Puppets in English lessons- motivating children and encouraging teachers
This session will look at how -insights from current educational research can inform our language lessons -a specific methodology could help a teacher actualise effective language learning -children can use puppets to build their knowledge and confidence in English -working with a puppet can encourage a teacher to use more English in the classroom
Jeremy Wallenn
Hong Kong
It's good to talk - developing speaking skills in young learners
This talk will present some of the most recent research into developing oracy skills in young learners and describe the ways these theories can be put into practice, especially within an Asian context. Reference will be made to the recent changes to the Hong Kong curriculum and the impact this has had on the teaching of spoken English.
Motivating Young Learners: Ideas for keeping things moving
This session looks at ways to make learning fun for children and to expose them to a wide range of language through stories, songs, chants, games and creative activities to make classes effective, dynamic and memorable.
BOITUMELO KGWADI
South Africa
Challenges and Effectiveness of Multilingualism in South African Schools
Language has always been a contentious issue in education in South Africa. From the drive for mother-tongue education to the ever pressing need to be able to use international languages such as English. To be able to understand the language and education situation in South Africa today it is necessary to look at the historical background of languages in schools in South Africa. In addition, current national policies regarding language in education and the current language situation in South Africa need to be interrogated. This paper will focus on current language situation in schools and on the promotion of multilingualism in schools from different backgrounds.
Ola Gornicka
Israel
Helen Doron Early English Methodology and Practice from 3 Months
This talk will present the theory and practice of Helen Doron Early English (HDEE). HDEE offers English courses for children aged three months to 14 years in 26 countries worldwide. The talk will discuss relevant aspects of early child development in relation to the method and will present HDEE methodology and materials in an interactive way.
Wing Yee Kwong
Hong Kong
KG pupils 0-3 years old: Training the Ear
Too often the ESL focus in Hong Kong kindergartens is to expose their pupils to the written form, thus beginning the habit of second language learning with the eye. The alternative for 0-3 years old pupils is to train the ear, as will be demonstrated in a case study.
Makiko Tanaka
Japan
How to create activities that produce more input and interaction
In this workshop, participants will learn to create and devise activities that produce more input, interaction, and output among students. The presenter will demonstrate that the same questions can be both display and referential questions, and that the teachers can convert the same display questions to more meaningful and compelling referential questions by devising activities.
Teresa Fleta
Spain
Immersing Young Learners in English at School: Research and Practice
This presentation reports on the production and development of English as an additional language (L2) by young learners during the first years at school and on the pedagogical techniques used by a group of teachers. Immersing young learners in English and stimulating their multiple intelligences?through songs, stories, movement and art, help to develop the four skills in the L2.
Simon Greenall and (Jamie) Zhang Min
UK and China
Putting theory into practice: interactive YL classroom activities
Teachers find the motivation of primary learners is different from that of teenagers or adults.This workshop will provide interactive training on the following issues: key principles which govern classroom activities, topics which will interest young learners, and tasks which will motivate them. It will also look at the problems teachers can have when organizing activities and giving feedback to their students, and will suggest possible solutions. Finally, it will consider which practical activities best prepare the young learners for the Junior and Senior High curriculum.
Helen Emery
England
From Chinese to English:Children's Reading Problems and Practical Solutions
This session investigates the problems encountered by children learning to read English as a Second Language, in particular when the L1 and L2 use different orthographies. The author will describe a variety of teaching methods, and discuss their effectiveess in helping children to acquire good reading skills. This session aims to offer practical advice to teachers, and welcomes active participation
Alan Pulverness
England
What does a lessin look like? Learning how to learn
In Roger McGough's poem 'First Day at School' the infant narrator imagines 'lessins' as 'small and slimy'. This talk will examine some of the key facors that enable the learner to understand why lessons are as they are and will explore the extent to which such awareness can be nourished at different ages and stages of cognitive and affective development.
Mahrukh Bharucha
Indian
DRAMA IN EDUCATION - Role play in the Language Class
DRAMA IN EDUCATION (DIE) is applied widely in the teaching of social sciences, literature, maths and science; but rarely used to develop a foreign language.
This workshop aims to show how the theory of DIE is simple to understand and apply-and the practice, particularlly with young learners, is a marvellous tool for every ESOL practitioner.
Implementation for Assessment for Learning In the ESL Primary Classrooms
With an increased concern on how to integrate assessment effectively to enhance learning and teaching, this talk will prsent the outcomes of school-based action learning projects conducted by a group of in=service teachrs of English on integrating assessment for learning in their teaching. Implications for integrating assessment for learning as an integral part of teaching and learning process will be learn.
Yumi Ohashi
Japan
Co-construction of Learning in pair interviewing
The study attempts an analysis of pair-interviews as an assessment method for primary EFL. Sociocultural theory is adopted to provide the theoretical background for analysing learning opportunities emerged in the co-constructed interaction of pair-interviews. Three pairs of Japanese children aged 8 or 9 are interviewed, using an oral test the author prepared. In-depth analysis of the transcribed interaction provides a rich picture of children's learning experience benefiting from both peer- and expert assistance, stretch the learner ability in the ZPD.
With reference to Teaching English to young Learners who speak languages other than English
Some explicit teaching of basic concepts is necessary.This paper presents how English Grammar caould be taught to the children without any ELT jargon, in a play-way method using the Nursery Rhymes they must have already been familiar with. This experiment had been conducted by me in my hometown Hyderabad in a few schools and the results were very encouraging. So I have written 5 books, to be used for students of I-V standards. Its called Jingle Bells Grammar Series: Grammar through Nursery Rhymes and Stories. It has five books beginning with the nouns and going upto conversational techniques. By the time the five books are taught with some supplementay excersises, the children from non-English speaking background would master the basic concepts of English , become proficient in basic speaking, reading and writing in English and would feel comfortable to carry on their English studies without any difficulty. As the material consists of Rhymes for teaching and stories for excersises and testing, they would learn English cheerfully.
May Pang
Hong Kong
Developing EFL/ESL young learners's reading thinking abilities using cooperative learning.
Theories of interactive reading have long confirmed the importance of transaction between the reader and the text in the reading process if reading is to be meaningful. It is also commonplace in theories of reading to distinguish different levels of understanding of a text, as referred to as reading "the lines" i.e. at a literal level, "between the lines" i.e. at an interpretative level, and "beyond the lines" i.e. at a critical or responsive level (Gray, 1960; McRae, 1991).
Discussion on provision of quality care and education for young children puts emphasis on providing them with an environment in which an integrated approach is used to facilitate all areas of development: physical, emotional, social, and cognitive (Foyle, Lyman & Thies, 1991). It has also been acknowledged by educators that an environment conducive to learning allows children to feel secure to take challenges to explore and solve problems so as to investigate their world. Cooperative learning is seen as one such methodology. Drawn on the above theories, this talk is to introduce a 3-level framework with an aim to develop EFL/ESL young learners's reading thinking abilities using cooperative learning. Adopting the principles for DRTA, learners are first invited to predict or brainstorm or to solve a particular reading problem; they are then directed to read using various reading strategies or methods. After reading, they will be engaged in various cooperative-interactive activities to share, discuss and/or co-construct a solution to the issue or problem in focus. In fact, whether in the pre-reading activities or post-reading debriefing, a range of cooperative learning structures will be used. To further suit learners at the lower or upper primary level, two versions of the framework will be differentiated. Implications for English teaching in general, teacher development and second language acquisition research will also be offered.
A Survey on the Relative Contribution of "Corrective Reading" Strategy to autonomous Comprehension of Intermediate EFLers' Classrooms
The purpose of this study was to determine whether Corrective Reading strategy improves autonomous Comprehension ability of Iranian intermediate EFL learners, or not. Hence, a group of seventy homogeneous students were selected. They were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Then, both groups enjoyed a series of similar instructions except that the students in experimental group were required to explore the texts they were faced taking advantage of corrective reading strategy. Moreover, in the experimental group, Corrective Reading was implemented in the form of whole-class format. Each lesson was 45-minutes in length and intended to be taught by teachers 4 times per week. In this study the students used the books which they studied in their institute. Finally, in order to capture the probable significant effect of corrective reading strategy on comprehension autonomy of Iranian intermediate EFL students, a t-test was administered. The results rejected the null hypothesis, and indicated that corrective reading strategy positively affected Iranian intermediate EFL students' autonomous comprehension ability.
Wang Duqin
China
Phonological Awareness Training in Primary Schools in China
This program approached design of phonological awareness training from the perspective of multiple intelligence to cater for the diverse needs of different young learners. The program lasted for six months. A post-test was administered to assess learners’ ability to pronounce words and write words, and their reading comprehension. It is found that the learners could read what they saw and write down what they heard after the program. A comparative test was issued in another primary school with learners who did not receive phonological training. Statistics from the study shows that training not only cultivated the learners’ phonological awareness, but also proved the high coefficiency between the learners’ phonological awareness and reading comprehension.
Chu Jinli
China
The Reflection and Countermeasures on the Current State of English Pronunciation Teaching in Chinese Primary Schools
Pronunciation teaching in China, especially in primary schools has not been attached importance to ever since the teaching of English language in China. In recent years, Pronunciation teaching has regained international attention in the world of English teaching, and is required to be given careful consideration in the ESL curriculum design, however, the current state of pronunciation teaching in Chinese primary schools is still unsatisfactory and worrying This paper, based on the Pronunciation learning goal of Level Two set up by the New English Curriculum Criterion, tends to make a general reflection on the current state of English Pronunciation Teaching in Chinese Primary Schools, and expatiate the significance of learning pronunciation and the significance of raising students’ awareness of pronunciation in English learning. It also suggests for primary school teachers some teaching strategies on the efficient ways of helping students develop sufficient pronunciation learning strategies both in and outside class.
How to Cultivate Students’ Interest in Learning English Nowadays
some students lose their interest in learning English. The reasons are all kinds of pressures and English classes are boring and dull. Pupils like to learn what they are interested in. Therefore, if English class becomes enjoyable, pupils will be highly motivated, and they will learn more and speak more. This paper first explains the relationship between motivation and interest. Learning interest is a kind of motive power of pupils, which can stimulate pupils to understand the language points they have learned in English class and urge them to participate in the activities of practicing English skills. Next, some methods of arousing students’ learning interest are mentioned in the thesis, such as understanding the characteristics of pupils, praising students, playing English games, singing English songs, telling English stories, using pictures in English class, and so on. In a word, interest can stimulate pupils’ learning desire, and it can also make the process of teaching successful and let students love what they are learning.
Principles of Effective English Teaching in Primary Schools
In facilitating pupils learning English in primary schools, teachers are in a passionate pursuit of effective teaching, which calls for certain principles and strategies. Based on instructional theories and practice, this paper offers nine principles which should help teachers to improve the quality of their teaching English in primary schools. The initial letters of these principles make up the key word EFFECTIVE: Engaging every learner; Foster learner confidence; Focusing on objectives; Eliciting learner performance; Connecting prior learning; Teaching explicitly; Integrating four skills; Varying learning activities; Encouraging peer assistance.
To teach or not to teach-phonetic alphabets in primary English classroom
This article considers the teaching of phonetic alphabets in EFL classroom in primary schools in China, which has lately become a problem troubling both teachers and teacher trainers, as the national curriculum standard and most newly-published textbooks do not support phonetic alphabet teaching while many teachers argue that it’s especially helpful in their teaching. In the article we hold that there is no simple answer to this teach-or-not question, and that teaching of phonetic alphabets in Chinese primary schools should depend on the needs of particular learners in different EFL context.
Major Problems with ELT after Seven-Year Curriculum Innovation
New Curriculum Innovation for Compulsury Education of China has been going on since 2001. Great changes have been taking place all aound China: English teachers have been trying out various tasks and classroom activities to make their teaching interesting and meaningful sothat the students’ competence in using English can be enhanced; textbooks have been revised again and again in order to cater for the development of the society and new technology; testing system has been constantly improved so that the individual differrences can be included. However, new problems arise, esp. with ELT in primary schools. The major problems are about classroom teaching, and teachers’ professional development, which can hardly be solved alone by school authorities.
Problems of English phonetics learning and their countermeasures in training in-service English teachers from rural primary schools
In the process of implementing basic education reforms, training in-service English teachers from rural primary schools has long been a grave concern in achieving harmonious development of rural and urban areas. English phonetics learning is considered to be the core of the training program. Based on the analysis of the problems of the trainees in learning phonetics, focusing on the training items, training mode and methods, training context and follow-up support, effective strategies in line with the situations of the trainees and their cognitive features can be adopted to facilitate the grasp of phonetic knowledge and the development of phonetic awareness.
Wu Xia
China
Take advantage of all kinds of the resources, Pay attention to the generation of dynamic state in class
Teaching procedure in class is a kind of procedure formed gradually in dynamic state. The rich and lively teaching resources originate from the class filled with the cooperation of teacher and students and the cooperation, dialogue and communications between the students themselves. If these resources in dynamic state are used by the teachers efficiently, the traditional class will be vivid and energetic. Then it’s a problem for the teachers, which is needed of being solved, how to take advantage of all kinds of the resources efficiently in order to rich the teaching activities in class and promote the students’ full development.
Liu Yuan
China
The Study of How to Set the Scene for Communication in English Class in Primary School
Primary school is the initial stage for most of Chinese children to learn English. It is the first task for every English teacher to arouse children’s interest in English study. And it is absolutely essential that the real communicative scene should be set for children in English class. To set the real communicative scene can provide children with more opportunities to use English., help them acquire English naturally and improve their comprehensive ability of the use of English. English teachers meet lots of problems in the teaching process. In this paper under the analysis I put forward the requirements of how to set the scene, and provide the solution to some common problems in teaching.
Qiao Shaomin
China
Vocabulary learning and teaching in primary school- a research based on word association test
Vocabulary is very important in primary English learning. Based on the word association test, a lot of phonetic and word--form reactions are found to be produced by those Grade five primary school students, which shows that sound and form of words play the leading role in netting the second language internal lexicon, yet different from the native speaker’s semantic network. The implication in vocabulary teaching is that attention should be paid to set up foreigner—like semantic network , and the influence of Chinese on building the semantic network can’t be ignored at the primary school stage.
Discussion on Story Teaching from the Prospective of Text Linguistics
The article discusses the relevant theory about cohesion and coherence and its influence on story teaching in primary school. It analyzes the cohesion and coherence in the story Three Bears and its application in the teaching.
Rhea Ashmore
China
Findings and Effective Practices: The USA National Reading Panel
In 1997, the US Congress convened a national panel to assess research-based knowledge about reading, including the effectiveness of approaches to teaching children to read. The findings have impacted how reading is taught in the US today. This presentation summarizes the findings and identifies instructional strategies in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension for ELT professionals to best teach reading.
Tong Hui
China
Corpus-based English Lexicon Teaching
Abstract: Corpus-based learning has been a newly-occurring method in western countries for English teaching and learning. Generally considered promising, corpus has brought about a completely new prospective to English learning. This paper aims to introduce the basics of corpus and its relationship with lexicon teaching.
A Study on In-service Education of Primary School English Teachers in Xinxiang
As the linguistic and language teaching theories develop rapidly, the in-service education of primary school English teachers is becoming a key issue in the curriculum development of teacher education. According to the requirements on teachers and its teaching methods, the basic framework of teacher training program is discussed from the aspects of its contents, curriculum and operation.
Liu Yu
China
What evidence is there that language acquisition can be affected by the different kinds of interaction that may take place in the classroom?
There are different kinds of interaction taking place in the classroom may affect second language (L2) acquisition. This essay discusses three kinds of interaction that affect L2 acquisition occurring in the classroom. The first section discusses the feature of L2 classroom talk, in which, it can be seen that the quality of the teachers’ talk is more important than the quantity, the different kinds of feedback providing by the teachers are also important for learners’ L2 acquisition because they can directly affect the learners talk. Moreover, in the classroom, teachers should not only provide comprehensible input but also need to encourage the learners to make output. So that in the second section discusses the arrangement of the classroom activities. Group work in the collaborative classroom can make positive effect on L2 acquisition, which can promote comprehensible input and lead learners’ output. The third section discusses the task-based teaching and learning in the classroom. Using ‘information-gap’ activities, ‘opinion-gap’ activities, and ‘reasoning-gap’ activities in the classroom can develop learners’ communicative competence and which will enable learners communicate effectively in L2. Lightbown (1993) points out, ‘It is clear that teachers do not have control over all these factors. However, better understanding of them will permit teachers and learners to make the most of the time they spend together in the twin processes of teaching and learning a second language.
