Table of Contents

Module 1: Overview ....................................................................................................................... 2

Module 1: Task 1 – Video Lecture .................................................................................................. 4
Video 1 Script ......................................................................................................................... 6
Video 2 Script ......................................................................................................................... 7
Video 3 Script ....................................................................................................................... 10
Module 1: Task 2 – Read Articles ................................................................................................ 12
Article 1: Ten Helpful Ideas for Teaching English to Young Learners ................................... 13
Article 2: Creating a Visually Rich Classroom ....................................................................... 20
Module 1: Task 3 – Self-Assessment Quiz ................................................................................... 24
Module 1: Task 4 – Discussion ..................................................................................................... 25
Discussion Template............................................................................................................. 27
Discussion Example .............................................................................................................. 28
Discussion Board Response Example ................................................................................... 29
Module 1: Task 5 – Assignment: Learning Environment Profile .................................................. 30
Assignment Template........................................................................................................... 33
Assignment Example ............................................................................................................ 35
Module 1: Wrap-up ...................................................................................................................... 37

© 2019 by George Mason University. Module 1 Packet for the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S.
Department of State and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
License, except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Module 1: Overview
Introduction to Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL)
"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn" - John Cotton Dana
We are all here because we dare to teach! And we are participating in this online course
because we want to keep learning. Some of us have been teaching for many years. Some of us
might be new to teaching English to children. Either way, we have so much to learn from each
other, and everyone's perspective is valuable to our exploration of TEYL. With that in mind, let's
start Module 1!

"Joan Kang Shin with very young learners in Turkey" via Google by Murat Yilmaz is licensed under CC BY 4.0

The purpose of this module is to introduce you to the field of TEYL and the advantages of an
early start to foreign language learning. You will learn about the different characteristics of
young learners, how children learn, and how children learn language. Finally, you will examine
your own English teaching context, develop a profile of your students, and analyze the
textbooks and materials used in your classroom.

Module 1 Dates: April 2 – April 8, 2019

Objectives:
By the end of the module, you will be able to

• develop a rationale for starting English as a foreign language instruction earlier in a

learner’s life
• describe the characteristics of young learners and distinguish “young learner” vs. “very
young learner”
• explain how children learn and how children learn language
• describe what kind of classroom environment and activities are appropriate for young
learners based on their characteristics and how they learn language

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• examine your teaching context and conduct a Learning Environment Profile by developing a
student profile, analyzing your classroom environment, and analyzing your textbook for
effective language learning activities based on your student profile.

Module 1 Task List:

The module should take 8-10 hours to complete. Do the following tasks in this order by the end
of the week:

Task 1: Watch Module 1: Video Lecture (30 minutes)

Task 2: Read two articles (2 hours & 30 minutes)

Task 3: Take Self-Assessment Quiz (1 hour)

Task 4: Post 2 or more messages in Module 1: Discussion (1-2 hours)

Task 5: Submit Module 1: Assignment - Learning Environment Profile (3-4 hours)

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Module 1: Task 1 – Video Lecture (30 minutes)
The video lecture has been divided into 3 parts:

• Video 1: Characteristics of Young Learners

This video will help you identify the characteristics of young learners and show you how to
apply that to your teaching.

• Video 2: How Children Learn

This video will introduce you to how children learn. This is based on the work of Jean Piaget,
Lev Vygotsky, and Jerome Bruner. You will learn some tips for how to support your young
learners in the English classroom.

• Video 3: How Children Learn a Foreign Language

This video is about how children learn language. It will introduce how children learn English
as a foreign or additional language. It will answer the question: How important is teaching
grammar to young learners of English?

Video 1: Characteristics of Young Learners

Link to YouTube

Click here for a PDF of the script for Video 1.

Video 2: How Children Learn

Link to YouTube

Click here for a PDF of the script for Video 2.

Click here for a Supplemental Video Resource called "TEYL Stages and Approaches" for more
details.

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Video 3: How Children Learn a Foreign Language
Link to YouTube

Click here for a PDF of the script for Video 3.

Additional video resources (optional):
Here are some additional videos with picture card activities to engage your young visual and
kinesthetic learners.
This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of
this course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public
use. Please do not save a copy for your personal use, and do not use it after the course ends.
Playing Picture Card Games with Very Young Learners
Picture cards are a great instructional resource that can add an element of fun and excitement
to your class. Picture card games can help you check comprehension of words and give your
learners a chance to practice using the words.
Strategy: Picture card game called "Stop!

Practicing Vocabulary with Picture Cards

This is a sample of vocabulary lesson. Watch how this teacher reinforces a vocabulary lesson
using the picture cards. Get ideas for recapping your vocabulary lesson, practicing the new
words, and pulling it all together to end the lesson.
Strategy: Picture card guessing game

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 Module 1: Task 1 – Video 1 Script
Video 1 – Characteristics of Young Learners

Hello, English Teachers! Do you teach young learners? Then you know that teaching
children is a challenge. But it is also rewarding! Anyone who has children or teaches
children knows that it takes a lot of energy and patience. When I taught children, I was
always sweating at the end of class. I was moving around while singing songs or playing
games. I often used big gestures to keep students’ attention and to show the meaning of
words. What about you? Do you have the same experience?

Why does it take so much energy to teach children? Let’s think about the characteristics
of young learners. It’s time for a brainstorm! I am going to give you 15 seconds to write
down ideas on a piece of paper. Write down as many words as you can. Write down
words… that describe young learners. I’m going to write mine down in a word web.
Ready? Go! Now, if you need more time, just pause the video.

What words are on your paper? Here are some of the words I wrote down in my web:
active, energetic, spontaneous, can’t sit still, and touches things. Young learners are
what we called kinesthetic learners. They like to move and wiggle their bodies. You can’t
expect them to sit still in class all day. They also learn well through movement and
gestures. They are tactile in their learning style. They love to touch and play with objects.
So if you want to teach students what a ball is, give them a ball to bounce and throw.

As you can see, understanding children’s characteristics can help us make an effective
classroom. Your activities and approaches should be “developmentally appropriate.”
This means your teaching is based on how children develop and learn. It should be
“appropriate” for their characteristics. The goal?
Effective learning in your classroom! For example, if my young learners are kinesthetic
learners, then I should prepare activities that encourage them to get out of their seats
and move around. I could play Simon Says. Let’s try it! Stand up. Ready? Simon says,
Touch your head! Simon says, Touch your shoulders! Touch your nose! Did you do it?
Simon didn’t say!

Now look at your paper. Do you have other words? Maybe you think young learners are
imaginative and curious. Yes, they are! Use stories like fairytales for your imaginative
young learners. Or take a walk outside and look for bugs for your curious young learners.
Maybe you wrote easily distracted or short attention. That may be true! Then use
activities they like, such as games or videos and don’t stay too long on any activity. Keep
the pace of your class quick and exciting.

Think about the characteristics of your young learners and always make your activities
and approaches match those characteristics.

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 Module 1: Task 1 – Video 2 Script
Video 2 – How Children Learn

Hello, English Teachers! Let’s talk about how children learn. It is helpful to know what experts
like Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Jerome Bruner say about how children learn. First, let me
start with a question. If you want to teach a child what scissors are, what would you do? Read
them a definition from the dictionary? Explain of the purpose of scissors and how to hold
them? No! You give them a pair of scissors and have them use them! But be careful, scissors are
sharp!

So how do children learn? They learn by doing! Jean Piaget helped us understand that children
are active learners and thinkers. Children learn by interacting with their environment. So when
you are teaching English, you should bring in realia, or real objects. It’s like the scissors. If you
are teaching your young learners about toys, bring in toys for them to touch and play with.
Even better, have your students bring in their favorite toy to share and talk about.

Children also learn through social interaction. Vygotsky helped us understand that we learn
through interaction with others. For example, children learn to walk and talk with guidance
from their parents. For your students, the interaction with you, the teacher, is extremely
important. Your students need a guide to learn new things. The younger your students are, the
more they depend on you to help them learn. This bring us to the next point.

Children learn effectively through scaffolding by adults. Bruner’s work showed us some
effective ways to scaffold instructions for young learners. But first, do you know what the word
scaffolding means? In this picture, you can see scaffolding. It is the frame that construction
workers stand on to repair or build something. In this picture, the men are standing on the
scaffolding to construct a big building. As English teachers, we are the scaffolding for our
students. You have to hold your students up as they build their understanding of language.

How can we scaffold or support our learners in the classroom? We can apply some of the
practices that Bruner suggested in our classrooms.

Create interest in the task. On important note: If the task is not interesting to children, you
are going to have a difficult time making them interested in it. If the task is to copy
sentences from the board into a notebook, I am not sure you can create interest in it!
However, you can create interest in a storytelling activity, a song, or a game. Use these types
of activities to teach language, and you will have your students’ attention.

Break the task down into smaller steps. This is so important. Remember when you plan your
activities: break the task down into achievable steps. For example, don’t start class by asking
your students to Show and Tell their favorite toy. First, review the names of all the toys. Doll.
Ball. Car. Then teach students to answer the question “What is it?” by saying “It’s a…” and have
them fill in the blank when you hold up a toy. What is it? It’s a doll. What is it? It’s a ball. Great!

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Then you can give students a model for their Show and Tell. “This is my favorite toy. It’s a doll.”
Then help students during the Show and Tell. Remember, you are trying to set your learners up
for success—step by step.

Model your expectations. I cannot emphasize this enough. Model model model! You have to
show them what you expect them to do. As we just saw, if you give students a model and show
them what to say, they will be more successful. Remember: Don’t just tell your young learners
what to do, show them how to do it.

Remind students of the purpose of the activity. Make sure they know what they are doing and
why. Of course, this means your activity should actually have a purpose or goal for
communication. Maybe it is a short dialog about meeting someone for the first time or making
an invitation to a class party. Or sharing a toy with a friend. Be sure your activity is meaningful
and relevant to your young learners.

Control frustration during the task. Sometimes children become frustrated or stop working on
the task. To be honest, as a teacher I found that when my students were frustrated and not
behaving, it was usually because I did not scaffold my students’ learning effectively. There was
always less frustration when I created interest, broke it down into smaller, achievable steps,
modeled my expectations, and had a task with a real or relevant purpose.

So to review: How do children learn? Let’s see if you remember:

Children are ______ learners and thinkers. [Pause] Right! Children are active learners and
thinkers.

Next, children learn through social ______. [Pause] Right! Children learn through social
interaction.

Last, children learn effectively through ______ by adults. [Pause] Correct! Children learn
effectively though scaffolding by adults.

Great job! So based on how children learn, what can you do to be more successful with young
learners in the classroom?

You can promote active learning, encourage social interaction, and scaffold students’ learning.
Remember to bring in materials and activities that make learning meaningful and interesting for
children. Teach them step by step and model, model, model to set them up for success. And
most of all, make English fun! If they love it, they learn it!

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 TEYL Stages and Approaches
Supplemental Video Resource
This table is a helpful summary of Piaget’s (1963) stages of child development, Egan’s (1997) layers of educational
development, and Curtain and Dahlberg’s (2016) approaches for teaching a foreign language.

Stages of Cognitive Layers of Educational

Approach to Teaching a Foreign Language
Age Development Development
Curtain & Dahlberg (2016)
Piaget (1963) Egan (1992)
2-4 Preoperational Stage The Mythic Layer (4-5 to 9-10) Preschool Students (2-4)
years (2-7) - vivid imaginations (animals can - Absorb languages effortlessly
old - are extremely talk, magic is real) - Adept imitators of speech sounds
egocentric - Are very emotional and focus on - Self-centered, do not work well in groups
- develop memory and how they feel - Respond well to concrete experiences
imagination and large motor involvement in language
- do not think logically learning
5-7 Primary Students (5-7)
years - Learn best with concrete experiences and
old immediate goals
- Learn new concepts and vocabulary
better when presented as pairs of binary
opposites
- Like to name objects, define words, and
learn about things in their own world
7-11 Concrete Operations - Learning through oral language; can
years Stage (7-11) develop good oral skills, pronunciation,
old - show intelligence and intonation with good models
through logical and The Romantic Layer Intermediate Students (8-10)
organized thought (8-9 to 14-15) - Begin to understand cause and effect
related to concrete - Begin to separate the world - Can work well in groups; may not like to
objects around them from their internal partner with opposite sex
- can reverse their world; developing a sense of their - Need context for language learning; can
thinking through own identity bring together vocabulary and functional
reasoning - Like learning about special chunks learned in earlier years and can
qualities that overcome the apply them in more complex situations
11 and Formal Operations frightening world (courage, Early Adolescent Students (11 and up)
up Stage (11 and up) genius, ambition, energy, - Are undergoing major development
- show intelligence creativity) changes on widely differing timetables
through logical use of - Like collecting things (stamps, or - Need encouragement to develop positive
symbols related to amazing facts about a country) self-image
abstract concepts Story form still important (with - Respond well to opportunities to learn in
- can hypothesize & use emphasis on realistic detail and exhaustive detail about subjects that
deductive reasoning real life heroes and heroines) interest them
References:
Curtain, H., & Dahlberg, C. A. (2016). Languages and learners: Making the match. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Egan, K. (1997). The educated mind: How cognitive tools shape our understanding. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Piaget, J. (1963). The language and thought of the child. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.

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 Module 1: Task 1 – Video 3 Script
Video 3 – How Children Learn a Foreign Language

Hello, English Teachers! I know that teaching children English as a foreign or additional language
can be challenging. You may live in a country or context where English is not spoken outside of
the classroom. How can your young students learn English if it is not used in their daily lives?
Let’s look at how children can effectively learn a foreign language.

First, let me ask you a question: How important is teaching grammar to young learners of
English? Is it Very important, Somewhat important, Not very important, or Not important at
all. I’ll give you five seconds to think about it. (5-4-3-2-1). What do you think?

Of course grammar is important! Grammatical structures are the building blocks of language,
but the approach to teaching grammar should match the way students learn. Your approach
to teaching grammar should be “learning-centered,” which Lynne Cameron (2003) describes
as “… meaningful and interesting, require active participation from learners, and will work
with how children learn and what they are capable of learning” (p. 110).

Children do not learn language as effectively through grammatical explanations. Young learners
gain an understanding of the grammar through repetition and recycling language in different
contexts. You need to provide a meaningful context to teach language. Children will be able to
see how grammar works within a story, song or cartoon. In short, your approach to teaching
grammar should be learning-centered and meaning-focused, and it should avoid grammatical
explanations.

For example, children won’t learn language when you explain what the imperative mode is.
They learn what it is when you give commands. You say, “Sit down” and students sit down. You
say, “Write your name” and they write their name on the paper. Through the context and
through meaningful repetition, they learn the grammar.

You can help them by creating an English-speaking environment in your classroom. You have
to present English in authentic and meaningful ways. Real communication puts language in
action and promotes interaction.

If you present language through communication and meaningful context, your students will
need some scaffolding. You should use different techniques to make the language
comprehensible. Children need concrete ways to understand language. You can use visuals
like pictures and flashcards to help make new words comprehensible. Gestures, body
movement, and realia can help teach language effectively to our young kinesthetic learners
and keep them engaged in class. You can also help young learners organize ideas by using
graphic organizers like Venn diagrams or tables. These techniques engage young learners
while helping them understand new language effectively.

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Your young learners may not have many chances to hear English or use English in their daily
lives. They begin learning the language by listening to you. It is important to scaffold their
language learning through your own language.

You may need to make some adjustments. Be sure you pronounce words clearly and speak
slowly. But be careful and don’t speak unnaturally. Keep a natural flow to your speaking. If
students do not understand what you are saying, then you can repeat and even rephrase. Try
to use shorter and simpler sentences and phrases. Don’t forget to be a model for your young
learners. Before they speak, show them what you want them to say. And sometimes, you may
need to translate difficult words into students’ native language. However, you want to provide
plenty of opportunities for your young learners to hear and practice English, so translating
should happen only when necessary. You can use other techniques like visuals, gestures or
realia instead!

Now, let’s review what we learned. What kind of approach should we take to teach young
learners English as a foreign language? Which lesson would be more effective?

The storytelling lesson will be more effective with young learners because it takes a learning-
centered, meaning- focused approach to grammar. You can make it more effective by using
visuals, gestures, and adjusting your speaking to make the language in the story
comprehensible. This will help you build an English-speaking environment in your classroom.
Try it, and you’ll see!

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Module 1: Task 2 – Read Articles (2 hours & 30 minutes)

"Woman with blue nails reading ipad" by Anna Demianenko is licensed under CC0

Read two articles published by American English:

Article 1: Ten Helpful Ideas for Teaching English to Young Learners by Joan Kang Shin
Teaching young learners is challenging! This article has 10 practical tips for engaging young
learners of English from 5-12 years old. There are ideas for using visuals, movement, stories,
classroom routines, and more!
Source: Shin, J. K. (2006). Ten helpful ideas for teaching English to young learners. English Teaching Forum, 44(2),
2-7, 13. Retrieved July 27, 2017,
from https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/joan_kang_shin_ten_helpful_ideas_for_teaching_e
nglish_to_young_learners.pdf

Article 2: Creating a Visually Rich Classroom

Young language learners need visual support. It helps make new language comprehensible. Plus
using visuals like pictures, posters, and realia (real objects) can make your class more fun and
interesting.
Source: Creating a Visually Rich Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2017,
from https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/sept_week_1_visually_rich_classroom_final.pdf

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Module 1: Task 3 – Self-Assessment Quiz (1 hour)
This Self-Assessment Quiz is a great way to review what you have learned in Tasks 1 and 2. You
will be asked questions about the video(s) you watched as well as the readings. You can take
the quiz as many times as you want. Don't worry if you do not get a perfect score the first time.
You can just take it again! The goal is to help you review some of the important points from the
video(s) and readings.

Note: The Self-Assessment Quiz can only be completed in Canvas. Please log in and answer the
questions there.

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Module 1: Task 4 – Discussion (1-2 hours)
Module 1 Discussion Topic: "A Day in My Life"
Let's get to know each other! You will post an introduction on the discussion board. You will
introduce yourself to the class. Write about a typical day in your life. Include information about
your class and classroom.

"Classroom in Mexico" by Joan Kang Shin is licensed under CC BY 4.0

1. Write your introduction called "A Day in My Life".

Part A: Introduce yourself.
Answer the following questions in your first paragraph:

• What is your name?

• Where do you live (city and country)?
• Where do you work (school or institution)?
• What age or grade level are your students?

Part B: Describe your typical day.

The following should be included in your second paragraph:

• From start to finish (between waking up and going to bed)

• Include your typical day in class (describe some of your activities)

Part C: Describe your classroom.

The following should be included in your third paragraph:

• Describe positive aspects of your classroom environment/teaching materials.

• Describe challenging aspects of your classroom environment/teaching materials.

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See the template for more instructions:
Module 1 - A Day In My Life Template
See the example for a model:
Module 1 - A Day In My Life Example

2. Post your introduction to the discussion. Optional: Post a picture of yourself and/or your
classroom. Take a selfie in your classroom with your students, if you want!

3. Respond to one or more of your classmates' posts.

See the example for a model:
Module 1: Task 4 - Discussion Board Response Example

You will be assessed based on this A Day In My Life Rubric.

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 Module 1: Task 4 – Discussion Template
“A Day in My Life”

Part A: Introduce yourself.

Answer the following questions in your first paragraph:
• What is your name?
• Where do you live (city and country)?
• Where do you work (school or institution)?
• What age or grade level are your students?

Part B: Describe your typical day.

The following should be included in your second paragraph:
• From start to finish (between waking up and going to bed)
• Include your typical day in class (describe some of your activities)
• If you want, use this format to write your paragraph.

On a typical day, I do many things. First, I ______________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________.

Part C: Describe your classroom.

The following should be included in your third paragraph:
• Describe positive aspects of your classroom environment/teaching materials.
• Describe challenging aspects of your classroom environment/teaching materials.

I think my classroom environment is great for my young learners because __________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
However, sometimes it is challenging to build an effective classroom environment for my young learners
because ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

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 Module 1: Task 4 – Discussion Example
“A Day in Juan’s Life”

My name is Juan. I live in Ciudad, Mexico. I am an English teacher, and I teach young learners at a state
school. My students are in grades 3-5, and are usually 8-10 years old. I also teach teenagers at a private
language school in the evening.
On a typical day, I do many things. First, I wake up at 5:30 am. Then I take a fast shower and go to buy
some bread for breakfast. I usually help my wife to make breakfast and brush my daughter’s teeth. I go
to my school by 7:30 am. Classes start at 8:00, but I like to be early to prepare my classroom. First, I
check my students’ homework. While I am checking homework, I ask my students some questions such
as how are you? What did they do the previous day? Or ask if they have any problem. Then I teach the
lesson for the day using my textbook. I go back home at 1pm and then eat lunch. After that I write my
lessons and some teaching material because I start my evening classes at 5:00pm. During my class, I try
to maximize students’ talking time, giving them chances to express their thoughts, opinions and points
of view. I finish classes at 8:30pm, but my day isn’t finished yet! Once I am home, I help my kids with
their homework. About 10:00 I watch the news while I write my lesson plans for the next day. This
means I sometimes go to bed at 11:30 or midnight.
I think my classroom is good for young learners
because it has many windows on one side, so
we always have nice sunlight. I have a big white
board at the front of the class, a desk, and a CD
player. I like to use songs to teach English, so I
can play CDs and my students like to sing along.
However, sometimes it is challenging to build
an effective classroom environment for my
young learners because I can’t make it “print
rich.” I can’t put up posters on the wall because
another teacher uses the room. Also, the desks
and seats are attached to each other in rows, so
"Classroom in Mexico" by Joan Kang Shin is licensed under CC BY 4.0 I can’t arrange them for effective group work.

I don’t have many materials made for children, so I try to print out colorful pictures and bring in toys and
use them in class to get students’ attention. It is hard for me because the school does not give money for
materials, so I have to pay for everything myself. But I still try hard to make my class fun and engaging, so
I prepare lots of games. I use my whiteboard to draw or attach pictures for guessing games, and I let
students stand up and move around.

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 Module 1: Task 4 – Discussion Board Response Example
“A Day in My Life Response”

Dear Victor,
I enjoyed reading about a day in your life. What a wonderful day of routines! Although you are
so busy, you can manage your time so well. I could feel your enthusiasm and real efforts
towards the whole teaching process. I feel the same way! I am also passionate about teaching
young learners. I can also see your effort to improve yourself and your teaching. I guess this is
why we are a part of this course!
It's very interesting the way you work because even if the school doesn't provide you teaching
materials it doesn't stop your wish to teach your students well. I was impressed with the time
and effort you put into creating materials to make your young learners interested in English. I
think your students are very lucky to have you as their English teacher. Your story really
motivates me.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I look forward to sharing more ideas with you especially
about developing a better curriculum for young learners. See you on the next discussion board.

Best wishes,
Fatima

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Module 1: Task 5 – Assignment: Learning Environment Profile (3-4
hours)
Now it is time to apply what we have learned in Module 1 to your teaching context. Think about
the characteristics of young learners. Now think about the recommended best practices for
TEYL. Does your classroom environment and the materials you use match your young learners
based on age and learning styles?

"Project-based learning in Mexico" by Joan Kang Shin is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Instruction:
Follow the step-by-step instructions to complete this assignment:
Step 1: Write a student profile
You will provide a detailed description about a specific class of young or very young learners
that you will focus on in your assignments. In this course, you will develop activities and lesson
plans for the learners described in your Student Profile.
• Describe your students (number of students per class, age, gender, level of English
proficiency).
• How many days per week do you meet with your students? How many minutes/hours per
day are students in your English class?
• What are your students’ prior experience learning English?
• What type of English instruction do your students have outside of your class (if any)?
• What opportunities do your students have to use English outside the classroom?
Step 2: Make a classroom analysis
You will describe your classroom environment, materials and resources that are available to you
in your teaching context.

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• Describe your classroom environment (tables, desks, chairs, walls, windows, etc).
• What kinds of books, materials and resources are available to you?
• What type of technology is available to you (e.g., computer, smartboard, internet access)?
Step 3: Make a textbook analysis
You will conduct an analysis of the textbook you are currently using in your teaching context (or
a textbook that matches your Student Profile). You will provide support for your analysis based
on what you learned in this course so far about effective instruction for young learners.
• What types of activities are found in each unit of your textbook? List them with brief
explanation.
• Are there supplementary materials included with the textbook (e.g., audio, video, flashcards,
readers, etc.)?
• Are the types of activities effective for young learners based on their characteristics? how
children learn? how children learn language?
• Is there a teacher’s edition for the textbooks? Does it reflect good teaching approaches for
young learners?
• Does your textbook have representation of diverse people and cultures?

If possible, include photos, videos or samples of students, classroom, school, textbook, and
materials.

Use the template to complete the assignment:

Module 1 - Learning Environment Profile Template (PDF)
Module 1 - Learning Environment Profile Template (docx)

See the example for a model:

Module 1 - Learning Environment Profile Example

A Word About Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words instead of your own. In this course, you are expected
to use your own words and ideas, and to acknowledge any sources you use to gather ideas. You
must document all of your source material. If you take any text from somebody else, you must
make it clear the text is being quoted and where the text comes from. You must also cite any
sources from which you obtain numbers, ideas, or other material.

You will be assessed based on this Learning Environment Profile Rubric.

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 Module 1: Task 5 – Assignment Template
Learning Environment Profile

Teacher Name:

School Name:

City and Country:

Part A. Student Profile

You will provide a detailed description about a specific class of young or very young learners that you
will focus on in your assignments. In this course, you will develop activities and lesson plans for the
learners described in your Student Profile.
1. Describe your students (number of students per class, age, gender, level of English proficiency).
2. How many days per week do you meet with your students? How many minutes/hours per day
are students in your English class?
3. What are your students’ prior experience learning English?
4. What type of English instruction do your students have outside of your class (if any)?
5. What opportunities do your students have to use English outside the classroom?

Part B. Classroom Analysis

You will describe your classroom environment, materials and resources that are available to you in your
teaching context.
1. Describe your classroom environment (tables, desks, chairs, walls, windows, etc).
2. What kinds of books, materials and resources are available to you?
3. What type of technology is available to you (e.g., computer, smartboard, internet access)?

Part C. Textbook Analysis

You will analyze of the textbook you are currently using in your teaching context (or a textbook that
matches your Student Profile). You will provide support for your analysis based on what you learned
in this course so far about effective instruction for young learners.
1. What types of activities are found in each unit of your textbook? List them with brief
explanation.
2. Are there supplementary materials included with the textbook (e.g., audio, video, flashcards,
readers, etc.)?
3. Are the types of activities effective for young learners based on the following: (1)
children’s characteristics, (2) how children learn, and (3) how children learn language?

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 4. Is there a teacher’s edition for the textbooks? Does it reflect good teaching approaches for
young learners?
5. Does your textbook have representation of diverse people and cultures?

If possible, include photos, videos or samples of students, classroom, school, textbook, and materials.

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 Module 1: Task 5 – Assignment Example
“Learning Environment Profile in Lebanon”

Teacher Name: Lina

School Name: A Nice School
City and Country: Beirut, Lebanon

Part A. Student Profile

1. Grade 2, 7-8 year olds
Low Intermediate Proficiency
My students are in grade two, I have 22 students who are between seven and eight
years of age. I am going to use the ACTFL proficiency guidelines. According to these
guidelines my second graders are on the second lowest level described by the ACTFL:
Intermediate low.
2. Every class from Kindergarten till grade six takes seven lessons of English per week (5
school days per week), each lesson is 50 minutes long. All school subjects like
science, math, history and geography are taught in English. Classes start at 7:30 in
the morning and finish at 2:30 in the afternoon. Students have seven lessons per
day.
3. Before Grade 2, students have had English classes five days a week, seven lessons per
week.
4. My students do not have English instruction outside of class. However, some parents get
English tutors for their children.
5. My students do not have opportunities to use English outside of the classroom.
However, many of them watch some TV programs or movies in English. This is usually
encouraged by parents.

Part B. Classroom Analysis

1. My school environment is student friendly and very colorful although the class space
isn’t ideal to the number of students in the class. Every two students share one long
rectangular desk. The desks and chairs are colorful (blue, red and yellow), and their
size is appropriate for young learners. This seating system makes working in pairs
easier, and it can be changed if the teacher is doing group work. The tables are
arranged in four columns with enough aisle space between the columns for the
teacher to move easily around her class and check each student’s work. The size of
the classrooms is just enough for the tables, chairs, book cases and the cupboard,
therefore I don’t have enough space in my class to do circle time, nor to provide
reading or art centers, or to do any physical activity.

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 2. Our library has a lot of books in English, particularly a very nice collection of
storybooks for children.
3. We have a smart board in my classroom. In addition, we have a computer lab that
we can use with students.

Part C. Textbook Analysis

1. In my textbook, there are the following activities: 1) Warm Up page with a photo
related to the unit; 2) Vocabulary presented with photos and illustrations; 3) Grammar
page with a listening and game activity; 4) Song with new vocabulary and grammar; 5)
short reading about the unit theme; 6) simple writing activity that uses the reading as a
model; and 7) fun project that uses the vocabulary and grammar in context.
2. There is a smart board component that comes with the English language book series.
Through the smartboard, the teacher has access to audio recordings, videos, and
games. It also comes with picture cards with all the vocabulary from each unit. There is
also one reader per unit that incorporates the vocabulary and grammar from the unit.
3. Yes, the activities all seem developmentally appropriate for young learners. The games
and songs are great for learning language, and the kids love them! The projects are fun
for my students, but they can sometimes take too long, and often my students do not
use English during that time. It is something that may need to be simplified.
4. The teacher’s edition is called a “lesson planner.” It has great instructions for each
activity and extra activities that help children learn language by doing. In particularly,
there are tips for using kinesthetic activities to go along with the book activities. For
example, there are picture card games that get students to get up and move around
the room. That is very helpful to keep our classroom developmentally appropriate for
young learners.
5. Yes, it does! There are photos of people and children from all over the world. The only
issue I have is that my students want to know more about the photos and the people,
and often I do not know much about that. I usually have to do extra internet research
to make sure I can answer their many questions!

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Module 1: Wrap-up
This is the end of Module 1! I hope this was a good introduction to TEYL. I am sure you learned
a lot about the characteristics of young learners and how children learn. Look at the checklist
below, and make sure you completed all of the assignments for this week.

Checklist:

I watched three videos.

I read two articles.
I took a quiz.
I posted 2 (or more) messages in the discussion
I submitted my assignment called "Learning Environment Profile."

In Module 2, you will learn about classroom management. Now that you know about the
characteristics of young learners, you can apply this knowledge to managing the classroom. Get
ready for another exciting module!

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