Teaching Young Kids

A couple of days ago, Barbara from Snapvine, who teaches young children aged 3-6 in a kindergarten in Poland, asked me about teaching English at an early age. One of her concerns was that at this age children have a hard time mastering their mother tongue, let alone a foreign language. 

It is well known that at an early age it is a lot easier for children to acquire a second language if they find themselves among the native speakers of that language. Even if the situation is artificially created, it helps a lot. Here in Moscow, for example, there are a couple of kindergartens attended by foreign children of all nationalities whose parents happen to work in Russia. In the kindergarten they have to communicate in English. A Russian friend of ours was very smart and enrolled her 3-year old son to such a kindergarten about 7 years ago. The result was phenomenal. Her son who is about 11 now speaks English almost as a native speaker.

It is also well-known that teaching a foreign language to young kids at an early age is a big challenge for a teacher. Even though young children obviously have the ability to easily acquire a second language, in the classroom environment it doesn't work. So, what do we need to understand and take into account here?

1. Young children have a phenomenal ability to absorb new knowledge and skills, but their performance is lagging behind. They do not have a good physical command of their body yet - including organs of speech and voice - and therefore we should not expect quick and spectacular results. The most important thing at this age is being exposed to a foreign language. Even if they do not repeat things well enough, the good (or bad!) example will stick to their memory. So, it is crucial to always use authentic audio material! - rather than having kids repeat after a non-native teacher. 

2. Young children are representatives of ORAL CULTURE - think of Ancient Greece and Homer, think of modern tribes in Amazonia, Indian Ocean, think of how history of tribes and peoples was passed on from generation to generation before writing was invented. Oral culture has its own ways of learning things. Forget about logic, linear  and abstract thinking, teaching simple things first - complicated afterwards. In oral societies people live in the acoustic space: they rely upon their ears as much as upon their eyes (just think of us - we never rely on our ears, always asking 'how do you spell it?' when we hear an unfamiliar word, especially a name, even in our own language!). In oral societies people learn things by heart easily with the help of rhythm, music and multiple repetition - this is why chants are so typical of them. In oral societies people live and acquire knowledge in a 3D mode, from all angles at once, not one thing after another. 

BOTTOM LINE

What We Should NOT Do While Teaching English to Young Kids:

• Start with the alphabet or teach it before kids are at least 6 years old.
  
• Have them repeat everything after a non-native English speaking teacher.
• Teach them words out of context, just providing the translation into their mother tongue.

What We SHOULD Do While Teaching English to Young Kids:

• Expose children to as much authentic audio material as possible.
• Have them learn by heart as much authentic audio material as possible.
• Have the audio material consist of mostly chants, songs, poems, finger-plays and short dialogues.
• Play around these chants, songs, etc., turning them into little shows, scenes, games and conversations, having children use the phrases they have already learnt by heart with the correct intonation. Have them repeat what they know well multiple times.
• Try to teach them using rhythm: English is very rhythmical, and its rhythm is quite uniquely close to the rhythm of songs. Use songs and turn them into speech: just leave the melody out, but stick to the rhythm!
• Always remember that pronunciation and intonation can only be well acquired at an early age, when children still rely on their ears! Don't bother even thinking of grammar and having them learn as many words as possible! When they grow up they will easily learn words and understand grammar. But they will never be able to hear the sounds and intonation in the way they hear it while being young. 

RECOMMENDATION:

Use Carolyn Graham's "Children's Jazz Chants: Old & New". You can plan your whole course around those wonderful chants, keeping the kids and yourself  happy!