Teaching young students a new language is an incredibly rewarding experience. They are like sponges! If using strategies that work to accelerate language acquisition, you will be amazed at what is possible!
1. Provide a positive classroom environment:
Young students and particularly those in a second language environment need lots of positive reinforcement. AIM techniques and strategies help teachers understand how to do this effectively while also teaching the language! When a teacher praises using the Gesture Approach, the whole class praises a student or themselves. This is has a very powerful, positive effect on the classroom environment.
- Focus on simplicity and structure
With a selected high-frequency vocabulary (the PDL), combined with a very structured approach to each class (Entry Routines/Whole-Class Activities/Partner/Group Activities and Leaving Routine) the teacher allows young students to find a sense of security and predictability, which helps greatly with both classroom management as well as language acquisition.
- Use a multisensory approach
AIM incorporates kinesthetic, musical, drama, dance and reading activities for students with different learning styles. Make use of props, costumes, and puppets to bring the language to life. This helps make learning more enjoyable and memorable for young student. AIM Gestures are key to our comprehensible input approach and to accelerating language acquisition.
- Encourage independence
AIM’s deeply scaffolded am model-based approach ensures that you will be able to confidently send students to work independently. They will, as a result, be very proud of their accomplishments!
- Use engaging activities/Ensure variety
Young children thrive best in an environment where they engage hands-on with their learning. AIM’s focus on story, songs, raps, movement (Gestures), and choreography, keep young students actively involved, moving and focussed.
- Limit each type of activity to five- to seven-minute chunks
AIM’s activities are designed to keep the brain alert – each type of activity should last a maximum of seven minutes or so for primary students, so that learning is maximised.
- Ensure pleasant repetition
Young children require lots of repetition and AIM is designed inherently to provide this. The focus on one play over a 50-hour instructional period, the integration of the story (theme, characters, settings throughout many different activities) will ensure that students receive the necessary repetition of words in different contexts, needed for acquisition.
- Be flexible!
AIM encourages spontaneity and young children thrive on this. Seize upon opportunities that occur in class to get the students involved in something authentic – someone knocks on the door, a pencil falls on the floor, you lose something, a cat walks in the room – these are all some of the best moments to gesture for the students to speak!
- Promote home-school communication
Parents of young children love to be involved. Be sure that each student has access to the AIM Portal so that they may share their learning with parents and siblings. Friends from class may come over and parents have reported that they love to sing, dance and laugh as they use the Portal resources. Invite students to make their Portfolio Presentation at the end of each Kit.
Each child is unique! It is so important to ensure that you offer teaching strategies based on the needs and interests of your students. Flexibility, creativity, and a genuine passion for teaching languages will contribute to a positive learning environment.