2.1.1 New global perspectives
Besides having an excellent knowledge of/about English and its teaching and learning methods, techniques nowadays professionals must face the facts that English speakers very likely use English with multilingual speakers than with monolingual ones. Teachers are challenged to help their learners to choose the more appropriate variety of English for a great variety of situations. Therefore professionals should be equipped with competences that enable them to apply methods and attitudes adjusted to the needs and expectations in their contexts. Considering all these requirements teachers of English need to help students navigating within the forms of discourse, texts and visual images. The question of which practices would support learning more successfully also arises here. As there is not a single, all-powerful method professionals try to acquaint their students with the complex dimensions of learning English as a global language.
Knowing all these facts the question rises here how and at what age young learners should start learning English in a world where the improved communications requires new forms and strategies of social networking. Children will be expected to communicate in English with friends, family members and later with their colleagues. And this generation of children will learn curriculum subjects such as history, maths etc. through the medium of English. It means that as soon as they become secondary school learners they will have to use English on a level that supports their learning.
Effective pedagogical techniques
The question arises here if young learners/pre school children can be taught EFL/ESL.
Researchers have shown that these years are the most vital ones. Children learn by listening, seeing, imitating and practicing[1]. It is evident that talking to them and using EFL all the time from the start learning will be natural for them.
[1] It is worth bearing in mind that we have several types if intelligence, that is, linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, social, introspective, musical, bodily, and naturalistic (Gardner 1983, 1998).
Tasks
Task 1 What types of teaching techniques do you consider effective in your practice regarding Global English?
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Techniques supporting my teaching/learning |
Techniques I have heard about but I have never applied |
Techniques that will be introduced in my kindergarten/school |
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E.g.: illustrated vocabulary, Flashcards, drawings |
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Task 2 Is material analysis a requirement in your practice or is it you who decide what to teach?
Task 3 Read the following criteria of a material analysis regarding cultural awareness and decide which ones you can accept in your practice.
1. Do the texts actively seek to engage the students through language or cultural content?
2. Do the texts offer an unbiased perspective of culture?
3. Do the texts consider the learners culture?
4. Is there any connection or reference made to the learners own culture in order to establish
relevance?
5. Is culture used purely as a source of facts to learn about or is it presented as stimulating
material which students can learn from?
6. Do the texts/visual materials further basic stereotypes or is material presented objectively
for students to make their own discoveries and interpretations?
7. What are the goals of the text books? What is the actual purpose of including cultural content?
Task 4 What are the features of well-designed materials for pre- school learners/ kindergarten children?
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There are materials that are useful in my practice because |
There are materials that I must use but I would neglect them because |
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Task 5 Is material evaluation used in your practice as a means of developing your syllabus?
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Yes, and we use the outcomes of the evaluation to the followings |
No, it is up to the individual teachers and I find it effective because |
My school/institute are planning to introduce this method to develop teaching |
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E.g.: to focus on cultural content to help e-learning |
Task 6 Do you think that in-depth material evaluation supports needs analysis?
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Yes, I do because |
No, I do not because |
Fist I should experience this for the reason of |
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Task 7 Think of an action plan that would help you evaluating your own work as well as the children’s learning. The following questions may help you:
- What should go into an English language lesson for kindergarten children?
- Why is planning important?
- Do we need to plan if the children have not learned to write and read?
Task 8 Here an action plan template/ sample[1] is offered. Think if this strategy would support your teaching then complete these issues.
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Action
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Aims and objectives of the assessment |
Tools |
Type of assessment |
Timing |
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E.g. revising curriculum based on the school/kindergarten strategic plan
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E.g. to design new materials, to teach more effectively |
E.g. Observation sheet |
Feedbacks of the learners Peer and self evaluation Mentor’s feedback |
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E.g. Assess children’s learning process |
E.g. to explore children’s problems, to check children’s’ growth |
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Task 9 Have you experienced so far that the strategy of quality assurance (QA) in your practice has enhanced quality (teaching, learning) problems?
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Yes, and our practice is |
It is not an issue |
I have only studied this issue and I have arrived at the followings |
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Task 10 Add a few more ideas to this list of your children’s learning outcomes and think how these issues would assure quality of teaching EFL for young learners.
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Learning outcomes |
Assuring quality by methods and techniques |
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Children’s contribution to their world |
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Children’s sense of well being |
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Being confident and involved learners |
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Being effective communicators |
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Others |
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Quality areas that would support maintaining quality standards can be the followings:
- Educational program and practice
- Children’s health and safety
- Physical environment
- Staffing
- Relationship with children and their families
- Leadership and management
[1] This website offers a useful example of evaluating kindergarten children’s phonetic awareness http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/literacy/video/assessments/k-phonemic.pdf