They’re not just smaller – how young
learners are different
They are still
developing physically
Hand – eye coordination
Motor skills
Handling pencil, pen,
scissors
Sitting still / Self-control
Let’s face it:
it’s difficult for students to spend long
periods of time confined to the small space of the classroom.
Zoltan Dornyei
We need to be patient and
allow for ‘wriggling’ and ‘walkabouts’
We need to teach
handwriting skills
Children need opportunities
to develop motor skills in class
•
Throwing
and catching a ball
•
Colouring
•
Cutting
out
•
Sticking
stickers
•
Art and
crafts
•
Movement
games
They are still developing socially
Need to work together
Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal
Development
The zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been defined as "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p86).
Lev Vygotsky views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent children develop with help from more skillful peers - within the zone of proximal development.
Vygotsky believed that when a student is at the ZPD for a particular task, providing the appropriate assistance will give the student enough of a "boost" to achieve the task
Cognitive Development
The brain continues developing until we are in our
early 20s.
At the age of seven thinking is largely reliant on
perception. Children are egocentric and lack the capacity for logical thinking.
From 7 -11 logical thinking begins to develop but
understanding depends on immediate context and generalising is hard.
Teaching grammar rules just ain’t gonna work!
Focus on meaning
Give plenty of language input so that slowly
children will notice patterns and acquire language
Give the
students something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a
nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.
John Dewey (1859 – 1952, American philosopher
and educational reformer)
John Holt – Natural Learning Style
The child is curious…wants to make sense of
things… is open and receptive… experimental.. bold… not afraid of making
mistakes… is patient…can tolerate an
extraordinary amount of uncertainty, confusion, ignorance and suspense..
We ought to accept mistakes as ‘learning steps’
We should not be obsessed with the ‘right’
answer
We must create classrooms where the focus is on
learning not ‘teaching’
I have no special talents. I
am only
passionately curious.
Albert
Einstein
Research in nursery schools by Tizard and Hughes showed that the girls
they were researching asked 26 questions an hour at home and only 2 an hour at school. The teachers
dominated the discussion with questions, only giving the children a short time
in which to reply. Unintentionally the teachers were conveying the message that
it was the children’s role to answer the questions rather than ask
them.
•
Encourage
exploration and imagination
•
Avoid
questions which have only one correct answer
•
Celebrate
questions
•
Ask ‘real’
questions
•
Include activities that are Multiply
Intelligent: music, movement, pictures, group work, working alone, problem
solving etc
•
Don’t teach the
book, teach the children
•
Remember - variety is the spice of life
Creating
the right conditions for children’s language learning
•
a
need and desire to learn English
•
sufficient
time for English
•
exposure
to varied and meaningful input
•
opportunities
for experimentation
•
opportunities
to practise and use the language in different contexts
•
a
friendly atmosphere in which children can take risks
•
help
in noticing the underlying pattern in language
Jayne Moon, Children Learning English, Macmillan
We do not have to train children to learn…we have to
avoid interfering with it
Frank
Smith, Reading, 1978, CUP
Homework – is it a waste of time?
YES..
When students lack the support to do it well.
If we
don’t plan for success, we’ll have a lot of correction to do.
When students are so
overwhelmed with studies, they are too tired to do it well.
When it’s learning by rote.
When it’s just easier to copy off your friend tomorrow..
Or when mummy will do it..
When the
work benefits from collaboration
When we haven’t actually
planned how it links with what is done in class or considered its value.
When students are well prepared in class to do it on
their own.
Writing a composition - Have you?
brainstormed vocabulary
- pretaught useful vocabulary
- reviewed grammar to be used
- presented ideas
- discussed ideas
- drawn up plans together
When they see a point in doing it...
e.g.Letters to teacher
Preparing input for next lesson e.g doing research, collecting materials, rehearsing dialogues for taping
Part of an ongoing scheme of work e.g. extensive reading, a project, portfolio work
When the medium is appealing
When homework tasks can be chosen
When parents can help
and encourage their children at home
When parents are
trained/advised how to help their children
When it’s a pleasure to do
Checklist: does the homework:
maximize use of time?
provide pre or post lesson
support
encourage independence?
allow for personalisation?
