scholarly journals Storytelling and Teaching English to Young Learners: A Vietnamese case study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thao Le
Keyword(s):  
Group Work ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Depth Interviews

<p>Storytelling, which is often promoted as a suitable methodological approach in teaching young learners, has been under-used and under-researched in EFL primary schools. This study introduces a storytelling innovation to put the young learner-oriented approach in practice. The innovation provides a structure to redesign textbook lessons into storytelling lessons in order to offer young learners interactive opportunities to use language in meaningful contexts. The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase employed a qualitative approach to examine the current state of using stories and storytelling in teaching EFL in state primary schools in Vietnam. This phase involved the participation of 21 teachers and groups of Grade 5 students from 18 primary schools. Classroom observations, in-depth interviews with teachers, and group interviews with students were conducted to collect data. The results showed that stories were mainly used to introduce target language items in the presentation stage of the textbook lessons which had a presentation-practice-production structure. The lessons consisted mainly of mechanical practice and, ineffective group work, and afforded learners few opportunities for interactive activities.  The second phase was an intervention study to examine the implementation of storytelling innovation lessons. Two teachers and two classes, who participated in Phase 1, joined Phase 2 of the study. One teacher and one class were used as the comparison group while the others employed the innovation for one teaching term. Data were collected from pre-and post-storytelling speaking tests, classroom observations, in-depth interviews with teachers, and group interviews with students. The quantitative findings revealed that at the end of the study the intervention group significantly outperformed the comparison group in their oral language production. The qualitative data showed that the students in the intervention group were highly engaged in storytelling activities as well. A feature contributing to the learners’ engagement was found to be effective cooperation in group work, as the students were afforded opportunities for meaningful interactions. Both the teacher and the students perceived the positive change in their teaching and learning practices.  The innovation could transform a mechanical teaching practice to a more interactive and meaningful learning approach. The results indicate the storytelling innovation as a successful model for introducing change into teaching English in primary schools and contributing to an understanding of the implementation of storytelling, the nature of interactions and learning engagement in EFL contexts.</p>

scholarly journals Storytelling and Teaching English to Young Learners: A Vietnamese case study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thao Le
Keyword(s):  
Group Work ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Depth Interviews

<p>Storytelling, which is often promoted as a suitable methodological approach in teaching young learners, has been under-used and under-researched in EFL primary schools. This study introduces a storytelling innovation to put the young learner-oriented approach in practice. The innovation provides a structure to redesign textbook lessons into storytelling lessons in order to offer young learners interactive opportunities to use language in meaningful contexts. The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase employed a qualitative approach to examine the current state of using stories and storytelling in teaching EFL in state primary schools in Vietnam. This phase involved the participation of 21 teachers and groups of Grade 5 students from 18 primary schools. Classroom observations, in-depth interviews with teachers, and group interviews with students were conducted to collect data. The results showed that stories were mainly used to introduce target language items in the presentation stage of the textbook lessons which had a presentation-practice-production structure. The lessons consisted mainly of mechanical practice and, ineffective group work, and afforded learners few opportunities for interactive activities.  The second phase was an intervention study to examine the implementation of storytelling innovation lessons. Two teachers and two classes, who participated in Phase 1, joined Phase 2 of the study. One teacher and one class were used as the comparison group while the others employed the innovation for one teaching term. Data were collected from pre-and post-storytelling speaking tests, classroom observations, in-depth interviews with teachers, and group interviews with students. The quantitative findings revealed that at the end of the study the intervention group significantly outperformed the comparison group in their oral language production. The qualitative data showed that the students in the intervention group were highly engaged in storytelling activities as well. A feature contributing to the learners’ engagement was found to be effective cooperation in group work, as the students were afforded opportunities for meaningful interactions. Both the teacher and the students perceived the positive change in their teaching and learning practices.  The innovation could transform a mechanical teaching practice to a more interactive and meaningful learning approach. The results indicate the storytelling innovation as a successful model for introducing change into teaching English in primary schools and contributing to an understanding of the implementation of storytelling, the nature of interactions and learning engagement in EFL contexts.</p>

scholarly journals The Use of Question Modification Strategies in ESL Class

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zailani Jusoh ◽  
Junaidah Abdul Rahman ◽  
Hishamuddin Salim
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Instructional Strategy ◽  
Active Participation ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Language Context

Questioning is a popular instructional strategy in a language class to encourage learning. However, not all questions are effective in doing so, as some questions sometimes go unanswered. When faced with a situation such as this, teachers must adjust their questions to make it more understandable. This study investigates question modification strategies employed by student teachers in English as a second language (ESL) class. Data for the study was collected through classroom observations. The participants were seven Diploma in Teaching English as a second Language (TESL) students who were undergoing their compulsory 12-week teaching practicum (TP) at various primary schools in Terengganu. The data were analyzed thematically based on the types of strategies used in the process. The finding shows that the most popular modification strategies among the STs are repetition and translation. Besides, the choice of modification strategies is limited to just a few. Many strategies were not fully utilized in class. The findings highlight important pedagogical implications for education providers (EPs) to improve on to produce competent teachers. EPs should expose student teachers to a wide array of question modification strategies to prevent interaction breakdown and to encourage active participation in the class. The ability to modify questions will create a more interactive and communicative environment suitable for learning English in a second language context.

scholarly journals Developing a monograph book for teaching English skills to young learners in wetlands areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-26
Author(s):  
Dini Noor Arini ◽  
Raisa Fadilla
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
The Government ◽  
Suitable Reference ◽  
English Instruction

To enable Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) to become the Asia-Pacific centre for wetlands development in 2027, one of the efforts ULM makes is to raise awareness about the importance of optimising human resources in wetlands through research and development in the educational and cultural fields. English is considered a foreign language in Indonesia, allowing students to use the language outside of academic settings. English becomes a required subject in junior and senior high school; however, the government requires that English be taught in primary schools as a local topic. English, on the other hand, remains a mandatory subject in a large number of Indonesian primary schools, particularly in Banjarmasin. The issue arises in primary school English instruction because there is no clear guidance for teachers on how to teach English in an appropriate and engaging manner for the students. Due to the absence of a monograph book on teaching methods, teachers in some primary schools in Banjarmasin, particularly those located in wetland areas, have limited access to teaching English to young learners (EYL). In light of the university's policy and the critical nature of achieving teaching and learning objectives, as well as the absence of a suitable reference book for teaching EYL, this study aims to develop an appropriate monograph book on teaching techniques for students of young ages. The research and development design is chosen because it aims to create a product and meets the needs of the reference book's development. The results are expected to improve students' academic performance and to assist EYL teachers in wetland areas in conducting effective and meaningful teaching.

scholarly journals Working with Group-Tasks and Group Cohesiveness

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khoirul Anwar
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Group Cohesiveness ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Work Activities ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
The University

<p class="apa">This study aimed at exploring the connection between the use of group task and group cohesiveness. This study is very important because the nature of the learner's success is largely determined by the values of cooperation, interaction, and understanding of the learning objectives together. Subjects of this study are 28 students on the course Teaching English for Young Learners at the University of Muhammadiyah Gresik. After the application of group work activities during the learning process, all subjects are given questionnaires and some are interviewed to make sure the group cohesiveness. The results showed that the group work activities had settled the group cohesiveness mainly to the dominance of group pride, interpersonal attractions, and commitment to tasks of the group.</p>

scholarly journals Natural Approach in English Classes in Primary Schools: Teachers' Perception and Implementation

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranata Giri ◽  
L. P. Artini ◽  
N. N. Padmadewi
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Natural Approach ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
English Classes ◽  
Public Elementary Schools

This study aimed at investigating teachers’ perceptions about natural approach in teaching English for young learners and its implementation in public primary schools in Gianyar Regency, particularly on teachers’ perceptions on natural approach in teaching English for young learners, how the English teachers implement naturalistic values in teaching English as a foreign language in Gianyar regency, and teachers’ perceptions about naturalistic values for young learners related to the strategies in teaching English as a foreign language in classroom. The subjects of the study were 3 English teachers in 3 different public elementary schools in Gianyar Regency. The research design of the study was mixed methods. This study used three instruments: observation sheets, questionnaires, and interviews. The observation sheet was used to find out how teachers implemented the naturalistic values in teaching English for young learners. The questionnaire was used to find out teachers’ perceptions on natural approach and the interview was used to find out how teachers’ perceptions related to their strategies in teaching English for young learners in their classrooms. This study showed that the relation between teachers’ perceptions and the implementation found that there were few results indicated inconsistency between both of them. The data were also supported by the result of interviews.

scholarly journals Teachers' Perception of Teaching English for Young Learners and the Implementation in Public Primary Schools in Jembrana Sub-District

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Risma Listyariyani
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Method ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Public Elementary Schools ◽  
Mixed Method Design ◽  
The Government

Teaching English for Young Learners has certain principles that need to be followed, while in fact its implementation in public primary schools does not seem to follow those principles. This research aimed at investigating teachers’ perception of teaching English for young learners and its implementation in public primary schools in Jembrana subdistrict. The research was also used to explore the problems which are encountered by teachers in teaching English in the classroom. This study involved 3 English teachers of Public Elementary Schools in Jembrana subdistrict. The data were collected through questionnaire, rating scales, observation sheets, and interviews guide. The research design was embedded mixed method design with qualitative dominant. The data were analyzed through descriptive qualitative. The results showed that teachers gave strongly positive perceptions about TEYL. Meanwhile, the activities which occurred in the learning process were mostly deal with the component of “Teaching Through Activities” with average range was 10.33. This range means that the component of teaching through activities was very highly implemented among the nine components. The other components were rarely evident during the observation. Based on the result of interview, the main problems which were encountered by the teachers are the difficulty to teach pronunciation to the students, limited learning sources, limited time for preparing lesson, and lack of various learning activities. Thus, this study suggests the government or other policy makers to provide English teachers with some kinds of professional development on practical guidance of TEYL and sufficient learning sources as well. 

Assessing Young Language Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-62
Author(s):  
Erika Ramirez
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Central Zone ◽  
Previous Experience ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
The World ◽  
Language Classrooms

In Chile, as in other countries that have been following an international trend the past decades, the age children start learning English has lowered. So, it has become imperative that teachers acquire the proper knowledge to instruct these young learners. However, it is common to find in language classrooms across the country teachers who do not have such training. This reality creates challenges in areas such as assessment, materials design, and professional development. This chapter presents a study that explores how Chilean teachers of English without previous experience or training in Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) assess children in primary schools. Through an online survey, data was collected from 56 participants from the central zone of the country. The findings of this study are in line with those of previous studies conducted in different countries over the world, which suggests that the main issues regarding TEYL are cross-cultural.

scholarly journals Challenges in Teaching English to Young Learners in Primary Stage: A Case Study on the Primary Schools in the State of Kuwait

2019 ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Hussain Al-Ali ◽  
Katy Mann
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
English Language ◽  
The State ◽  
Hard Copy ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Primary Stage ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
The State Of Kuwait

The aim of this research paper is to identify the the perceptions of teachers of English language about the main challenges in teaching primary stage pupils; and to recognize the challenges that are experienced locally in the five educational areas available in the state of Kuwait. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been applied because data are supposed to be in the form of numbers. The survey was provided by a hard copy to about (20) teachers of English language in the state of Kuwait. The survey itself consisted of two sections. The first section refers to some sort of a ranking question. That means the teachers ordered the factors that may develop teaching English to young learners according to their point of views. The second section of the survey included an open question as follows: Which aspect do you think the most challenging in teaching young pupils and why? The results revealed that teachers of English are challenged by several factors including lack of training, resources and acknowledge. Most teachers suffered from lack of time to teach; particularly, teaching writing and grammar.

scholarly journals Improving Young Learners Vocabulary Mastery Through Game-Based Learning Using “MOFIN Mystery Box”

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-136
Author(s):  
Seftia Ani Fidyaningrum ◽  
Shafira Artanita Dewayanti ◽  
Nailul Authar
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Young Learners

Teaching English as a foreign language is a challenge for all teachers, especially teachers who teach English for young learners. Despite so many challenges, English is highly recommended to be taught to children in primary schools. Teaching English to young learners must begin with an introduction to vocabulary. Vocabulary is the foundation and most important aspect of learning any language. The challenge of teaching English to young learners is the level of English proficiency of the teachers, as well as some new obstacles, particularly in terms of techniques policy, teaching English for young learners also requires creativity to make learning fun, because children enjoy having fun and playing and they also easily side-tracked, so teachers should choose teaching methods that are appropriate for their age group, game-based learning can improve students' vocabulary mastery, motivation, and interest in learning. Children employ their senses of smell, touch, taste, sight, and hearing to investigate the physical world holistically. Therefore, it would be better if children learn to use touchable games like “MOFIN Mystery Box”. The purpose of this study is to find out whether the “MOFIN Mystery Box” media can improve students' vocabulary mastery at Sukamanunggal State Elementary School. This research is qualitative research. Data collection techniques using observation. The data analysis techniques used in this study are identification, classification, and description. The result of this study is “MOFIN Mystery Box” can increase students’ vocabulary mastery at Sukomanunggal State Elementary School.

scholarly journals Projecting the Implementation Feasibility of CLIL Approach for TEYL at Primary Schools in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Rina Wahyu Setyaningrum ◽  
Oikurema Purwati
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Young Learners

2013 curriculum of Indonesia has amended English as an extra-curricular or a local content subject at primary schools. There are no standards to achieve and the teachers have to find the appropriate strategies to its delivery. It triggers the teachers’ lack of confidence in terms of content and methods. On the other hand, cognitive domain with the test as achievement standard regardless providing the experience of using the language for communication has been practiced. Integrating the thematic units of primary schools’ thematic lesson seems possible to carry out because the teacher can use its themes or sub-themes as a topic for Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL). This exploratory case study employs in-depth interviews with three teachers from well-established schools using a semi-structured interview, observations for field notes, and focus group discussion. The findings reveal that all teachers developed the materials for their teaching based on the regular class thematic lessons and a book provided by the local government. As for teaching practice, they have implemented the CLIL principles although they did not realize it. Ultimately, CLIL adaptation is appropriate for TEYL as that representative area in as much as teacher’s English language proficiency and pedagogical competency are upgraded. Highlights: Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) should provide the young learners opportunities to use the English language contextually. Soft CLIL does not require a high level of achievement in language but it provides the students simple language instruction with simplified materials.  

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