For photos from the conference visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125474891@N05/ 

Language Learning 2-6: International perspectives on early years plurilingualism

The teaching of additional languages, usually English, begins at ever-earlier ages, not only at the start of compulsory education, but often in pre-primary. There is, however, remarkably little research and published experience in this area. With this in mind, the IATEFL Young Learner and Teenager SIG (YLT SIG) and the Cyprus Teachers of English Association (CyTEA) are coming together to organize a conference which explores the perspectives and experiences of teaching languages to very young learners of 2 to 6 years of age around the world.

The conference looks at the learning of any additional languages and is not limited to the learning of English as a foreign or second language.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the conference final programme visit:

 

 

 http://tinyurl.com/ooxow7j

 

 

For more information email: languagelearning2to6@gmail.com

Meet the plenary speakers:

Caroline Linse

Caroline Linse is a Senior Lecturer in TESOL, School of Education, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Caroline has worked in ESL and EFL programs in various contexts in the US and UK and in Mexico, Korea, Latvia and Belarus. She holds a doctorate in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her current areas of research include the relationships and connections between schools and homes as well as the challenges and benefits of being interlingual families.

Plenary Abstract:

 Improving plurilingualism through positive Home school connections

There are numerous challenges and joys when attempting to make positive home school connections.  Positive connections with parents are a vital component of good quality early childhood and early years provisions.  The purpose of this talk will be to explore ways to collaborate with parents to help children develop a wide repertoire linguistic capital.  

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________

 Sandie Mourão

 

 

 

Sandie Mourão is an independent scholar, teacher educator, author and educational consultant and an associate trainer for Norwich Institute of Language Education (NILE). She has a PhD in didactics and teacher education from the University of Aveiro and specialises in early years language education and the use of children’s literature in all areas of language education. Sandie is co-editor of the forthcoming Early Years Second Language Education: International Perspectives on Theories and Practice (Routledge) and the CLELEjournal, an open access online journal http://clelejournal.org/. She is author of the forthcoming Small children - teaching and learning English (DELTA Publishing) as well as a number of language learning courses and resource books.  She is a regular speaker at conferences and contributes to edited volumes, journals and magazines related to ELT. Sandie has a website: http://sandiemourao.eu and writes an award winning blog Picturebooks in ELT, http://picturebooksinelt.blogspot.com/.

 

 

Plenary Abstract:

 

Play and language learning - cracking the enigma

 

The well-known phrase, ‘play is a child’s work and the means whereby he grows and develops’ accompanies a focus on play as central to the early childhood curriculum over the last century. UNESCO describes the educational attributes of pre-primary education as including play-based activities which provide learning opportunities that promote social interactions with peers developing skills, autonomy and school readiness. But what exactly is play and how are we harnessing its potential to enable children to play in another language? Discussing play through a Vygotskian perspective, I will consider the importance of providing children with a balance of teacher-led and child-initiated play.  With a focus on low-exposure contexts, where the target language is typically a foreign language and formal instruction takes place no more than a couple of hours a week, I suggest a series of strategies to enable classroom and language teachers to plan for and mediate child-initiated play in another language.  Much of the information I will be sharing is supported by emerging data from a research project led by the University of Leeds, UK, which is investigating English Language areas in pre-school classrooms.

 

 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Carol Read

Carol Read has over 30 years’ experience in English language teaching as a teacher, teacher trainer, academic manager and materials writer. Carol’s main specialisation is in pre-primary and primary language teaching. She has run teacher education courses and worked as an educational consultant in many different countries. Carol has published extensively in the field of teaching English to children, including course books, supplementary materials, online storytelling and CLIL projects, as well as many articles on primary ELT methodology. Carol’s award-winning titles include the first edition of Bugs World and 500 Activities for the Primary Classroom. Her most recent publications are Footprints and Tiger. Carol is currently President of IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language).
 

Plenary Abstract:

Little sponges? Child development and foreign language learning in pre-school

 

Early years instruction in additional languages typically involves teaching discrete language items and ‘chunks’ and developing oral/aural skills. While this is undoubtedly valuable, it is not on its own sufficient. In this session, it is argued that in order to be effective, young children’s experience of a foreign language needs to contribute towards the overall child development goals that characterise pre-school. In the first part of the session, key developmental attainments of pre-primary children will be discussed. These include imagination, symbolic function, beginning to be able to think and act on an internal mental plane, the integration of emotions and thinking, and self-regulation. Following this, a variety of practical classroom procedures and activities that can be used in foreign language lessons to promote the emergence of key pre-primary developmental accomplishments will be explored. Examples will include storytelling, dramatization, pretend play, games and songs as well as activities to develop pre-academic skills and motor skills. The session will show how principled early years practice can encompass the dual function of engaging children in effectively learning a foreign language and attaining key developmental goals that are essential in laying the foundations for primary school readiness and future academic success.

 

 

 

 _________________________________________________________________________________

Antonella Sorace

Antonella Sorace is Professor of Developmental Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. She is a world leading authority in the field of bilingual language development across the lifespan, where she brings together methods from linguistics, experimental psychology, and cognitive science. She is also committed to disseminating the findings of research on bilingualism in different sectors of society. She is the founding director of the information centre Bilingualism Matters, which will soon have 14 branches all over Europe.

 Plenary Abstract:

Why bilingualism matters: the importance of information

Bilingualism in any languages, regardless of their status, prestige, and worldwide diffusion, can give children much more than two languages if they receive enough engaging input in a supporting environment. However, there are still many widespread old misconceptions – as well as some new ones - about what it means for a child to grow up with two languages. I will first illustrate the main facts and positive effects of early bilingualism, and then show the importance of disseminating correct information on bilingualism in all sectors of society.

_______________________________________________________________________

 

 

Alec Williams

 

An accomplished storyteller, Alec Williams works with all ages in the UK, including many Early Years audiences.  He also visits countries throughout the world, talking to teachers about the role of stories in language learning, and telling stories to young people.  During 2013, he has been ‘circling Cyprus’, with visits to Macedonia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar and Oman; he was also a speaker at Istanbul’s International Storytelling Conference earlier this year.An enthusiastic advocate of children’s fiction and poetry, Alec is a great supporter of reading for pleasure; he believes that however reading is taught, creating readers for life requires reading aloud; sharing stories; a lively school library; inviting classroom book corners; parents as partners – in fact, a ‘reading culture’ throughout schools and families. His talks and training sessions are rich in humour, examples, extracts, and practical anecdotes – ‘a breath of fresh air’, as one delegate put it!

 

 

Plenary Abstract:

 

Bringing it Alive!  Interactive Storytelling and the Early Years

 

This entertaining session looks at the role of stories in language learning, especially with children of 2-6 years.  It begins with ‘Why tell stories?’, and goes on to look particularly at how stories help language learning.  There’ll be advice on choosing stories to use; preparing a story; planning a story session; making stories interactive; practical tips for telling; and suggestions for follow-up.  Alec will show how to make the most of picture book stories, as well as introducing you to stories for 2-6 year olds that can be told from memory.  He’ll also look at using rhymes and simple poetry, which could be another part of a regular classroom ‘storytime’ in school. 

Finally, there’ll be down-to-earth advice from an experienced storyteller on building your confidence; holding children’s interest; and dealing with interruptions – plus a chance for delegates to recommend a story to each other!

Throughout the session, there’ll be examples of stories to enjoy, both from books and from memory; you’re sure to go away with some new stories to try out with children, and pass on to others!

 _________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Looking forward to seeing you in Cyprus ...