1. Jean Piaget

2. How children learn L1/L2 Jean Piaget 1896 – 1980
• Swiss psychologist and educator
Famous for his learning theories based on different stages in the development of children's intelligence.
• How do children learn?
• Children learn...
– by interacting with the world around them
– when they take action to solve problems

3. How children learn L1/L2
First language: general meaning before individual words
Flow of sounds: connected sounds before they separate them into individual words: CARETAKER TALK

4. CARETAKER TALK Mother talking to her little child of 16 months.
MOTHER: Now we are nearly dressed … OK now over your head … good boy … put in your other hand … now shoes. Where are your shoes?
CHILD: Sus …
MOTHER: Yes. Your shoes. Where are they? Oh, there. Look… your shoes… on the chair.
CHILD: Sus. Sus.
MOTHER: Yes shoes.

5. How children learn L1/L2
Only written language is divided into words and sentences
Stress on intonation patterns and sounds of words

6. CHILDREN UNDER SEVEN (VYLs)
They acquire L2 in much the same way as they acquire their first language
They do not realize that they are learning a foreign language (grammar)
They learn through hearing, doing things, imitating, playing

7. Speaking – silent period
• Learners understand more than they can say
– When children learn their first language they respond
to language long before they learn to speak.
• Second language learners have a “silent period”
– During this period they listen to and absorb the
language
– They then formulate their own personal grammar,
which they adapt and expand with exposure to more
language.

8. Speaking – chunks
• After the silent period, children learning a foreign
language may suddenly start to use phrases
– I don’t know
– Come on
– Goodbye

9. Speaking – chunks • Chunks can later be broken down and the words
recombined
• I don't know
• I don’t know its name, I don't know spelling
• We don’t know, They don’t know
• He doesn’t know
– When children begin to break down a phrase in this
way, it is a sign of language development
Songs, rhymes, poems, dramas and routine all helps
This way children can acquire ready-made bits of language so they can begin to communicate
Children’s desire to communicate is very powerful
If they are doing an interesting activity, they will talk a lot

10. TEACHING ENGLISH Make learning English enjoyable and fun
Do not worry about mistakes
Use gestures
Talk a lot (in English)
Play games, sing songs, say rhymes
Tell simple stories
Do not worry when they use their mother tongue
Answer in English
Recast in English what they say in their mother tongue