teaching english

Dr. Daniela Martinek

Teaching English to young learners


Teaching English as a foreign language to young learners is not an easy task but it can be very enjoyable for both- the pupils and the teachers. Sometimes it may be difficult because a young learner might not feel its necessity and importance. Sometimes there is no clear incentive for pupils to learn another language besides his/ her native language. English teachers can change this attitude and equip their students not only with greater knowledge when it comes to speaking a foreign language but also by helping the children to become open-minded and tolerant.


In the beginning children need to listen to the English language a lot and act and react when hearing English imitate natural situations.

Especially when working with beginners teachers should try to create situations that allow children to experience English (e.g. dialogues, songs, rhymes, chants, stories, role plays...) till their ears get attuned to the sound of the new language. Then, let them enjoy the success of imitating and uttering a few words in English. In order to allow children to listen to the English language a lot, cross-curricular activities provide a suitable method to combine aims connected with English language teaching and the everyday curriculum of primary school.


Planning and performing short English units every day may be extra work and ever so often teachers neglect this subject. The results, however, of using motivating cross-curricular activities in school regularly are more than convincing. Hopefully you will be ready and willing to support your pupils when it comes to acquiring a second language beginning at an early age.


Group workWork in groups and discuss the answers to

these questions: What is the most popular food in Britain? Why do the British like drinking tea? How do you prepare a (British) cup of tea?What is Haggis?What is Britain's most popular meal?


What is the most popular food in Britain? Britain’s most popular ‘fast food’ is fish and chips. Fish and chips shops first made an appearance at the end of the 19th century. The dish is very simple: fish (usually cod, haddock or plaice) is dipped in a batter made from flour, eggs and water and then deep fried in hot fat. Chips are made from thick slices of potato and deep fried. The best-known British dish eaten at home is roast beef. Roast beef is served with roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Yorkshire pudding – batter baked in hot fat in the oven – is also a favourite accompaniment to roast beef. Most recently, ethnic foods have become very popular in Britain. In fact, curry is now Britain’s most popular meal.

cod … Dorsch haddock … Schellfisch plaice ... Scholle


Why do the British like drinking tea?

Tea is the most popular drink in Britain – far more popular than coffee. The Dutch brought the first tea to Europe in about 1610, but it was not until 1658 that the first advertisement for tea appeared in a London newspaper. By 1750, tea had become the principal drink of all the social classes in Britain, although at that time a pound of the cheapest tea cost about one-third of a skilled worker’s weekly wage! Gradually, tea drinking developed into a fashionable social ritual. Tea gardens, where couples could stroll in the afternoon and enjoy a cup of tea with bread, butter and cakes, developed. Tea parties were also popular at home, and soon the ritual of ‘afternoon tea’ was firmly established. The custom of High Tea also arose, and served as a more substantial evening meal.


How do you prepare a (British) cup of tea?

Tea in Britain is traditionally brewed in a china teapot, adding one spoonful of tea per person and one for the pot. Great importance is attached to the use of freshly boiled water, which is poured onto the leaves. The tea is left to brew for a few minutes. Although hundreds of different teas are available, the strong English Breakfast blend is one of the favourites, with added milk, and a little sugar for those with a sweet tooth.


Haggis is Scotland’s best-known regional dish. It is made from lamb’s offal (lungs, liver and heart) mixed with suet, onions, herbs and spices, all packed into a skin, traditionally made of a sheep’s stomach. Traditionally served on Burns' Night, the haggis is often accompanied by mashed potatoes and mashed turnips.

offal … Innereien suet … Nierenfett turnips … Rübe

What is Haggis?


What is Britain's most popular meal?

It may be ordered in an Indian restaurant, bought ready-made from the supermarket, or prepared in the kitchen at home, but however it comes, the most popular dish in the UK today is curry. This is a spicy dish, made with meat, fish or vegetables, cooked with crushed spices. It has countless variations and degrees of 'heat', depending on how much chilli pepper you use. Curry became popular among the English living in India during the days of the British Empire. The word comes from kari, meaning sauce, and grew out of a need to preserve meat in a hot climate. The heart of Indian dishes is the masala, the combination of spices which gives each dish its special flavour. The skill of a good cook lies in combining the spices correctly.


We’re so hungrya chant from Playway 4

We’re hungry, so hungry.What would you like? What would you like?Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken and chips,chicken and chips, yeah, chicken and chips.Here you are. Here you are.

We’re hungry, so hungry.What would you like? What would you like?Carrots, peas, potatoes and beans,potatoes and beans, yeah, potatoes and beans.Here you are. Here you are.


We’re so hungrya chant from Playway 4

That was good. What’s for dessert?What would you like? What would you like?Strawberry yoghurt, ice cream and cake,Ice cream and cake, yeah, ice cream and cake.Here you are. Here you are.

That was good. Thanks for the meal.You’re welcome. You’re welcome.


Early reading

Reading means being able to…decoding correct pronunciation and sounding out of the wordunderstanding reading and knowing what the word/ sentence means


Early writing Writing requires …

motor skills being able to handwrite or type the wordlanguage skills being able to spell and understand the word & use language in context


English reading & writing activity combined with mathematics and General ScienceThree students act a scene in a restaurant. The rest of the students form two groups and they have to observe the role play and calculate how much each person pays in the end. The results will be compared in the end.

(Please use a different menu for children!)


At a restauranta dialogue for three

personsWaiter: Welcome to our restaurant!Guest 1: Hello, can we have the menu, please?Waiter: Certainly, here you are.Waiter: Are you ready to order?Guest 1: Can I have __________ as a starter, followed by ______________ with ____________.Guest 2: And I’d like ___________ first and as a main dish I’d like ____________ with __________.Waiter: Would you like a sweet?Guest 1: No thank you, maybe later.Guest 2: I’ll take ______________.Waiter: Any tea or coffee?Guest 1: ___________, please.Guest 2: Not for me, thank you!


Differentiation

Waiter: Are you ready to order?Guest 1: Can I have CHICKEN/ FISH/ STEAK with PEAS/ POTATOES/ MIXED SALAD?

Waiter: Are you ready to order? Guest 1: Can I have _____________ (main course) with__________________ (vegetables) ?

teaching english

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