USING SONGS AND GAMES IN TEACHING VOCABULARY TO YOUNG LEARNERS [302345]

[anonimizat]:

Lect.univ.dr. LUMINIȚA TODEA

CANDIDAT: [anonimizat]. GABRIELA CLAUDIA PIETRAR

LICEUL TEHNOLOGIC „PETŐFI SÁNDOR” LAZURI, SATU MARE

BAIA MARE

2015

[anonimizat] a foreign language is not always enjoyable. [anonimizat], [anonimizat], and the children daydream. When I started working as a foreign language teacher in a village, I realized that children do not learn at home because they have more important and interesting housework to do. I had to find an activity in which all my children could fully participate and in which the process of communication and learning would take place. So I decided to make my classes more interesting and helpful for children by teaching English vocabulary to young learners using fun activities such as: songs, games, chants, rhymes. For the beginning I used these activities only in the warm up stage but now the songs and the games are an important and integral part of the learning process.

[anonimizat], teachers can increase pupil interest and help with both memorization and retention. [anonimizat], [anonimizat] a game.

[anonimizat], to speak about their imaginary stories. According to Vanessa Reilly and Sheila M.Ward: "Communication is a vital part of the learning process but if we tell the children they can only speak in English (which of course they cannot do) it is as good as telling them to be quiet. This would be a [anonimizat]"(Reilly,1997,p.5). One of the best ways of getting children drawn in the language class is through fun activities. [anonimizat]. They are also fantastic materials for the language teachers to use with young learners because of their unlimited benefits.

The success of learning a foreign language is assumed in term of the ability to communicate by using English. [anonimizat]. Teacher must motivate children to learn the vocabulary by using interesting techniques such as: songs, games, chants, rhymes.

Games and songs mean the world to children; nothing is more fun than playing games and singing songs because they feel happy and free while playing and singing. [anonimizat], [anonimizat].

First I tried introducing new words as a game. A game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun. When children heard the word game the whole atmosphere in the classroom changed. Children relaxed and anxiously awaited taking part in the game; even more interesting was the fact that they really tried their best. The use of songs and games meant a [anonimizat]-centered learning. The end of each game and song found children not only more productive, but also happy and smiling.

Playing games and singing songs at the beginning level, listening and speaking skills are usually emphasized. Children are listening to the instructions first in English and then in the mother tongue. Later on, when the children are familiar with the procedure and English phrases, we only need to use English. Gesture is an important tool, particularly with very young learners, who still use body language and facial expression to communicate. We can accompany instructions, stories, songs, games and rhymes by actions, pictures, and mime to show the meaning.

The young learners may spend a short time absorbing language before they produce anything. Some children say nothing at all in class but when they go home they tell their parents what they have learnt. By doing repetitive songs, rhymes, games, role-play and lot of choral work, children will be able to produce language without the stress of having to speak individually. Much of the learning will take place through play. It is widely recognized nowadays that play is an important part of the learning process. Games help to develop physical co-ordination, creativity, and social skills.

THEORETICAL PART

CHAPTER 1.USING SONGS AND GAMES IN TEACHING VOCABULARY

Using Songs in Teaching Vocabulary

English has become a global language of communication and this is why our society is more concerned about teaching and learning English at early ages. Although children learn a foreign language faster than adults, they do not learn through traditional language teaching methods. Using fun activities like songs and games, children can learn a language better. Songs and games help increase pupil’s interest. Songs, chants, rhymes and games are interesting materials for the language teacher to use with young learners. Songs and games can be very effective tools for teaching children a foreign language.

Songs, chants and rhymes "help children’s language development, and also their physical development when used in conjunction with dance and mime" (Reilly, 1997, p 23). The language in traditional English songs is rich and colourful and extends the children’s vocabulary beyond the limited range of their own day-to-day experiences. The use of rhyme encourages children to explore the sounds of words, and the use of imagery enriches their perception of the world and their ability to express what they feel. When "words are linked to rhythm and music they seem to have more emotive and personal significance and so are remembered better"(Reilly, 1997, p. 23).

There are some linguistic advantages of using songs, chants, and rhymes in teaching and learning English as a foreign language. One of the advantage is that the learners will happily repeat the same structure, even the same words, over and over again without getting bored. Songs, chants, and rhymes are useful for children’s pronunciation. Family members, friends are always happy when children can sing or recite in another language and it is useful to have a repertoire ready for end-of-term festivities. If we cannot find songs we can easily turn ordinary language into chants; we can fit the words to any topic we are doing. Young learners find it natural to turn almost anything into a song.

Nothing can be as effective as music in children’s language class. They have a natural ear for music and because of that English language teachers around the world use such enjoyable and supportive means for children to improve language learning and acquisition.

Music helps children develop cognitive skills, by singing songs, children learn language appreciation, vocabulary and rhyme (Shipley, 1998). Another thing is that songs are learnt by heart, and this may form part of a child’s linguistic. According to Reilly and Ward young children can imitate accents, intonation and rhythm. Their pronunciation will greatly improve since they center on the sound not meaning. (Reilly, 1997)

The use of songs is very motivating in teaching English vocabulary, whatever the age of the learners is; this technique is effective and it breaks the monotony of the syllabus. Songs are good means of developing listening, pronunciation and speaking skills. Young learners enjoy listening to and repeating them over and over again. They join in with the parts they know and acquire more sounds, words and sentences with each successive performance until they gradually master the text. The words used in a song, are remembered along with the melody of the song for a long time. In lyrics, words usually appear in context, the sound of new words is easily remembered along with the melody of the song, and by listening to the song children are exposed to the new words many times.

1.1.1.How to Teach Songs?

When teaching children to read, we often start with what they know –letters in their names, words from a favourite book, the name of their favourite toys .But we can start with a song which they have already listened. Because song lyrics are repetitive and predictable, they are easy for children to learn. By using songs in teaching vocabulary we develop oral language. First we have to introduce songs to children and spark their interest. Then we must sing it again. Each day that we work with the song, we have to begin the lesson by singing it aloud as a class. It helps children internalize its structure, lyrics and tune. The nature of children is that they like to play and have fun than studying. Every children play in their childhood which is important for learning and developing. One of the forms of play that children are familiar is music, in the forms of songs. The singing games and chants are very enjoyable, relaxing and full of fun and movement.

There are several ways in which songs can be taught. You can put the children to recite the words after you and then add the melody later, or you can sing the song and get the children to sing the melody to "la-la-la". It is better not to try to do much in one session. First you can play the song and sing it once or twice and encourage the learners to join in. But there will always be some learners who do not sing, and you don’t have to insist on it. If the song is catchy enough and simple enough, they will usually want to sing it.

For the beginners it is a good idea to teach the song with actions, because most of the songs have actions and you may find that some of the learners will start doing the actions before they are ready to sing the song. Some will forget to sing while they are doing the actions and some will find it difficult to co-ordinate both the singing and the actions.

Songs are of great value in language learning. They are vivid examples of how the language taught is used in real context and highlight the target language pronunciation and intonation. The rhythm of the songs enables young learners to remember the newly –acquired language and stimulates learning. We can use in many ways the songs in the language classroom. We can play the CD/ cassette and invite the children to move and clap to the melody and if there are lyrics which are frequently repeated, the children will soon start joining in. Jenny Dooley and Virginia Evans are mentioning some ways to animate the songs:

"Total Physical Response (TPR) Activities: Have the pupils stand in a circle and play the song once. Sing and demonstrate the actions, encouraging the pupils to imitate you. Play the song again, this time asking the pupils to listen to the song and repeat after you while doing actions. Play the song a third time and lead the singing while pupils join in.

Using props: Bring in visuals, realia or word cards to class. Hand out these props to your pupils and ask them to hold up the prop as soon as they hear the equivalent word in the song.

Song dramatizations: Having interesting plots and characters, songs frequently lend themselves to further exploitation through drama. The teacher can dramatize the songs into short sketches, thus motivating his /her pupils. Assign roles and have the pupils sing their lines. Simple costumes and props can be prepared and used to make the performance more ‘realistic’" (Dooley, 2005, p. VII).

1.1.2. The Role and the Importance of Music

Why should teachers use song, music for teaching vocabulary? Music has been an integral part of human life, beginning with the birth of the children and mothers who are singing lullabies to them. Music is used during all important occasions of human lives: wedding, birthdays and even on funerals. Children naturally love music together with movement. Young children are also learning that movement can communicate messages and represent actions. Music helps to set a mood, it calms and relaxes children. Music and movement are also social activities that help children feel part of the group.

Children naturally respond to music by moving and being active. Music helps children learn about rhythm and develop motor coordination. Singing together creates a feeling of safety and makes learning in a classroom much easier. Music is a fun way to teach all children, including children who have special learning needs. Music experiences can be an effective way to stimulate speech development, provide organization for cognitive and motor development, and create a meaningful environment for socialization.

We can hear music everywhere: in films and advertisements, on radio and TV, in some shops, restaurants, in the bus. Children listen to music while traveling and even while walking in the streets. Some children are listening to music during lessons using their headphones.

1.2. Using Games for Teaching and Learning English

Just like songs and rhymes games also provide a wonderful atmosphere in the children’s language class. It is widely documented that English language games improve learning, and with children, they are one of the most effective classroom tools. The first reason why games are so useful is that since games make learning fun, children are active participants and are not just presents in class because they have to be. Learners pay more attention because they enjoy themselves, they do better, feel better about themselves, and do even better-it is a learning cycle in their favour.

Playing a game has a purpose and an outcome. In order to play, young learners have to say things; they have to communicate and this makes them want to know and learn more. Games also create the circumstances for meaningful repetition. Furthermore, the same game can be played many times yet never produce identical outcomes. The proverb "repetition is the mother of skill" becomes very meaningful during the games in children’s language class as pupils get to use the language all the time with a lot of repetition. Although repetitions are boring in some cases, during games it is fun for children. The physical movement involved in some of the games help keep children stimulated and alert. Young learners naturally have a lot of energy and are not good at attending formal lessons for long periods, and if they take part in a game which involves physical movements from time to time, they will never get bored.

Language games like any other games involve learners in a healthy competition that can help them to learn more. In an article Shelley Ann Vernon says: "As long as no one is forced to participate, competition can be positive and encourage player discovery, examination and learning."

It is not surprising that games are so popular with children; games involve both co-operation and competition, rules and unpredictability, enjoyment and serious commitment. If used properly by the teacher,games are excellent ways whereby children have fun and at the same time acquire a language.

It can be said that English language games actually give pupils a reason to communicate, and a context for speaking practice. Antonaros and Couri state that "Games in the foreign language classroom …encourage and develop socialization , cooperating with others , learning self-discipline, respecting rules, peer teaching and cooperative learning" (Antonaros, 2003, p. 6). Although researchers think that games are useful, Virginia French Allen in her book "Techniques in Teaching Vocabulary" says that: "Not all games are helpful for language learning, of course…when we are considering possible games for use, we should ask,Will this game help to make several English words seem interesting and important to my students?"(Allen, 1983, p.54). According to Allen, "Games are helpful because they can make students feel that certain words are important and necessary, because without those words, the object of the game cannot be achieved (Allen, 1983, p. 52)". Therefore, when playing games young learners will concentrate and will try to recall words learnt in order to play the game. Playing games may help children learn vocabulary because vocabulary is introduced and used in an enjoyable and challenging way, instead of asking learners to copy vocabulary in their notebooks.

Games prepare young learners for life and they acquire positive, social attitude. Games teach sharing, helping each other and working as a team. Vanessa Reilly and Sheila Ward in their book, "Very Young Learners", say that: "Games help children to acquire language in the natural way that native speakers do. The language is used as a means to an end rather than an end itself, and the children are motivated to learn because they are enjoying themselves. Games also teach social skills such as co-operating and obeying rules"(Reilly, 1997, p.26). During games some feelings such as the pleasure of winning and the ambition of losing may arise. This gives to teacher an idea about children’s character. Learning vocabulary through games is useful, meaningful and effective that causes the motivation, relaxation and fun to learners in class.

According to Rixon:"Games help students revise vocabulary and recalling something that happened in a game may help a student to remember the language connected with it"(Rixon,1992, p. 82). Moreover, the author says: "Vocabulary games provide a good chance for students to learn something from one another"(Rixon, 1992, p. 80).

Learning vocabulary may not be the most interesting and amazing thing children do at school, but by using interesting and fun ways to teach vocabulary, teachers can increase children interest and help with both memorization and retention. Young children respond to games in the teaching –learning process. Teachers can make vocabulary words more fun by turning the process into a game. The more words you know, the greater your chance of finding the right one, or the right synonym when you need it.

1.2.1. When and Why Use Games in the EFL Classroom?

Games are fun and children like to play them. In his book, Gordon Lewis says that: "Playing games is a vital and natural part of growing up and learning"(Lewis, 1999, p.5). Using games children experiment, discover, and interact with their environment. Not to include games in the classroom would be to withhold from the children an essential tool for understanding their world. Games add variation and fun to a lesson.

Games should not be treated only as a reward activity, but as an important and integral part of the learning process. Each game should have an objective; for example, if the young learners play "Simon Says" the teacher’s objective is to practice commands.

For young learners, games should not last more than ten-fifteen minutes, and there should be allowance for physical movement, because at early age it is hard for young children to concentrate on something for more that fifteen minutes. Using games and fun activities can help the teaching – learning process, but sometimes there could be also situations when a game may not answer its purpose and the teacher’s educational aim. It could happen when the children have not built the bases of vocabulary needed for a particular game; when there is too little time available- a game should be planned carefully time – wise as well as content – wise. Sometimes the children are overexcited and misbehaving – they need to calm down. In this case children do not co-operate with the teacher during the lesson. In such a situation Harmer suggests to stop using the enjoyable activities, as a restoration of discipline tool: "Teachers can make it clear that some of the more enjoyable activities which students like to do will only be used when the class is functioning properly. Otherwise, they will be forced to fall back on more formal teaching and language study" (Harmer, 2007,p.131).

But there are also many situations in which using games or fun activities may be a great help in both developing good conditions for language acquisition itself, as well as helping to improve or create learning environment and overall positive atmosphere in the class. During a game, repetition of the target words can be executed repeatedly- the children get personally involved.

Using games and some other fun activities can face the lack of interest from the children who sometimes are not motivated enough to take the learning process seriously. Tiredness – it is known that children do not always come to school in their best condition. Games may be used as a tool to overcome the crisis and yet bring an educational benefit, too. There are classes where the children do not co-operate, they are not very close to each other; so a game has a great potential to bring the children together, they can relax and find a way to communicate better.

All language games are fun, but always keep the language component at the forefront of your planning. Teachers should try and keep the focus on some clearly recognizable objectives rather than jumping from theme to theme in order to introduce popular games.

1.2.2. Game Type

Jill Hadfield considers that: "A game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun"(Hadfield, 1998, p. 4). She also had made a classification of the games:"There are two kinds of games: competitive games, in which players or teams race to be the first to reach the goal, and cooperative games, in which players or teams work together towards a common goal"(Hadfield, 1998, p.4). The activities from the book "Elementary Vocabulary Games" are organized by the author into two categories: linguistic games – the goal of the game is linguistic accuracy: producing a correct structure, or, in the case of vocabulary games, remembering the correct word; and communicative games, which are activities with a goal or aim that is not linguistic. Successful completion of the game will involve the carrying out of a task such as drawing in a route on a map, filling in a chart, or finding two matching pictures, rather than the correct production of structure. In order to carry out this task it will be necessary to use language. These types of games can be used at all stages of the teaching – learning process, from controlled to free practice, serving at one end of the range as a memory aid and repetition drill, at the other, as a chance to use language freely.

According to Gordon Lewis and Gunter Bedson there are many different types of games:

"Movement games

In these gamesthe children are physically active. Movement games are generally ‘rousers‘ and need to be closely monitored

Card games

Children collect, give away, exchange, sort, and count cards. The cards can have a meaning or value in a game, or simply serve as symbols for objects or actions. Cards are often components of other game types as well.

Board games

Any games which mainly involve moving markers along a path. Board games can be made by the children as a fun craft activity.

Dice games

Dice games are incredibly versatile. Remember that the dice need not only have numbers on the faces. They can have numbers, colours, letters of the alphabet – virtually anything you like. Dice need not to be six –sided either.

Drawing games

Drawing games are special because they span a gap between key functions of the brain. On the one hand, drawing requires creativity and sensitivity towards the world. On the other hand, the children must be able to understand instructions and describe their art. Drawing games are particularly helpful with shy children who are reluctant to talk. A picture is a very personal thing and although children may not be ready to describe their picture, they will certainly respond to your questions with yes or no answers.

Guessing games

In guessing games, the aim is to guess the answer to a question of some kind.

Role –play games

Role – play games can be seen as simple, guided drama activities. The language input can be quite rigidly prescribed or very open depending on the language level, curiosity and confidence of your class. Role plays stimulate a child’s imagination and are tests of true communication.

Singing and chanting games

Singing and chanting games often involved movement, but we decided to list them separately since music plays such an important role in early childhood learning.

Team games

Team games can belong to the other categories, but also require cooperative team work.

Word games

These games utilize children’s enjoyment of playing with words. They are mostly for older children as they involve spelling and writing"(Lewis, 1999).

1.2.3. The Value of Games for Vocabulary Learning

Individually, as a culture, we spend a lot of time, energy and resources to watch and participate in games. Games are fun and fun is motivating. Along with food and shelter, fun is one of the basics of life people will seek. We will do something fun over and over again, just to have the experience. Things that are not fun will often be avoided, lied about, delegated to others. We know that children enjoy a challenge, some fair competition, an escape into other reality, and a bit of surprise, and so the games contain some motivating features. Each game is an opportunity to bring playfulness to skill practice in a way that increases the "fun quotient" and fuel the desire to engage in the game again and again (Ludewig, 2007, p. xi).

Virginia French Allen considers that the aim in games for vocabulary learning, is not to suggest pleasant ways of passing time. Time passes all too quickly in most classes, and the entertainment of students is not a teacher’s responsibility. But language teachers are responsible for creating conditions which encourage vocabulary expansion, and a well- chosen game can help the students acquire English words.

Games are helpful because they can make students feel that certain words are important and necessary, because without those words, the object of the game cannot be achieved. Guessing games, for example, create conditions in which the use of the target language is necessary for leading the players to the correct guess.

As a teacher we are investing in the learner, we should spend our time and energy to improve our teaching techniques. We have to make our teaching and their learning fun and functional.

1.3. Advantages of Using Songs and Games in the Classroom

Vanessa Reilly speaks about the advantages of using songs: "One of the linguistic advantages of songs, chants, and rhymes is that the learners will happily repeat the same structure, even the same words, over and over again without getting bored"(Reilly, 1997, p.23). The main cognitive reason for using songs in the classroom is to help the language development process.

Aside from the basic knowledge that in contained within the song, such as the letters of the alphabet or numbers, the added benefits of song lyrics is that they give the student an opportunity to practice pronunciation and emphasis. Even if they don’t understand all of the words, repeating them will assist the formation of consonants and vowels in the English language.

Learning with songs really works as children hear whole sentences and absorb grammar and syntax subconsciously. It is an easy way for them to learn and remember words and phrases. Children hear vocabulary and phrases in a natural and meaningful context and no longer is isolated words or sentences. Songs enhance listening skills and help children’s pronunciation and speaking fluency. Along with the music, melody and rhythm actions can be found to go with the song. Songs are fun and motivate children.

Songs allow children to hear English in context, naturally, to listen repeatedly, to enjoy learning, to be more involved with TPR (Total Physical Response), to be focused and motivated and remember language more easily and for longer. Songs also help with classroom management.

Songs can be used as greetings, command training, vocabulary learning, as well as for relaxing and motivation purpose. Songs and chants are an essential part of teaching young learners: they aid pronunciation and the learning and retention of vocabulary and structures, and bring variety and fun to lessons.

There are many advantages of using games in teaching vocabulary. Games enables children to acquire experience, children feel delighted to participate in the studying activity and game can be used to stimulate the classroom atmosphere. Game is a structured activity, something that children do for fun and to make children feel interested. In teaching –learning process, game is an educational tool to know how for the children’s willingness in learning English vocabulary is.

Games promote cooperation and social learning, and they provide immediate feedback, thus building up children’s confidence. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class; they are motivating and challenging. An interesting game should increase interaction between people, it has specific and constructive power; games are creating a fantasy world for children; the basis of language developments process occurs during the game.

Games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. The learners want to take part and in order to do so, they must understand what others are saying or have written, and they must speak or write in order to express their own point of view or give information. Games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort, and games help students to make and sustain the effort of learning. Games provide language practice in the various skills – speaking, writing, listening and reading. Games encourage students to interact and communicate.

Games offer children many benefits, including opportunities to develop social skills, to learn coping strategies and to keep their minds active. It is important to ensure that the level of the game is appropriate for your students, that all players understand the procedure for playing the game, and that everyone can experience some level of success. It is important that children see that the purpose of the game is to practice using language in an engaging way.

1.4. Creativity, Imagination and Motivation

Our children’s future success depends on the creative education they receive in schools. Albert Einstein said: "Creativity is more important than knowledge. Creativity is intelligence having fun."

The 21st century has seen the introduction of new technologies and the increase of its use in the classroom as an effective learning tool. Nowadays in education many of the activities allow students to play with concrete materials in which they can manipulate, create and interact with. Allowing students to manipulate and construct during the process of learning is important.

Creative activities are fun and engaging for the young learners. Creativity is a natural ability that is found in every young learner. Unfortunately, traditional classrooms don’t always value creativity, and sometimes even hold it back. Our role as teachers is to nurture creativity at every opportunity. A creative classroom is a joyful and motivating place where children feel empowered to learn, where all ideas are welcomed, and where learning is deep and meaningful. Children who are allowed to be creative are better learners, and they are more aware of their own learning styles. Creativity is a lifelong skill that our students will take with them into their adult lives to solve problems and help build a better world. (www.oupeltglobalblog.com/2014/03/03/creativity-in-the-young-learner-classroom/)

Creative thinking involves imagination, communication. Children learn from experience: from what happens around them, from what they see, hear, smell, taste or touch. To absorb these experiences and make sense of the world, they need to be engaged in imaginary play. Imaginary play happens when children use their imaginations to create, pretend and make – believe scenarios. Children can engage in this type of play using small toy figures, puppets, dolls or stuffed animals for example. Or children can act out a particular role themselves and become part of a play drama.

Imaginative and creative play is a more natural way for children to learn about the world and does involve the whole body. Children manipulate and touch various materials. They express themselves through play both verbally and non- verbally. (www.kathyeugster.com/articles/article007.htm)

According to Harmer, motivation can be defined as "…some kind of internal drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action" (Harmer, 1991,p.3). Teachers play a very important role in activating children’s motivation and there are many factors that influence the learner’s determination. Teacher should provide interesting materials that are attractive for children, full of pictures and lively activities. When the child is interested in the learning activity, mostly the success in learning is guaranteed.

Teacher should be aware of personal conditions of each child. Teachers can raise the children’s desire to work by bringing things that relate to children’s personal experience and interest them into the learning process. Children can speak about their favourite things, toys, pets, fruit and so on. Children will often be motivated to do their best in order to beat their opponents in a competition.

CHAPTER 2. TEACHING VOCABULARY TO YOUNG LEARNERS

2.1. Why Do People Learn Languages?

All around the world, children of all ages are learning to speak a foreign language, but their reasons for wanting to study a language can differ greatly. There is a very common question: Why do people want to learn foreign languages and especially English? It is because they want to understand the lyrics of the songs, or maybe they want to get a better job abroad or in the native country. There are a number of different reasons for language study. Probably the greatest number of language students in the world, do it because it is on the school syllabus whether they like it or not. For many of these students English, in particular, is something that both they and their parents want to have taught; for others, however, the study of languages is something they feel neutral (or something negative) about.

Some people want to study English because they think it offers a chance for advancement in their professional lives. Some students study a foreign language because they are attracted to the culture of a special country, they want to know more about the people who speak it. Some people do it just for fun – because they like the activity of going to class. Some people do it because they want to be tourists in a country where that language is spoken. There are many possible reasons for studying a foreign language.

Although children have immense ability to learn a language, the methods and techniques of teaching children are not the same as they are for adults and a wrong method of teaching could bring a totally opposite result. It is very important to consider what stops children from learning a language. One thing that prevents children from learning a language is when they feel uncomfortable or under pressure in the language class. Also they cannot easily understand the theoretical concepts of grammar rules of a language and as a result, learning rules confuses them even more. Of course, because of their short attention spans, children cannot concentrate on the activities for a long period of time. Another important reason for children not to learn a foreign language is if there is excessive correction by the teacher. But it is true that no one can force a child to learn a language. However, by providing a relaxing environment, useful resources carefully structured input and practice opportunities, a positive learning atmosphere can be ensured in the children’s class. Children can learn a foreign language better if they have more opportunities to be exposed to it. Another way children acquire a language is by getting fully involved, by using all their qualities, by observing and copying sounds and gestures and by watching, listening and imitating.

Sometimes teachers can confront with a reluctant learner, the person who really doesn’t want to be sitting before the teacher, for any number of possible reasons. There are children who are bored by learning. There are children who would rather be in another place than be in a classroom. There are children who have personality problems in general. There are children who are having "bad hair days"(Caroselli,2006, p.157). If children do not want to take part to the lesson, teacher has to explain that everyone benefits when participants are learning –receptive. Teachers should pair the reluctant learner with a truly enthusiastic learner, and hope that they will make a good team together.

Teachers should talk about the importance of learning, the expectations others have for the application of the learning process. Explain that they are bound to learn at least one thing that will make their job and/or their lives easier. Children should know that teachers will do their best to teach the new vocabulary, and hope that they, in turn, will do their best to learn. It is easier to win someone over when you acknowledge that you are not perfect. So you can share a personal happening to what they probably are interested in (about music, sport). Sometimes teacher can pretend that a reluctant learner is not a challenge for him, so teacher can appoint him as leader-just to show there is no animosity on the teacher’s part. The reluctant learner turned into a leader will almost forget about his defiant act.

There will be a difference between teaching and learning English for fun and for specific purposes. People involved in language teaching say that students who really want to learn will succeed whatever the circumstances in which they study. If you want to learn something, to achieve something you have to be motivated, you have to do it with kindness and love. The motivation that students bring to class is the biggest single factor affecting their success. Harmer considers that "If we perceive a goal (that is, something we wish to achieve) and if that goal is sufficiently attractive, we will be strongly motivated to do whatever is necessary to reach that goal" (Harmer, 1991, p.3).

The method by which students are taught must have some effect on their motivation. If they find it boring they will probably become de-motivated, whereas if they have confidence in the method they will find it motivating. If the students lose confidence in the method, he or she will become de-motivated. As the student’s confidence in the method is largely in the hands of the most important factor affecting intrinsic motivation, the teacher (Harmer, 1991).

One of the teacher’s main aims should be to help children to sustain their motivation. Teachers can do this in a number of different ways, such as involving children in the activities, giving them more responsabilities. If children feel they have more influence over what is happening, they are often more motivated to take part in the lesson. Whether the student likes the teacher or not may not be very significant, but we can said that two teachers using the same method can have vastly different results. Children need to know that the teacher really cares about them, if children feel supported and valued, they are far more likely to be motivated to learn (Harmer, 2007).

English has became a global language of communication and this is why our society is more concerned about teaching and learning English at early ages.

2.2. Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning

Children acquire language through a subconscious process during which they are unaware of grammatical rules. In order to acquire language, the learner needs a source of natural communication. Young learners acquire the language when they communicate with classmates, when are playing games, when are watching TV, or even when they are listening to music. Language acquisition refers to the process of natural assimilation, involving intuition and subconscious learning. It is the product of real interactions between people.

Language learning is not communicative. It is the result of direct instruction in the rules of language. In language learning, students have conscious knowledge of the new language and can talk about that knowledge.

Acquiring a language is like learning to play a game. Children must learn the rules of the language game, for example how to articulate words and how to put them together in ways that are acceptable to the people around them. In order to understand child language acquisition, we need to keep two very important things in mind. First acquiring language is a gradual process, and one that involves a lot of apparent ‘errors’.We shouldn’t correct these errors, because they will disappear in time, second, children will learn to speak the dialect(s) and language(s) that are used around them. By perception and listening children learn the language naturally at an early age. When the children have the chance to read books and magazines, beginning with the third grade, they become familiar with the written form of the language. We acquire language when we understand the meaning of words, sentences. For young learners teachers use gestures and visual aids to help them understand.

Knowing grammar rules does not necessarily result in good speaking or writing. A student who has memorized the rules of the language may be able to succeed on a standardized test of English language but may not be able to speak or write correctly. Learning a foreign language often refers to the controlled and explicit mastering of a language in institutional contexts. This tends to mean lessons based on a curriculum as well as on didactic and methodological concepts. (https://www.goethe.de/en/spr/mag/20491362.htm/)

2.3 How Important Is Vocabulary?

Vocabulary is an essential component for successful communication. While grammar is important, a lack of vocabulary may result in complete failure to convey a message. Vocabulary is a necessary ingredient for all communication. Language learners encounter vocabulary on a daily basis, and must be able to acquire and retain it. As a language teacher, one of the main tasks is to help students develop a rich and useful vocabulary inventory. Nation (2001) emphasizes that learning vocabulary is a cumulative process and that it must be deliberately taught, learned and recycled. This is critical for several reasons:

1. Learners need to encounter the words in a variety of rich contexts, often requiring up to sixteen encounters.

2. Learners remember words when they have manipulated them in different ways, so variety is essential for vocabulary teaching.

3. Learners forget words within the first twenty-four hours after class, so it is important to follow up a vocabulary lesson with homework that recycles the words (http://www.coerll.utexas.edu/methods), Foreign Language Teaching Methods).

Vocabulary is one of the key elements in learning a foreign language and has always caused students difficulties.Thornbury quotes the linguist David Wilkins to stress the importance of learning vocabulary: "without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed"(Thornbury, 2002, p.13). He also quotes several students who complain about their lack of vocabulary and points out that: "Vocabulary teaching has not always been very responsive to such problems" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 13).

Vocabulary learning is not a simple matter. It is not simply a matter of learning that a certain word in one language means the same as a word in another language. Virginia French Allen speaks about the problems students can have if they do not learn grammar along with vocabulary. They will not be able to use the language for communication, even material in which all the words look familiar may be impossible to understand if the grammatical constructions have not been learned(Allen, 1993).

There are many questions both for children and teachers:

1.Which English words do children need most to learn?

2.How can we make those words seem important to children?

3.How can so many needed words be taught during the short time our children have for English?

4.What can we do when a few members of the class already know words that the others need to learn?

5.Why are some words easier to others to learn?

6.Which aids to vocabulary teaching are available?

7.How can we encourage children to take more responsibility for their own vocabulary learning?

8.What are some good ways to find out how much vocabulary the children have actually learned?

Thornbury believes that "knowing a word involves knowing its form and its meaning" as well as "knowing the words commonly associated with it (its collocations )as well as its connotations; including its register and its cultural accretion" (Thornbury , 2002, p. 15).

All languages have words. Teaching vocabulary is more than just presenting new words. Children see a lot of words in the course of a week. Some of them are used straight away, others are not. Which words should teachers teach: those we use for structure practice, or those that occur incidentally in reading texts. A distinction is frequently made between "active" and "passive" vocabulary "The former refers to vocabulary that students have been taught or learnt – and which they are expected to be able to use –whilst the latter refers to words which the students will recognize when they meet them but which they will probably not be able to produce"(Harmer, 1991, p.159). Both Harmer and Thornbury write "receptive knowledge exceeds productive knowledge and generally – but not always –precedes it"(Thornbury, 2002, p. 15).However, Harmer points out that it is difficult to say which words that students know are passive and which are active: "A word that has been ‘active’ through constant use may slip back into the passive store if it is not used. A word that students have in their passive store may suddenly become active if the situation or the context provokes its use. In other words, the status of vocabulary item does not seem to be a permanent state of affairs" (Harmer, 1991, p. 159).

Children who are learning a foreign language need to learn the lexis (vocabulary) of the language. They need to learn what words mean and how they are used. We should ensure that our learners are aware of the vocabulary they need for their level and that they can use the words which they want to use – and the words we have selected for them to use. If we are really to teach learners what words mean and how they are used, we need to show them being used, together with other words, in context. Words do not just exist on their own: they live with other words and they depend upon each other.

Thornbury described the following challenges that a learner of a second language has to face:

"making the correct connection, when understanding the second language, between the form and the meaning of words (e.g. mouth, feel and grippy), including discriminating the meaning of closely related words ( e.g. lush and plush)

when producing language, using the correct form of a word for the meaning intended (i.e. nose not noise)" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 2).

Thornbury continues the recommendations of what a learner needs to do in order to meet these challenges:

"acquire a critical mass of words for use in both understanding and producing language

remember words over time, and be able to recall them readily

develop strategies for coping with gaps in word knowledge, including coping with unknown words, or unfamiliar uses of known words" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 2).

2.3.1. How Is Vocabulary Learned?

Vocabulary is more than a list of words, and although the size of one’s vocabulary matters, it is known how to use, it which matters more. In March 2008, Sue Hackman, the Chief Adviser on School Standards wrote "the best comparison is to an artist’s palette of colours which can be mixed and applied to create powerful effects" (Hackman, 2008, p. 3).

Everyday life provides most of the vocabulary we need-words are all around us. Learning vocabulary is a challenge as McCarten said "for learners, partly because of the size of the task, and partly because of the vocabulary types to be learned, including single words, phrases, collocations, and strategic vocabulary, as well as grammatical patterning, idioms, and fixed expressions" (McCarten, 2007, p.18). Teachers need to make choices about how much of vocabulary to teach on the first presentation. The choices they make are influenced by factors such as: frequency, usefulness for the classroom, and how easy the vocabulary is to learn or even to teach. For example the word like teachers might choose to teach only one of its meanings (to enjoy, with one grammatical pattern (I like football/apples). At a later date they can add other meanings such as to be similar to (I have a house like that).

Sometimes when teaching vocabulary we can focus on how to express opposite or similar meanings for a set of words we are teaching. It is important to include in vocabulary lessons not just single words, but also phrases, expressions, even whole sentences. Knowing many words and expressions children will use the knowledge to communicate more fluently. Thornbury mentions three ways of acquiring words – labelling, categorizing and network building. Labelling means" mapping words on to concepts. Categorising skills enable a child to ‘extend the concept of a word’ which means that a child understands that the word dog includes ‘other people’s dogs, toy dogs, and even pictures of dogs." Network building stands for "constructing a complex web of words so that items like […] family and brother are interconnected" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 18). When learning vocabulary, some words seem to be easier to remember than others. What makes a word difficult? Thornbury made a list of several "factors that make some words more difficult than others:

difficult pronunciation

spelling (e,g. words that contain silent letters such as foreign, listen)

length and complexity (long words are more difficult )

grammar (e.g. verb patterns)

meaning ( two words overlapping in meaning get confused, words with multiple meanings)

range, connotation and idiomaticity ( idiomatic expressions will generally be more difficult than words whose meaning is transparent" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 27 -28).

According to Thornbury, these are "the implications for teaching:

learners need tasks and strategies to help them organize their mental lexicon by building networks of associations-the more the better

teachers need to accept that the learning of new words involves a period of ‘initial fuzziness’

learners need to wean themselves off a reliance of direct translation from their mother tongue

words need to be presented in their typical contexts, so that learners can get a feel from their meaning, their register, their collocations, and their syntactic environments

teaching should direct attention to the sound of new words, particularly the way they are stressed

learners should aim to build a threshold vocabulary as quickly as possible

learners need to be actively involved in the learning of words

learners need multiple exposures to words and they need to retrieve words from memory repeatedly

learners need to make multiple decisions about words

memory of new words can be reinforced if they are used to express personally relevant meanings

not all the vocabulary that the learners need can be ‘taught’: learners will need plentiful exposure to talk and text as well as training for self directed" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 30).

Remembering new words is hard. Words are very slippery things. Before we know it, they are wriggled away and are gone. It takes a lot of effort to keep them where we want them. Jill Hadfield considers that: "In order to retain a word, students have to go through three distinct processes. They have to fix the meaning of the word in their minds. They have to somehow make the word their own – to personalize it so that it takes on a colour and a character for them and becomes part of their individual word store – and they have to use the word creatively in context from themselves" (Hadfield,1998, p.4).

2.3.2. Teaching Vocabulary in Class

One of the first vocabulary learning strategies for any classroom is how to ask for words you do not know in English, and how to ask the meaning of English words you do not understand; so phrases like "what’s the word for ………in English?", "how do you say ……?" and "what does ….mean?" are useful to teach at the basic level. Teachers can use different ways to present vocabulary including pictures, sounds, and different text types with which students can identify: stories conversations, web pages, questionnaires. In each of these contexts, topics should be relevant to students’ interests. Practice activities should vary and engage students. These should range from simple listen – and repeat type of practice through controlled practice to opportunities to use the vocabulary in meaningful personalized ways. McCarten considers that "learning vocabulary is largely about remembering, and generally need to see, say and write newly learned words many times before they can be said to have learned them. Repetition is an important aid to learning. Repeating words aloud help students remember words better than repeating them silently. Teachers must review vocabulary as often as possible in activities that have students actively recall words and produce them rather than merely see or hear them"(McCarten, 2007, p.21). Without review, most information will be lost from memory.

Textbooks often present new vocabulary in thematic sets, and McCarten mentions other types of organization the vocabulary items, which can be described under three broad headings:

"Real –world groups occur in the real world such: parts of the body, the foods in each food type, activities that take place for a celebration, the countries within each continent.

Language –based groups draw on linguistic criteria as ways of grouping, for example, the different parts of speech of a word family; words that have the same prefix or suffix.

Personalized groups use students’ own preferences and experiences. It might include grouping vocabulary according to likes and dislikes personal habits. Making vocabulary personal helps to make it more memorable" (McCarten, 2007, p. 22).

There are many different ways of practicing the new vocabulary presented in class, from repeating the words, controlled practice, using the vocabulary to say true things about oneself.

2.3.3. Approaches to Teaching Vocabulary

When teaching and learning vocabulary, it involves far more than looking up words in a dictionary and using the word in a sentence.Learning words in a word list is different from learning the same words in a passage. Remembering a word meaning is different from learning to use the same word in real life situations. A learning strategy is a series of actions a learner takes to facilitate the completion of a learning task. A strategy starts when the learner analyzes the task, the situation, and what is available in his/her own repertoire. The learner then goes on to select, deploy, monitor, and evaluate the effectiveness of this action, and decides if she/he needs to revise the plan and action. Vocabulary learning strategies should include strategies for ‘using’ as well as ‘knowing’ a word (http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume7/ej26/ej26a4/). Vocabulary is acquired incidentally through indirect exposure to words and intentionally through explicit instructions in specific words and word –learning strategies.

Direct Vocabulary teaching

Direct vocabulary learning is a conscious effort made by the learner to remember new words. It occurs when teachers do exercises and activities in class that focus the learners’ attention on vocabulary, such as guessing meaning from context, matching exercises, vocabulary games. Vocabulary can also be acquired through incidental learning. Much of student’s vocabulary will have to be learned in the course of doing things other than explicit vocabulary learning. Repetition, richness of context and motivation may also add to the efficacy on incidental learning of vocabulary. While incidental learning is still where most vocabulary acquisition takes place, there is room for more direct teaching methods in the second language classroom. We have to take into consideration some factors for direct teaching methods:

Learners need to come across/ be exposed to the words in a variety of contacts. Learners best remember words when they have used them in different ways, so variety in essential for vocabulary teaching.

Recycling and reviewing vocabulary is an important part of the lesson plan as most new words are forgotten if not reinforced.

Vocabulary learning is effective when it entails active engagement in learning tasks.

Vocabulary tasks should be restructured as necessary. It is important to be certain that students understand what is asked of them in the context of speaking/ reading/ listening/ writing rather than focusing only on the words to be learned.

Computer technology can be used effectively to help teach vocabulary.

What does it take to know a word?

There are some steps which have to be followed in order to know, and use a word in a foreign language:

Recognize it in its spoken or written form

Remember it

Relate it to an appropriate object or concept

Use it in the appropriate grammatical form

Pronounce it in a recognizable way

Spell it correctly

Use it with words

Use it at the appropriate level of formality

Be aware of its connotations and associations

It is very important to have an extensive vocabulary that is knowinglots of words. At the most basic level, "knowing a word involves knowing its form and its meaning. Knowing its dictionary meaning (or meanings)-it also means knowing the words commonly associated with it (its collocation) as well as its connotations, including its register and its cultural accretions" (Thornbury, 2002, p. 15).

Meaning

As far as meaning goes students need to know about meaning in context and they need to know about sense relations.

The first thing to realize about vocabulary items is that they frequently have more than one meaning. When students come across a word and try to decipher its meaning, they will have to look at the contact in which is used.

Sometimes words have meanings in relation to other words. What a word means can be changed, stretched or limited by how it is used and this is something students need to know about.

2.3.4. Teaching Vocabulary Techniques

Teaching vocabulary is very important to speak and use a foreign language. We know that learners will select the words they want to learn. We also know that the words they have acquired seem to move between active and passive status, and we know that involvement with words is likely to help students to learn and remember them. If teachers provide the right kind of exposure to words for the students and if teachers provide opportunities for students to practice these words there is a good chance that students will learn and remember some or all of them.

Not all vocabulary can be learnt through interaction and discovery techniques. There are many occasions when some form of presentation or explanation is the best way to bring new words into the classroom:

Realia– presenting words by bringing the things they represent into the classroom. The teacher holds up the object (or points to it), says the word and then gets students to repeat it.

Pictures can be board drawings, wall pictures and charts, flashcards, magazine pictures and any other non- technical visual representations. Pictures can be used to explain the meaning of vocabulary items, teacher can draw things on the board or bring them in pictures.

Demonstrating the word through acting or miming (mime, action and gesture)- TPR (Total Physical Response). It is often impossible to explain the meaning of words and grammar either through the use of realia or in pictures. Actions, in particular, are probably better explained by mime. Learners associate a verb to an action (or an emotion to a gesture) by physically acting out the word.

Using opposites. Sense relations can be used to teach meaning. We can present the meaning of ‘empty’ by contrasting it with ‘full’. These concepts may be presented with pictures or mime, and by drawing attention o the opposites/ contrasts in meaning.

Enumeration.We can say ‘fruit‘ and explain this by enumerating or listing various items.

Explanation. Explaining the meaning of vocabulary items can be sometimes very difficult, especially at beginner and elementary levels. But we use this technique with intermediate students. Explaining the meaning of a word must include explain any facts of word use which are relevant.

Connecting words to a personal experience. Learners can think about the way they respond to new words by categorizing them into groups: the words they like or dislike, or the words they think will be easy (or difficult) to remember.

Translating the words into the student’s native language. Translation is a quick and easy way to present the meaning of words but it is not without problems. In the first place it is not always easy to translate words, and in the second place, even where translations is possible, it may make it a bit too easy for students by discouraging them from interacting with the words. If students are speaking in their own language rather than English during an oral communicative activity then clearly the activity is fairly pointless. Sometimes translation can quickly solve a presentation problem, so it may be a good idea to use sometimes this technique.

Vocabulary games may be used for reinforcing the meaning and helping the students to remember the new words they have learned before the vocabulary games.

Dictionary use teaches students about multiple word meanings, as well as the importance of choosing the appropriate definition to fit the particular context.

Using computer technology to help teach vocabulary. Both students and teachers can find many material using the computer technology such as hyperlinks, online dictionaries and reference materials, animations, access to content –area –related websites.

In order to use new vocabulary the learners need to know the meaning, the form (what is the form grammar of the word) and the pronunciation. All of these techniques either single or in combination are useful ways of introducing new words. Teachers should not forget about pronunciation which is very important, we should not introduce words without making sure that students know how they are said. For teachers, however long they have been teaching, there is always an opportunity for new ideas, attitudes and techniques. Teachers should try any ideas which are new, and so to develop their teaching, and in turn their students’ learning.

2.4.Assessment

It is generally accepted that we teach young learners differently from older ones, so the assessing process should be different to. If teaching English is focused on physically engaging, creative, entertaining activities, than these should also be the focus on any assessment which is carried out.

The purpose of the assessment is to serve teaching and learning by providing feedback to the teachers and children, encouraging a positive classroom atmosphere, and promoting and maintaining strong motivation for learning English. Young learners can sometimes be negatively affected by assessment techniques used by the teacher. The role of the teacher in assessment is very important, since only the teacher can judge whether a technique is suitable for the class or not.

2.4.1.Evaluation, Assessment and Testing

Sophie Ioannou Georgiou &PavlosPavlonmake the differences between the three terms: "The terms evaluation, assessment and testing are often confused and used interchangeably. They do not, however, mean the same thing. Testing is just one part of assessment. Assessment and evaluation are more general, more global processes" (Ioannou-Georgiou and Pavlou,2003, p. 4).Evaluation is the process of gathering information in order to determine the extent to which a language programme meets its goals. Some of the tools of the evaluation process are tests, questionnaires, observation.

Assessment includes all methods used to gather information about children’s knowledge, ability, understanding, attitudes, and motivation. Some of the instruments used for the assessment are tests, self –assessment.Testing is one of the procedure that can be used to assess a child’s performance. A test has a certain objective and it checks whether the child has achieved this objective. Testing uses tasks and exercises, assigns marks or grades based on quantifiable results. Assessment is a necessary part of teaching – learning process. It has some purposes: a teacher needs to know what the children know, what difficulties they are experiencing, and how can they help. Learning a foreign language is a long process. Teacher should have an evidence about the children’s progress. When children have positive assessment results, they feel their efforts are worthwhile. This encourages them to keep on trying. When assessing children teachers should take into consideration the children’s level of English, teachers have to encourage weaker children, to give them an easier test.The information teachers get from assessment can help them to evaluate their own work, to find out how effective they have been and how successful their chosen materials and methodology were. After that,teachers can plan, modify aspects of their teaching as necessary, and develop techniques and methods for responding to the children’s individual needs.

2.4.2. How Do We Assess Children?

Children usually do not choose to learn a foreign language; they do not know why are they learning a foreign language; they cannot recognize the usefulness of a foreign language. Therefore teachers need other reasons to motivate children and keep them learning. A friendly environment can offer such a motivation. Teachers can make learning as enjoyable as possible through drawings, games, songs, puzzles, drama but the positive attitudes towards learning English can be severely demaged when it comes time for assessment. The assessment should be done in a way that protects the positive atmosphere and attitudes towards English and learning in general. Sophie Ioannou Georgiou &PavlosPavlon in their work speak about some of the methods used for assessment: "structured assessment activities/tasks, take home assessment tasks, portfolio assessment, projects, self – assessment, peer – assessment, traditional tests, learner –developed assessment tasks, observation, conferencing. The use portfolio as an assessment tool is a method that includes all the others. A portfolio creates a complete picture of a child’s achievement by collating information obtained through tests, projects and conferencing notes"(Ioannou-Georgiou and Pavlou,2003, p.9).

2.4.3. Methods of Assessment

Portfolio assessment is an important method. A language portfolio is a collection of samples of work made by the child over a period of time. These samples can include drawings, written works, projects, test results. It is also important for parents, future teachers because it gives them a complete picture of what the child is able to do and enables them to see the child’s progress over the year.

Structured assessment activities are tasks organized by the teacher in order to assess knowledge, skills, attitudes and the ability to apply these to new situations. Activities particularly suitable for children are ones in which they demonstrate understanding by doing: drawings, miming, cutting and posting, pointing, touching. These activities are useful for assessing receptive skills, since they do not required verbal performance.

Projects are promoting students creativity. Projects involve both group work and individual contribution to the group.

Self -assessment is monitoring one’s own progress, reflecting on one’s abilities and learning style, and setting personal goals.

Peer – assessmentcan positively influence the classroom atmosphere because children learn to respect and accept each other through assessing each other’s work. Learning and assessment can be more fun when it is done with classmates or friends. It gives the feeling that the classroom is a community working together. The children also discover that they can learn from their friends, not just from their teacher.

Traditional tests were and will be usedall the time. There are certain advantages to using traditional tests such as multiple- choicequestions, true – false statements; the tests are objective, easy to prepare and easy to mark.

Using Learner – develop assessment tasks children can contribute to the content of an assessment task or actually create a task of their own. Children can make materials to be included in the task, write questions from which the teacher select a sample or write sentences to be used as reading comprehension assessment task.

A take–home task is one that children can complete at home after discussion with the teacher. The children are given a deadline to meet. These tasks have a number of advantages: children can choose how much time to spend on it, when to work on it.

Observation is very subjective and should be used in combination with other assessment methods.

Conferencingrefers to friendly chats teacher has with the children, during which they should feel comfortable enough to express themselves freely. Teachers can use conferencing o assess speaking skills.

2.5. Feedback

Assessment is not complete as soon as teachers collect the children’s work. Offering feedback is an integral part of the assessment process and should follow as soon as possible after the assessment task is carried out. Feedback can be given in different ways: individual to each child, to groups of children, or to the whole class. It can also be given in the form of self – correction or peer – feedback.

Feedback as reinforcement offers encouragement and the opportunity to fortify what the children understand. Connellan describes three types of feedback: motivational feedback to accelerate improvement, informational feedback that gives students a way to measure progress and developmental feedback to help those students who are not performing (Connellan, 2003). Each of these types of feedback is useful in the classroom and helps with reinforcement. We need to value all forms of feedback and possibly use them all together.

Feedback helps children to discover their strengths and weaknesses, motivates them, and helps them to persist in their learning. Feedback increases student achievement. Feedback should be timely. This is the time when children reflect on how they have performed. Different learners may require different forms of feedback so teachers should keep learning styles in mind in relation to reinforcement.

PRACTICAL PART

CHAPTER 3.YOUNG LEARNERS

The term young learner is interpreted differently around the world. The practical part of this work draws its attention to young language learners and their preferences regarding using songs and games in teaching vocabulary. Learners are often described as children, young learners, adolescents, young adults or adults. According to Harmer:"Within education, the term children is generally used for learners between the ages of 2 to about 14. Students are generally described as young learners between the ages of 5 to 9"(Harmer, 2007, p.14). Sarah Phillips speaks about young learners in her book as "children from the first year of formal schooling (five or six) to eleven or twelve years of age" (Phillips, 1993, p. 3). As English becomes more and more accepted as an international language, it is increasingly included in primary curricula. Nowadays people of all ages learn a foreign language such as English, German, French. Three years ago in our country pupils started studying a foreign language at about 8 – 9 years of age, in the third grade. At kindergarten, at school in the first and second grade pupils were learning English as an optional school subject. The situation is very different now, since 2013 children have studied a foreign language from the first year of formal schooling (6 -7 years of age) and continue studying during the whole of their school education years.

Teachers must be able to offer their knowledge not only for various language levels but also age. It means that their way of teaching, their approach and methodology also reflects their children’s age. For a successful teaching of English in primary schools, it is essential for the teachers to understand the young learners’ characteristics, instincts and interests in their cognitive, linguistic and emotional aspects. According to a site on the internet http:/farwaniya03.tripod.com/id6.htteachers have to take into consideration some aspects about young learners:

They have short attention span; so teachers should vary their techniques so break the boredom. They should give varied activities as handwriting, songs, games, drawings.

They are very active. Try to ask them to play games, role play dialogues and involve them in competitions.

They respond well to praising. Always encourage them and praise their work.

They differ in their experience of language. Treat them as a unit, do not fovour those who know some English at the expense of those who do not know.

They enjoy learning through playing. Young learners learn best when they use games. Let games be an essential part of teaching. One game can be used more than once or can be slightly amended to serve its purpose. This is due to a fact that young children like things to be repeated, they like to know what is coming. It also enables them to participate with greater confidence and therefore enjoy the game more.

They are imaginative. Teachers should use realia and pictures to teach new vocabulary related to concrete meanings.

The years spent at primary school are extremely important in children’s intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. At this stage children need "to learn how to learn". Sarah Phillips says:"This means that their education and learning should not be confined to the limits of their classroom, textbooks, and teacher, but that we should help them to acquire skills and independence that will enable them to continue learning outside and beyond school. This implies that they need to be able to accept criticism and become self-critical, to be aware of how they learn, and to experiment with different learning styles, to organize their work and to be open and interested in all that sorrounds them" (Phillips, 1993, p. 6).

Since 2013, according to the syllabus, in Romania children have been studying a foreign language from the preparatory class. Until then, children had learned a foreign language beginning with the third grade, but in some schools in the first and second grade there were optional foreign language courses. Working with younger learners needs more attention and different teaching methods from teachers, at the age of 7-9 children cannot yet read and write in a foreign language. No English teacher had any knowledge or idea about how young learners learn a language better. So, teachers have to try all the methods and techniques for a better achievement of language. Teachers know that young learners learn in a different way and they should be taught differently taking into consideration: age, level, learning style, the general stage of development of children. Teaching foreign languages is a little bit difficult in the school where I have worked since 1999 because children use English language only at school, they are not helped by parents at home, so teaches must do everything they can in order to prove a productive teaching- learning process. The same problem has the teachers from primary school in teaching Romanian language, because the children are Hungarians and they use the Romanian language only at school. A questionnaire was prepared by me and was administrated to 18 primary school teachers. The questionnaire was composed of seven statements about using songs and games in teaching vocabulary. After I had finished high school, I worked at a kindergarten where I was teaching English as an optional course. I was interested if teachers from primary school use funny activities in the teaching –learning process.

The table below presents all responds:

Figure 1

Results for the first statement indicate that a great majority of the teachers, 66, 67% believe that songs and games are fun and full of pedagogical value, 22,22% stated that they were undecided and 11, 11% of them disagreed with the statement. Results for the second statement show that almost all the teachers 83,34 % believe that songs and games are very important in devoloping the four skills, 11,11% stated that they were undecided and one participant disagreed with the statement. The results reveal that the majority of the teachers 72,22 % disagreed with statement number three which says that using songs and games for teaching vocabulary may distract students’ attention during the lesson, 16,67 stated that they were undecided and 11,11% agreed with the third statement. The analysis of the results for the fourth statement reveal that 61,11% of the teachers agreed that they cannot measure students’ knowledge when they use songs and games in classes, 16,67% stated that they were undecided and only 22,22 disagreed with this statement. Results for the statement number five indicate that 77,78% agreed that songs and games provide a large amount of repetition which results in automatic use of the target language,16,67 were undecided and only one participant disagreed.The results reveal that the majority of the teachers 94,45 agreed with statement six and only one teacher was undecided. Results for the seventh statement show that all the teachers who participated to the questionnaire 100% are using songs and games in their classes as much as possible. Overall we can say that teachers from primary school have a positive impact on the effective use of songs and games in teaching languages.

3.1. Types of Learning Styles

Over the years, teachers have noticed that some of their pupils learn by listening to new information; some pupils prefer to read about it, whereas others need to do something with the new information. Young learners receive and process information in different ways, the main ones are through sight, hearing and their physical bodies. One of these channels tends to be dominant in each of the young learners. There are three different learning styles, we either learn by seeing (visual learners), hearing (auditory learners) or doing (tactile/ kinesthetic learners). When teaching English, teachers should offer a variety of exercises and material which stimulate all types of learning styles in order to help pupils learn according to their personal learning styles. Using games and songs to diversify the teaching style will allow teachers to reach more of their pupils more effectively than ever before.

Visual learners need to see the teacher’s body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of the lesson. Visual learners learn by seeing and looking. They think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including diagrams, illustrations, videos, flashcards and handouts. They prefer to read silently and make good use of any pictures that go with the text.

Example of a game used during the English class:

I see a…. ("Play’ n talk"–Communicative Games for Elementary and Middle School ESL/EFL, GordanaPetricic, 1997, Pro Lingua Associates, p. 55)

This game is for children about 8-10 years old and the purpose is to practice vocabulary. We need a large pictures with many details relating to the unit they are studying. The teacher places the picture so that all the students can see it clearly. The students are asked to write down as many objects as they can from the picture in one –two minutes. Then they take turns reading their lists. As they name an object correctly, the teacher gives a point for each object. The student who scores the greatest number of points is the winner. An alternative way to score is to give a point only for objects that nobody else listed. For example, a student reads, ‘helicopter’, and three others say, ‘Got it’! no point. But if nobody says, ‘Got it!’ the reader scores a point.

For the children from the 1st and 2nd grade who are not writing, they will draw the things from the picture. Sometimes I use group work for the young learners. The teacher can choose 10 objects from the picture and ask the students to write sentences or a short paragraph using the names of those objects. This activity should take about 5 minutes. Then the students can read their papers aloud.

This game can serve a practice opportunity of various pieces of vocabulary. The game is loved especially by the visual learners, but it also practices reading, vocabulary and communicative skills.

Auditory learners learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. If you are an auditory learner you learn better by hearing and listening. They often benefit from reading a text aloud and using a tape recorder. Language games for this type of learner are mainly listening based. They include games that involve repetition, dictation and listening for clues.

In our school we can use the internet, so sometimes during the English classes we played some memory games such as "Farm and domestic animals vocabulary with this ESL memory game" www.eslagamesplus.com/farm-domestic-animals-vocabulary-esl-memory-game. This game is also excellent for vocabulary teaching and practice. Young learners have to match the words with the pictures. There are six flashcards, three of them are with the word and the other three with the picture of the animal. When you click on the flashcard it will turn and you will see and hear the word, so pupils should match the word with the picture.

The auditory learners must hear things for them to have the best chance of learning. They usually enjoy talking, remember names, enjoy music, sing often, like being around other people. For teaching vocabulary I also use songs because young learners enjoy them a lot. When I select a song I take into consideration two things: they should be appropriate as far as the content is concerned and the lyrics should more or less correspond with the children’s knowledge of English. Children are not required to learn all the new vocabulary that appear in the lyrics of a song, but they are instructed by the teacher which words to learn.

Simon says …is a game for all children, it takes only a few minutes (5 -10 minutes). The aims of this memory game are: listening, following instructions, to practice vocabulary for different items such as: parts of the body, classroom objects, colours. The children listen and carry out the instructions only when ‘Simon‘ tells them to. We can change the name Simon with the name of other current popular characters from movies or cartoons such as ‘Spiderman says. ’The teacher says the instructions, doing the actions herself/himself: Simon says touch your nose. Simon says stand up. Then the teacher says: Touch your nose and he does not do the action. Normally anyone who does the action without ‘Simon says‘ is out, but sometimes with the young children it is better not to exclude them from the game. If there is a child in the classroom who is very confident and speaks well, teacher could let him her give some of the instructions. (see the Appendix no.1)

Tactile / kinesthetic learners learn best through hands –on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them, this means that they learn by touching and doing. The most common games involving touch are those based around having real items inside a bag, so that children have to touch the items then perform certain tasks. These tasks are what differentiate the level of difficulty. The easiest version simply has children identify the objects that they touch in the bag, as a vocabulary game. To make it more difficult, the children have to describe what they are feeling, while the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.

They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. These learners express themselves through movement. They have a good sense of balance and eye –hand coordination. By interacting with the space around them, they are able to remember and process information. They have to do things on their own to be able to learn the new language.

Clock Race (Gordon Lewis with Gunther Bedson, 1999, Games for Children, p. 39)

This is a movement and team game which I used with the children for practicing telling the time. It can be used at any level and it lasts 10 -15 minutes. For this game we need a set of large numbers (1-12), drawn on pieces of thick A4 paper for each team; a scoreboard. This is a simple physical response team game. The object is to understand the time and reproduce it by standing on the right numbers of the clock. In order to play this game we need a very large classroom or empty space (it can be played outside, in the schoolyard or playground, too).Teacher lays the numbers on the floor in the form of two clocks, with a wide space between each clock, one clock for each team. If could happen that we forget the set of numbers at home, we can easily draw a clock and the numbers on the floor by using chalk. The clocks should be approximately the same size. The teams stand or sit at an equal distance away from their clocks. All together the children ask What time is it? The teacher calls out a time, for example, It’s seven o’clock. Two children from each team run to their clocks and stand on the numbers 7 and 12 to show this time. The first team to represent the time correctly gets a point on the scoreboard. The children go back to their teams and call out a new time. Two new children from each team run to the clock. The game continues until one team has five or ten points.

We can play this game in other variations, too.

Variation 1 If a team makes mistakes, say It isn’t seven o’clock .What time is it? pointing to the time they are representing. The mistaken children say the time they are actually showing on their clock. If they are right, give them half a point.

Variation 2 Let the teams say the times to each other. For this variation you could use only one clock, if space is limited.

Variation 3 One team shows a time of their choice, and the other team has to tell the time. The child who is the ‘long hand‘ of the clock holds a strip of paper in the air, to avoid confusion.

Variation 4 Play this game with children who can already tell time in English. Younger children might only be able to tell full hours, but more advanced children should be able to tell all times. It is possible to play this game even if the children can only tell full hours.(see the Appendix no.2).

3.2. Classroom Organization

Sarah Phillips says: "teachers have many roles in the classroom: two of the most important are planning lessons and organizing the classroom in a way that facilitates learning"(Phillips, 1993, p. 141). Creating a pleasant environment in the classroom should be one of the teacher’s very first goals. It is known that the atmosphere of the classroom, the attitude of the teacher and the organization of the lesson all affect children’s process of learning. There are many opportunities in which a teacher can make use of different types of classroom organizations. Different activities require different groupings. The ones most commonly used are: individual work, pair work, involving two partners, group work, involving four or five, and whole class activities, where everyone moves freely around the room. All these activities require some flexibility in the constitution of groups and organization of the classroom. There are four main arrangements for lessons, which include orderly rows, separate tables, circle and horseshoe seating. While seating in rows allows all children to see the teacher and vice – versa, is ideal for lecturing, whole class work and discipline, children at the back to the room may have less opportunity for contact with the teacher and feel detached from the class. Circle or horseshoe arrangements may be more suitable for smaller class size, with the circle arrangement creating a sense of equality. A key advantage is that all children can see each other, making it easier for effective verbal, as well as non-verbal, ways of communication. In the following paragraphs I describe the most common groupings of children (information compared with Harmer,1991, and Phillips, 1993).

Individual work provides for learner enough time to think up the task. Learners can work at their own speed without being pressed by their classmates or the teacher. We use individual work for reading, making things or keeping vocabulary records. Individual study is also frequently quiet.

Pair work is most commonly used in speaking activities like mini role plays or information gaps, and teacher can also ask the children to read and write in pairs. Pupils are devided into pairs and begin to discuss a task. Pair work allows the learners to use language, and also encourages learner co-operation which is itself important for the atmosphere of the class and for the motivation it gives to learning with others. When we are using pair work, it is a good idea to demonstrate what children have to do; select two children to do part of the activity while the rest of the class watch. Teachers sometimes worry about noise and indiscipline when pair work is used particularly with children, but it depends on the task teachers set on and their attitude during the activity. We should try and make sure that the pair work task is not carried out for too long, because children who are left in pairs for a long time often become bored.

Group work means that learners usually work in groups of three or more learners. So that the work is effective, the groups should not contain more than five learners. When all the children in a group are working together they will communicate with each other and more importantly co-operating among themselves. Sometimes children can take advantages if the group contains more than five members; they will speak their native language instead of using English or make small contributions. The best way to involve all the children is to let each child to do a small part of the task, and at the end of the activity put the parts together and let them control along with the teacher. When using pair work or group work teachers should walk around the classroom making comments, praising and encouraging.

Whole class activity is a traditional teaching strategy. Using this strategy teachers organize children in such a way so as to make all of them participate together in some kind of an activity. Whole class discussion generally encourages fluency and a meaningful exchange of ideas among the children and teacher. It is useful to play some motivating and lively games. In such games the children are required to sit together and play different language development games which are full of fun. Teachers use this strategy for chanting and singing, for choral work, questions and answers.

Games and songs are best set up by demonstration than by lengthy explanation. The teacher should explain briefly what the game or the song involves, hand out the photocopied cards, giving the children a little time to study them, and then demonstrate the game with one of the pupils in front of the class.

According to the syllabus children who are attended preparatory class, fist and second grade have English class once a week and the other pupils from the third until the eighth grade have English classes twice a week. Working with young learners is fun but you need energy, materials for different types of activities, and different organization of the children which includes pair work, group work, individual work and whole class activity. I wanted to know the children’s preferences about organizing the classroom, so they had to answer a question:"Which do you prefer?"The children who completed the questionnaire are pupils in first, second, third and fourth grade, 88 (eighty eight)pupils.

Figure 2

The analysis of the results for the question reveal that 13,33% of the children prefer individual work, 31,43% prefer pair work, 40% of them prefer group work and 15,24% prefer whole class activities. All the groupings: individual work, pair work, group work and whole class activities have advantages and disadvantages, and young learners know this. During the teaching process I use as much as possible all these classroom organizations. Children from the school where I am working prefer group work because in each group should be a child who understand English and one or two, it depends on the group size, who does not know English so well, or unfortunately not at all. Group work and pair work activities allow children to help and be helped by their classmates. They prefer group or pair work because they can use mother tongue if the teacher is not paying attention to them.

3.3. Which Language to Use in Class?

Everybody says that when teaching a foreign language to young learners, teachers must use only English, and children must not use their mother tongue. I think that it is essential to use as much English as possible in class but sometimes with the youngest children who are learning English for the first time in their lives is very difficult. So from time to time it is more economical and less frustrating for all concerned if teachers give instructions for a complicated activity in the children’s mother tongue, or check the instructions teachers have given by asking the children to repeat them in their own language. From the beginning teachers can respond in English even if the children use their own language, but gradually they have to encourage them to use English themselves.

When teacher is explaining a game in English and realize that the pupils simply do not understand what they mean, a short prompt in the mother tongue will help them. Teachers should take note what the pupils did not understand and try and introduce the game or song differently the next time around.

Gesture is an important tool, particularly with young learners, who still rely on body language and facial expression to communicate. When using songs, games, stories, role play, instructions, teachers can accompany them by actions, pictures, and mime to show the meaning.

3.3.1.Correction in the Language Class

Correcting young learners is a fundamental skill which comes with time and practice. Teachers should avoid correcting children in the middle of a sentence. They must correct in a positive way, because at this stage they are trying to get children to like the foreign language, and use it as intuitively and as fluently as possible as a mean of communication. Teachers should not correct constantly because children will be afraid to speak, to express their feelings and thoughts. It is a good idea to carry paper and pen and to note any persistent errors. The mistakes can be dealt with in a feedback session after the game. It is important for teachers to be able to correct children without inhibiting them. In speaking practice (role play, discussion), teachers should correct in the feedback session, so as not to destroy the conversational flow. Mistakes should be dealt with without identifying who made them. Mistakes could be explained in a feedback time, written on the board, with children first being asked to identify any problems. Writing may be corrected using symbols such as SP for spelling mistake, WW for wrong word. Some incorrect sentences may also be written on the board, giving all children the opportunity to correct them.

CHAPTER 4.DEVELOPING THE FOUR SKILLS BY USING SONGS AND GAMES IN TEACHING VOCABULARY TO YOUNG LEARNERS

One of the principles of foreign language teaching is to develop the four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing .A good foreign language teacher is the one who develop the skills towards the work in the classroom. Listening and reading are known as ‘receptive’ skills while speaking and writing are known as ‘productive’ skills.

Teaching English I tried through daily activities provide learners with opportunities to develop each skill: children listen (to the teacher use the target language, to a song, to one another in a pair work, to the instructions of a game), speak ( pronunciation practice, greetings, songs, role play), read ( instructions, cards for playing games, flashcards) and write (words, sentences that describes feelings, a dialogue script).Young learners should learn the four skills in the following order:

Listening – when children are hearing a new language they first hear is spoken.

Speaking – they try to repeat what they hear.

Reading – they see the spoken language in written form.

Writing – they produce the symbols on paper.

(www.cgcc.edu/literacy/resources/four-basic-language-skills)

The practical part of my work is about the young learners and their preferences regarding the use of songs and games in the language teaching – learning process, especially vocabulary. The aim of the practical part is to show how songs and games can be incorporated in the effective teaching – learning process to young learners, developing the four skills to acquire vocabulary knowledge.

4.1.Listening is the language skill which young learners usually find the most difficult because they do not understand every word from the beginning. Teachers should make the meaning clear by using pictures, mime and body language, and they will understand it and expand their language horizons. It is almost always true that language learners understand more than they can say. They have a ‘silent period‘ as Sarah Phillips said "in which they listen to the language around them, internalize it, and formulate their own personal grammar, which they adapt and expand as they are exposed to more language"(Phillips, 1993, p. 17). In the first year of studying English as a foreign language young learners respond non- verbally or minimum of language which allows them to focus on what they are listening to and to demonstrate that they have understood it, without being distracted by how to formulate their answer. Listening in class does not only mean listening to the teacher or the recording, it also means listening to other children, and the communication activities should provide task-based opportunities for this.

Developing the skill children should listen to cassettes which are useful for providing a different voice and accent, but the teacher is also a very important source of listening material. It is very important for the children to watch the teacher’s face, gestures and body language, which help them understand. At the beginning, an important role plays the classroom language used with the children. Here are some of the classroom language which should be used in classes:

Instructions (teacher)

Look at me/ Listen to me/ Could you come here please?

Pay attention, please!

Silence!

Make a circle/ hold hands/ drop hands!

Give me your papers!

This is how you (colour, cut, stick)!

Open/close the book!

Praising

It is very important to praise children’s efforts:

Well done!

Very good!

That’s a nice picture!

Excellent!

Requests (pupils):

Can I have…?

Can I go to the toilet?

Can I clean the board?

Listening requires being very attentive and active. To make children enjoy listening, the teacher should use fun and active activities such as listening to music, playing games which include body movement, listening to stories, drama activities.

Fruit Salad (Gordon Lewis with Gunther Bedson, 1999, Games for Children, p.123)

This is a movement game and the aims of the game are: vocabulary revision, listening, greetings and introductions. The game can be used with all the children from the first preparatory class until the fifth grade. There are some materials we need, it depends on the level of the class. For beginners we need at least one card per child with pictures of objects or people, or written words for older children. For this game a large space where the chairs will be arranged in a circle, one chair per child. If there are not chairs, the children can sit in a circle on the floor.

Procedure:

Put the cards in a box. Move from child to child and let each one take a card out of the box.

Call out two words which are on the cards.

The children with the two words on their cards stand up and change places.

Continue calling out words until all the children have had a chance to change places at least one.

After a few rounds more, call Fruit salad! Or any other phrase that fits in with what you are teaching. Everybody must get up and change seats.

Variation 1Instead of vocabulary items each card has a picture of a person on it. They can be people the children know personally or famous people, rock musicians, movie stars, cartoon characters or sports personalities. When you call out two names, the children must get up and greet each other saying, for example, Hi! I’m Donald Duck. What’s your name? The other child can reply I’m Ronaldo. How are you? Then they change places. You can use any phrases such as How old are you? or Where do you live? Instead of calling Fruit salad!call out something fitting the theme, for example, Nice to meet you! The children must all stand up and mingle, shaking hands and greeting each other, and then find a new place to sit down.

Variation 2 For older children, write opposites on the cards, for example,old/young , long/short, happy/sad.In this variation call out only one word of the pair. The children must look for their opposite and the two change places as in the traditional version.

Variation 3 Stand in the middle and try to get a seat when you shout Fruit salad! And all the children change places. The child without a seat becomes the new caller.

4.2.Speaking is an important part of our daily life. This skill is used as a follow –up to listening. Sometimes young learners are too shy or they think that they cannot speak in English, so teachers should make speaking and expressing ideas orally enjoyable and stress free.

Children respond strongly to music and rhythm, and it will be easier for them to learn a chant or a song than a spoken text. Speaking is a difficult skill to teach because young learners have to know several different elements of language in order to say what they want: vocabulary, pronunciation, structures.

Pair work is most commonly used in speaking activities like mini role plays of information gaps, and teachers can also ask children to read and write in pairs. When teachers are setting up such an activity, it is a good idea to demonstrate what he/she wants the children do. It is easier at the beginning to teach short set phrases such as every day classroom language like greetings and requests. As children get older they become better able to use the language. It is important to encourage the children to speak using the foreign language, we can stimulate them by using songs, games, role play game. The aim of speaking is to achieve oral communication, to be able to convey messages. Children are very happy when they are able to express a few things in English. They want to go home able to sing a song or recite a poem, and are eager to show off their new– found ability to their family and friends.

In general, children may not pay close attention to the words or even try to understand them at first, but through repetition, the sounds, words and sentence structures become familiar.

Zip- Zap (Gordon Lewis with Gunther Bedson, 1999, Games for Children, p. 23) is a movement games for beginners. The aims of the game are to answer the questions to obtain personal information about classmates, memory training, left/right co-ordination, quick reactions.

Procedure :

The children sit on chairs in a circle. There are no empty chairs.

Stand in the middle. Point to a child and say either Zip!orZap!

When you say Zip! the child you are pointing to says the name of the child sitting to his or her left, for example, Her name is Jane. When you say Zap! The child you are pointing to say the name of the child sitting to his or her right. Children can ask other questions about favourite food, colour, school subject, it depends on the vocabulary they are learning.

Once the child get used to the game, keep the pace fast. After a while, instead of pointing to a child, call Zip-Zap! Now all the children stand up and run to a different chair.

The children quickly find out the names of their new neighbours. Check that the children ask each in English. Allow only a short time for this. Then point again and say Zip!orZap!

After three or four rounds, call Zip -Zap! And sit down on a free chair too. This leaves one child without a chair. He or she takes over your role by pointing and saying Zip!Zap!orZip-Zap!

This is ideal for a new class who do not yet know each other’s.(see the Appendix no.3)

4.3.Reading is the receptive skill in the written mode, which can develop independently of listening and speaking skills. Reading can help build vocabulary that helps listening comprehension.

All children need to learn to read in English. In our country learners begin to read in English from the third grade. It is not easy to teach children to read in English. A technique that can be used is to read to them stories aloud from a picture book. Teachers should show them the words and pictures as they read, and children will begin to associate sounds and meaning with written symbols.

Teachers should choose texts that are enjoyable and interesting, so that the children will want to read them. Stories are always popular and interesting.

Question and answer search (Gordon Lewis with Gunther Bedson, 1999, Games for Children, p.114) is a movement game and the aims are: practicing questions and answers, developing reading skill. For this game we need firm cardboard in bright colours cut into strips approximately 15 x 3 cm, laminated if possible: music (optional). You need 10-15 question and answer cards per group. On each cardboard strip clearly write a question with the corresponding answer on another strip, for example:

Keep the colours of the strips random, so that the children cannot match them by colour. Before class hide the strips around the room. Make it a bit difficult, but not too hard.

Procedure :

Devide the class into two teams. Show them a strip and explain that there are more hidden around the room. Explain that they will get one point for each strip they found, but five points for each correct question–and-answer pair.

Give the children five minutes to search the room. Perhaps play some music in the meantime. Each time children find a strip, they must bring it to their team’s table before looking for more.

Turn off the music and tell the children to return to their tables. Give them another five minutes to sort their strips and see how many question-and –answer pairs they have.

The children read their question-and–answer pairs out loud, while you keep a count of the results on the blackboard.

The team with the most points wins.

Variation 1 If one team reads an impossible question-and–answer pair, the other team can attempt to say it correctly. If they do, award them three points.

Variation 2 Instead of question-and–answer pairs write two halves of sentences on the strips. They could also make multiple combinations possible.

Variation 3 For advanced children write parts of a dialogue on each strip. Make enough different strips for at least two distinct dialogues. The children try to put together their strips to create coherent dialogue. It can be a bit silly as long as it remains grammatical.

4.4.Writing is the productive skill in the written mode, which seems to be the hardiest of the four skills. Children begin to write in English when teachers start teaching them to read.

In general, it is best to introduce English through listening and speaking first, then reading and writing last. For beginners teachers must use pictures which are very important in developing writing skill. For example, children should draw a picture first, and then to write a few sentences about it. It is usual to ask children to copy words in order to practice their handwriting as much as their English. The words and the sentences should reflect themes connected with the children’s daily life, and be linked with pictures and posters around the room. Writing involves being creative, spelling, grammar, punctuation. It is important that teachers pay attention to the basic rules for good written English – accurate spelling and correct use of grammar and punctuation. Errors of spelling are best avoided by careful proof reading. There is only one way to become a better writer, and that is through lots of practice. The writing activities should be geared to children’s needs and interests. They should be linked to the real life whenever possible.

Crossword Chains (Gordon Lewis with Gunther Bedson, 1999, Games for Children, p.110) is a word game for children who know to write and read in English. The aims of the game are: spelling and writing. We need photocopies of empty 10×10 crossword grids or sheets of squared paper; pencils; rubbers; a scoreboard.

Procedure :

Split the class into teams of 4–10 children. The object of the game is to create crosswords with long words. Give each team a photocopy of an empty paper. They write one word, horizontally or vertically, on the grid and score one point per letter, for example, cat = three points, elephant= eight points. Check that the children use correct spelling. If a team spells a word incorrectly, write it correctly on the blackboard for them to copy. In this case, the word scores only one point, regardless of its length.

After each team has written one word on the crossword grid, they exchange grids and write another word on the new crossword, using the first or the last letter in the chain. They may only write words horizontally from left to right or vertically from top to bottom, but never diagonally. If a team can’t think of a word, they get no points for that round and exchange grids again. The children may use words only once on each grid. You decide whether plurals and names are allowed.

When no more new words are possible or when the teams can think of no more words, the game is over. The team with the most points win.

Variation 1Dictate the theme of the next word, for example, animals, clothes. You should be able to supply possible words for each group if challenged by children.

Variation 2 Once a word is written in the grid, the other team gets five points for saying a sentence with this word. Each sentence pattern may only be used once.

CHAPTER 5.HOW TO MAKE ENGLISH LESSONS MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL

There are seven key areas for foreign language teachers to keep in mind, which represent part of effective classroom management skills. These include: group work and pair work; homework; group size and mixture; planning; motivation; discipline and assessment. In the two chapters I spoke a little about all of them but I want to write a few more things about planning a lesson. Good lesson plans do not ensure students will learn what is intended, but they certainly contribute to it. Lesson plans also help new or inexperienced teachers organize content, materials, and methods. Almost all lesson plans developed by teachers contain student learning objectives, instructional procedures, the required materials, and some written description of how the students will be evaluated.

How to plan a syllabus and a lesson will depend on the teaching situation, but as far as possible it would be a good idea to link what you are teaching to what the children have learned.

5.1 Stages in a Lesson Planning

Lesson planning gives the teachers the possibility to logically follow progression, giving the lesson a clear organization and coherence. A lesson plan identifies the enabling objectives necessary to meet the lesson objective, the materials and equipment needed, and the activities appropriate to accomplish the objective.

Enabling objectives are the basic skills (language skills such as vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation) and the life skills (including cultural information) that are necessary to accomplish the objective.

Materials and equipment should be identified and secured well before class time to ensure that activities can be carried out as planned. These may include realia (real life materials like bus schedules and children’s report cards), visual aids, teacher made handouts, textbooks, flip chart and markers, overhead projector, tape recorder, etc.

Activities generally move from more controlled (repetition) to a less structured or free format (interviewing each other). They should be varied in type (whole group, pair work, individual work) and modality (speaking, listening, writing, reading). A lesson is composed of the following stages:

1. Warm up/Review –encourages learners to use what they have been taught in previous lessons.

2. Introduction to a new lesson – focuses the learners’ attention on the objective of the new lesson and relates the objective to their lives.

3. Presentation – introduces new information, checks learner comprehension of the new material, and models the tasks that the learners will do in the practice stage.

4. Practice – provides opportunities to practice and apply the new language or information.

5. Evaluation – enables the instructor and learners to assess how well they have grasped the lesson.

No matter when we teach vocabulary, there are three necessary elements of any teaching sequence:engage, study and activate.

Engagement activities – meant to engage the interest of the students in the topic and its related vocabulary.

Study activities – meant to explore the words which the topic has introduced in more detailed.

Activate activities – meant to give students an opportunity to use words which have been studied.

This paper tries to explore the effects of using songs and games in teaching vocabulary to young learners. In order to accomplish this aim I used as many songs and games as possible while teaching vocabulary to children from primary school in the second semester of the year. For beginning I gave them an initial test to know their opinions about English classes, when I did not use so many songs and games. From the second semester I used songs and games in each English class, especially with the children from primary school. The method will be tested on five groups of pupils – the first, the second, two classes of third grade and the fourth grade. There are 88 children altogether in those classes: 19 pupils in the first grade, 12 pupils in the second, 17 pupils in the third B, 16 pupils in the third C and 24 pupils in the fourth grade. The pupils’ ages are from 6-7 to 9-10 years. There are no educational or disciplinary problems in the groups. There are some children whose level of English is very low especially for those who are not coming to school every day because of family problems.

INITIAL TEST

Figure 3

Results for the first question indicate that 48,87% of the pupils enjoy English classes, only 19,31% do not like English and 31,82% are undecided. Results for the second question show that 62,50% of the children like singing songs in English, 23,87% of them are undecided and 13,63 % do not like music. The results reveal that the majority of the children, 77,28% enjoy playing games, 12,50% of them don’t like so much the games and only 10,22% do not like playing at all. The results for the fourth question indicate that only 50% of the children like co-operating with classmates, 26,14 % of them are undecided and 23,86 % do not like co-operating.

5.2.Lesson Plans

5.2.1.Lesson plan 1

Class: 1st grade

Level: beginner

Length of lesson: 50 minutes

Lesson: COLOURS

Materials:

cards with numbers and colours

CD player

paper, pen

coloured flashcards

Lesson aims:

to revise vocabulary related to numbers

to introduce and practisecolours

to identify the colours

to develop listening and speaking skills

Stages of the lesson

Activity 1: Warm up

Aim: practice the numbers from one to ten

Procedure: The children practise the numbers from one to ten by singing the song "Ten little Indians" which they have already learned. All the children have a set of cards with the numbers. They sing the song showing the numbers by holding up the fingers as they sing. Children can also raise the card with the right number. (see the Appendix no.4)

The song: "One little, two little, three little Indians,

Four little, five little, six little Indians,

Seven little, eight little, nine little Indians,

Ten little Indian Boys".

As a warm up activity we can also use a game called Bingo. Children write on a piece of paper 5 numbers from 1 to 10. Teacher is reading the numbers in a random order and children are listening carefully. If they hear a number they have on their piece of paper, they cross it out. The pupil who crosses out all numbers is the winner.

Interaction: whole class activity

Activity 2: Presentation of the new vocabulary

Aim: to identify colours

Procedure: Teacher pins the cards with colours on the board. Point to each colour (red, blue, green, brown, black, white, pink, orange, purple) and say the corresponding words. The pupils listen and repeat, chorally and individually. Teacher points to various items in the class they have already learned and ask individual pupils to say their colour. Alternatively, teacher can use coloured crayons and follow the same procedure as above. (see the Appendix no.5)

Interaction: individual work

Activity 3: Practice

Aim: to practise the colours

Procedure: Play the CD and children listen to the song, "Colour my World" and follow the lines. Play the CD again, encouraging the children to sing along. Each child has a set of coloured crayons. Ask the children to raise their crayons every time the corresponding colour is heard.

The song: "Colour my world/Colour my world

Colour it red and blue,

Colour my world/Colour my world

Colour it yellow, too.

Colour my world/Colour my world

Colour it pink and green,

Colour my world/Colour my world

Colour my world for me."

Interaction: whole class activity

Activity 4: Feedback

Aim: to distinguish primary and second colours

Procedure: Colour chain – a card game. Teacher devides the children into teams. The teams sit in lines with their backs to teacher, except the first player on each team, who should face the teacher. Give the player at the other end of each lines a set of colour flashcards The teacher also has a set. When everybody is ready, hold up a colour card. The players facing the teacher look at the card and whisper the colour down the line. The last player on each team must choose the correct colour from the set of flashcards and hold it up. If the colour is correct the team gets one point. The last player now goes to the front of the line and faces the teacher. Start again and after 10-15 minutes, the team with the most points wins. (see the Appendix no.6)

Interaction: group work

5.2.2.Lesson plan 2

Class: 3rd grade

Level: elementary

Length of lesson: 50 minutes

Lesson: COLOURS

Materials:

cards with clothes

CD player

paper, pen

rope

Lesson aims:

to revise vocabulary related to clothes

to introduce and practisecolours

Stages of the lesson

Activity 1: Warm up

Aim: practice clothes items

Procedure: In pair children will think about a sentence of what is his or her deskmate wearing. Children can write the sentence or sentences in their notebook. In turn children will read the sentence: She is wearing a blouse./ He is wearing a shirt. ( see the Appendix no.7)

Interaction: pair work

Activity 2: Presentation of the new vocabulary

Aim: to identify colours

Procedure: Teacher shows the children different coloured cards: red, blue, green, brown, black, white, pink, orange, purple, grey. Point to each colour and say the corresponding words. The pupils listen and repeat, chorally and individually. The teacher points to the written words. Ask individual pupils to read them and then children have to copy the new words in the notebook. Alternatively, teacher can use coloured crayons and follow the same procedure as above.

Interaction: whole class activity

Activity 3: Practice

Aim: to provide vocabulary practice

Procedure: Take the cards of clothes and show them to children one after another and pronounce the clothes term and colour: blue skirt. Get two children at the front of the class who will hold the rope. Devide the class into two teams and each team should choose a pupil who will be the leader. Now ask for an item: Could you bring me a yellow shirt? The two leaders search in the bag or box for the clothes item and the one who chooses the right one should hang it on the rope. The first who hangs all the clothes items is the winner.

Interaction: group work

Activity 4: Feedback

Aim: say the differences using the colours

Procedure: A guessing game – Look closely

Children have brought from home some of their own clothes (trousers, shirts, skirts, hats, gloves, pullovers, scarves).Place the box with all the clothing in the centre of the classroom. The children stand in a circle around it. Choose one child to come to the box. Explain that this child will choose three new pieces of clothing. Pick up clothing to demonstrate as you explain. Motion the children in the circle to turn their backs to the box. Tell them to shut their eyes. The child in the centre chooses three pieces of clothing and puts them on. The new clothes can be placed discreetly but may not be hidden. The player in the middle asks: What’s different? The children in the circle must answer: He/She’s wearing a blue shirt. Teacher can turn the game into a team game. One team dresses up one of its players, while the other team guesses. For each correct guess, the team receives two points, but each wrong guess loses one point. Each player may ask only one question per round. Teacher should limit the time the team has for guessing. Teacher can also replace He /She’s wearing a blue shirt with He /She‘s got a blue shirt on.

Interaction: whole class activity

5.2.3.Lesson plan 3

Class: 2nd grade

Level: beginners

Length of lesson: 50 minutes

Lesson: PARTS OF THE BODY

Materials:

cards with parts of the body

paper, dice, coloured pens for drawing

Lesson aims:

to revise vocabulary related to colours

to introduce and practise parts of the body

to develop listening and speaking skills

Stages of the lesson

Activity 1:Warm up

Aim: to practisecolours

Procedure: Teacher asks the children to choose a colour. Teacher explains that they will say an item which has the colour they have chosen.

e.g. Teacher: Blue!

Children who had chosen this colour in turn will say a sentence using the word: The pen is blue.

Interaction: individual work

Activity 2: Presentation of the new vocabulary

Aim: to identify parts of the body (Total Physical Response)

Procedure: The teacher will sing the song " You’ve got me" (to the tune of ‘Old MacDonald had a farm’) and will pointing to the parts of the body which come into the song and say them in order, encouraging the children to repeat them: face, eyes, mouth, nose ,body, legs, toes, hair.

The song: " On your face are some eyes, a mouth and nose – ee-ai-ee-ai-o

then there’s your body, some legs, some toes- ee-ai-ee-ai-o

with some arms here and some hair there, put them all together

and you’ve got me – ee-ai-ee-ai-o."

Sing the song and, encouraging the children to do the actions the teacher has done while singing: point to eyes , mouth, nose, wiggle your body and touch your legs and toes, wave your arms and hold up some hair, bring the hands together and point them towards yourself.(see the Appendix no.8)

Interaction: whole class activity

Activity 3: Practice

Aim :to provide vocabulary practice

Procedure: Each child comes in front of the classroom and says the parts of the body by touching them. They say simple sentences such as:

e.g. This is my head.

These are my eyes.

This is my nose.

If they make mistakes, the classmates will correct them.

Interaction: individual work

Activity 4: Feedback

Aim: recognize parts of the body, numbers; matching

Procedure: Children play a dice game. For this game we need the blackboard where we write the numbers 1-6 on the left, then we draw an arrow from each number to a picture on the right –hand side. Each picture should be a part of a face, for example, nose, mouth ,eye, ear ,hair, teeth.

Give the child a piece of paper and put some coloured pens in the middle. Explain to the children that they need to draw a face with all the face parts on the board. Demonstrate by rolling the dice and pointing, and show that each face part has a corresponding number. A child rolls the dice. He or she must call out the number and the corresponding body part. The child passes the dice to the child on the left and draws the face part he or she rolled. The next child does the same, and so on. If a child rolls a number he or she has already rolled, the dice moves on to the next player. The first group to complete a full face wins. It is important to talk to the children during the game and get them to understand the words they are saying in different contexts.(see the Appendix no.9)

Interaction: group work

5.2.4.Lesson plan 4

Class: 4th grade

Level: elementary

Length of lesson: 50 minutes

Lesson: PARTS OF THE BODY

Materials:

cards with parts of the body

CD player

paper, pen, coloured pens

a bag, pictures of animals

Lesson aims:

to revise vocabulary related to animals

to introduce and practise parts of the body

to develop speaking, writing and listening skills

Stages of the lesson

Activity 1: Warm up

Aim: to practise animals

Procedure: Children will play a game called:"What’s in the bag?" whose aim is to name the animals the children already know. Children make a circle and sit down. The teacher sits in the middle of the circle and has a bag with lots of pictures of animals in it. For the beginning teacher will say a rhyme and encourage the children to clap out the rhythm: "What’s in the bag? / What’s in the bag? /Is it a dog?/ Is it a cat? /I don’t know about that / What’s in the bag? / What’s in the bag? "

Teacher tells the children what they are going to do and show them by doing it herself/himself.

I’m going to take a picture out of the bag. Let me see, this animal doesn’t walk, this animal jumps like this …jumping …jumping like a …Can you guess?..Yes…you’re right…I’m a kangaroo…very good..Now who wants to take a picture? Come here and let’s continue.

Let each child take a picture from the bag, and move or make a sound like the animal in the picture. The other children should try to guess the animal. The children keep their picture beside them until everyone finishes.(see the Appendix no.10)

Interaction: whole class activity

Activity 2: Presentation of the new vocabulary

Aim: to identify parts of the body

Procedure: Teacher reads the title of the new lesson and elicits what the lesson is going to be about. Teachers points to his or her mouth and present the word mouth. Teachers shows flashcards with parts of the body, points to each flashcard, say and write the appropriate words. The pupils listen and repeat, chorally and individually. Then teacher hands them out in random order. Individual pupils come to the board and pin them up next to the corresponding words. Ask the rest of the class for verification. The teacher demonstrates first.

Interaction: whole class activity

Activity 3: Practice

Aim: to provide vocabulary practice

Procedure: Children work in group, they have to find someone in their group who has for example blue eyes, small nose and write the name. After completing the table, children read and then write the sentences on the blackboard the sentences.

e.g. Alice has got blue eyes.

Interaction: group work

Activity 4: Feedback

Aim: describing pictures

Procedure: At the end of the lesson children play a drawing game "Monster waltz". This game is a group game and we need four large pieces of paper for each group, coloured pens and music. The object of the game is to draw crazy monsters and then describe them, using simple phrases, combining body parts with colours, adjectives, etc.

Put the four large sheets of paper on the four sides of a long rectangular table and the pens in the middle. Turn on the music. The children dance around the table. Stop the music at random and say which body parts the children should draw, for example, Draw eyes! The children draw as many eyes as possible until the music starts again. There is only one monster per sheet of paper, but it can have many body parts, for example three eyes, four ears or seven arms. The game continues until you consider the monsters are finished. Hold up each of the finished monsters and let the children describe them. Children who doesn’t speak English well might simply count the body parts and say three eyes or the colours of the body parts. More advanced children should use as many different phrases as possible, for example, This monster has three green eyes, or This red monster can fly.(see the Appendix no.11)

Interaction: group work

5.3.Results of the Feedback Test

At the end of the second term children from primary school had to complete a feedback test in order to see if they enjoyed the English classes. At the beginning children were too shy to speak, all the time they said: "I do not know! "or"I do not understand!", and it was very difficult for me, as a foreign language teacher to make them speak in English. That is the reason I used songs and games in teaching English. After this experience it is possible that not all the children know all the words in English we had learned but I am pleased that they involved themselves in all the activities, they tried to do their best, and more important is that they realized how important is to co-operate with the classmates and teacher.

FEEDBACK TEST

FIGURE 4

Results for the first question indicate that 80,68% of the pupils enjoyed English classes, only 5,68% did not like it and 13,64% were undecided. Results for the second question show that 86,36% of the children enjoyed the songs and games used in the English classes, 9,10% of them were undecided and only 4,54 % did not enjoy them. The results for the third question indicate that 88,64% of the children like co-operating with classmates, 5,68% of them were undecided and only 5,68 % did not like co-operating.

To conclude, songs and games have provided children with a relaxed atmosphere and thus intuitively learn English, their target language. Further, these are enjoyable language learning activities and therefore should be promoted in schools, especially to young learners, since they can easily acquire the language. Teachers have to select appropriate songs and games for their students.

CONCLUSIONS

As the research results show, young learners appreciate the use of songs and games in teaching vocabulary. The activities should be simple enough for children to understand what is expected of them. The tasks should be amusing and within children’s abilities, so that the learners can easily reach their goals. The tasks also should be stimulating and motivating for learners to feel satisfied with their work. The activities should simple enough for the children so that they understand what to do and what is expected of them. Nowadays is very difficult for teachers of young learners to keep their concentration. The teacher is supposed to interchange the activities, to keep children’s interest. The kinds of activities that work well are games and songs with actions, total physical response activities, tasks that involve colouring, cutting and sticking.

Games and songs should be chosen appropriately to pupil’s level, interest and context and should concern the presented topic and grammar. Any song or game can be effective when it is used suitably to the topic and is controlled by wise and skilled supervisor. Drama and role-plays encourage the development of natural, communicative language while memorable songs, chants grab the learners’ attention and serve as a guided class management tool. Taking into consideration the amount of time children would like to dedicate to songs and games in their foreign language process, it would be very beneficial for teachers if also the pupil’s and teacher’s books consider the pupils’ preferences and wishes. At this moment the educational language books present only small numbers of enjoyable and relaxing activities. We can find these activities in the new books for the first and second grade, which were published in 2014.

When the songs are introduced, the first skill that the children learn is listening: the teacher plays the song, as the children listen. The second skill that the children can learn through songs is speaking. Singing a song, however simple, is a pleasing achievement. After the young learners listen to the song they would attempt to sing it. Moreover, since the words in the refrain are repeated several times, they are easily memorized. Through songs and games children learn the language unconsciously and in a funny way, which they like. The activities must be short, funny and full of body movements, so that young learners do not get bored and lose their interest. Young learners pay more attention when they enjoy themselves. Using songs and games in the learning process was very useful for my work because fun and enjoyment are also important in getting children to talk. Language learning using lots of songs, games, poems, role-plays is fun and children enjoy it, too. Using songs and games encourages children to speak and gives them the chance to communicate, even with limited language, using non-verbal communication, such as body movements and facial expressions.

In the world we are living, everybody should have at least a little knowledge about a foreign language, especially English. It is a good thing to speak a foreign language but teachers need to find interesting and enjoyable ways in order to involve children in successful learning process and enhance their progress, which is mostly not an easy task.For many children language learning is not the motivational factor. Songs and games provide the stimulus. The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. Songs and games stimulate learner’s concentration and involve the element of fun.

"Music can change the world because it can change people!"

"It does not matter if you win or lose, it is how you play the game!"

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Appendix no.1

Appendix no.2

Appendix no.3

Appendix no.4

Appendix no.5

Appendix no.6

Appendix no.7

Appendix no.8

Appendix no.9

Appendix no.10

Appendix no.11