Teaching young EFL learners; factors that make

a difference

Dr Joanna Rodiki Petrides (PhD)

Presented at Egypt TESOL conference, December 2005.

Language is the center of human life. Bilingualism – multilingualism is the norm.

Over a billion of people all over the world are fluent in more than one language nowadays.

So

Need to understand what makes language teaching successful and how young learners learn.

Factors that influence language learning (Skehan 1989).

Classroom and materials Social context Opportunities for target language use The learner Learning according to strategies and

processes.

Why these components?

they associate with the young learner and it is crucial to remember that the child should always be at the center of the learning process ;

they can associate with the teacher and enable them to create conditions that promote successful learning.

The research

Sample : 250 year six children (12 different groups) from public primary schools in Cyprus.

Aim:

to measure the performance in EFL;

to identify the factors that had an impact on performance.

Research Methods

Questionnaires regarding any variable that relates to the learner, the social context and the use of language.

Tests (listening and speaking test)

Statistical Analysis:

Reliability statistics of the tests

Rasch Analysis (indicated how the whole population of pupils would perform at the same test)

One way Anova indicated the factors that were of statistical significance (any value lower than 0.05)

An example of the listening testwritten statements

Blue._ You should exercise regularly._ They are my friends from school.__ Once a month.__ Elena is as tall as Monica.__ I’m tired.__ They seem like nice people and they are very friendly.__ Next year.__ At 8 o’clock.__ By aeroplane.__ Not really, I prefer summer time.__ Let’s go to the theatre.__ They didn’t go to school.__ So do I.__

tapescript

Some children are calling you, who are they?

I love chocolates.

Which is your favorite color?

What tie do you go to school every morning?

How do people go from Cyprus to England?

I love winter, what about you?

When will you start high school?

How often do you go to the cinema?

What do you want to do tonight?

What can I do to feel healthy?

What’s wrong with you?

What do you think of your new neighbors?

Variables that might be involved in foreign language learning.

Attitudes and motivation (Learner and Social Context)

Needs (instrumental )

Attitudes towards the target language and the target language community (integrative)

A result of success or failure.

Teachers associate motivation to the behavior of learners.

graph

2. L1 ability and performance

…one’s skills in their native language affect their ability to learn a foreign language…

Schooling success and academic experience are significant aspects in language learning.

3. Opportunities for target language use.

…learning a foreign language should be primarily a matter for learning for communication. Maximum exposure to and involvement in spoken and written language with the pupils’ grasp are the basis for effective learning. (Sharpe 1994 in Trafford :17)

Suggestions

Frequency aids learning; Pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere is

necessary; A plethora of activities need to be involved in

EFL teaching; Learners need access to authentic material; Learners need to associate with native

speaker models.

Suggestions for the young learner EFL classroom

Books and material ought to be designed according to the needs, age and interest of the learners ___ motivated and happy learners

VS

.• Visual material can aid comprehension and communication

•Audio material is a useful tool for reading and listening comprehension – can offer access to native speaker models

Learners need a plethora of activities in order to practice all four language skills.

Communicative and cooperative activities can make a difference.

The computer can be an excellent tool if used correctly.

Promotes a pleasant environment

Individualization of the work of children

Acquire new knowledge in pleasant ways

Communication in real life situations (internet)

Access to authentic materials and native speaker models

Integrates the benefits of audio and video materials

Opportunities to practice all 4 language skills

It enhances the resources available in the classroom

It offers a variety of options