Book critique: How can you teach English to young learners?

How can you Teach English to Young Learners?

Los Primeros Pasos en las Lenguas extranjeras: Modalidades de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje is a valuable resource for teachers of English since it encompasses significant information about the process of teaching English to young children.  During the last decades, bilingualism has gradually increased its popularity and therefore English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is established as part of the educational offer at several kindergartens, schools and private institutions.  These new scenarios for teaching EFL have provided teachers with a new context to work that may not have been properly studied in college. Its implications have been developed and analyzed in this book, inviting teachers to read, reflect and reach conclusions about the importance of the first encounters with a new language.

In the first two chapters, Banfi (2010) summarizes general considerations about EFL such as its foundations, purposes, contents and methods.  Especially interesting is the presentation of experiences found and studied in Latin America and Argentina.  Teaching programs at different schools and the gradual inclusion of English in the curricula provide the reader with a relevant and approximate context to reflect upon.  Thus, this information proves useful and exploratory, because it is based on the situation of teaching English in our own country.  It would have been even more interesting if Banfi (2010) would have enlarged this section with samples of projects or critical incidents. In addition, there is not consistent use of in- text citations in her book, what shows high levels of plagiarism.

The third part clearly presents pedagogical and practical ideas on EFL teaching.  A remarkable aspect is the correlation established between learners’ cognitive development and the acquisition of EFL.  Banfi (2010)  asserts that “el nivel inicial plantea ciertas particularidades a tener en cuenta a la hora de seleccionar materiales para la introducción de las lenguas extranjeras.  Es fundamental entre estas cuestiones la etapa de desarrollo evolutivo de los niños y niñas” (p 74).  Therefore, the selection of techniques, activities and materials is properly described as a theoretical choice that cannot be taken for granted or relied on teachers’ preferences or opinions.  Samples of materials and activities are provided to exemplify the interdependent links between cognitive and language development.

Particular important is the section of discussion and debate included in the fourth chapter, which attempts to reproduce the most frequent concerns parents particularly have about their children’s learning.  When are children prepared to study a language? May this process be too demanding or confusing for them?  How long may it take learners to become proficient users of the language?  The author seems to answer all these inquires with theoretical information deriving from studies and investigations, which provides teachers with background knowledge to effectively remove parents’ doubts.  As Banfi (2010) states “son muchos los debates y discusiones que giran en derredor de la enseñanza de las lenguas extranjeras y esto es, sin duda, positivo, porque habla de la vitalidad de la disciplina” (p. 111).

Anne- Marie de Mejía(2010) writes in the prologue of this book that ”Cristina Banfi has produced a publication which is interesting, very well referenced and easily accessible”.  These three outstanding characteristics seem to assure the reliability and usefulness of this material. Although more innovative ideas and a detailed description of the Argentinian context for teaching English could be added, this book fulfils its purpose of describing preschool learning and suggesting appropriate activities and materials.  The fact that it is written in Spanish allows teachers from other areas, school authorities and even parents to get informed of the most relevant issues concerning young learners.  Los Primeros Pasos en las Lenguas Extranjeras(…) is therefore a resource to rely when teaching the little ones.

References

Banfi, C. (2010) Los primeros pasos en las lenguas extranjeras: Modalidades de enseñanza y aprendizaje. Buenos Aires: Centro de Publicaciones Educativas y Material didáctico.

Critical Incident

An Experience to Remember

Last year, when I was a student from TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) college, I had to deliver 6 classes at a private Secondary school.  I had lessons on Fridays from 1:15 to 3:15 in the afternoon in a 5^th year formed by 20 students.  Before being assigned the course, the teacher had suggested not to practise with that group, because they had serious discipline problems, which could lead to a bad and de-motivating experience.  As the timetable was suitable for me, I decided to take it all the same, but with fear and prejudice after the teacher’s suggestion. 

First, I observed some classes delivered by the teacher, which provided me with useful information about the group dynamics. Students tended to misbehave and continually argue with the teacher, who seemed to be tired of dealing with discipline issues. She used to complain that no challenging activities such as games or songs could be performed, since students did not show interest or pay attention.  As Abidin and Kmetz (1997) have explained, “teachers are less apt to have positive interactions with behaviorally challenging students and even avoid contact with these students as stress levels increase” (p. 1).

Consequently, establishing a friendly and positive environment was my first objective when I gave my opening lesson. I was suggested to work on sports vocabulary and modal verbs, both interesting contents to prepare innovative activities as learners were weary of working on exercises from the book.  Therefore, we first worked on a game to know each other, in which they had to write in a separate piece of paper an adjective that described themselves, as well as a sport they liked and one they hated.  Then, I read them aloud and the other students had to guess who the person was.  It was a simple activity but they were really engaged in it, since they wanted to know about each other and win.

After that, I divided them in groups and proposed a memory game with pictures and words about sports.  This was my way of introducing lexical items as well as maintaining their concentration in the class, because they were really involved in solving the task and winning. After posing some questions about sports and brainstorming ideas, we watched some engaging sports commercials on TV, and they were supposed to reflect on the message conveyed, the attributes of the sports and their popularity in our country.  This was a good opportunity to implicitly introduce some modal verbs, expressing prediction, possibility and obligation.

When the class finished, I was really satisfied because students had been engaged in the class, they had actively participated and no behavior problems had emerged.  Therefore, I tried to prepare the following classes in a similar way, focusing on videos, songs and games to apply the language.  My most important feedback was students’ positive reaction, since I had observed how they tended to work before.  I learned a lot from this group, mainly that you should never be influenced by other people’s prejudice.  What really matters is your own image of the group after establishing a relationship with them.   

 

References

Abidin, R. & Kmetz, C. A. (1997). Teacher-student interactions as predicted by teaching stress and perceived quality of the student-teacher relationship. Anaheim, CA.

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