Teach A Foreign Language To Preschool Children Education Essay

The reason I have choosen this theme is that I like children very much and it is close to me, because maybe I will become the teacher(after graduation).I want to say that everything that is connected with children is very interesting and exiting for me. Every day we all clash with different age children. The all are so nice but in the other hand very different. Each of them has his or her own character; own specific features how to do some things that are around them. Parents usually think that they are too small and they can not think in their age. But…We can’t even imagine how clever and skilful they are.

In my research I would like to s introduce people, not only parents or future parents, with children of age 3-6 years, preschool children or learners. In this research I will give main information based on some sources and opinions.

In all sources I found some common things, like the age of the preschool learners; methods of this learning; some problems that can appear when teaching and some others. I think this theme is quite interesting because things and problems that will be researched in my work are not very difficult to understand and look through.

Small children, especially pre – school age and pupils of an elementary school very well perceive that speak them and superb remember. About as far as children are advanced, I shall speak in the top about “Content of Teaching”.

The method of research is qualitative.

The goals of this research are as follows:

My attitude to the problem (Introduction part)

First organized language schools (Theodore Anderson)

Methods of teaching (Plays, songs)

What should know the child of Pre – School age? (Content of Teaching)

Chapter 1

First Language School

The problem how to teach a foreign language to preschool children and the children of primary schools has not been solved either in this country or abroad, though some methodologists and teachers have shown an interest in it and there are some books, papers and theses dealing with this problem. For instance, soon after World War II the Modern Language Association in the USA, with Theodore Anderson at the head, began a campaign for the teaching of foreign languages in primary schools. A broad experiment was organized in many elementary schools throughout the country. It was done to prove that it is necessary to begin the teaching of a foreign language in the first grade and even in the kindergarten if good results are to be achieved. Otherwise the younger generation will not master foreign languages.

In our country the interest for teaching young children a foreign language was aroused soon after the first schools with a number of subjects taught in a foreign language were opened in Latvia and other cities, i. e., in the 50’s. Experience has proved that the earlier the children begin to learn a language, the better they master it.

Methods of teaching

It is necessary to distinguish between teaching pre-school children in the kindergarten and teaching children in primary grades of the elementary school, as there are some psychological age characteristics which should be taken into account. Here are some of those.

1. A child of 5 or 6 easily learns words and sentences of foreign language and associates them directly with the things, actions, etc. He learns a sentence as a sense unit without any strain as easily as he learns isolated words. (Based on experience of one teacher, that works in a kindergarten)

For example, if a child knows only isolated words, he includes them in Latvian speech: “Iedod man doll. Aizver door.

Sometimes a child does not notice that he uses English words in a sentence said in Latvian. Es tagad shall show you. Я сейчас shall show you. English words live side by side with Russian words and the child uses those words which first come to his mind. Therefore in teaching English the children must be given words in connection with selected sentence patterns.

For example: a doll.

Give me a doll. (There are some dolls on the table.)

Give me the doll. (The teacher points out the doll she wants the child to give her.)

2. The natural activity of a child of 5-6 is a play. He lives in a world of various games. Moreover, if the child helps grown-ups in doing a room, cleaning a garden, in dusting chairs, watering plants, etc., he is playing because he pretends to be a grown-up. In teaching the English language to pre-school children the teacher must take this factor into consideration and suggest different games to them. This is one of the ways to make them learn words and sentences in a foreign language. Playing is, therefore, the best motivation for children to work at assimilating the language. A child of 7-9 likes playing very much, as well. He can and must work hard, however, in overcoming the difficulties he encounters. He is taught to do many things: to read, write in the mother tongue, count, make various things of paper, etc. Therefore in teaching him English playing, though very important, is not the only means to encourage him to learn the language. Various exercises should be performed alongside.

Content of Teaching

Pre-school children must assimilate about 200-250 sentences, these sentences may include 100-150 words; learn 8-10 rhymes and little songs by heart. The material is arranged around the following topics:

1) Greetings

2) Games (the names of some toys, some words denoting actions with the toys, sentences the children say while playing);

3) Words (phrases) and sentences connected with children’s daily activities: washing, playing, laying the table, clearing up, and going home;

4) Holidays, the names of some holidays, some sentences connected with children’s preparation for the holidays.

Pre-school children begin to learn the language at the age of 5-6. Children should have 4 periods a week, each lasting 25-30 minutes.

Chapter 2

Conclusion and results

Having familiarized with an additional material which concerns my theme, I can draw a conclusion, that this theme is very topical and is frequently discussed in the society and press.

The main thing, that this kind of teaching for children gives positive result.

Playing, singing, even dancing are the best of examples how correctly to teach children, Game elements, creative works, songs very help.

As a result, an example that interests children is obtained. As the future teacher and mother, I think, that this theme is necessary to develop and render the financial help to schools.

Children are our future on which depends not only destiny of our state, but also development of technologies, dialogue etc. Each of us wants to have the best life, and for this purpose it is necessary to help each other, to accept new methods of training, to promote improvement of the state situation in the country. It is important for preschool educators to think of children as active learners who draw upon their previous knowledge and experiences to make sense of the world as they grow and learn.

Thesis

Being done this interesting for me research I found some interesting points for me that I discovered. They are quite important for those who are able to meet children every day.

You need to be very patient and understandable to the children

You have to put yourself into their places (it will be easier to understand each other)

Try to be inventive when dealing with children

The one who is teaching don’t have to be annoying because in that case nothing will go well