this age group has an
understanding of and can differentiate coins of lesser value.
The concept of time has also noticeably developed and children have
a concept of early, light and dark and can understand and tell time by
the hour. Many children have an understanding of the Calendar and
of weeks, months and years.
At this age the alphabet has been learnt in their native tongue in both
upper and lower case. Vocabulary for this age group has extended to
at least 1500 words or more and these children love to tell stories and
hold a listening ear. In their native language five year olds can explain
about people and things and relate functions to objects such as you
drive a car and fly an airplane.
Humor is important to five year olds and they frequently make up jokes
or understand the punch line of jokes they are told. Sentences are now
quite long usually more than 7-8 words and children are able to state
familiar details about their families, homes, contact details and friends.
Children often answer the telephone at this age and do so in the
correct manner. Can remember short messages and even make
47
phone calls to familiar people.
Five year olds are very social and readily enjoy having friends much like
four year olds. At this age though sharing is a concept more developed
and children will play well in pairs and groups with less fighting. Five is a
caring age and children tend to want to ‘take care of’ others. Being
obedient at this age shows that the struggle to become independent
isn’t as important as five year olds are more settled in themselves and
their abilities. Mood swings are also less common at this age and
children are able to exercise more control over their behavior.
48
of Cognitive Skills for Five year olds
Crafts activities where the children can glue, paint, draw and make
items. Simple woodwork, weaving, beading and playing with fabrics.
Making toy animals or painting the alphabet or drawing. Counting
pieces/items 1-10.
Reading: being read stories aloud large picture books. Read to

children brief stories in large picture books do not explain every word
just cover key words and refer to the pictures.
Pen and pencil games: Pictionary, letter, word and number recognition
games. Have children draw and animal and try and explain what it is in
English [demonstrate this well first]
49
Resources
Craft items: wood, glue, beads, felt, fabric, paper, color

markers, paint, scissors and molding clay.
Large storybooks with lots of bright pictures.
Picture Dictionaries and flashcards.
Puzzles and blocks.
50
Age Six
The six-year-old child has now developed a much longer attention

span and is able to work at tasks for much longer periods of time.
Because of the increased attention span six year olds enjoy playing
with puzzles and are able to work on them until completion.
Along with puzzles six year olds enjoy games, mazes and match up
activities. At this age group children understand the concept of what is
better, faster and also motion and movement. In their native language
most six year olds can read and phonetically decode many words.
By the age of six most children typically have an understanding of

death and dying and frequently worry about losing a parent.
Vocabulary has now expanded enormously to approximately 10,000 to
14,000 words in their native language while still learning between 5 to
10 new words per day. Words have power for this age group and will
settle differences by complaining or verbalizing displeasure rather than
by physical aggression. Verbal sentence structure in the native
language is correct usually and children of this age can talk through
their problems and problem solve for themselves often.
Like five year olds children aged six love ‘toilet humor’ and tell silly jokes
constantly. Jokes and riddles are often told although the meaning is
often lost. If the child comes from a family of more than one language
the six year old can spontaneously pick up the second language and
be fully functional in both languages simultaneously.
At the age of six children are developing a sense of right and wrong,
good and bad based on the values set by their parents. Children are
aware of when they are good or bad and can often cheat, tell minor
lies or even steal from others. This maybe partly due to their
development of self as they tend to see things only from their own
perspective at this age.
The six year old however needs constant encouragement and seeks
adult approval. Children often complain of imagined or very minor
ailments and injuries to gain attention and worry about normal events
such as thunderstorms, the dark and strange noises.
51
of Cognitive Skills for Six year olds
Painting, drawing, cutting and pasting activities. The teacher can

verbally instruct the children in English step by step while clearly
demonstrating or using clear body language.
Copying and tracing over the alphabet and numerals while the
teacher calls out the English names for each and children repeat
[choral drill] also further the learning process.
Like five year olds, six-year-old children can still enjoy and benefit from
card and board games and puzzles.
52
Resources
All art and craft materials such as paints, markers, crayons
Stencil sets and tracing paper
Dot to dot activities
Mazes and coloring tasks
53
3.3 Advise on cognitive and Language Development for 7 year olds.

Age Seven
Seven year olds have a highly developed sense of time and are able
to fully understand the calendar, days, weeks months, years and
seasons. Space is another concept understood by this age group and
they often refer to 100 kilometers as being far away.
Consequences are understood more clearly by seven year olds and
they think of it in terms of if they do this or that what will happen such as
“if I don’t do my homework, I will get in trouble tomorrow at school”
At this age children typically enjoy reading and do so for enjoyment

often retelling what they have read to parents. Spelling is not as
developed at this age and the same for writing. Children love to learn
tricks and magic and are fascinated with the unusual. Often five year
olds will ‘put on’ shows for parents and friends with tricks or puppet
shows they learn or make up. Money is another concept readily
understood by this age group and they love to play with, count and
even save money.
Seven year olds vocabulary and speech is very adult like and they can
tell events in correct order as well as embellish details or elaborate.
Gesturing is another typical trait and it is part of expression when telling
events or storytelling. At this age children can tend to be critical of
themselves and become frustrated when they feel they could have
done better at a task. At this age children do tend to worry about not
being liked by their peers and can have their feelings hurt easily
become embarrassed or cry.
On the whole seven year olds are social, chatty and enjoy having
friends to whom they love to write notes or draw pictures for.
54
Activities to enhance Language Learning through the
use of Cognitive Skills for Seven year olds
Science projects: simple tasks that can be clearly seen and understood
so that the children can follow the key words used by the teacher in
English to follow and observe the experiment.
Arts and Craft activities: useful items, gifts for family and friends or class
projects such as Collages.
Puzzles: word puzzles, join the dots, puzzle pictures and sorting.
Board games: snakes and ladders, memory, battleship and pictionary.
55
Resources
Craft items: scissors, paste, thread, beads, fabrics and paints.
Science projects.
Puzzles, board games
56
TSGTCLE30A/03 COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.
ASSIGNMENT 3
Q.1 What shows that 3 year olds can cope with learning new
sounds? And produce them?
Q.2 Approximately how many words in their native language

can a three year old speak?
Q.3 What kinds of books are good for 3 year olds?
Q.4 In what way can four year olds make comparisons?
Q.5 By the age of four what are children able to express?
Q.6 What skill is evident by age 5?
Q.7 What has vocabulary extended to by age 5?
Q.8 Why are six year olds more able to enjoy activities such
as puzzles?
Q.9 Create a cognitive skill activity for 5-6 year olds for
language learning.
Q.10 Create a cognitive skill activity for 7 year olds for

language learning.
57
TSGTCLE30A/04 TEACHING TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRE-SCHOOL
CLASSROOM.
4.1 Advise on Non – verbal communication.
The Importance of Non-verbal Communication in the

Pre-school Classroom
Improving Nonverbal Communication
by Numair A. Choudhury
“It is not only what you say in the classroom that is important, it's how
you say it that can make the difference to students. Nonverbal
messages are an essential component of communication in the
teaching process.
Teachers should be aware of nonverbal behavior in the classroom for

three major reasons
1. An awareness of nonverbal behavior will allow you to become
better receivers of students' messages
2. You will become a better sender of signals that reinforce learning
3. This mode of communication increases the degree of the
perceived psychological closeness between teacher and student.
Some major areas of nonverbal behaviors to explore are
1. Eye contact
2. Facial expressions
3. Gestures
4. Posture and body orientation
5. Proximity
6. Paralinguistics
7. Humor
8. Eye contact
 Eye contact: an important channel of interpersonal

communication, helps regulate the flow of communication. And it
signals interest in others. Furthermore, eye contact with audiences
increases the speaker's credibility. Teachers who make eye contact
open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern,
warmth and credibility.
58
 Facial expressions: like smiling, a powerful cue that transmits
 Happiness
 Friendliness
 Warmth
 Liking
 Affiliation
Thus, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more

likable, friendly, warm and approachable. Smiling is often
contagious and students will react favorably and learn more.
 Gestures: If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be

perceived as boring, stiff and unanimated. A lively and animated
teaching style captures students' attention, makes the material
more interesting, facilitates learning and provides a bit of
entertainment. Head nods, a form of gestures, communicate
positive reinforcement to students and indicate that you are
listening.
 Posture and body orientation :You communicate numerous

messages by the way you walk, talk, stand and sit. Standing erect,
but not rigid, and leaning slightly forward communicates to students
that you are approachable, receptive and friendly. Furthermore,
interpersonal closeness results when you and your students face
each other. Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor
or ceiling should be avoided; it communicates disinterest to your
class.
 Proximity: Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for

interaction with students. You should look for signals of discomfort
caused by invading students' space. Some of these are
 Rocking
 Leg swinging
 Tapping
 Gaze aversion
Typically, in large college classes space invasion is not a problem. In

fact, there is usually too much distance. To counteract this, move
around the classroom to increase interaction with your students.
Increasing proximity enables you to make better eye contact and
increases the opportunities for students to speak.
59
 Paralinguistics: This facet of nonverbal communication includes
such vocal elements as
 Tone
 Pitch
 Rhythm
 Timbre
 Loudness
 Inflection
For maximum teaching effectiveness, learn to vary these six

elements of your voice. Avoid speaking in a monotone, as this is
one of the major criticisms of teachers who do so. Listeners
perceive these instructors as boring and dull. Students report that
they learn less and lose interest more quickly when listening to
teachers who have not learned to modulate their voices.
 Humor
Humor is often overlooked as a teaching tool, and it is too often not
encouraged in college classrooms. Laughter releases stress and
tension for both instructor and student. You should develop the
ability to laugh at yourself and encourage students to do the same.
It fosters a friendly classroom environment that facilitates learning.
(Lou Holtz wrote that when his players felt successful he always
observed the presence of good humor in the locker room.)
Obviously, adequate knowledge of the subject matter is crucial to
your success; however, it's not the only crucial element. Creating a
climate that facilitates learning and retention demands good
nonverbal and verbal skills. To improve your nonverbal skills, record
your speaking on videotape. Then ask a colleague in
communications to suggest refinements. The use of silences is also
an effective non-verbal tool. “
60
Chapter 3
Second Language Acquisition
61
62
4.2 Advise on second language acquisition.
“Puberty may be the time of many new beginnings independence,

physical changes, social experimentation but it also marks the end of
a child's window of opportunity for easily acquiring additional
languages. (Some parents insist that adolescence also means the end
of English communication itself but that's a subject for a whole other
article.) Science suggests that when it comes to ease of learning and
proficiency in a foreign language, earlier is better. So why aren't
second languages taught in every preschool and primary grade to
take advantage of young children's natural capacity to pick them up?
Good question. As with so much these days, the answer lies at least
partly in financing. Early foreign language instruction, like art and
music, may be deemed nonessential when it comes to funding. As a
result, many children will take their first foreign language class in middle
school or even high school, just as their windows of opportunity slam
shut.
There are exceptions. Private schools usually start foreign language

instruction in early grades. Many public elementary schools offer
languages, too, sometimes as an afterschool fee-charging activity
taught once or twice a week by an outside contractor like Berlitz For
Kids. In fact, California ranks among the top five states in the
percentage of public primary schools offering foreign language
programs. According to the National Education Association, California
also leads the nation in cutting-edge elementary school immersion
programs, which, as we'll see below, are the most effective for
producing fluent speakers. Finally, privately funded "Saturday schools"
offer another avenue for early language study.
Let's briefly summarize the science behind the "earlier is better"

conclusion. Then, in case you don't understand why your 4-year-old
should speak, say, Mandarin when you don't, we'll look at the overall
benefits of foreign language acquisition. We'll see how language is
taught and explore your options for taking advantage of your child's
optimum language-learning years.
63
The Brain and Language Acquisition
The "window of opportunity" idea is widely accepted. Here is a very

simplified explanation: From birth until puberty, the brain literally formats
itself to perform various specialized functions, such as language, based
upon the input it gets from the world. Neural networks gradually form,
and they function more and more efficiently as they are used. If a
second language is part of that input, networks for understanding and
using it grow richer. Therefore, early exposure to a second language
actually causes more connections to grow in a child's brain, and those
connections, in turn, allow for easier additional learning in the second
and first languages.
This "formatting" process, especially active in the first six

years, ends at puberty, or around age 12, and the brain
begins to shed connections it no longer uses. The capacity
to distinguish and make sounds not encountered in
languages the child speaks diminishes or disappears.
Many scientists believe that a newborn's brain is genetically

"programmed" to learn language, just as a bird is programmed to sing
or a spider to weave a web. No one actually teaches a child to talk.
Rather, parents and others enable her learning by speaking while they
interact with her. The interaction is a critical part of this process; merely
hearing TV or radio is not enough by itself.
Baby talk by adults is part of this interaction. It involves simple sentence
structure and vocabulary, exaggerated intonation and sounds,
repetition, and questions, all of which help a child sort out meanings,
sounds, and sentence patterns of a language.
During this early period, two languages can be learned simultaneously
as long as the child regularly interacts with speakers of both languages.
Pronunciation is more like that of a native speaker when language

study begins early. Some experts believe this is due in part to
physiological changes at puberty; by age 15, a child's facial muscles
and bones are nearly mature, and his musculature loses sensitivity to
phonetic distinctions that are not relevant to the languages he speaks.
It is simply harder for the older student to make new, unfamiliar sounds.
A psychological factor may also be at work: Older children are more
inhibited in trying out new sounds and more concerned about making
mistakes.For further information on language and the brain, an
excellent website is www.1worldlc.org.
Acquiring a language is effortless for a young child. Getting him into a

class early allows easy, natural absorption of a second language
through play and exploration. I, for one, can vouch for the fact that
64
starting Spanish in tenth grade is not effortless.
Save your kid the struggle.
Improvement of overall academic performance. Statistically, children

who study a second language score higher on verbal standardized
tests conducted in English, according to the College Entrance
Examination Board. Language students also perform better in math
and logic skills than children with just one language. There is also some
evidence that foreign language students are more creative and better
at solving complex problems.
Likewise, Chris Clark, director of Contra Costa's immersion preschool,

Kids Into Speaking Spanish (KISS), notes that "no one expects the very
young to master complex points of grammar, but the program seeks to
make the children open to exploring other languages and cultures,
Spanish or otherwise."
Retention of family heritage, culture, and language as the younger

generation assimilates into mainstream American culture.
Ability to communicate with non-English speakers in travel abroad or at
home. If your French, say, is weak, your fluent child can keep you from
mistakenly ordering "a barrel of your house wine," as one of my friends
did recently in Paris!” 1
www.parentspress.com/edulanguages.html 23.08.2006
65
4.3 Advise pre-school topics.
Topics to teach Pre-school children Ages 3 to 7
 Roman script Alphabet: a through to z first in lower case, then in

upper case.
 Greetings: hello, bye, hi, ta, thank you, please, etc..
 Daily vocabulary: good, yes, no, here, there, come, go etc…
 Everyday action verbs [present tense]: sitting, standing, running,
jumping, turning, listening, speaking, singing, dancing, playing,
talking etc…
 Familiar everyday nouns: names of family members, rooms of
house, toys, classroom items/objects, animals in categories, food
in lexical order [ fruit, vegetables etc…] very basic occupations,
flora, neighborhood, buildings, transportation, clothing etc…
 Colors: starting with basic primary colors i.e.: red, blue, yellow
then secondary colors basic i.e.: black, white, green, orange,
pink, purple. Not shades of colors.
 Pronouns: She, he, I, me, my, they, we, them, it, her, his, ours etc..
 Articles: a, an, the etc…
 Calendar: days of week, months of year.
 Time: analog using hour hand and minute hand firstly hours then
minutes [quarter to, quarter past.
 Simple adjectives: pretty, old, young, new, easy, hard etc…
 Basic emotions: happy, sad, angry and scared.
 Sports: swimming, fishing, soccer, basketball etc…
 Simple phonics: e for egg, b for bed etc…
Numbers: one to twenty [teach two numbers at a time]
66
Chapter 4
The Four Language Skills
67
68
4.4 Advise teaching the four language skills.
Listening Skill how to teach it
The listening skill is the first language skill learnt by children. From the
moment babies are born parents chat to them continuously. Babies
listen actively to their mothers and fathers voice and soon turn their
eyes and heads to follow the voice. The tone of voice is extremely
important. Young learners automatically pick up on the Para lingual
aspects of the voice they are listening too and discern an amount of
meaning from the tone, emphasis, intonation, voice inflection and
pitch.
It is extremely important with pre-school students that the teacher’s

voice be melodious, warm and friendly. Facial expressions are also
important as these help draw and keep the children’s attention. In
second language learners, the listening skill is the first learnt and also
the most important as it must be learnt in order for students to use the
speaking skill. For young learners it is vital that the teacher speaks slowly
and clearly with slow and clear lip movement.
Because young listeners will pay attention to certain aspects of the

teacher’s voice rather than try to understand the meaning of the words
spoken, body language and gesturing is vital in teaching young ESL
students. When the teacher is animated and expressive the children
pay close attention and imitate the teacher.
Teachers need to be aware that in most cases children will initially be

following body language for all in class instruction, and so it is
necessary to slowly demonstrate activities in stages ie: cut out picture,
put paste on the back of the picture, place picture on the paper.
Repeating many times is also important remember to use body
language each time you repeat.
69
Activities to Teach the Listening Skill
 Music and songs: play English songs in the classroom such as

nursery rhymes while children are playing. Teach action songs line
by line.
 Use video to teach the listening skill. Video from children’s TV such
as Sesame Street- counting, Play school and Hi Five. Have children
listen to certain vocabulary such as animals then show them toy
animals in class to pass around play with and make noises.
 Read stories: picture books with few key words. Emphasis and act
out the characters in the story such as the animals etc…
 Audio tapes: play audio taped stories with few key vocabulary
words.
 Play Follow the Leader: have children listen to very simple verbal
instructions act them out for the children to follow. Ie. Clap your
hands, dance, jump and skip.
 Play telephones: play answering the phone… hello, goodbye and

thank you.
 Play Simon Says: children act out Teachers example.
 Listening chain: use only one or two words have children stand in a
circle and whisper the word to each other.
Freeze: have children dance to music, when the music stops call out
an animal and children must act it out.
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Speaking Skill how to teach it
The speaking skill is very difficult for older ESL students, as they tend to
be very self-conscious. Young learners though enjoy playing with
language and are still experimenting with their own native language.
This process of experimentation is good for the ESL student as they will
play with sounds and participate well in noisy activities.
One of the most important things to remember is not to constantly

correct students. Allow young learners to mispronounce words as this is
part of speech development in the young. Allow students to be noisy
and play games were children can call out verbally as well as
physically act out the words. Model the new words clearly and slowly
with defined mouth movements and encourage the children to copy.
Ask very simple questions such as ‘what is your name?” and “what is
this?”
Reward students for answering in English give lots of praise.

When a child correctly says a new word praise them and have them
repeat it while clapping hands or dancing about this helps make the
learning a fun game and encourages other children to follow the
‘dance’ of language.
When children have reached the ages of 6 and 7 the teacher can
begin to carefully correct pronunciation in a playful way. Peer
correction or playfully repeating the words for children to follow, as a
class will avoid any one student feeling singled out.
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Activities to Teach the Speaking Skill
 Flashcards: play flashcard games like memory and match up where

students must call out the answer in teams or as a class.
 Songs: teach easy short songs or nursery rhymes line by line with
children repeating choral drill.
 Games: ‘I spy’ or ‘fish’
 Telephone game: pretend answering phone.
 Play acting including dress-up
 Puppet shows
 Simple dialogues
 Choral drills
 Reading activities
 Simple question and answer activities.
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Reading Skill how to teach it
Pre school children may not be able to read in their own languages
and only have sight recognition of some words and their native
alphabet. Reading can be taught through practice but how can you
teach reading in English to students who cannot understand it?
The best way is through reading large picture books to pre school
students. Emphasize the vocabulary by drawing attention to the
pictures and where possible act out the action in the story.
Make sure there are plenty of picture books for children to look at and
enjoy browsing.
If a computer is available use reading games and software programs

for young learners.
Have words attached to classroom items and walk around the class
reading them to children praise children for repeating after you. Allow
children to pretend to read. This is common in young children. Let them
point to the pictures and tell you what each item is. If they use their
native language smile and repeat the correct English word.
Children naturally desire to know and will enjoy learning to read if

encouraged regularly.
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Activities to teach the Reading Skills
 Read to the class regularly.
 Encourage individual reading by having plenty of picture books.
 Use match up worksheets.
 Put tags on class items for children to read.
 Computer reading software or games.
Have children read labels on items and bring in items with English labels.
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Writing Skill how to teach it
In ESL students the writing skill is the last skill mastered. For pre-school
children it is especially difficult as they may not be able to write in their
own native language except for their name and alphabet.
Begin teaching the writing skill by teaching the alphabet [a-z roman
script] flashcards and match up worksheets help students to recognize
words. Encourage writing using games and play acting and art/craft
activities.
Books used for teaching handwriting can be useful especially ones with
dots to follow.
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Activities to Teach the Writing Skill
 Dot-to-Dot worksheets.
 Unscramble words match up activities.
 Writing skill books.
 Painting activities with the alphabet.
 Painting activities with words.
 Art and craft activities with words.
 Write and decorate cards for family or friends.
 Write and decorate invitations.
 Games.
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Chapter 5
Songs for the

Pre-school classroom
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Songs to Teach English for Pre-school children
Singing songs in an English language classroom takes time and a lot of

practice but the results are rewarding. There is no age limit as to when
students can sing, but Pre-school students often cannot read in their
own language and so you shouldn’t give students the lyrics if they are
unable to read them. Have the students repeat lines after you repeat
the lines often, and continually go back and refresh the lines you have
already taught.
Don’t be afraid if you think you can’t sing. Students love to sing, and
they don’t care how good or bad you sound. In fact, if you know you
sound horrible, play up to it. The students will love you for it.
What types of songs are good for children?
 simple songs
 songs with lots of repetition
 songs that have choruses that even students who don’t
understand can follow (e.g., Old MacDonald’s E-I-E-I-O!)
 fun songs
 songs with actions
Teach songs to younger children from age 3 however teach just one
line repeating constantly with body language and actions teach only
the chorus. For older children teach the entire song section by section.
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Songs for the Pre-school classroom
1. The Alphabet Song for ages 3 and 4
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV
W X Y and Z
Now I know my ABC’s,

Come and sing along with me.
2. Ba-Ba Black Sheep for ages 5-7
Baa baa black sheep have you any wool?

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full
One for my master,
And one for my dame,
And one for the little boy
who lives down the lane.

One for my master,
And one for my dame,
And one for the little boy
who lives down the lane.

3. The Bear Went Over the Mountain for ages 5-7
The bear went over the mountain,

To see what he could see.
And all that he could see,

And all that he could see,
Was the other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain
Was all that he could see.
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4. Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie for ages 5-7
Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie,

Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.
5. Head and Shoulders for ages 3-7
Head and shoulders, knees and toes,

knees and toes, knees and toes,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes,
Eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.
6. Hush age 7 and above
Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Mama’s going to buy you a
mocking bird
And if that mocking bird don’t sing, Mama’s going to buy you a
diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass, Mama’s going to buy you a
looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke, Mama’s going to buy you a
billy goat.
And if that billy goat won’t pull, Mama’s going to buy you a cart
and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over, Mama’s going to buy you a
dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won’t bark, mama’s going to buy
you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart fall down, you’ll still be the sweetest
little baby in town.
And if that horse and cart fall down, you’ll still be the sweetest
little baby in town.
7. Hickory Dickory Dock ages 5-7
Hickory dickory dock,

The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
the mouse ran down
Hickory dickory dock.
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The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck two,
he hid in the shoe

The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck three,
he climbed up a tree,

The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck four,
he ran out the door
8. Humpty Dumpty for ages 5-7
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men,
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
9. I’ve Been Working on the Railroad for ages 5-7
I’ve been working on the railroad,

All the live long day.
I’ve been working on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Don’t you hear the whistle blowing?
Rise up so early in the morn
Don’t you hear the captain shouting
“Dinah, blow your horn”?
Dinah, won’t you blow,

Dinah won’t you blow your horn?
Dinah won’t you blow your horn?
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Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah.
Someone’s in the kitchen I know.
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah.
Strumming on the old banjo.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-I-o.

Fee, fie, fiddle-e-I-o...io.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-I-o.
Strumming on the old banjo.
10. I Know an Old Lady for age 7
I know an old lady who swallowed a fly.

I don’t know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she’ll die.
I know an old lady who swallowed a spider

that wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I know an old lady who swallowed a bird.

How absurd to swallow a bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
I know an old lady who swallowed a cat.

Think of that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
she swallowed the bird to catch the spider
I know an old lady who swallowed a dog.

Oh what a hog, to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
she swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
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I know an old lady who swallowed a goat.

Popped open her throat, and swallowed a goat!
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
she swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
I know an old lady who swallowed a cow.

Don’t ask me how, but she swallowed a cow!
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat,
she swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
she swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
she swallowed the bird to catch the spider that
wiggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
I know an old lady who swallowed a horse.

She died, of course!
11. Jack and Jill for ages 5-7
Jack and Jill went up the hill,

To fetch a pail of water,
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got and home he ran,

As fast as he could caper.
There his mother bound his head,
With vinegar and brown paper.
12. Little Bo Beep for ages 5-7
Little Bo Peep
Has lost her sheep
She doesn’t know
Where to find them.
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Leave them alone
And they’ll come home
Bringing their tails
Behind them.
13. Little Boy Blue for age 7
Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn

The sheep’s in the meadow
The cow’s in the corn
Where is the boy who looks after the sheep
He’s under the haystack fast asleep.


14. Little Miss Muffet for ages 5-7
Little Miss Muffet

Sat on her tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
15. The More We Get Together for ages 5-7
Oh, the more we get together,

Together, together
The happier we’ll be.
For your friends are my friends

And my friends are your friends
The happier we’ll be.
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16. The Muffin Man for ages 5-7
Do you know the muffin man

The muffin man, the muffin man,
O do you know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane?
O yes I know the muffin man,

The muffin man, the muffin man,
O yes I know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane.
17. The Mulberry Bush for ages 5-7
Here we go round the mulberry bush,

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
So early in the morning.
This is the way we wash our clothes,

We wash our clothes, we wash our clothes.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
So early Monday morning.
This is the way we iron our clothes,

We iron our clothes, we iron our clothes.
This is the way we iron our clothes,
So early Tuesday morning.
This is the way we scrub the floor,

We scrub the floor, we scrub the floor.
This is the way we scrub the floor,
So early Wednesday morning.
This is the way we mend our clothes,

We mend our clothes, we mend our clothes.
This is the way we mend our clothes,
So early Thursday morning.
This is the way we sweep the house,

We sweep the house, we sweep the house.
This is the way we sweep the house,
So early Friday morning.
This is the way we bake our bread,

We bake our bread, we bake our bread.
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This is the way we bake our bread,
So early Saturday morning.
This is the way we go to church

We go to church, we go to church.
This is the way we go to church,
So early Sunday morning.
18. My Bonnie for ages 5-7
My bonnie lies over the ocean.

My bonnie lies over the sea.
My bonnie lies over the ocean.
O bring back my bonnie to me.
Bring back, bring back,

Bring back, my bonnie to me, to me.
Bring back, bring back,
Bring back my bonnie to me.
19. On Top of My Pizza for ages 5-7
On top of my pizza
All covered with sauce
Could not find the meatballs
I think they got lost.
I looked in the closet

I looked under the sink
I looked in the cup that
Held my cola drink.
I looked in the saucepan

Right under the lid
No matter where I looked
Those meatballs stayed hid.
Next time you make pizza

I’m begging you please
Do not give me meatballs
But just plain old cheese.
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20. On Top of Spaghetti
On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese,

I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table, and onto the floor,

And then my poor meatball rolled out of the door.
It rolled down the garden, and under a bush,

And then my poor meatball was nothing but mush!
The mush was as tasty, as tasty could be,

And then the next summer it grew into a tree.
The tree was all covered, all covered with moss,

And on it grew meatballs, all covered with sauce.
So if you have spaghetti, all covered with cheese,

Hold onto your meatball, ‘cause someone might sneeze.
21. Pussy Cat for ages 5-7
Pussycat, pussycat
where have you been?
I’ve been to London
to visit the Queen.
Pussycat, pussycat
what did you do there?
I frightened a little mouse
under her chair.
Repeat
22. Row Row Row Your Boat ages 3-7
Row row row your boat,

Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
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23. Three Blind Mice for age 7
Three blind mice,

three blind mice.
See how they run,
see how they run.
They all ran after
the farmers wife.
She cut off their tail
with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such
a sight in your life
As three blind mice.
See how they run,

see how they run...
24. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for ages 5-7
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When the nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveller in the dark,

Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
‘Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark,

Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
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Action songs
1. Dem Bones
Dem bones dem bones

Dem dry bones
Dem bones dem bones
Dem dry bones
Your foot bone’s connected to your ankle bone

Your ankle bone’s connected to your leg bone
Your leg bone’s connected to your knee bone
Your knee bone’s connected to your thigh bone
Your thigh bone’s connected to your back bone
Your back bone’s connected to your neck bone
Dem bones dem bones

Dem dry bones
Dem bones dem bones
Dem dry bones
Your neck bone’s connected to your back bone

Your back bone’s connected to your thigh bone
Your thigh bone’s connected to your knee bone
Your knee bone’s connected to your leg bone
Your leg bone’s connected to your ankle bone
Your ankle bone’s connected to your foot bone
Dem bones dem bones

Dem dry bones
Dem bones dem bones
Dem dry bones.
2. The Hokey Pokey
Put your left foot in

Your left foot out
Your left foot in
And shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey
And you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.
Now put your right foot in

Your right foot out
Right foot in
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Then you shake it all about
And then you do the hokey pokey
Turn yourself around
And that’s what it’s all about.
You put your head in

You put your head out
Put your head in
And then bang it all about
Do the hokey pokey
And turn yourself around
And that’s what it’s all about.
Let’s do the hokey pokey

Put your right hand in

Your right hand out
You right hand in
Put your left hand in

Your left hand out
You left hand in
Now put your tongue in

And your tongue out
Tongue in
And blblblblblb!
And turn yourself around
You put your bottom in

Put your bottom out
Put your bottom in
You put your bottom out
You put your bottom in
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Put your bottom out
That’s what it’s all about
Do the Hokey Pokey!
3. I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little tea pot

Short and stout
Here is my handle
Here is my spout
When I get all steamed up

Hear me shout:
Tip me over
And pour me out!
4. If You’re Happy and You Know It
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show
it.
If you’re happy and you know it, tap your toe. (tap, tap)
it.
If you’re happy and you know it, nod your head. (nod, nod)
it.
5. The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain.
So the itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the spout again!
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6. Little Bunny Foo Foo
Little Bunny Foo Foo

Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
And bopping them on the head.
Down came the good fairy and she said:

“Little Bunny Foo Foo
I don’t want to see you
I’ll give you three chances
And if you don’t behave
I’ll turn you into a goon!”
The next day:


I’ll give you two more chances
The next day:


“I don’t want to see you
I’ll give you one more chance
The next day:

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And bopping then on the head.

I gave you three chances
And you didn’t behave
Now you’re a goon! POOF!!”
The moral of the story is:

HARE TODAY, GOON TOMORROW
7. London Bridge
London Bridge is falling down,

Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.
Build it up with iron bars,

Iron bars, iron bars,
Build it up with iron bars,
My fair lady.
Iron bars will bend and break,

Bend and break, bend and break,
Iron bars will bend and break,
My fair lady.
Build it up with gold and silver,

Gold and silver, gold and silver,
Build it up with gold and silver,
My fair lady.
8. Old MacDonald
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

And on that farm he had some cows,
E-I-E-I-O
With a moo-moo here and
a moo-moo there
Here a moo, there a moo,
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everywhere a moo-moo
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

And on that farm he had some pigs,
E-I-E-I-O
With an oink-oink here and
an oink-oink there
Here an oink, there an oink,
everywhere an oink-oink...a moo-moo...

And on that farm he had a dog,
E-I-E-I-O
With a woof-woof here and
a woof-woof there
Here a woof, there a woof,
everywhere a woof-woof...
an oink-oink... a moo-moo...

And on that farm he had some hens,
E-I-E-I-O
With a cluck-cluck here and
a cluck-cluck there
Here a cluck, there a cluck,
everywhere a cluck-cluck...
a woof-woof... an oink oink...
a moo-moo...

And on that farm he had some ducks,
E-I-E-I-O
With a quack-quack here and
a quack-quack there
Here a quack, there a quack,
everywhere a quack-quack...
a cluck-cluck... a woof-woof...
an oink-oink... a moo-moo...
Old MacDonald had a farm.
E-I-E-I-O.
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9. Ten Little Drummers
One little, two little, three little Drummers

Four little, five little, six little Drummers
Seven little, eight little, nine little Drummers
Ten drumming at the powwow
Ten little, nine little, eight little Drummers

Seven little, six little, five little Drummers
Four little, three little, two little Drummers
One drumming at the powwow.
Everybody is drumming at the powwow.
10. This Old Man
This old man, he played one,

He played knick knack with his thumb,
With a knick, knack, paddy whack,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played two,

He played knick knack with my shoe,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played three,

He played knick knack on my knee,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played four,

He played knick knack at my door,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played five,

He played knick knack, jazz and jive,
Give a dog a bone,
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This old man, he played six,
He played knick knack with his sticks,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played seven,

He played knick knack with his pen,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played eight,

He played knick knack on my gate,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played nine,

He played knick knack, rise and shine,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played ten,

He played knick knack in my den,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played eleven,

He played knick knack up in heaven,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man, he played twelve,

He played knick knack, dig and delve,
Give a dog a bone,
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11. The Wheels on the Bus
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 through the town.
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep,

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish,

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink,

Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink
The door on the bus goes open and shut,

Open and shut, open and shut,
The door on the bus goes open and shut,
The baby on the bus says wah, wah, wah!

Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah!
The baby on the bus says wah, wah, wah!
The mommy on the bus says I love you,

I love you, I love you
The daddy on the bus says Love you too
12. Do Your Ears Hang Low?
Do your ears hang low?

Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o’er your shoulder?
Like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
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Do your ears hang high?
Do they reach up to the sky?
Do they droop when they are wet?
Do they stiffen when they’re dry?
Can you semaphore your neighbor?
With a minimum of labor?
Do your ears hang high?
Do your ears flip-flop?

Can you use them for a mop?
Are they stringy at the bottom?
Are they curly at the top?
Can you use them for a swatter?
Can you use them for a blotter?
Do your ears flip-flop?
Do your ears hang out?

Can you waggle them about?
Can you flip them up and down?
As you fly around the town?
Can you shut them up for sure?
When you hear an awful bore?
Do your ears hang out?
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Using Video for Pre-school children
When using video in the pre-school classroom teachers must be careful

to check that the material is age and level appropriate. Young
children are very impressionable and love acting out what they see in
videos.
Children’s TV is a good resource for video material as it usually focus’s

on particular items, concepts or vocabulary ie: animals, food, family
ect…
It is important not to play long segments of video in the pre-school

classroom. For teaching older children 5-10 minutes is considered best.
For pre-school children with shorter attention spans 3-5 minutes is best
to keep the children focusing on the concept being taught.
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Activities for Teaching Video
Play the video clip and point to the items being taught
as they appear.
Play video clip and act out the action repeating the
vocabulary.
Play a video clip and encourage children to play act or

copy.
Pre-teach vocabulary by showing items then show

video repeating items as they appear on the video clip.
Encourage children to call out with you.
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102
Chapter 6
Lesson Planning
103
104
4.5 Advise lesson planning.
Approaches, Methods and Techniques
The following eight approaches are ways that educators view how a
foreign or second language is commonly taught. Language learning is
a conscious process, and is the product of either a formal language-
learning situation (in a classroom), or by means of a self-study process.
The 8 language learning approaches are:
1. Grammar Translation Approach

2. Natural Approach
3. Task-Based Approach
4. Lexical Approach
5. Learner-Based Approach
6. Whole Language Approach
7. Communicative Approach
8. Eclectic Approach (Combination of Approaches)
Grammar Translation Approach
The Grammar Translation Approach is based on the study of text. A

student learns the grammar with an analysis of:
a) a part of speech or a grammar point (noun, verb, etc.)

b) syntax (sentence structure – arrangement and relationship of
words in a sentence)
 The classroom language is mainly in the mother tongue

(not English).
 The goal or aim is gaining knowledge of the language.
 Consciously learning grammar in a formal language-
learning situation.
 Teacher-centred instruction; teaching of grammar
through reading and translation; minimal conversational
practice.
 This approach is characterized by:
 Memorization of dialogues and performing several of

highly repetitive grammar drills.
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 Overemphasis on tedious, mechanistic processes to which
the student is not expected to make any spontaneous
personal contributions.
 Focuses the students’ attention on the form (structure) of
the language.
 In the past, most language learning classrooms used this
approach.
 Students listened to the teacher’s lecture, took notes, and
analyzed new structural items in the lesson. Later, they
practiced providing correct answers, either structurally or
functionally, but they remained conscious of what they
wanted to say. Then, they were evaluated on their
grammatical and lexical (vocabulary) knowledge in a
formal testing situation. The results were:
i. not fun to learn
ii. not fun to teach
iii. not easy to motivate students
iv. slow skill development of practical use of the
language in everyday situations.
v. the language is learned, like any other
subject, as opposed to acquired.
Natural Approach
 Focus is on use of the language in situations which are as

close as possible to “natural” language-use situations.
 The aim is to get the learners to use the language in a
meaningful way as soon as possible by motivated language
use.
 Attention is not on grammar or sentence structure; instead, it
is put on personal and interpersonal skills (conversation).
 The main point is that the teacher does not focus on the
students’ errors, grammar, or pronunciation. Rather, the
focus is on student accomplishments.
 The students learn “naturally” through a process of natural
progression, by getting involved.
 Students learn through comfort and enjoyment.
 Errors are not corrected.
 Students focus on the speaker’s meaning and respond
naturally.
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 Many students are scared to use the language
(embarrassment, fear of making mistakes).
 Great for beginners; does not inhibit speech.
 If the learners’ errors are not eventually corrected, they will
inevitably become “fossilized errors,” which are patterns of
speech pronunciation that become ingrained and can be
very difficult to correct.
 Learning English through pictures, actions, situations, and
limited grammar.
 Speech emerges/develops, not from artificial practice, but
from motivated language use.
 The teacher starts with easy, single-word responses,
followed by progression to more coherent phrases and
sentences.
 There is a free flow of conversation based on
comprehension activities.
 This is an excellent method to introduce conversation, as it
encourages students to participate because they do not
fear making mistakes (which is a major inhibitor for students
learning English).
 In a “natural” communication situation, when students
interact with speakers of their own language, they seldom
focus their attention on the language the speaker uses.
Instead, they are concerned with what the speaker means,
as well as the body language and gestures used because
these will determine the quality of the message.
Task-Based Approach
 Refers to learning language by having students focus on a

task or activity that requires use of the language during the
task.
 Example tasks: follow directions on a map, hide and seek
treasure hunt, question and answer in order to complete a
task, ordering food at a mock restaurant, etc.
 This approach is excellent for creative thinking and student
interaction.
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Lexical Approach
Lexicon refers to the vocabulary of a language. This approach focuses

on teaching students a language word by word, or in groups of related
words (fruits, family members, numbers, etc.).
Learner-Based Approach
What do your students know? This approach focuses on using the

student as a valuable information resource in the classroom. Extract
student-relevant vocabulary and topics then build the lesson from
there. Great for involving students who become the centre of the
lesson plan!
Whole Language Approach
 This approach focuses on teaching all aspects of the English

language simultaneously; there is no emphasis on just one
aspect. Grammar, reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary
building, and oral output are all stressed.
 The “whole language” approach was designed to teach a
language to students who have not had any previous
exposure to the foreign language.
 “English for beginners” teachers tend to use the whole
language approach when teaching.
 It is common for ESL teachers in Canada to teach native-
French language students using this approach.
Communicative Approach
 The teaching of a language as it is used in real life.

 Stress is on communication skills: listening, speaking, reading,
and writing.
 Aim is to help the students use the language, instead of just
“knowing the language technically” (less structured, more
motivating and fun, more opportunity for students to
participate and use new language learned in class).
 Student-centred (teacher guides and/or directs).
 Instead of the teacher doing all of the talking, while students
are doing all of the listening, the communicative approach
reverses the roles – the students are actively participating in
the language-learning activities.
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 Students want to speak quickly and effectively, and to be
able to use the language. Student demands are increasing.
 Greater opportunity for teachers to use their creativity.
 Gives learners a greater sense of relevance in the language
they are learning.
 This approach applies mainly to students who have had
some previous exposure to the English language.
 This approach was developed, and subsequently became
very popular, due to the fact that the student’s oral output is
instrumental in foreign language acquisition.
 This approach emphasizes the development of the areas of
language acquisition that are necessary. These areas are:
a) Conversation (pronunciation and fluency)
b) Communication
c) Pronunciation
d) Listening comprehension
Teaching Procedure: Communicative Approach
 The teacher introduces and initiates an activity; then

encourages the students to develop their comprehension of
the English language through these communication-based
activities.
 This approach allows for quick, efficient acquisition of the
English language, due to the progressive student interaction
and involvement.
 There is less emphasis on the “classroom-workbook” type of
structure in the class.
 The communicative approach is informal.
 The students are communicating and conversing in a
dynamic setting where they actually get to put the
language to use.
 There is movement, and where there is movement there is
life! As a result, it is motivating and fun!
 It is very important for English language learners to hear, as
well as speak, the new language.
 This TESOL course emphasizes this approach.
 This student-centered communication approach is
wonderful for both teacher and student alike because it is
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easier to teach and easier to learn the English language in
this way.
 Small group learning (having students work in pairs)
becomes a management technique, allowing the teacher
to work individually with the weaker students to address their
special needs.
 The teacher becomes the director, or the “guide on the
side.”
 The communicative approach makes use of:
a) Student movement
b) Talking
c) Interviews
d) Dialogues
e) Drama (skits, acting, role-play, charades)
f) Deciding topics of discussion, new words to learn,
and how to use them.
 As a result of allowing student input, students are able to
relate to the material, brainstorm for new vocabulary and
ideas, and discuss concepts in a one-on-one environment,
all of which propagates further conversation.
 Practice is given using the English language in a social
setting (the classroom), which helps students to eliminate
the largest barrier to conversation – fear of making mistakes
when speaking in a social setting (embarrassment).
 The communicative approach encourages teachers to use
co-operative learning activities that utilize the most
underused resource in the classroom – the students!
 When students are treated as resources, not problems, they
will succeed in learning English and the teacher will
succeed at teaching.
 These methods are extremely flexible – the teacher can
structure the activities with ease and be able to focus on
any or all parts of the whole language (conversation,
reading, writing, listening).
 Note: Most of the teacher/student textbooks available
today are generally written with the development of
communicative skills in mind. (They emphasize the ability to
use the language in a variety of real-life situations.)
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Eclectic Approach (Combination of Approaches)
 Many schools of thought prevail as to which approach

should be used for each specific language learning group,
depending on the learner’s:
a) desired goal
b) present level of comprehension
c) age
d) time available for study
e) dedication
f) learning environment (school, tutor, home-study).
 There is not only one right approach to use.

 It is up to you to assess your:
i. students’ needs
ii. teaching style
iii. available resources
 Employ the approach or combination of approaches that
you feel will work best for you as well as your students.
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Lesson planning for Pre-school
For ages 3 and 4, lesson plans should only teach 1 or 2 letters or

numbers per lesson, or 1 new vocabulary word. The same vocabulary
should be taught as a theme for the entire week with plenty of games
and opportunities for meaningful repetition. For ages 5 and 6 children
can be taught 3 to 4 new vocabulary words with these being the topic
for the entire week. By age 7 ESL students can learn 5-6 new words per
lesson and can learn new words everyday but still need plenty of
opportunity to repeat the new words in future lessons.
Lesson planning is vital when teaching English to second language

learners as it gives needed structure to the material being taught. If the
lesson does not have structure the lesson can quickly become
disorganized and the teacher loose control of the class. The ‘Pace’ of
the lesson is also important as the lesson must flow and keep the
interest of the students. Particularly with pre-school ESL students this is a
challenge. Having additional activities on hand in case the lesson
finishes early or a particular activity does not work as planned is very
important! This is referred to a ‘Bag of Tricks’
Every lesson should include certain features and follow a theme ie:
alphabet, animals, fruit or family members. Once the topic has been
chosen all activities should follow this theme. The age of the pre-school
class must be considered in the lesson plan and activities chosen to
accommodate the different ages.
Time for the lesson is the lesson length i.e.; 45 minutes [academic hour]
The language Level for English ability needs to be included in the lesson
plan. For pre-school aged children the Levels can be listed as: Pre-
beginner 1 for three and four year olds, Pre-beginner 2 for five and six
year olds and Beginner for seven year olds. The language skills to be
used by the students, is next listed in the lesson plan i.e.: listening and
speaking so that the teacher knows what language skill the children
should be using for that lesson. Language objectives are recorded on
the lesson plan next and it is very important that they be measurable
for future assessment purposes.
Lesson objectives should be clearly defined ie: ‘students will learn to

recognize and pronounce the letters ‘a’ and ‘b’ this enables the
teacher to draw up an assessment test or review after a period of
teaching i.e.: 1 semester as the teacher can check language
objectives to find what they have taught over that period of time.
Methodology is written next in the lesson plan and refers to the
Approach the teacher will use i.e.: Eclectic approach [mixture of
various approaches] or Communicative approach [listening and
speaking skills] note: see section Approaches, Methods and Techniques
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the end of this chapter.
Materials for the lesson are also listed to remind the teacher of what is
needed or must be prepared in order to teach the lesson ie:
worksheets, toy animals or art and craft materials.
Each lesson begins with a ‘warm up’ something to get the students
ready to pay attention and feel prepared to participate. For pre-
schoolers physical warm ups are best i.e.: a quick game of freeze or
catch even little exercises like jumping, running and dancing on the
spot gets the blood flowing and the children ready to enjoy learning
not feeling inhibited. Warm-ups do not need to be recorded on the
lesson plan, as you may need to change the planned warm-up due to
the mood of the class. Keep a card of ‘warm-ups’ handy and choose
the one you will use on the day.
The Pre-task is now included to introduce the Topic of the lesson. It may
be a short video clip, showing toys related to the topic or play-acting
by the teacher. The purpose is to get the children’s attention so that
they are interested in the lesson.
Next it is important to choose the Techniques or ‘activities’ to teach the

lesson. Make sure all activities are age/level appropriate. With pre-
school children this means taking into consideration motor skills and
cognitive skills as well as native language development.
Activities should be chosen according to the age and motor
skills/cognitive abilities of the pre-school class i.e.: 3 year olds would not
be given activities that involve catching a small ball as their motor skills
would not be developed enough to support that activity.
The same applies to cognitive skills, as an activity such as ‘join the dots’
would also be too difficult for 3 year olds but fine for older pre-
schoolers.
In a lesson plan each technique or activity is demonstrated clearly and

slowly by the teacher, this demonstration is called ‘teaching’ in the
lesson plan. The children then follow this teaching and participate in
the activity this is called ‘task’ in the lesson plan.
For Pre-school children with short attention spans it is important to have
at least 5 techniques or activities in a lesson plan as well as a follow-up
activity for re-enforcement. And so, 6 activities must be planned for
each lesson.
Homework is not necessary for the pre-school classroom but if it is

required than simple coloring tasks or drawing will suffice.
The goal of the lesson plan is to teach a specific topic effectively by
using varied fun interactive activities. It is not possible to keep pre-
school children in one position for long periods of time so it is best to
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have them playing, dancing, drawing and building during a lesson
constantly rather than trying to get them to sit and observe.
Pre-school children learn by acting out and playing and so the more
the teacher gets involved on their level the better the learning results.
Have fun with your students chat with them constantly using
exaggerated body language and you will find they will begin to
respond by mimicry which is the beginning of learning a language.
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Tips for Successful Pre-school Lessons
 Use plenty of games a minimum of 3-4 per lesson, young children

learn by playing.
 Use songs, especially action songs. You do not need to teach the
entire song children will mime until they get all the words.
 Have a ‘Bag of tricks’ handy incase your lesson finishes early.
 If an activity doesn’t work, move onto another immediately.
 Allow the children to be noisy with the language and act out.
 Use plenty of craft activities.
 Demonstrate all activities well and repeat if necessary.
 Change activities often, 5-6 per lesson.
 Vary activities often, have children moving, dancing, acting and

making things.
 Allow young learners to make mistakes, do not over correct just

repeat correctly for the child.
 Do not force speech production; some children naturally take

longer to speak than others.
 Do not use too many worksheet activities in a lesson; one per

lesson is plenty either match-up or coloring.
 Get involved yourself and play with the students.
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Lesson Plan Template
Theme:
Length:
Age:
Language Level:
Language skills:
Lesson objectives:
Lesson Methodology:
Materials:
Pre-task:
Teaching 1:
Task 1:
Teaching 2:
Task 2:
Teaching 3:
Task 3:
Teaching 4:
Task 4:
Teaching 5:
Task 5:
Follow-up
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Lesson Plan Examples for the Pre-school Classroom
The following are lesson plans written specifically for the Pre-school
classroom. These can be used for your classroom to begin teaching
Pre-school or as a template example to write further lesson plans.
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1. Theme: Alphabet
Length: 45 minutes
Age: 3-4 years
Language level: Pre-beginner 1
Language skills: Listening and speaking
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce 2 letters of the

alphabet – a and b. [repeat this lesson for the rest of alphabet 2 letters
at a time] alter games.
Lesson methodology: Eclectic approach, flashcards, crafts, games
Materials: balloons, molding clay, flashcards [in resources chapter]
Pre-task: Give each child a blown up balloon with either the letter [a]
or the letter b on it. Let them toss the balloons around and draw their
attention to the letters.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate the letter- [a] with flashcards 5 times.

Encourage class to repeat [choral drill] 5 times. Then ask individual
students to repeat. Repeat this process for the letter [b]
Task 1: Children repeat flashcards as a class [choral drill] Individual
student’s repeat.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate balloon game ‘catch the balloon’ where

children throw their balloon to teacher, teacher says letter student
encouraged to repeat when teacher throws back balloon.
Task 2: Students play ‘throw the balloon’
Teaching 3: Demonstrate how to make the letters a and b with molding

clay.
Task 3: Students make the letters with molding clay.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate ‘find the letter’ around the classroom. Skip

around class pointing out labels and pictures with the letters [a] and [b]
on them.
Task 4: Students skip around classroom with teaching pointing out

letters.
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Teaching 5: Demonstrate ‘run to the flashcard’ game. Place each
flashcard on opposite sides of room for children to run to when the
specific letter is called out.
Task 5: Children play ‘run to the letter’ game.
Follow-up: Have children hold up and wave balloons when their letter is
called out. Encourage children to call out the right letter.
Continue this topic for one week using varying activities
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2. Topic: Family members
Theme: 45 minutes
Age: 3-4
Language Level: Pre-beginner 1
Language skills: Listening and speaking.
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce names of 2 family

members. Father, Mother.
Lesson Methodology: Eclectic approach, flashcards, molding clay and

dress-up.
Materials: flashcards, molding clay and dress-up clothes.
Pre-task: Come into class wearing dress-up for father and mother. Hat,
coat, tie and gloves.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate flashcards 5 times. Encourage class to repeat

[choral drill] 5 times. Then ask individual students to repeat. Repeat this
process for both flashcards.
Task 1: Students repeat flashcards.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘dress-up’ for father and role-play.

Task 2: students ‘dress-up’ as fathers and play act.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate ‘dress-up as mother and role-play.

Task 3: students ‘dress-up’ as mothers and play act.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate making molding clay fathers.

Task 4: Students make molding clay fathers.
Teaching 5: Demonstrate making molding clay mothers.

Task 5: Students make molding clay mothers.
Follow-up: Play ‘Run to flashcard’ game using mother/father cards.

Continue this topic with varied activities for the week
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3. Theme: Family members
Theme: 45 minutes
Age: 3-4
Language skills: Listening and speaking.
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce names of 2 family

members, Brother and Sister.
Methodology: Eclectic approach, flashcards, play and dress-up, game
Materials: flashcards, video clip, dolls, cars and dress-up clothes.
Pre-task: Show video clip of brother ands sister.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate flashcards 5 times. Encourage class to repeat

[choral drill] 5 times. Then ask individual students to repeat. Repeat this
process for both flashcards.
Task 1: Students repeat flashcards.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘dress-up’ for brother and role-play with toy

cars.
Task 2: students ‘dress-up’ as brothers and play act with toy cars.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate ‘dress-up as sister and role-play with dolls.

Task 3: students ‘dress-up’ as sister and play act with dolls.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate coloring cut out dolls worksheet.

Task 4: Students color worksheets.
Teaching 5: Demonstrate cutting out dolls.

Task 5: Students cut out dolls.
Follow-up: students role-play with cut out dolls. Continue this topic with
varied activities for the
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4.Theme: Animals
Time: 45 minutes
Age: 3-4
Level: Pre-beginner 1
Language skills: Listening, speaking
Language objectives: To recognize 2 farm animals. Pig and horse.
Methodology: Eclectic approach, flashcards, games, art
Resources: Flashcards, puppets, animal paper plate masks, worksheet,

cut out pictures of pigs and horses.
Pre-task: Show puppets of the animals with actions.
Teaching 1: : Demonstrate pig with flashcards 5 times. Encourage class

to repeat [choral drill] 5 times. Then ask individual students to repeat.
Repeat for horse.
Task 1: Students repeat flashcards, choral drill and individually.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘animal charades’ in a Congo line

Task 2: Children play ‘animal charades’ while dancing in Congo line.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate coloring in animal plate masks.

Task 3: Students color in animal plate mask.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate wearing mask and ‘play acting animal’

game. [teacher calls animal name, students with that animal mask act
like the animal]
Task 4: Children wear masks and play ‘play acting animal’ game.
Teaching 5: Show video of farm animals call out name of the pig or
horse when they appear, encourage students to follow.
Task 5: Children watch video, call out the animal’s name.
Follow-up: Children paste pictures of pigs and horses to their worksheet.

Continue this topic for one week using varying activities.
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5. Theme: Sit
Length : 45 minutes
Age: 3-4
Language Level: Pre-beginner1
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce ‘sit’ and ‘sitting’
Methodology: Eclectic approach, games.
Materials: Flashcards, dolls and teddies, music
Pre-task: Teacher to use dolls to ‘act’ out sitting.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate sitting with flashcards 5 times. Encourage

class to repeat [choral drill] 5 times. Then ask individual students to
repeat.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘Musical chairs’ play music.

Task 2: Children play ‘Musical chairs’
Teaching 3: Demonstrate making teddy or doll ‘sitting’ while saying the

word.
Task 3: Children play with toys ‘sitting’ them.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate game ‘Simon says’

Task 4: Children play ‘Simon says’
Teaching 5: Demonstrate the game ‘Freeze’ [sit instead of freeze]

Task 5: Children play ‘freeze’
Follow-up: Stand children in a circle ask each one ‘sit’. [3 times]

Continue this topic for one week using varying activities.
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6. Theme: Stand, standing
Length: 45 minutes
Age: 3-4
Language Level: Pre-beginner1
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce ‘stand’ and ‘standing’
Lesson Methodology: Eclectic approach, games.
Materials: Flashcards, dolls and teddies, music
Pre-task: Teacher to use dolls to ‘act’ out standing.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate standing with flashcards 5 times. Encourage

repeat.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘Musical chairs’ play music.

Task 2: Children play ‘Musical chairs’
Teaching 3: Demonstrate making teddy or doll ‘standing’ while saying

the word.
Task 3: Children play with toys ‘standing’ them.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate game ‘Simon says’

Task 4: Children play ‘Simon says’
Teaching 5: Demonstrate the game ‘Freeze’

Task 5: Children play ‘freeze’
Follow-up: Stand children in a circle ask each one ‘sit/stand’. [3 times]
124
7. Theme: Jungle animals.
Length: 45 minutes.
Age: 5-6
Language skills: Listening, speaking, reading.
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce names of 3 jungle

animals. Lion, monkey and zebra.
Lesson Methodology: Eclectic approach, games, painting, puzzles.
Materials: Flashcards, paints, paper, magazines, music, animal video,

puzzles.
Pre-task: Show a video clip of jungle animals.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate animal with flashcards 5 times. Encourage

repeat. Repeat this process for other flashcards.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘Simon says’ for animals.

Task 2: Children play ‘Simon says’ for animals.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate completing animal puzzles.

Task 3: Children complete animal puzzles.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate painting the animals with art materials.

Task 4: Children paint animal pictures.
Teaching 5: Play jungle music ‘lion sleeps tonight’ demonstrate playing

‘freeze’ to the call of different animals. [students act as lions to music,
teacher stops music calls out monkey students must act out monkey.
Task 5: Students play animal ‘freeze’
Follow-up: Students cut out pictures of animals from magazines and

paste them onto a collage. Continue this topic for three lessons using
varying activities
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8. Theme: Farm animals.
Length: 45 minutes.
Age: 5-6
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce names of 3 farm

animals: pig, horse and chicken.
Materials: Flashcards, craft supplies, animal video,

Pre-task: Show a video clip of farm animals.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate animal with flashcards 5 times. Encourage

Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘Simon says’ for animals.

Task 2: Children play ‘Simon says’ for animals.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate making craft pig.

Task 3: Children complete craft pigs.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate making craft horses.

Task 4: Children make craft horses.
Teaching 5: Demonstrate making craft chickens.

Task 5: Students make craft chickens.
Follow-up: Students play with craft animals.
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9. Theme: Fruit.
Length: 45 minutes.
Age: 5-6
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce names of 3 fruits:

orange, banana and apple.
Materials: Flashcards, paints, paper, magazines, fruits, puzzles.

Pre-task: Show and taste pieces of fruit.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate with flashcards 5 times. Encourage class to

repeat [choral drill] 5 times. Then ask individual students to repeat.
Repeat this process for other flashcards.
Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘Run to flashcard game’.

Task 2: Children play ‘Run to flashcard game’.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate playing ‘Blindfolded guess the fruit’.

Task 3: Children play ‘Guess the fruit’.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate completing fruit worksheet.

Task 4: Children complete worksheets
.
Teaching 5: Demonstrate passing around the fruit.
Task 5: Students pass around and eat fruit pieces.
Follow-up: Students color in worksheets.
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10. Theme: Vegetables.
Length: 45 minutes.
Age: 5-6
Language level: Pre-beginner 2
Lesson objectives: To recognize and pronounce names of 3

vegetables: carrot, beans and cucumber.
Lesson Methodology: Eclectic approach, games, clay and worksheet.
Materials: Flashcards, molding clay, vegetables,
Pre-task: Show and taste pieces of vegetables.

Teaching 2: Demonstrate ‘Run to flashcard game’.

Task 2: Children play ‘Run to flashcard game’.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate playing ‘Blindfolded guess the vegetable’.

Task 3: Children play ‘Guess the vegetable’.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate completing vegetable worksheet.

Task 4: Children complete worksheets
.
Teaching 5: Demonstrate making molding clay vegetables.
Task 5: Students make molding clay vegetables.
Follow-up: Students color in worksheets.
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11. Theme: Numbers
Length: 45 minutes.
Age: 7 years
Language level: Beginner.
Language skills: Listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Lesson objectives: To recognize, pronounce and write 5 numbers.

1– 2 –3 –4 – 5
Lesson Methodology: Eclectic approach, games, worksheet.
Materials: Flashcards [resources section], video clip, hopscotch game,

pegs, ball.
Pre-task: Show ‘Sesame Street’ video clip of counting.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate numbers with flashcards 5 times. Encourage

Teaching 2: Demonstrate playing ‘Hopscotch’

Task 2: Children play ‘Hopscotch’
Teaching 3: Demonstrate completing ‘Match-up’ number worksheet.

Task 3: Children compete match-up worksheet.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate ‘Peg’ number game. [teacher hands out 5

pegs to each student, calls out number and students must hold up
correct number of pegs]
Task 4: Children play ‘Peg’ game.
Teaching 5: Demonstrate ‘ Run to flashcard’ game. [place flashcards

around room, call out number children run to correct card]
Task 5: Children play ‘Run to flashcard’ game.
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Follow-up: Play catch the ball counting in a circle.
Match-up numbers worksheet.
one ☻☻☻☻
three
☻☻☻☻☻
five ☻☻☻
four ☻☻
two ☻
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12. Topic: Facial features
Time: 45 minutes.
Age: 7 years
Level: Beginner.
Language objectives: To recognize, pronounce and write 5 facial

features.
Eyes, lips, nose, mouth and ears.
Methodology: Eclectic approach, games, worksheet.
Resources: Flashcards, video clip, paper plates, paints, match-up

cards.
Pre-task: Show video clip of faces.
Teaching 1: Demonstrate numbers with flashcards 5 times. Encourage

Teaching 2: Demonstrate playing match-up cards in pairs.

Task 2: Children play match-up cards in pairs.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate completing ‘Match-up’ feature worksheet.

Task 3: Children compete match-up worksheet.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate ‘Pin the feature on the face’ game.

Task 4: Children play ‘Pin the feature on the face’ game.

around room, call out a feature children run to correct card]
Follow-up: Have children paint faces on paper plates.
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13. Topic: Body parts
Time: 45 minutes.
Age: 7 years
Level: Beginner.
Language objectives: To recognize, pronounce and write 5 body parts.

Head, knees, legs, feet and shoulder.
Methodology: Eclectic approach, games, cut out, song.
Resources: Flashcards, magazines,
Pre-task: Show video clip of body.

Teaching 2: Demonstrate singing ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes.

Task 2: Children sing song with actions.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate ‘Simon says’

Task 3: Children play ‘Simon says’.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate ‘Pin the feature on the body’ game.

Task 4: Children play ‘Pin the feature on the body’ game.

Follow-up: Children cut out body parts from magazines.
132
14. Theme: Transport
Length: 45 minutes.
Age: 7 years
Language level: Beginner.
Lesson objectives: To recognize, pronounce and write 5 modes of

transport.
Car, truck, bike, bus and plane.
Lesson Methodology: Eclectic approach, games, cut out, charades.
Materials: Flashcards, magazines, toys
Pre-task: Show toys of transport.

Teaching 2: Demonstrate charade transports

Task 2: Children play charade transports.
Teaching 3: Demonstrate ‘Simon says’

Task 3: Children play ‘Simon says’.
Teaching 4: Demonstrate match-up worksheet.

Task 4: Children complete worksheets.

Follow-up: Children cut out transports from magazines
133
4.6 Advise on Classroom management.
Classroom Management for the Pres-school

Classroom
Teaching children is not like teaching adults!
This is a very important concept to understand. Whereas adults,

and even teenagers, will give you the benefit of the doubt and allow
you to take a moment or so to organize the next part of your lesson,
children will not give you this time. The trick to having a well-run
classroom with very little classroom behavioral problems is to always be
prepared.
Most children misbehave because they are bored, they don’t

understand the assignment, or they are finished with the task you have
set out.
If one student is bored, bring that student up to the front of the

class to be your ‘special helper.’ If more students are bored, it usually
means they have finished the assignment and it is time to change the
activity.
If the majority of your students do not understand the

assignment, don’t be afraid to over exaggerate the instructions by
modeling them yourself. If one student alone does not understand the
assignment, pair him or her with your strongest student for private help.
(If this is a continual problem, you might want to talk to your director
about having the student put into an easier class.)
Your own pacing will develop with time, but you should always
have more planned than what you can do in your class. Always have
‘bag-of-tricks’ activities you can pull out and do with a moment’s
notice if your class runs short of the bell.
134
The Three Stages of Classroom Management for the
ESL Pre-school classroom
Low-level management. The Look:

For very young learners classroom management must be simple and
easy to understand. Not being able to understand verbally what the
teacher is saying Pre-school children can easily become
uncomfortable. For low-level management make eye contact with a
student who is misbehaving or about to misbehave.
Speaking slowly but deliberately ask the student not to misbehave ie:
“Don’t throw the toy please” Be careful not to use too strong a tone
while still sounding firm. This can be very effective in stopping the
misbehavior. Move around the classroom while you talk to students
and be involved in what they are doing.
Mid-level management. Proximal distancing:

This involves management where a student is singled out for
misbehavior. If a student is misbehaving, walk to the child and stand
beside the student’s shoulder. This will usually curb any misbehavior.
High-level management. Hand- holding technique:

This involves actually removing the student from the activity. Time-outs
can be very effective for older students however for the very young this
can be frightening. For three and four year olds the Hand holding
techniques is more acceptable. Walk over to the child, take the child
by the hand and walk with them around the room thereby removing
them from the activity but not leaving them on their own. For three
year olds 3 minutes is enough and 4 minutes for four year olds. After the
time has elapsed bend down to the child’s eye level and ask the
gently “are you ready to play?” The child will not understand what is
said but will understand by the teacher’s body language that they are
being released to go back to their activity.
Note: even if physically striking or smacking a student is acceptable in

your school or country where you are teaching hitting a child will not
solve the behavioral problem. It will only make that student more
uncooperative. Young learners will become frightened and confused.
Physical punishment should not be used in the TESOL classroom.
135
The Classroom Environment in English Language
Learning for Pre-school children
To provide a ‘Safe’ environment for Pre-school children is or should be

the first and foremost consideration when teaching young students.
Each country will have guidelines for what is required in the way of
‘safety standards’ reporting accidents/incidents and what classroom
and playground equipment can be used.
These guidelines or requirements should always be followed. When

working in a foreign Pre-school or Kindergarten it is important to check
with the school for local standards/requirements. Common sense is a
good guide though and always avoid activities or toys, which could
cause a safety concern ie: choking, injury or poisoning.
Check labels on items such as paste, paints and crayons and be sure
to check items that you bring into the classroom yourself.
That being said the Pre-school classroom should be a colorful and
stimulating place where young learners can practice and act out
language. If possible decorate with bright cheery uncluttered colors. It
is best to use solid colors and not too many ‘busy’ pictures.
Have labeled pictures of all kinds of animals, foods, items on the walls
and make sure there is a ‘special’ board to display students work. A
good idea is to have ‘corners’ in the classroom for different activities
such as a ‘dress-up’ corner full of clothing items, shoes, hats and
uniforms. Dress-up and play-acting is very important for pre-school
aged children’s development. If available it is very good to have toy
kitchen sets, toy stoves, tables and chairs etc.. to enhance role-play.
Another corner should be allocated for ‘art and crafts’ have paint
easels and paints set up and tables with molding clay, pegs and art
materials.
Building blocks and large lego [too avoid choking] should be set up for
children to construct items in another corner should be allocated for
‘books’ where children can sit on bean bags and read/look at picture
books. This is also useful for ‘quiet time’ Building up pre-schooler’s
interest and appreciation for reading is very important and so have
plenty of picture books. Topics like superhero’s and dinosaurs are very
popular for this age group.
Labeling classroom items is a good way to help teach the English
names of classroom objects. On the back of chairs write on a sticker
‘chair’ do this on furniture such as: book shelf, bean bag, box, table
and so forth that way when walking around the classroom you can
draw attention to the sticker and the object and have the children
repeat after you. Do this for other things such as: toilet, door, window,
136
board etc… This process of continuously drawing attention to and
repeating vocabulary on items will greatly improve students word/sight
vocabulary retention and can become a game between the teacher
and the student.
Have plenty of toys available that can be used to teach vocabulary

such as toy animals, modes of transport, dolls, pretend foods and
encourage children to play act with these. It is best that only English be
spoken during the lesson but with pre-school children almost impossible
to implement. It usually works best to not stop the children to using their
native language but to constantly repeat the English vocabulary or
instructions with body language while warmly encouraging the children
to follow and repeat. Never force the speaking skill this can cause the
students to withdraw from the activity.
Always allow where possible for the students to ‘see’ the word [picture,
flashcard or item] ‘hear’ the word [teachers voice or video/audio]
‘feel’ the word [touch the item or make it] or ‘do’ the word [act out
role-play or puppets]
Providing a warm, friendly, safe and interactive learning environment
where children can explore, play and practice language will motivate
young learners to participate and learn willingly.
137
TSGTCLE30A/04 TEACHING TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRE-SCHOOL
CLASSROOM
ASSIGNMENT 4
Q.1 What are 8 TESOL approaches? And which 2 are most

useful for the ESL classroom?
Q.2 How many items or words should be taught for 3 and 4

year olds in a lesson?
Q.3 For 3 and 4 year olds how long should a topic or theme
be taught?
Q.4 What is a ‘Bag of tricks’? and what is it used for?
Q.5 How should lesson activities be chosen?
Q.6 Create a 45 minute lesson plan for 3-4 year olds; make
sure it is age/skill/topic appropriate.
Q.7 Create a 45 minute lesson plan for 5-6 year olds; make
sure it is age/skill/topic appropriate.
Q.8 Create a 45 minute lesson plan for 7 year olds, make sure
it is age/skill/topic appropriate.
Q.9 What are the 3 levels of classroom management?
Q.10 What kind of learning environment should the pre-

school classroom be?
138
Chapter 7
Resources
Flashcards and Activities
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157
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Chapter 8
45
Activities &
Games
For the TESOL Pre-school

Classroom
193
194
1. Colouring
Have students colour in pictures of new vocabulary taught.
Can be used for all vocabulary. Suitable for all ages and
levels.
2. Blowing bubbles
Have students blow bubbles with soapy water. Can be used
to teach shapes and numbers suitable for all ages and levels.
3. Make a collage
Using items of pre-taught vocabulary make a class collage.
Use leaves, pictures, craft items and scraps. Can be used for
any pre-taught vocabulary. Suitable for all ages and levels.
4. Tin cup telephones

Have students play ‘Chinese whispers’ using tin cup
telephones. Students use the listening and speaking skills to
repeat and listen to pre-taught vocabulary. Can be used for
any pre-taught vocabulary. Suitable ages 5 to 7.
5. Dress-ups
Have children dress up in play clothes and role-play. Can be
used to teach occupations and family members. Suitable for
all ages and levels.
6. Play hide and seek

Have children play hide and you seek to teach vocabulary
such as: in, under, over, on or pre-taught items of furniture
such as table, chair, box etc… Suitable for all ages and levels.
7. Chase
Be ‘It’ and play chase with the children. Use this game to
teach verbs such as run, jump, hide…. Suitable for all ages
and levels.
195
8. Finger plays
Use painted fingers or finger puppets for plays as pre-tasks to
introduce new vocabulary. Have student make finger
puppets and act out finger plays and role-play. Suitable for
animals, occupations…. For all ages and levels.
9. Sing songs
Sing nursery rhymes and action songs with your students.
Have them act out the dialogue. Suitable for all ages and
levels.
10. Collect items in a basket

Have children collect pre-taught vocabulary in baskets or
one large box. Great for re-enforcing vocabulary i.e. collect
all round objects or rocks. Can be used to teach any
vocabulary that will fit in a basket or counting numbers.
Suitable for all ages and levels.
11. Picnic
Have a mock picnic in the classroom or play area. Feast on
pre-taught foods such as fruits and vege’s. suitable for all
ages and levels.
12. Obstacle course

Make an obstacle course out of pillows, boxes and cushions.
Have children climb over on around. Can be used to teach
vocabulary such as over, on, around.. Have them call out this
as they move over the course. Suitable for all ages and levels.
13. Make a Cubby house

Have students make a Cubby house out of boxes, cushions
and so forth. Can be used to teach pre-taught vocabulary
such as the items used to make the cubby or ‘in’ ‘out’ as
children move inside and outside the cubby. Suitable for all
ages and levels.
196
14. Nature walk.
Take students for a nature walk around the school or local
park. Have children point out pre-taught vocabulary such as
tree, grass…. Suitable for all ages and levels.
15. Domino chain

Have children make a domino chain to teach counting and
numbers. Suitable for all ages and levels.
16. Cards
Play flashcard games to teach any vocabulary. Games such
as ‘ Patience’, ‘Go Fish’, ‘Old Maid’ and ‘Snap’ are excellent.
17. Box cars

Have students make cars out of boxes and play-act with
them. Can be used to teach verbs such as go, stop, run or
modes of transport: cars, trucks, buses. Suitable for all ages
and levels.
18. Finger painting

Have students finger paint to colour in pictures and art
projects of pre-taught vocabulary. Suitable for all ages and
levels.
19. Play dough

Have students roll up play dough into snakes and then make
letters, numbers even animals and objects. Suitable for all
ages and levels.
20. Freeze
Have students dance to music to and suddenly stop the
music and call stop. Start music again and say go. Good for
teaching go and stop. You can adapt this activity to having
students act out animal actions when you call out a
particular animal. Change animal each time the music
restarts. Suitable for all ages and levels.
197
21. Roll the ball
Have students sit in a circle on the floor and roll a ball from
student to student with them rolling it back. As you roll it say a
pre-taught vocabulary and have them repeat it as they roll
the ball back. Suitable for all ages and levels.
22. Puzzles
Have children put together wood puzzles. Use pre-taught
vocabulary. Suitable for all ages and levels.
23. Musical instruments

Have children make pre-taught musical instruments out of
toilet rolls, tins, cans etc.. have them play act the instrument.
24. Stickers
Have students’ match-up stickers with pictures or written
vocabulary. Suitable for all ages and levels.
25. Vegetable garden

Have students plant a few seeds in a portable container. As
the plants grow discuss how it is getting bigger and bigger or
talk and show pictures of what vegetable it is. Suitable for all
ages and levels.
26. Hand paints

Have students dip their hands and feet into paint and then
press onto cards or paper then write the body part name.
27. Paper hats

Have students make paper hats and decorate them for
different occupations or people. Suitable for younger levels.
28. Tug of war

Have students play Tug of war to teach ‘push’ and ‘pull’
have equal number of students at each end of soft rope or a
rolled up sheet. Suitable for all ages and levels.
198
29. Telephones
Have students pretend to answer phones. Can be used to
teach greetings such as ‘hello’ ‘goodbye’ and have pretend
conversations. Suitable for all students and levels.
30. Puppets
Have students put on a puppet show. Students can make
puppets or use ready made. Can be used to re-enforce pre-
taught dialogue. Suitable for ages 5-7.
31. Acting
Have students act out a scene or story from a book read in
class. Can be used to teach dialogue. Suitable for ages 6 – 7.
32. Treasure hunt

Hide toys around the class and have students find them. Can
be used to teach vocabulary such as animals, class item …
33. I spy
Play ‘I Spy’ with your class to guess what you are looking at.
Can be used to re-enforce previously taught vocabulary.
Suitable for ages 6-7.
34. Ice-cubes
Have students make coloured ice-cubes to teach colours.
Use food dyes. Suitable for all ages and levels.
35. Mailbox
Make a decorated class mailbox with the students. [Do a
lesson on ‘mailboxes] Then everyday put in a ‘letter’ for the
class into the ‘mailbox’ use easy pre-taught English. Be sure to
include a picture. Encourage students to make up their own
simple letters of pre-taught vocabulary with pictures and put
these into the mailbox to be shared with the whole class at
‘Mailbox’ time. Encourages ‘show and tell’. Suitable for all
ages and levels.
199
36. Fashion Parade
Have students dress-up and hold a fashion parade. Can be
used to teach items of clothing, colours… Suitable for all ages
and levels.
37. Stick people

Have students make stick people out of ice-cream sticks or
pipe cleaners. Can be used to teach family members ..
suitable for younger ages and levels.
38. Shopping
Have children play-act shopping to learn items such as foods,
toy etc… Suitable for all ages and levels.
39. Create a zoo or farm

Have students create a zoo or farm out of a cut up
cardboard box. Can be used to teach or re-enforce animals.
40. Congo line

Have students form a ‘Congo line’ and act out verbs such as
‘go’ ‘stop’ or act out animals. Suitable for all ages and levels.
41. Macaroni jewelry

Have students make and paint jewelry out of macaroni by
stringing it onto pieces of string. Can be used to teach jewelry
items, colours and numbers. Suitable for all ages and levels.
42. Alphabet books

Have students make alphabet books ‘a’ is for ‘apple’ and so
on. Can be used to teach the alphabet, items and animals.
43. Stamps
Make stamps out of vegetables and fruit cut down the long
center line. Then have students dip in paints and stamp onto
paper. Can be used to teach vegetables, fruit and colours.
200
44. Paper plate masks
Have students make facemasks out of paper plates. Can be
used to teach animals, facial features …. Suitable for all ages
and levels.
45. ‘Simon Says’

Play ‘Simon says’ with your students. Catch out students who
touch the wrong body part or make the wrong movement.
Also catch out students who move when ‘Simon’ didn’t say.
Make sure you play this game several times and then get one
of the students to be “Simon’ and you play along. Can be
used to teach and re-enforce facial features, body parts,
movements such as jump, sit, stand and hop…. Suitable for all
ages and levels.
201
Action songs and Nursery Rhymes for the TESOL
Classroom
Round and Round the Garden

Round and round the garden like a teddy bear
(swirl your index finger around palm of child's hand)
One step, Two step (walk fingers up child's arm)
Hidden under there! (tickle child's underarm)
Roundabout Wee Mousey

Roundabout, roundabout, little wee mousey
(swirl your index finger around palm of child's hand)
Up the tree, up the tree,(walk fingers up child's arm)
Into the housey!(tickle child's underarm)
Here are Grandma's Glasses

Here are Grandma's glasses, (make little circles with fingers over eyes)
Here is Grandma's hat, (circle your head and pretend you are tying it
underneath your chin)
This is the way she holds
her hands and sits like that. (fold your hands sweetly on your lap)
Here are Grandpa's glasses (make them bigger that grandma's)

Here is Grandpa's hat (make a big hat overhead with your arms)
This is the way he folds
His arms and sits like that (fold arms across chest, relax back in chair
and fold knee over other)
Five Little Monkeys

(Begin with 5 fingers splayed and palm away from you, swinging hand
to rhythm of verse...)
Five little monkeys swinging from a tree,
teasing mr. alligator, you can't catch me, you can't catch me.
(whisper) Along comes mr. alligator, (Put palms together and slither
hands like an alligator)
quiet as can be, and
SNAPPED THAT MONKEY RIGHT OUTTA THAT TREE. (louder, and clap
hands with the word SNAP)
(Repeat with 4,3,2,1 monkeys)
202
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
(Begin with 5 fingers splayed and palm away from you, bouncing hand
to rhythm of verse...)
Five little monkeys

Jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head (hold up one finger, then rub head)
Mommy called the doctor
and the doctor said,
"NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!"
(Index finger out, shaking in chastising manner)
Four little monkeys... etc.
Ram Sam Sam

A ram sam sam
A ram sam sam
Goolie Goolie Goolie (Roll hands)
and a Ram Sam Sam (Hit fists again)
A Raffy A Raffy (Lift arms)
Goolie Goolie Goolie (Roll hands again)
and a RAM SAM SAM!(Hit fists again)
A Pizza Hut
A Pizza hut, A Pizza hut (Make triangle with arms)
Kentucky Fried Chicken (Flap arms like wings)
and a
Pizza hut!
McDonald's, McDonald's (Make "M" in air)
Kentucky Fried CHicken
and a Pizza Hut
Five Little Puppies

Five little puppies were playing in the sun. (hold up hands,fingers
extended)
This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run. (bend down first finger)
This one saw a butterfly,and he began to race. (bend down secind
finger)
This one saw a cat,and he began to chase. (bend down third finger)
This one tried to catch his tail,and he went round and round. (bend
down fourth finger)
this one was so quiet,he never made a sound. (bend down thumb)
203
Little Robin Red Breast
(hold up thumb and baby finger, and curl down rest of fingers)
Little robin red breast, stay upon a rail
niddle, noodle went his head (wiggle thumb for head)
wibble, wobble went his tail (wiggle baby finger for tail)
Little Turtle
There was a little turtle (Make fist like turtle)
That lived in a box (Draw a box in the air)
He swam through the puddles (Pretend to swim)
And climbed on the rocks (Walk finger's across child's hair)
He snapped at a mosquito (Make snapping motion)

He snapped at a flea (Make snapping motion)
He snapped at a minnow (Make snapping motion)
And he snapped at me (Snap at yourself)
He caught the mosquito (Tickle child)

He caught the flea (Tickle child again)
He caught the minnow (Tickle child yet again)
But he didn't catch me !!!!
Three Little Hot Dogs

(Place 3 fingers from your right hand into the palm of your left, patting
them up and down, saying...
Three little hot dogs frying in the pan,

the pan got hot and one (hold up 1 finger)
went BAM! (clap on "BAM")
(Place 2 fingers from your right hand into your left hand...)
Two little hot dogs frying in the pan,
the pan got hot and one (hold up 1 finger)
went BAM!(clap)
One little hot dog frying in the pan,

the pan got hot and one went
"'Wait, Wait! Put me on your plate and eat me!"
Five Little Snowmen

Five little snowmen riding on the sled (pretend five fingers are sledding)
One fell off and bumped his head (pretend one finger falls off... rub
head)
I called Frosty and Frosty said (dial imaginary telephone)
"No more snowmen, riding on that sled!" (Say in deep voice)
Four little snowmen...etc.
204
The Ladies Ride...
The ladies ride a pace-to-pace (alternate knees to rhythm on "pace-to-
pace")
Gentlemen ride a trot-to-trot (gentle up-and-down on the words "trot-
to-trot")
But (child's name) rides a gallop-a-gallop-a-gallop-a-gallop...
(Each line should be said with a slightly quicker tempo, and on the last
words "gallop-a-gallop...", really move up and down. And make sure
you're holding onto your child, or he/she will fall off!)
This is the way the Lady Rides...

Contributed by Mike Berkley
This is the way the lady rides: trip - trip - trip - trip
(Gentle voice, bounce child on knee slightly.)
This is the way the gentleman rides: hobbledeehoy - hobbledeehoy
(Snooty voice, more vigourous bouncing.)
This is the way the farmer rides: hoydiho - hoydiho
(Boisterous voice, bounce the child, and rock the child from side to
side, like a sway back horse might.)
And this is the way the hunter rides: galloping - galloping - galloping -
Home!
(Rising crescendo voice, high bouncing, bounce the child off [gently]
on "Home!")
Giddy-up Horsey
Contributed by Tom Quinn
Begin with the child sitting on both of your knees, holding your hands as
if they were reins.
Giddy-up horsey, Giddy-up now!

Giddy-up horsey, don't fall down!
On the word "down", let the child's bottom slip down between your
knees, about halfway to the floor. Make sure to hold them up by their
hands to keep them from really flailing. Their legs will stay hooked over
yours and they'll tend to fall backward a little... you'll probably have to
repeat it from 20 to 100 times!
Trotty-Horse
Contributed by Mindee
Trotty-horse, trotty-horse (alternate knees to rhythm of the words)

Go to town
One leg UP, (keep one leg up)
The other one Dowwwwn! (straighten out the other leg so the child is
205
lopsided)
Trotty Trot to Market

Contributed by Helen P. Fiddes
Lower Onslow, Nova Scotia
Begin with your child facing you, holding her hands.
Trotty trot to market, bounce knees to rhythm

Trotty trot to Lynn,
Watch out, little girl (boy)
That you don't fall in! Seperate your knees and let the child "fall" in.
(How far they fall depends on how old they are)
Hanky Panky
(Bounce up and down to the rhythm)
Down by the banks of the hanky panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky on "bank to banky" , with
your arms, lift the child from knee to knee
With a hip, hop, hippity hop
Jump off the lilypad, (stop all movement)
and kerplop! (holding on to child's arms, let her fall backwards
between your knees)
Ride the Horsey

Ride the Horsey,
Ride the Horsey,
Ride the Horsey to town.
Ride the Horsey,
Ride the Horsey,
Oopsie, the Horsey fell down!
Pony Boy (or Girl)

Pony Boy, Pony Boy,
won't you be my Pony Boy.
Don't say no,
here we go,
giddy-up, giddy-up, GIDDY-UP! (Go faster and louder with the giddy-
ups)
206
Bibliography
Allen,K. Eileen/Marotz, L.R. : ‘Developmental Profiles: Pre-birth through

Twelve’, 4th Edition, 2003 Canada
Dimovich, C. : Adelaide Institute of TAFE: ‘Foster Children’s Language

Development’, July 2000, Adelaide, Australia.
Gallasch P.A. : Adelaide Institute of TAFE: ‘Foster Children’s Cognitive

Development’, July 2000, Adelaide.
Hutchens, T. : Adelaide Institute of TAFE: ‘Provide Opportunities and

Experiences to Enhance Children’s Development’. December, 1999
Adelaide.
Dimovich, C. : Adelaide Institute of TAFE: ‘ Foster Children’s Aesthetic

and Creative Development’. October 2000, Adelaide.
207

Teaching Pre School Children

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Teaching Pre School Children

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TEACHING

PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN &

Australasian Training Academy Pty Ltd

Author: Lynette Mary Wakefield

A Certification Course for TESOL Teachers Australasian

Published, produced, and licensed by Australasian Training

Course contents, course structure, manuals, handouts,

Australasian Training Academy Pty Ltd

This document is formatted for two-sided printing.

ATA: Requirements for Completing Assignments ....................................... 8

Course Description: A comprehensive guide to the fun world

 Teaching Pre-School is approximately 60 hours of

 Complete all assignments

 Answer all assignment questions fully.

 Complete all activities and lesson plans

 Once you have completed all the required

 Please complete all the assignments in your

When sending in your work via E-mail:

When sending in your work via Mail:

1. Name of the Specialisation eg: “Teaching Pre-School”

2. Your name as it appears on your passport (First & Last

3. Your current mailing address, contact number and email

4. If you have completed your “TESOL Training” course

5. I am taking this specialisation course as part of CERT IV or

6. IMPORTANT: Please specify how many specialisations you

Introduction to Teaching English as a Second

They have identified four basic processes to understand how students

Socio-cultural Language Development

Academic Development Cognitive Development

Socio-cultural: This process takes into consideration all parts of

Language development: This process takes into consideration all

Cognitive development: This process helps us understand that ESL

Second language acquisition is a lifelong learning process. The

1.2 Advise on the mind of the Pre-schooler

The Mind of the Pre-schooler

From the age of three Pre-schoolers tend to be more peaceful, relaxed

This is a very rewarding age to teach as creativity is developing and

As their perception of the world around them expands children of this

From the age of five pre-schoolers are more in control of themselves

Seven year olds are typically very aware of themselves as individuals

being more willing to share and cooperate. With well-developed

Teaching children from pre-school to Grade 2 requires specialized

Q.1 What are the four basic processes to understand how

Q.2 What is Socio-cultural?

Q.3 What is Language Development?

Q.4 What is Academic development?

Q.5 What is Cognitive development?

Q.6 Describe the typical three year old?

Q.7 How do 4 year olds try to contribute to the environment

Motor Skills Physical

2.1 Advise on motor skill development for ages 3 and 4.

Motor Skill Development Age Three

The ability to carry a container of liquid for instance a cup or bowl of

At this age young children learn best by active participation rather

 ‘Realia’: [real items]

Four-year-old children still enjoy many of the same activities as the

Dancing and Tumbling: Have children play dance games such as

 Outdoor Nature items: Leaves, Bugs and small collection

 Dress-up Outfits for dancing and play acting.

 Tumbling mats and mini trampolines.

2.2 Advise on motor skill development for ages 5 and 6.

Motor Skills Development Age Five

Dress-ups: role-play, skits and charades. Children can dress up as a