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ArticlesTeaching younger learners: meeting the challengeAn interview with Diana Hicks and Andrew Littlejohn Andrew and Diana have many years' experience in teaching young learners and training their teachers. They have been working on Cambridge English for Schools for over six years, in close consultation with teachers and their classes in many countries. Diana, which in your opinion is the greatest challenge faced by teachers of younger learners? Diana: I think that probably the greatest challenge is to maintain the learners' motivation. I believe that all students initially want to learn, not only English in their English classes but also learn more about the world, and about themselves. Meeting that desire is difficult, and learners can easily become demoralised if they don't feel their English classes are theirs, that the lessons involve them. And how can a course like Cambridge English for Schools help teachers meet this challenge? Diana: Well, in addition to the language syllabus, the course also has an 'education' syllabus and a 'learner involvement' syllabus. Together, these provide space for the learners to bring their own knowledge and experience to their lessons. They can also make their choices about how to practise newly acquired language. We think that this kind of personal involvement will make the tasks seem more worthwhile and fun, for the teacher and the students! Andrew, some time ago you published a series of three articles entitled' Teaching Younger Learners'. One of the main points you made was that 'an approach which gives learners more responsibility and offers decisions to them is likely to produce more involved, responsible and resourceful learners'. What are the difficulties teachers may encounter when trying to implement such an approach? Andrew: Well, I wouldn't say it is difficult to involve learners, as such. It just needs to be taken very, very gradually. Things mustn't be rushed. In most situations, learners just aren't used to being directly involved so things have to be carefully planned. But the benefits of involving them more fully are enormous. Does Cambridge English for Schools reflect this notion that learners should participate in decision-making processes? And if so, can you remember any specific activity or task that sets out to do so? Andrew: Well, learner decision-making is one of the main features of the course! However, we have tried to do this very gradually; you don't need to have 'special students' to do it. For example, the Topic Units include 'decide' exercises where learners have a choice of tasks. (See figure 1, above). There are also Activity Units where students plan their own work. The Revision Units begin with self-assessment so that students can decide where they need extra practice. And later in the course, we show students how they can make their own tests. Learner involvement is very much the life blood of the course! We've spoken a lot about the 'learner involvement syllabus', and I just have a couple of questions about the 'education syllabus'. Can you offer any advice for teachers who may feel apprehensive about the idea of 'curriculum links' and the necessity of dealing with subjects in which they are not experts? Andrew: 'Curriculum links' are not as frightening as they sound! 'Curriculum links' means putting the new language into an educational context, such as Science, History or Geography for example. This actually makes it a lot easier to teach, as the students will almost always be able to contribute something from their other work at school. We don't expect English teachers to know all about other subject areas - the most important point is that it is the students who have to find out. The job of the English teacher is to take care of the language, although we hope that cross-curricular work makes teaching more interesting as well. In the Teacher's Book we do give extra background to some of the topics (and of course all the answers!), but in general teachers shouldn't find it at all difficult. It also gives teachers an ideal opportunity to work with other subject teachers, although this isn't at all necessary to use Cambridge English for Schools. Diana, can you give us some examples of the fresh and innovative ways in which cross curricular topics are handled? Diana: When we were looking at the idea of cross curricular materials we noticed that it had not been taken very far. Often the cross curricular section in a coursebook was just one text or perhaps one page, unconnected with other topics in a unit. In Cambridge English for Schools, we decided to take one curriculum area as a general focus for a number of units, and build them into a 'Theme'. This gives the students time and opportunity to develop ideas and - something that is very important - a sense of coherence in their work. We also exploit the themes in different ways - so there is a lot of variety, not only in topic but also in the way the students use and work with language. For example, in the Theme 'Natural Forces', they can listen to part of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, and in the Theme 'Planet Earth' they can write shape poems and do simple experiments at home. For example: in the topic 'Into Space' in Student's Book 1, students opt for one of two exercises: 7.1 Act out a conversation with Neil Armstrong Imagine that you are in the Space Control Centre. You are talking to Neil Armstrong on the moon. What questions can you ask him? What does he answer? Write down your questions and his answers. or 7.2 Postcard from the moon Imagine that you are on the moon. Write a postcard to your family and friends back on Earth! Tell them about the moon, what you can see and what you are doing. Other Cambridge
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