Younger students learn best when content is presented in a consistent manner and repeated frequently, which can actually make preparation a bit easier for teachers. This month in the Teacher’s Corner, we will focus on four ways to increase success when teaching young learners in the English language classroom.

Language teachers already know that students learning a new language need visual support, but it is especially beneficial to young learners. Visual support helps young learners associate images with new vocabulary, grasp concepts, and understand classroom routines. Visual support is especially important for young students who are still learning to read.

Young learners benefit from a structured environment. Routines help students feel connected to what they are learning. For language learners, routines also help lower the affective filter (feelings of anxiety or self-consciousness) by providing structured, familiar activities in which they can easily participate.

The attention span of young learners is a lot shorter than that of older students. Young learners need frequent opportunities to move around, take breaks, and interact. They also love to share information about their lives and experiences. In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, we will examine some simple ways to incorporate movement and interaction into any lesson in the young learners’ English classroom.

This month’s Teacher’s Corner has emphasized the need for young learners to have many opportunities to move around and interact in the classroom. This final week will discuss how to use music, chants, and movement to create a lively, engaging classroom that appeals to multiple learning styles.