principles for teaching young learners of english

Principles for Teaching Young Learners of English

[email protected] www.mlmcc.com

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The Multiplier Effect of The Multiplier Effect of Language LearningLanguage Learning

Mary Lou McCloskey, Ph.D.Atlanta, Georgia, [email protected]

www.mlmcc.com

What Children BringWhat Children Bring Children BringChildren Bring……w Innate “programming”

to acquire language (Chomsky , Pinker, 2000)w Critical Period for

language acquisition?

Critical Period?Critical Period?

The Effects of The Effects of Language LearningLanguage Learning



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The ability toThe ability to--talk to more people, talk to more people, --read more books, read more books, --experience other culturesexperience other cultures

Mary Lou McCloskey, 2005 www.mlmcc.com 8

Jean PiagetJean Piaget

AssimilationAssimilation

Kitty

AssimilationAssimilation

Kitty

AccommodationAccommodation

KittyDoggie

Recent Studies Recent Studies of the Brainof the Brain



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Differences in brain activity Differences in brain activity during language tasks between during language tasks between

adults (18adults (18--35) and children (735) and children (7--10)10)(Schlagger et al 2002)(Schlagger et al 2002)

w Children had more activity in left extrastriate cortexw Adults had more activity in left frontal cortex.

Language Areas Language Areas of the Brainof the Brain

(Kim, 1997)(Kim, 1997)

Broca’s Area: Wernicke’s Area


Differences in where language Differences in where language is processed:is processed:

w Languages learned early in life:Processing occurs in overlapping regions of Broca’s and Wernicke’s Areasw Languages learned later: Wernicke’s

Area for what words mean; Broca’s Area for grammar and syntax.


PiagetPiaget’’s Stages of Cognitive s Stages of Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

wSensorimotor (birth-2)wPre-operational (2-7)wConcrete Operations (7-11)wFormal Operations (11-15)


Piagetian Stages and Brain Piagetian Stages and Brain Development StagesDevelopment Stages

(Sprenger, 1999)(Sprenger, 1999)

w

Higher-order thinkingFormal operations (ages 11-15)

Manipulation of thought and ideas

Concrete operational (ages 7-11)

Language acquisitionPre-operational (ages 2-7)

Large motor system and visual system

Sensorimotor (birth-2 years)

Stages of myelin release and brain growth

Piaget’s stages of development

3. Expanded ability 3. Expanded ability to learnto learn



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How reading How reading changes language changes language

learning learning 4. School performance of 4. School performance of

students learning a second students learning a second languagelanguage

5. Learning 5. Learning additional additional languageslanguages

Refined cultural Refined cultural awareness and awareness and

adeptness; cognitive adeptness; cognitive flexibilityflexibility


When to Start EFL?When to Start EFL?

wWhy start early?– Potential for native-like pronunciation– Easy and natural acquisition of

language structures during critical period

– Opportunity to develop positive attitudes toward the language


When to Start EFL?When to Start EFL?wWhy wait?

– Older learners can learn very rapidly and effectively using their higher-level cognitive abilities

– Native-like pronunciation is not necessary for effective communication

– Resources may be better used to provide needed quality and intensity for older learners

– There may be concern about language loss of L1 if English use is highly prevalent



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When to Start EFL?When to Start EFL?wIt depends on quality and model

– Quality of program and of teaching are the most important variables

wMany effective models, e.g.,– Progressive transition 90/10 to 80/20

etc.– 50/50 – often content-based– 90/10 – structured immersion

Principles for Principles for developing a new developing a new

language with language with younger learnersyounger learners

Principle 1Principle 1Offer learners enjoyable, active

roles in the learning experience

Principle 2Principle 2

Help students develop and practice language through collaboration

PrinciplePrinciple 33

Use multi-dimensional, thematically-organized activities


Provide comprehensible input with scaffolding



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Integrate language with content


Validate and integrate home language and culture

Principle 7Principle 7Provide clear goals and feedback on

performance

Principle 8Principle 8Develop learner’s own strategies for

language development

Implications Implications & Considerations& Considerations


Learning languages is Learning languages is exponentially beneficialexponentially beneficial

wImproved cognition & brain developmentwImproved L1 proficiencywImproved academic performancewImproved abilities in social, cultural

understanding



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When to begin When to begin language learning?language learning?

wThere is no simple, “younger is better” answer. wWhat about literacy? Usually best

in L1 first. wWhat are the variables? Time,

capacity, commitment


What about language What about language policies?policies?

wMovement toward linguistic pluralism wNeed for pro-language-development

governmental policies


AnonymousAnonymous-Martin Steingesser

I know a poem of six lines that no one knowswho wrote, except

that the poet was Chinese and lived centuries before the birth of Christ. I said it aloud

once to some children, and when I reached the last line suddenly they understood and together all went--

"Ooo!"Mary Lou McCloskey, 2005 www.mlmcc.com 40

AnonymousAnonymous

imagine that poem, written by a poet trulywho is Anonymous, since

in the strict corporeal sensehe hasn't existed for thousands of years--imagine his little

poem traveling


AnonymousAnonymouswithout gas or even a single grease jobacross centuries of space and a million miles of time

to me, who spoke itsoftly aloud to a group of children who heard and suddenly all together cried "Ooo!"

The Multiplier Effect of The Multiplier Effect of Language LearningLanguage Learning

Mary Lou McCloskey, Ph.D.Atlanta, Georgia, [email protected]

www.mlmcc.com

October 2005

principles for teaching young learners of english

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