TEACHING ACROSS AGE LEVELS By Marisol Barraza Children

TEACHING ACROSS AGE LEVELS By: Marisol Barraza

Children are superior to adults when it comes learning a language succesfully. Why is this a myth?

TEACHING CHILDREN What factors must be considered when teaching children?

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT p p p Children 7 -11: Concrete Operational Stage (Piaget, 1972) At this age have difficulty using deductive logic. (from general to specific) Example: All oranges are fruits All fruits grow on trees Therefore, all oranges grow on trees.

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT Children are centered in: p the here and now. p The functional purposes of language. Children cannot understand the use of metalanguage used to explain linguistic concepts. (grammar, structures)

In the classroom p p Don't use metalanguage to explain grammar Avoid rules stated in abstract terms (grammar activities) Certain patterns may be taught if the teacher is able to show the students. Certain patterns require more repetition (meaningful)

ATTENTION SPAN Compared to adults, children have short attention span. Why is this not entirely true?

ATTENTION SPAN Children have short attention span for material that is: p Boring p Useless p Difficult In the classroom, Lessons have to be interesting. What do teachers need to do?

In the classroom p p p Design activities that capture the students´immediate interest (here and now) Provide variety in activities The teacher needs to be animated, lively and enthusiastic. The teacher needs to have a sense of humor. Tap into the students´curiosity.

SENSORY INPUT Children need to have all five senses stimulated: Hearing Seeing Smelling Tasting Touching What do teachers need to do in the classroom? p

In the classroom p p Complement your lessons with physical activities (TPR, role play, games) Projects and hands on activities (words, structures, practice meaningful language) Smelling, tasting, touching and Audiovisuals Nonverbal language (gestures and body language)

AFFECTIVE FACTORS Children are not affected by the inhibitions that block adults in their learning. Why is this a myth?

Affective Factors Children have many inhibitions and are more fragile than adults: p Extremely sensitive to classmates p Their egos are on the process of being shaped What do teachers need to do in the classroom?

In the classroom p p p Have students laugh at each others errors Be patient and supportive but firm in your expectations Encourage oral participation as much as possible (even from the quiet ones)

AUTHENTIC, MEANINGFUL LEARNING p Children will be interested in learning a language if they can use it for HERE and Now.

In the classroom p p p Avoid stilted language (not common) Use context embedded language (in a context: dialogues, story lines, familiar situations and characters) Use the whole language approach (Language as a vehicle for communication)

Teaching Adults p p Many rules to teaching children may apply to teaching adults. Adults have superior cognitive abilities than children They can create mental images and deal with language that is not embedded (isolated). Adults have the self confidence that children lack.

In class Assignment p Divide into two groups. Prepare a comparison chart of `things to do and things to avoid when teaching children, teenagers and adults. What to do Children Teenagers Adults What to avoid