The Young Language Learners

THE YOUNG LANGUAGE LEARNER

Foreign Language Learning at Primary Level


✓ One aspect of globalization is the growing trend for using English as a
world language which has led to the introduction of English language learning by
many children in many countries all over the world.


✓ A believe that “young children learn language better more easily than older children”lead the government and private school over the world have decided
to introduce English at primary level.


✓ Globalization of the world has caused people to come in contact with other cultures and languages through travel, communication or new technology.


✓ Pressure to introduce early English learning has often come from the parents who strongly believe that having Englishas a tool will benefit their children greatly by giving them more opportunities to gain economic, cultural or educational advantages.

English Language Learning as a Global Phenomenon


✓ The impact of global English in East Asia has lead many countries started teaching English at the state primary sector.


✓ Parents’ wishes have created a rapid growth in private school forEnglish at primary and secondary level because they are very aware of how competitive
the educational climate is.


✓ In countries where educational competition is very strong, many young pupils are faced with a constant round of tests and examinations for English language.


✓ Year 2001 was designated as the European Year of Language by the European Union. Many activitieswere organized to raise the profile of foreign language
learning.


✓ Its aims were to celebrate the diversity of languages, to encourage lifelong learning and to provide information about the teaching and learning of language. In a growing number of European countries where English is part of the public and family environment, especially through cartoon, television, films, pop music,magazines and newspaper, the dominance of English pushes other languages into the background, an imbalance which the European Year of Languages’ has tried
to correct.
✓ In a survey conducted in 1989, thirteen countries in the European Union considered foreign language teaching in primary school to be a national priority .Why Teach A Foreign Language at Primary Level?

✓ Europe inthe 1960s experienced the first large-scale wave of foreign language learning in primary schools and numerous conferences reported a high level of agreement on language teaching including UNESCO conferences in 1962 and 196
6 (Stern, 1969) and the Council of Europe conferences at reading (1967).


✓ A report by Girard (1974) provided a detailed overview of several Europe
anFLL projects which underlining the need for creating the optimal or best condition for teaching languages.


✓ The best condition for teaching languages according to Girard’s report refers to: having appropriately trained teachers, proper timetabling with sufficient timing, appropriate methodology, continuity and liaison with secondary school, provision of suitable resources and integratedmonitoring and evaluation.


The conferences and reports highlighted the issues for introducing early
foreign language learning including:

← Advantage can be taken of certain aptitudes children have.

▪ There is no theoretical optimum age to start teaching. The starting age
can vary according to country and linguistic situation; although at that time th
e ageof nine was often chosen.


▪ Early learning of a non-mother tongue language must be integrated into other teaching in the primary school.


← Whatever else may be achieved, the main concern is to prepare the ground so that the most can be made of teaching which will be received in secondary school.

← The linguistic and pedagogical skills of the teachers are the two most...