Video Transcript: Module 12

Younger Learners

Transcript

12:00:01:12
ONE, TWO, THREE. [singing]
ˇENGLISH IS IMPORTANT, ˇ
ˇYES, YES, YES, YES! ˇ
ˇWHO-O-O-O! ˇ

12:00:10:00
EXCELLENT, YES. ENGLISH IS IMPORTANT. GOOD.

Module 12, Younger Learners

Younger learners are from 4-10 years of age, and from kindergarten through 5th grade.

Younger learners are active and creative. They learn through doing. They are social, they like to play, and they have the ability to develop the rules of language themselves, as they play with different language content and input. They also have a short attention span, and they need repetition and clear direction.

Module Focus: Introduction

The focus in Module 12 is on teaching younger learners. In the class you saw at the beginning of this module, the teacher used a song to start the class and get learners to focus. This is an effective management technique for younger learners.

For younger learners, a teacher should also provide:

  • A warm, friendly, and comfortable classroom.
  • Clear and simple routines, rules, directions, and transitions.
  • A variety of activities and types of participation with much repetition.
  • Holistic use of language.
  • Opportunities to physically move around, to work together, and to have fun.

#1 Viewing Points: Younger Learners

Video segment #1. In this classroom, look for:

  • The purpose of the activity.
  • The teaching steps.
  • The amount of time needed for the activity.
  • And, the student response.

Earlier in this class period, the teacher reviewed all the vocabulary used in the song and taught the tune to the song.

Transcript

12:02:02:25
I AM GOING TO TOUCH MY PART FIRST, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO REPEAT. OKAY?

12:02:11:26
HEAD.
Class: (weakly) HEAD.

12:02:14:07
OKAY, REPEAT AFTER ME. HEAD.
Class: (firmly) HEAD.

12:02:16:28
SHOULDERS.
Class: SHOULDERS.

12:02:19:02
KNEES.
Class: KNEES.

12:02:20:16
TOES.
Class: TOES.

12:02:22:03
HEAD.
Class: HEAD.

12:02:23:29
SHOULDERS.
Class: SHOULDERS.

12:02:25:13
KNEES.
Class: KNEES.

12:02:27:24
TOES.
Class: TOES.

12:02:28:25
OKAY.

12:02:29:25
All: [singing]
ˇ HEAD, SHOULDERS ˇ
ˇ KNEES AND TOES ˇ
ˇ KNEES AND TOES ˇ
ˇ HEAD, SHOULDER, KNEES, AND TOES ˇ
ˇ KNEES AND TOES ˇ
ˇ EYES AND EARS AND MOUTH AND NOSE ˇ
ˇ HEAD, SHOULDER, KNEES AND TOES ˇ
ˇ KNEES AND TOES ˇ

12:02:49:00
OKAY, FAST!
ˇ EYES AND EARS AND MOUTH AND NOSE ˇ
ˇ HEAD, SHOULDER, KNEES AND TOES ˇ
ˇ KNEES AND TOES ˇ

12:02:58:02
OKAY, EXCELLENT!

12:03:00:02
OKAY? SO HERE WE HAVE SOME BODY PARTS, AS YOU CAN SEE. AND HERE YOU HAVE TO FIND THE DIFFERENT WORDS OF THE BODY PARTS HERE.

12:03:14:26
YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CIRCLE WITH A PENCIL OR WITH A PEN, WHATEVER YOU WANT, AND…YOU HAVE…TO CIRCLE… IN THE — IN THIS, OKAY?

12:03:32:13
CIRCLE THE WORDS. OKAY? OKAY. WHEN YOU FINISH FINDING THE WORDS, YOU HAVE TO COLOR THE PICTURES. OKAY? [background classroom noises]

Summary

The purpose of this activity was to teach vocabulary through repetition and physical movement. The activity was very short, but included a lot of vocabulary practice.  Students were all doing the activity together and having fun. Afterwards, students worked individually on reading and writing the vocabulary words as well.

#2 Viewing Points: Example Activities A           

Video segment #2. In this class, the teacher is using a chant. Look for:

  • The purpose of the activity.
  • Clarity of direction.
  • The variety of movement.
  • And, use of a particular teaching technique.

Transcript

12:05:12:05
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT THREE NEW WORDS. OKAY?

12:05:22:14
LOOK AT ME. I AM WALKING. WALK…GO LIKE THIS. WALK.

12:05:34:19
DRINK…DRINK. DO NOT REPEAT. DO NOT REPEAT. LISTEN…LISTEN. OKAY…

12:05:45:00
AND…EAT. EAT.

12:05:52:01
OKAY. SO WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND UP.

12:05:57:24
LISTEN…AND ACT. LISTEN AND ACT.

12:06:04:12
DOWN AND UP.
Students: DOWN AND UP.

12:06:10:07
Teacher: AND WALK, WALK, WALK.
Students: AND WALK, WALK, WALK.

12:06:15:07
Teacher: DOWN AND UP.
Students: DOWN AND UP.

12:06:19:08
Teacher: AND WALK, WALK, WALK.
Students: AND WALK, WALK, WALK.

12:06:23:13
Teacher: OKAY. WE WALK TO THE LEFT.
Students: WE WALK TO THE LEFT.

12:06:28:07
AND WE WALK TO THE RIGHT.
AND WE WALK TO THE RIGHT.

12:06:33:01
TURN AROUND.
TURN AROUND.

12:06:36:06
Teacher: AND WALK, WALK, WALK.
Students: AND WALK, WALK, WALK.

12:06:41:23
DOWN AND UP.
DOWN AND UP.

faster) AND WALK, WALK, WALK.
AND WALK, WALK, WALK.

12:06:47:00
DOWN AND UP.
DOWN AND UP.
AND WALK, WALK, WALK.
AND WALK, WALK, WALK.
WALK TO THE LEFT.
WALK TO THE LEFT.

12:06:52:14
NO, NO, NO. NOT TURN AROUND. [laughing]

12:06:53:26
SO, PICK UP YOUR GLASS OF WATER. EVERYBODY, PICK UP YOUR GLASS OF WATER. OKAY. [laughs ]
OKAY, YOU READY?

12:07:08:18
DOWN AND UP.
DOWN AND UP.
AND DRINK, DRINK, DRINK.
AND DRINK, DRINK, DRINK.
DOWN AND UP.
DOWN AND UP.
AND DRINK, DRINK, DRINK.
AND DRINK, DRINK, DRINK.

12:07:24:01
PUT YOUR GLASS ON YOUR DESK. NOW I WILL GIVE YOU AN ORANGE. ONE FOR ONE. OKAY. OH, EVERYBODY GOT IT.

12:07:44:15
OKAY. DOWN AND UP.
DOWN AND UP.
AND EAT, EAT, EAT.
AND EAT, EAT, EAT.
WE EAT TO THE LEFT.
WE EAT TO THE LEFT.
AND EAT TO THE RIGHT.
AND EAT TO THE RIGHT.
TURN AROUND.
TURN AROUND.
AND EAT, EAT, EAT.
AND EAT, EAT, EAT.

12:08:02:11
OKAY, COME BACK TO YOUR SEAT.

Summary

The purpose of this activity was to teach three new verbs. Teacher directions were commands. They were simple and clear and she provided variety in the commands. First the teacher did the actions with the students and then she told them what to do. The commands and actions were repeated many times.

This is a technique from the Total Physical Response, or TPR, approach. It is an effective method to use with younger learners.

#3 Viewing Points: Example Activities B

The next classroom is a kindergarten. The teacher is using activity stations to individualize learning and appeal to student interest. There are several stations used for different purposes. Watch the children using the work stations they have selected. Look for:

  • Different activities.
  • Arrangement of the room and use of rugs.
  • Height orientation for chairs, tables, and things on the walls.
  • And, what the teacher is doing.

Transcript

12:09:18:14
[children making noise]
LOOK AT THAT.

12:09:21:18
HEY, JESUS. JESUS! JESUS.

12:09:30:07
OKAY.
[children talking ]…VICTORIA…VIC…VIC…VICKY. VICKY! COME ON.

12:09:56:20
YEAH, BUT I HAVE CYNTHIA.

12:09:59:25
YOU HAVE VICKY.

12:10:10:02
OKAY.

12:10:23:07
IT’S TIME FOR CLEANUP. READY… (in a sing-song voice) CLEAN UP.

12:10:45:02
ONLY CLEANING MONITORS ARE UP.

12:10:46:29
FIVE…FOUR… THREE… WHO’S SITTING ON THE CARPET?
CRISSCROSS APPLESAUCE (a reminder for children to sit with their legs crossed).
TWO… AND ONE.
JESSICA, YOU NEED TO SIT.

12:11:07:16
THANK YOU, [A]. THANK YOU, TOO, [J.].

Summary

In this class there were many different resources collected on shelves and in bins at each of the six different stations, so children could choose their own activity at that station. Rugs were used to border stations and to sit on. Tables were grouped together. Everything was oriented to the children’s height, including the chairs, tables, resources, and things posted on walls. The teacher was using the time to work with each child individually. The children were directing their own activities and cleaning up their work stations afterwards.

Children learn when they are active, interested, and engaged.

Module Focus: Summary

The focus in Module 12 has been on Younger Learners. Some important points in teaching younger learners are:

  • A warm, friendly, and comfortable classroom.
  • Clear and simple routines, rules, directions, and transitions.
  • A variety of activities and types of participation with much repetition.
  • Holistic use of language.
  • Opportunities to physically move around, to work together, and to have fun.

In the final song, notice another technique, the use of gestures with the song.  Notice also how the teacher keeps her gestures small as a model for the children.

See the manual for readings and more information on this and other topics about Younger Learners.

Transcript

12:12:51:23
recorded song plays in background ]
ˇWE ALL LAUGH IN THE SAME LANGUAGE ˇ
ˇWE ALL LOVE TO LEARN AND PLAY ˇ
ˇOUR HEARTS BEAT IN THE SAME RHYTHM ˇ
ˇROUND THE WORLD WE’RE ALL THE SAME ˇ

12:13:09:12
ˇWE ALL CRY WHEN WE FEEL SORROW ˇ
ˇWE ALL LOVE OUR FAMILY ˇ
ˇWE ALL PRAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW ˇ
ˇROUND THE WORLD, YOU AND ME ˇ
[ instrumental interlude ]

12:13:29:10
ˇ WE ALL LAUGH IN THE SAME LANGUAGEˇ
ˇOUR HEARTS BEAT IN THE SAME RHYTHMˇ
Recording: ˇ ( chanted )…Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnameseˇ
ˇWE ALL CRY WHEN WE FEEL SORROW ˇ
[chanted] ˇ Algerian, Syrian, Lithuanian, Romanianˇ

12:13:52:21
ˇWE ALL PRAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW ˇ
[chanted] ˇ Bantu, Hebrew, Cree, Aborigineˇ
ˇ WE ALL LAUGH IN THE SAME LANGUAGEˇ
[chanted] ˇ Alsation, Croatian, Russian, Prussian ˇ

12:14:08:21
ˇOUR HEARTS BEAT IN THE SAME RHYTHMˇ
[chanted] ˇHopi, Cherokee, Navajo, Seminoleˇ (these are the names of some Native American Indian tribes)
ˇWE ALL LAUGH IN THE SAME LANGUAGEˇ
[chanted] ˇAmerican, Canadian, Mexican, Arcadianˇ
[clapping in rhythm ] OKAY.