I. The young learner

 What’s to be a young language learner?

A young language learner is the average kid that is between five and eleven years old; the kids have certain characteristics that help them to study and to learn in their own way.

The students I taught were between five and six years old; they had so much energy and were always trying to participate in the class because they liked to be listened. Also, they misbehave sometimes, but they were learning new words and new vocabulary. They really liked to learn the things in a funny and enthusiastic way; they liked the songs related to the topic, and they were paying more attention to the class when they were learning a song.

The students were asking questions every time they did not get the things I was explaining, and they were using the new vocabulary when they had the chance to use it. Therefore, I was trying to make the class in a way that caught their attention, and they were more exited to learn new things.

The students painted some drawings in order to know the things that they learnt; they also showed me the drawings and the progress they were doing. When I asked them what color, animal, number, etc. was the one I was showing to them they were eager to participate and to answer the question.

The students as kids liked to play and to stay entertained, but when I asked them to work in some activities and task, they were focused in the work and were trying to do their best.

by: Karen Albanés

A young language learner must be a willing person; learners must have their level of anxiety low. I will describe the students that I had in my experience. I really loved them because they made an effort to learn the new language.

I really loved when the children in kindergarten practiced when we were in the classroom; they like to repeat everything that I tought them, and they really participated when I asked them to participate.

Sometimes, I have some problems with some students because as everybody knows there are children who are more intelligent than other students, so it was a big problem to deal with them. Sometimes, when I was teaching the students, some of the students learn faster and better than the other students. But, all the students liked and loved to participate in the classroom, and that was a good response from them because when they participated in the classroom, they learned a lot because they put into practiced the things they had learned.

Some students liked or had the custom to go to the bathroom; that was a bad habit they had because they lost the attention they already had, so I tried to help them; for instance, some students when they went to the bathroom, I took them to help me with the classroom activity we were doing at that moment. I asked them to participate or explained to us what we were studying about.

Also, I used many sources to teach the children in a good way; I tought them with songs and drawings even when I knew that I am not good at doing those kind of things, but the children need to be aware about the teachers´s abilities or aptitudes.

Sometimes, I made dinamics like games, and the students were glad with that. I tought many things, and to put into the practice what they learned I will mention some strategies I did; for instance, when we were talking about food I tought them I like to it…(apple, pizza) I don’t like to eat…(apple, pizza), so they were able to answer these questions. When I tought the colors, I asked them what color is this; what color is the apple. So, they were able to answer in a perfect way. Or, the apple is color red; the watermelon is color green; the banana is color yellow. So, they learned also how to describe things.

 

by: Gabriel Valencia

Young leaner is a children of a primary school. They are like the beginners in learning atmosphere. They are developing their skills in order to learn, but as we know learning is a process, and they are in the first step. The children learn different from the other students; they need to develop their skills, and they need to do it by practicing, but they have to do it in their own way.

 The students I taught were among four and six years old; they were so amazing because they were all the time participating in the class. If they did not know something, they asked. They are full of energy, so I had to develop a lot of activities with them; they are so hyperactive, and they like doing activities during the whole class.

They really enjoyed learning some things in English; they were paying attention when I was teaching them something new, they misbehave sometimes, but they got the knowledge that I tried to give them.

By: Eduardo Marroquín

When I began given classes to children in Soledad Moreno de Benavides i noticed how they interact among them. Among them there were very talkative children. Other were shy but every ingle child was special in their way to learn a new language. I felt satisfaction to know they learned something by me.

I remember a beautiful little girl called Pamela. She told me that when she grow up they want be phsychologist beacuse she wants to earn lot of money and buy a big house and a new car.

She was very talkative and friendly with other children.

Marcelo, a boy who never pay attention in class. But he never missed any class. He went to the school just for play the the stuff in the classroom and spite to other children. Sometimes the guys who marcelo spite hardly ever cried and I gave to Marcelo a reflection and a punishment. He won “The Donkey ears” in many times. Other guys looked him and but they didn´t say nothing. Marcelo just needed some including activities for pay more attention in the class.

Ariel was another child who pay attention in every activity but he was very shy and whe I ask him something he didn´t answer nothing but I tried to communicate with him show some interest in his life ask him what were his plans whe he grow up. He told me he wants to be a fireman.

Mariana a curly and blondy lady with green eyes was very impatient. When i assigned a work she wanted to be the first one to finish it. If another child begun if another child called Susana tried to be the first one she is very smart  in every activity. At the first time she catched the idea and the answers first too.

Josué Miguel the tallest in the classrom at the begining he didn’t show any progress in language learning also when I taught the numbers he felt like frustrated because he told me that he dislikes numbers, but I developed an interesting activity with him. He was the boss of a farm and he was who counted all the animals in there and the money for paying the workers. He learned the count from one to ten very fast.

Other ladies always were in a table near to the teacher’s desk because when I said  something they didn’t understand they asked the teacher what I was saying. They were lovely all the time, also they shared their colors, pens, books and everything to other classmates.

José Daniel a serious boy who hasn’t any friend. He never smiled and if someone took his color or something of his memberships  he came to me just saying “I’m to kill that child because he took my colors” and I said him “okay, we are going to do something” and I assingned him to be in charge of the police station and he got in prission every single thieve in the town and he began saying “I´m the sheriff and I´m going to keep in prisson every person who has  bad habbits and I´m going to be very hard with them” Everybody run away it  was good!

My students left a spot in my life, all of them in the good way. In many times I lost the pattience because I had never been in a classroom as a theacher, but I breathed deeply and I remembered that I was a teacher and I had to keep calm and focus my self in teaching something to the children, but it was good and amazing. I enjoyed and learnd many things at the same time to become a good teacher.

I hope they learned good things by me. I loved those chidren. They were my first students in my life and who changed my way to interact with them.

by: Julio Aguilar 

To be a young language learner means being different and unique. It involves having certain qualities that may influence or impact the young learner’s learning.

For instance, every single young language learner is different from the others. Some children are outgoing, easy going, talkative, quiet, and so on, but what is true is that every child is special in his or her own way. That depends on the children’s age and the characteristics they possess. It is important to point out that we as teachers must be aware of and take into account those characteristics young learners have. Some of the qualities children show are the following:

Ø  They can tell you about what they have done or heard.

Ø  They can use logical reasoning.

Ø  They can use their vivid imagination.

Ø  They can talk about what they are doing.

Ø  They can understand situations more quickly than they understand the language they use.

Ø  They have the ability if play and learn at the same time.

Language learners may learn in different ways depending on their background, their social and emotional factors, and their environment. Based on that, it is essential to apply certain strategies so that they can get knowledge in a suitable and appropriate way according to their age. For example, young learners don’t like and don’t need to learn only through theory; young learners learn better by playing, listening, or watching. They need examples and visual aids about what they are learning in order that they relate what they are seeing with what they are learning.

Some of the learning activities that are useful with the children are: playing games during the class with toys or with their friends, drawing, or even making jokes.

by: Raúl Barrera