6 Tips for Teaching Early Language Learners

03/31/18 • 35 min

Language Latte: A Podcast for World Language Teachers

This is part 2 of our series on early language learners.

Early childhood and elementary teachers have different ways and tricks to reach this younger crowd- but what does the research have to say? How can we teach early language learners a new language while they are still developing their first language? If we are meeting students where they are, can we expect our younger students to begin communicating in both languages? What kind of activities are really fun, and keep the kids active and engaged?

Let’s first look at what the research says about early language learners and best practices, and then I’ll interview Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, a dynamic Mandarin Chinese language teacher who has experience teaching kids around the world. She shares 6 concrete tips for teaching early language learners.

This is part 2 of our series on early language learners.

Previous Episode

What's Special about Early Language Learners?

This episode focuses on our younger learners. First of all, how prevalent are early language programs around the world? Why is it important to start learning another language when kids are this young- and what are the benefits? For teachers who teach kids from toddlers through elementary school- how is it different than upper grades or high school learners? And for this younger set of students, where it’s common for teachers to see their students maybe only 90 minutes/week or less- what kinds of activities are the most effective and engaging- with the maximum impact?

We first look at what the research says about these early language learners and the advantages of teaching languages to young kids, and then today I’ll interview Nathan Lutz, a stellar French teacher and Global Learning Coordinator at a primary school, who’s also the president of the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL).

Next Episode

ACTFL's Proficiency Guidelines and Can-Do Statements

We are on episode 6, and today we are talking about ACTFL: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. We are looking at the mission of ACTFL and their role in supporting world language teachers. What are their Can-Do statements and proficiency guidelines and how can teachers use them in their classes?

Today I am interviewing Victoria Gilbert, an experienced Spanish and French teacher who is the world language chair at a private K-8 school in New York City.

Let’s dive into the innovative, high-quality tools ACTFL has written to meet the needs of language educators and students, and then we’ll take a look at how teachers can utilize them in class.