Teaching Young Learners MINI COURSE 2013 Teaching Young Learners

Young learners? Very young learners?

VERY YOUNG LEARNERS According to Piaget: Preoperational Stage of development. The two words most frequently used are: Why and How. They are doers who live in the here and now. Learn to get along with others and take turns. Start to learn about personal space ( where their bodies end and the others start).

VERY YOUNG LEARNERS Ask millions of questions and take the answers to exaggerate extremes. They are beginning to understand right, wrong, acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Egocentric: they consider things from their own point of view and imagine that everyone shares the same view. They are able to focus on one aspect of the situation, at one time. Respect and insist on obedience of rules at all times, and they are not able to take anything such as motives into account.

YOUNG LEARNERS According to Piaget: Concrete Operational Stages of development. Tendency to be disorganized and forgetful. Friendships often with the same-gender peers, usually based on proximity, common interests and hobbies. Girls have fewer, but emotionally closer, than boys. Test the limits. Sense of justice.

YOUNG LEARNERS Person hygiene sometimes a problem. Has difficulty taking a joke on himself/herself. Try to avoid guilty feelings and punishment by following the rules. Charts may help with motivation. They are able to imagine different scenarios or ‘what if’ something to happen.

Piaget and Vygotsky Theories

Piaget and Vygotsky: Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky proposed the classical constructivism theories of cognitive development.

“ Children learn through social interaction.” Vygotsky: “ Children learn through social interaction.” Children construct knowledge through other people, through interacting with adults.

“Children are active learners and thinkers.” Piaget: “Children are active learners and thinkers.” Children construct knowledge from actively interacting with the physical environment in developmental stages.

Piaget’s stages of development: Sensorimotor (0-2 years old) Preoperational (2-7 years old) Concrete Operational (7-11 years old) Formal Operational ( +11 years old)

Very Young Learners: NOTE: To change images on this slide, select a picture and delete it. Then click the Insert Picture icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. Very Young Learners:

ROUTINE Is it important to establish routines? Why? How do you do it? Is it the same in all classrooms? Why? Why not?

Classrooms need to be very organized.

Divide your class into two areas: one for circle time and the other for table time.

Play a song so they know the class is about to start and they should make a circle.

During Circle Time the teacher can: introduce new content, review, play games, work with TPR, sing songs, etc.

Circle Time:

CIRCLE TIME Make a circle big, big, big Small, small, small, big, big, big Make a circle small, small, small Hello, hello, hello Make a circle round and round (3x) Make a circle round and round Make a circle up,up,up Down, down, down, up, up, up Make a circle down, down, down Let´s sit down.

HELLO Come on, let's sing. Okay! Hello! [Wave your right hand.] Hello! [Wave your left hand.] Hello, how are you? [Wave your right hand, then gesture towards someone else, placing your arms in front of you in an "And you?" kind of gesture.] (Repeat) I'm good! [One thumb up!] I'm great! [Two thumbs up!] I'm wonderful! [Jump in the air!] (Repeat) Hello! Hello! Hello, how are you? (Repeat) I'm tired. [Slouch your shoulders and sigh.] I'm hungry. [Rub your tummy.] I'm not so good. [One thumb down!] (Repeat) Hello! Hello! Hello, how are you? (Repeat 3x) ♫ HELLO

Who took the cookie from the cookie jar? Who me? Yes, you! Not me! Then who? __________ OK,OK. I took the cookie. I took the cookie from the cookie jar. The yummy, yummy cookie from the cookie jar. Are you hungy? Uh-uh. Let´s share. OK.

IF YOU´RE HAPPY... If you´re happy and you know it clap your hands If you´re happy and you know and you really want to show it Stomp your feet Shout Hooray!

Head, shoulders, knees and toes Knees and toes Eyes and ears and mouth and nose

Try to use a rattle or a signal to change from CIRCLE TIME to TABLE TIME rather than raising your voice to attract attention.

Table Time:

Activities: Suggestions to vary activities about COLORS and NUMBERS: http://teachingyounglearnersctj.pbworks.com/w/page/61642967/Activity%20suggestions

Activities: Presentation: - Present or Review Colors and number during Circle Time

Activities: 3. Production: Table time

NOTE: To change images on this slide, select a picture and delete it. Then click the Insert Picture icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. Suggestions:

Attention Span: A kid’s normal attention span is three to five minutes for every year of age. In other words a 2-year-old should be able to concentrate for at least 6 minutes and 5- year-old should be able to focus for 15 minutes.

HELPER: Choose different students to help you during class time.

ROUTINE: Do not expect things to change from one class to another. To establish a routine takes time.

CONSISTENCY: Be consistent. Adapt.

SURPRISE ACTIVITIES: Surprise activities can help settle a class in case the children get too excited. Try to use TPR and activities.

ROUTINE X VARIETY: It’s important to establish a routine, so the children feel safe. But inside the routine the activities, songs and chants should vary to give kids the opportunity to practice the same content in many different ways and don’t feel bored about it.

MATERIALS: Be attentive to the list of materials that are asked in the beginning of the semester. They not only provide students with a great variety of activities but also parents feel glad that the materials sent are being used.

TIMING: It’s important to time the activities so students feel aware about how much time they have left to finish something. Some digital suggestions: http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

TIMING: Suggestions: Draw stars on the board and erase them so students can keep track of the minutes they have left. Use a chart with interesting characters. Use a kitchen timer. Use songs.

NOTE: To change images on this slide, select a picture and delete it. Then click the Insert Picture icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. Young Learners:

DIFFERENCES FROM VYL: They usually carry their materials instead of leaving them with the teacher in the classroom. The teacher needs to be organized, but she also needs to teach the students to organize their desks.

DIFFERENCES FROM VYL: Many of them don’t like Circle Time anymore, they think it’s too childish. They still like songs but they prefer the ones from their favorite TV show or the ones they listen to on the radio.

DIFFERENCES FROM VYL: They like games, but need to learn how to be cooperative. Like very young learners, it’s important to consider: attention span, timing, consistency, routine + variety and surprise activities.

ACTIVITIES: Suggestions to vary activities about ANIMALS: http://teachingyounglearnersctj.pbworks.com/w/page/61642967/Activity%20suggestions

ACTIVITIES: Presentation Practice (PPT) Practice (Realia) Practice or Production (Mobile - cel phones and Ipads)

ACTIVITIES: Presentation: - Present the vocabulary using the book or flashcards: lion, zebra, giraffe, hippo, bear, shark, tiger and fish

ACTIVITIES: 2. Practice: PPT Flashcards Realia (shoe box and feely box) Mobile: apps: eFlash English and Cute baby flashcards Lite

ACTIVITIES: 3. Production: Cell Phones (pictures, e-mail the teacher....) Ipads: Educreations ad Skitch

Tips for talking to parents: NOTE: To change images on this slide, select a picture and delete it. Then click the Insert Picture icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. Tips for talking to parents:

Tips for talking to parents: If a parent comes to the classroom door, introduce yourself. Highlight some of the child’s strengths, letting the parent know what the child does well.

Tips for talking to parents: Write everything down on your Grade Sheet and use the information while talking to parents. This will help the parent know that you are basing your comments on facts and not just feelings. It’s important to know what kids are able to do according to their age to justify parents when they are doing well or not so well. Especially if the child is the oldest in the family, the parent might not have experience to know what the child is able to reach or not.

Tips for talking to parents: Pay attention to tone of voice and body language. Be friendly. Inform. Stick to facts. Explain how you’re handling it. Be brief. Talk to parents with confidence.

REFERENCES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaget's_theory_of_cognitive_development http://www.learning-theories.com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory.html http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/four-year-old-childages-and-stages-of-development-516387.html http://www.focusas.com/Adolescence-MiddleChildhood.html http://www.parentsconnect.com/parenting-your-kids/parenting-kids/child-behavior/high_attention_span.html http://decoloresgreenville.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/characteristics-9-10-year-old.pdf http://childparenting.about.com/od/yourtenyearold/a/tenyearoldplay.htm http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2000/Piaget/stages.htm http://www.usefulcharts.com/psychology/piaget-stages-of-cognitive-development.html www.smartclassroommanagement.com www.cdc.gov http://www.nstru.ac.th/portal/data_resource/NEWS/2009/INSIDE/FILE/1232942687_087864500.pdf