Teaching English to Pre-School Children and Children in a Primary School

     In the junior stage the role of the teacher is great: he presents the language material, stimulates and directs pupils’ correct usage of the material presented. However it does not mean that his activity should “dominate” during the lesson. On the contrary, care should be taken to increase pupil-practice time. Special investigations have shown that teachers are often too active during the lesson. Sometimes the teacher’s activity takes 75 per cent of the lesson time and 25 per cent is left for the class. In this case we cannot expect much learning on the part of the pupil. Indeed 45min. = 2 700 sec. The teacher is talking (and doing something else, reading, for instance) 30 min. or 1 800 sec. Thus 900 sec. are left for the class. If there are 20 pupils in the class, each child has 45 sec. at his disposal. This is not so much for learning the language.

     Of course in the initial lessons we cannot minimize the teacher’s participation in this bilateral process, and l:l may be considered a reasonable relationship. The teacher manages the class activities by giving directions; he shows the pupils how to pronounce something, or what and how to say in this or that situation, he presents new words and grammar items by giving vivid examples and using audio-visual materials; he guides the class by pointing out his pupils’ errors; he praises good work and encourages the class to further perfect their habits and skills; he evaluates the work of the class. All this requires time, and if we take into consideration that pupils are slow in grasping much of what the teacher says and he is sometimes forced to repeat what he utters a second time to be understood by the pupils, the time utilized by the teacher is not wasted and the ratio fifty-fifty is justified. However the relationship should be gradually changed in favour of pupils, for every child to be able to have practice in speaking, reading, and writing. Thorough unit and daily planning can ensure rational distribution of time during the lesson between the teacher and the class so that favourable conditions may be created for the pupils’ learning a foreign language.

     Given below is a general outline of a daily lesson for the 5^th form during the oral introductory course with its interpretation.

     1. The beginning of the lesson 2—3 min.

     2. Pronunciation drill 8—10 min.

     3. Oral practice 30—35 min.

     4. Homework 1—2 min.

     The beginning of the lesson is used by the teacher for greeting the class and getting everyone ready for the lesson, for telling his pupils what they will learn and how that will be achieved. The latter is said in the pupils’ mother tongue because the class is not prepared for understanding the foreign language.

     Pronunciation drill enables the teacher to concentrate pupils' attention on sounds, sound combinations, rhythm, and melody. The teacher usually utilizes the material already covered to get the pupils to practise in producing sounds, words with these sounds, phrases and sentences correctly by asking the class to pronounce all this in unison and individually. Since learning to pronounce properly in the target language is the most important objective for beginners during the oral introductory course, eight-ten minutes’ drill is needed to achieve necessary pronunciation habits. To help pupils to acquire these habits the teacher either conducts pronunciation drill himself or uses audio-visual materials so that pupils can watch how to produce sounds, words, phrases and sentences, i.e., how wide or narrow the teacher opens his mouth, whether the voice goes up (the teacher moves his hand up) or it falls (the teacher moves his hand down).

     If the pupils find difficulties, they can get some further help by listening to the teacher's explanation and watching how to produce this or that sound, word, etc. When the teacher has only an audio means, for instance, a tape-recording or a record, he uses this to support his efforts in teaching pronunciation.

     Since pronunciation in the English language differs greatly from that of the Russian language, the teacher should not hurry and should do his best to help each pupil to make progress in discriminating and producing English sounds to be able to speak this language. As there are 18 - 20 pupils in the group and each needs special attention on the part of the teacher, eight-ten minutes should be devoted to pronunciation drill.

     Oral practice implies the revision of the material covered and the presentation and assimilation of some new linguistic material for further developing pupils' hearing and speaking activities. This is the core of each lesson providing the theme or topic as well as the new vocabulary and structure. They are all woven into natural English whether in simple questions and answers, dialogue or monologue. Thus within this part of the lesson we can easily distinguish:

     Revision. Pupils perform exercises which make communication possible, however elementary the level of such communication may be. Their speech is stimulated by the teacher’s commands and requests, objects and pictures. The work is done mainly individually and in pairs.

     Presentation of new words and new sounds (if there are any) and sentence patterns. The teacher uses direct and translation methods by choice. Pupils perform drill exercises: repetition, substitution, extension, etc. Audiovisual aids and various visual materials are used as stimuli. The work is done in unison and individually for all the pupils to be able to pronounce new words and sentences presented as many times as possible.

     Assimilation. Pupils perform speech exercises within the new and old material. The teacher creates favourable conditions for the pupils to use the material presented in speech, both in dialogue and monologue using classroom situations and other stimuli for the purpose. Oral practice takes 30 - 35 minutes.

     Homework during the oral introductory course or the pre-reading phase may include: drawing objects whose names the pupil has learnt and giving them names; simple structural drill; contrastive phonology drills; learning the rhyme at which the class has worked during the lesson by heart; practising a dialogue they have learnt in class. It is desirable that the pupil should have a model to be able to compare his pronunciation with the one given; non-controlled practice might bring about the learning of incorrect forms, structures and pronunciation. The practice records that accompany the textbook are a common source of model pronunciation. To save the quality of the record which usually inclines to scratches, it is recommended that the text should be re-recorded on a tape. A language laboratory may be used as a homework centre to which pupils may come, during free hours to do their homework. Of course pupils need to be taught how to work with this kind of home study material. The content of homework during the oral introductory course will depend on the length of the latter. If it is short, for instance two-four weeks, then pupils need not be given any homework, at least no homework which requires the use of audio materials. If it lasts for a term pupils should have some homework, otherwise the lack of conventional homework may establish negative attitude to the subject on the part of both pupils and parents; they may classify it as something that is not serious. In any case, the teacher informs his pupils, and, if necessary, their parents, what will be done in class and how to practise effectively at home.

     During the oral introductory course some preparatory work in reading begins. Pupils may be taught to discriminate English letters.

     The teacher shows a letter, for example, P and says it stands for [p]. He invites pupils to name the words in which they hear this sound. Pupils recollect the words: pen, pencil, picture, and so on. 2 - 3 minutes may be devoted to this work during the lesson, beginning with the middle of the course.

     Possessing an outline for a daily lesson the teacher fills it in with concrete material. Here is one of the possible ways to write a daily plan. In may look like this:

     Level: 5^th form.         September 18

Objectives: 1. to teach pupils the sound ... and to understand the use of the words ... in the sentence patterns

     2. To develop hearing and speaking skills on the material covered.

1. The beginning of the lesson. (2 min). 
   Greeting.

        Classroom expressions.

     2. Pronunciation drill. (8 min.)

        Use………………………….

     Have every pupil pronounce in chorus and individually……………

     3. Oral practice. (30—35 min.)

     Review:

     - Ask questions for every one to answer.

     - Use objects (movements) and pictures of ...

     - Have pupils make statements about the objects shown.

- Require pupils to ask and answer questions: T - class; 
   P- class; P - P (work in pairs). (10 min).

- Present the words ... . Introduce the sound .... Use 
   the direct method for conveying the meaning of ... 
   and translation for ... . Have pupils listen to the sentences ..., repeat them in unison and individually. (10 min).

Develop pupils’ skills:

- In hearing. Each child receives a picture (or an object). 
   I say sentences ... for them to recognize the one which relates to the object each        has. Then they change the pictures  and  listen  to  the speaker from  the tape- 
recorder.

- In speaking.  Each speaks about the picture he has following the model. (14    min.)

     4. Homework. (1 min.)

     Draw ... and practise saying ... .

     A general outline for a daily plan for the junior stage when pupils learn hearing, speaking, reading, and writing may look like this:

     1. The beginning of the lesson 3-5 min.

     2. Pronunciation drill 3-5 min.

     3. Oral practice 15-20 min.

     4. Reading 7-12 min.

     5. Writing 3-8 min.

     6. Homework 1 min.

     The beginning of the lesson is used not only for the pupils to get ready for the lesson, but also for “free talk”, of course within their ability to understand the language spoken and to speak it.

     Pronunciation drill remains one of the main points of the lesson. Pupils are trained to pronounce sounds, phrases, sentences, rhymes. For example, cat, map, cap, in the garden, on the skating-rink. Don't go home alone. 

     Father, mother, sister, brother;

      Hand in hand with one another. 

     Pupils listen either to the teacher, or to the tape-recording or the record. They repeat the words, phrases and sentences in imitation of the teacher or the speaker individually and in chorus. Special attention is given to individuals. The teacher corrects mistakes, if there are any. Songs and poems may serve as material for pronunciation drill at this stage. If the teacher uses a song or a poem he explains briefly to the pupils in Russian what the song or the poem is about.

     The teacher plays or sings the entire song once while the pupils listen. He reads or recites the poem to the class.

     The teacher drills the lines to be taught. The lines are broken up into phrases and pronounced by the teacher in the rhythm in which they are to be sung or recited. The pupils repeat first in chorus and then individually. The teacher and pupils sing the song or recite the poem softly at first.

     The teacher divides the class into groups and has each group sing or recite separately. Errors are immediately corrected.

     Then the teacher calls on individuals to come up in front of the class to recite for the class or to sing; the latter can be suggested to volunteers only.

     Pupils develop their hearing and speaking skills:

     - when assimilating new words, phrases, and sentence patterns presented in performing drill and creative exercises (this is the case when oral language is used as a means of learning the language.

     - when hearing and speaking in the English language in connection with the situations suggested (this is the case when the target language is used as a means of communication). The materials used for the purpose are: sentence patterns and words for substitution, pattern dialogues, pattern utterances related to the situations in which pupils can use them.

     Pupils develop their reading skills:

     - when reading aloud;

     - when reading silently.

     The materials used for the purpose are: exercises mostly with flash cards and texts in the textbooks, and supplementary readers.

Pupils develop their writing skills when assimilating the English graphic system and performing various written exercises.

     Homework should include reading, writing, and speaking and require approximately 20 minutes a day. Pupils need to be shown how to work at home. They should be cautioned against translation and be encouraged to read the text aloud, grouping the words in sense-groups;, to read for meaning and sequence of ideas; to answer the questions given before or after the text; to compose questions on the text, and so on. Pupils should know that when copying words, phrases or sentences they should first read them aloud, look at them attentively and then write a whole word, a whole phrase, or a whole sentence. This will help them in learning the words and structures and in mastering English spelling.

     Here is one of the possible approaches to compiling a daily plan.

     Level: 6^th form.          Date ...

     Objectives:    1. ……………. 

     2. …………… 

     3. …………… 

     1. The beginning of the lesson. (3—5 min.)

     A. Greeting.

B. A short talk with a pupil on duty. 
С A “free talk” about ...

     (The subject of “free talk” changes with the growth of vocabulary and grammar.)

2. Pronunciation drill. (3 - 5 min.) 
Material: sounds ……………  

     words ……………

     word combinations ……………

     sentences …………… 

     a rhyme   (proverb, saying) …………… 

     a poem ………… 

(The choice depends on the content of the lesson.)

     Source: teacher, tape-recorder or record-player.

(The choice depends on the material and conditions.)

     Activities: listening to the pattern, repeating it in unison and individually until adequate pronunciation is attained. 

     3. Oral practice. (15—20 min.)

     Version A

     Objective: To teach pupils the words ... (or the grammar item ...) so that they can use them in speaking on sentence level.

     Present the words ... in the following sentence patterns ....

     Use pictures ... , objects ... , real situations for conveying the meaning of ... , and translation for ....

     Activities. Pupils perform the following exercises with the words presented:

     1 -  listen to the words, word combinations, and sentences  and  repeat   them  in  chorus  and  individually;

     2 - compose word combinations with the following old words   ....

     3 - answer the questions:

     - Yes - No  

     - Special: What ... Where ... When ... etc.?

     - Alternative ... or  ... ?

     4 -ask questions with the new words.

     5 - make statements using the new words.

     Use the pictures, objects and real situations utilized for presenting the material, and add some new ones ...

Version B

       Objective:  To teach pupils to use the words presented  at  the  previous  lesson  on  utterance  level.

     Activities. Pupils go through  the following exercises:

     1 - review the words by listening to the word combinations and sentences in which they occurred.

     2 - make statements on the new pictures and objects…

     3 - combine the following two sentences into one ...

     4 - say three-four sentences about the object (picture)…

     Use pictures, objects, real situations and tape-recording. Every pupil participates in oral practice.

Version C

     Objective: To   develop   hearing and speaking skills on speech level on the material covered.

     Activities. Pupils

     1 - say several sentences about the object every pupil has chosen and prepared at home (check five-seven individuals on their ability to speak about the object);

     2 - aud story "..." from the record and answer the questions;

     3 - aud it a second time and retell the story (pupils retell the story in a chain-like way first, and then two pupils give a summary of the story).

     4. Reading. (7 - 12 min.)

Version A

     Objectives: 1. To check five or six individuals on their ability to read aloud (control reading.  Text (“…”)

     2. To teach pupils silent reading on text “...”.

       Activities. Pupils

     1 - look through text “...” read at home;

     2 - read this text aloud (call on 5—6 pupils in turn to read the text, the class follows. their reading and correct mistakes if any);