Herbert Puchta, author of Super Safari, tells us how to teach very young English learners successfully.
In this webinar, Herbert discusses:
- What is the best age for learning another language?
- Six key principles for teaching pre-primary children
- Eight powerful strategies- using examples from Super Safari
What is the best age for learning another language?
The Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) suggests that the best time for learning a foreign language is between the ages of 2-12, and new learners who start after puberty will not speak at the same standard as a native speaker. Herbert reminds us, that though age is a factor, there is no clear scientific evidence to support CPH or define the link between secondary language acquisition and age.
Six key principles for teaching pre-primary children
Herbert believes it is possible to create conditions for under five year olds that provides a meaningful context. To do this, he proposes a set of quality principles to base teaching on, in order for learning to be successful.
- There is no evidence that learning a language ‘too early’ might have a negative impact on L1 development.
- Young children need more time than adolescents and adults to learn a new language.
- They benefit from meaning-focused activities and natural language use – not from explicit rules.
- Early language learning can have a positive influence on children’s cognition.
- An early start can foster children’s attitudes and motivation, and so have a positive effect on their proficiency later on.
- Teachers need to apply an age-appropriate methodology.
Eight powerful strategies – using examples from Super Safari
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- Multi-sensory vocabulary drilling.
- Rhythm and auditory sub-modalities for memorising difficult words.
- Word revision through memory games.
- Word revision through ‘odd one out’ activities.
- Novel instructions (Total Physical Response).
- Task listening.
- Backward chaining.
- ‘Sandwiching’.
To watch the full webinar, please click on the link below.
Find out more information about Super Safari here.