Филологические науки/ 1.Методика  преподавания языка и литературы.

Семенишена Н.А.

Российский государственный социальный университет, филиал в г. Наро-Фоминске

Children Learning English as a second or an additional language

Children’s learning and development takes place in the context of their families and those families are children’s first and most important educators. When babies and toddlers from language backgrounds other than English start in a children’s service, they begin the process of learning a second or additional language. From birth, they will have started to acquire their first language. This first language is learnt through contact with family members and others in early communication that includes talking, singing, cooing, making sounds and engaging in non-verbal communication. It is vital that early childhood professionals working with young children promote the continued use of the first or home language and encourage families to spend as much time as they can talking with their young children. When English is added as a second language, much of the opportunity for many young children to hear and practice their first language may be diminished.

During the first three years of life the foundations of a child’s language development are laid. It is vital that babies and toddlers have rich language experiences at this time. Babies learn about language long before they utter their first words. They learn to listen and to discriminate among different sounds. Interaction with parents and caregivers at this time is crucial. During the first twelve months of life, babies need faces and voices to listen to and focus on. For babies and toddlers this early interaction provides the basis for communication and for learning in both the home language and English as a second language. It establishes the basis for ongoing development of language in the early years.

A significant aspect of communication at this time is “joint attention”. Joint attention occurs when adults engage with young children in social interaction in a two-way process. Early childhood professionals can engage children in two-way communication through talking, playing word games, making sounds, and responding to attempts by babies and toddlers to engage with adults. Babies and toddlers are very receptive to talking, cuddling, playing and singing.

For children under three the stages of their development in English as a second language are similar to those of their development in their first language. They first play with language, make sounds, learn and use single words, and use non-verbal actions. These single words convey meaning to the adult who responds, elaborates and extends what is being said. Later single words are combined and short sentences are produced.

The first years of life are crucial for children to acquire basic trust, and forming new attachments are difficult in a new and strange environment. Young children need opportunities to develop positive relationships with their caregivers and other children.

In the first years, the early experiences of babies and toddlers need to reinforce their identity and self esteem. Children need to feel that their caregivers value and respect their family, particularly their language and culture. This respect is demonstrated in the way babies are spoken to, soothed, fed, carried and nurtured.

Parents from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds face a number of challenges including not having access to someone who speaks their first language and can explain the program of the centre. Some will have difficulty understanding the limitations for the children’s service including early childhood professionals: child ratios, regulations, hours of operation and type of program offered. Some parents will be anxious about maintaining the child rearing practices that they are used to. Early childhood professionals working with young children need to be responsible and responsive so that children and parents can develop trusting relationships.

Babies and toddlers need freedom to explore challenges, to hear their own language and to start hearing and using English. Activities to assist them learning English as a second language are no different from those that are provided from children with English as their first language. It is important to provide a range of interactions, particularly those that happen on a one to one basis, or in a small group. These regular interactions provide the best outcomes for learning and practicing language.

Strategies include:

· read and tell stories everyday

· introduce new words

· play word games

· tie words to actions and objects

· engage in conversations

· share simple rhymes and games

· learn rhymes and songs in languages other than English

· expand and model conversations.

Some children from language backgrounds other than English may not have had the opportunity to attend a children’s service before starting school. These children should be supported at school by early childhood professionals in the same way as children in the kindergarten year.

Children new to English in the early years of school need to feel a sense of belonging within the school community. They need to find a place for themselves in their interactions with others. How they are accepted by others in the group will affect their ability to find a place in the group and thus their opportunities for hearing and using English. Social relationships and membership of the classroom community lead to participation, and to participation in English language development and learning. Patterns of language use vary across cultures, so that children new to English must also learn the cultural values, norms and beliefs that apply to different culture. Like children in the years before school they have to acquire not only a new language, but also new ways of behaving and operating in a new culture.

Children starting school need to interact with others to be successful learners. How they are accepted by other children and by staff affects their ability to find a place for themselves and thus to have access to the resources available. In the school environment children are exposed to English in a range of settings, through interactions with teachers and children and through practice with language for different communicative purposes, including English for social interaction, for participating in classroom activities, and for obtaining, processing, constructing and providing information.

In the early stages of learning English as a second language children should hear contextualized language; that is, language supported by visual materials and opportunities to handle objects. They need to tie known concepts to new vocabulary. Visuals provide clues for learners. As the children proceed through school, the language used by teachers and other children becomes increasingly decontextualized and this makes learning for children from language backgrounds other than English more difficult.

A good quality school program should foster rich language interactions for all children and encourage the use of the first or home language as well. The best experiences for children learning English are those that occur within the classroom environment rather than outside it away from their peers. It is important to remember that learning English as a second language is like other forms of learning, and learners should not be isolated from the mainstream program where the best models of natural language occur.

Bibliography:

1. Baker Colin. Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism - Multilingual Matters, UK, fourth edition, 2000.

2. Siraj-Blatchford Iram and Clarke Priscilla. Supporting identity, diversity and language in the early years - Open University Press, Bucks, 2000.