FINAL TEST ENGLISH FOR YOUNG LEARNERS “Teaching English for Young Learners Using Pictures”
Name
: Nurmeida Urwani
Student’s Number
: !""#!
%$Semester& 'lass
:(&)
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCA E DUCATON TON FACULTY
SULTAN AGENG TIRTAYASA UNIVERSITY 2013
Teaching English for Young Learners Using Pictures
Pictures are all around us everyday, in the street, at work, at home and even in our leisure time, so why not in the classroom as well? They are enjoyable, they set the scene or context, they inform us, they interest us, they are a key resource. To be even more specific, picture stories are also common in everyday life. As well as enjoying pictures they also form a key resource for accessing the different learning styles that each student has. sing pictures really appeals to visual learners who may suffer in a speaking and listening based classroom. They also offer an opportunity for movement and a multi!dimensional perspective which will reach our kinaesthetic learners. Pictures aren"t based on level. #f course we can choose certain pictures to access a certain area of vocabulary if we wish but any picture can be the base of any kind of activity at any level. $eading stories can restrict our students but an elementary learner can access the most complex story through pictures so lower levels don"t "miss out" on the "exciting" stories that the higher levels are looking at. #f course, as we take our enjoyment from pictures in everyday life so our students take enjoyment from the pictures in the story. They will add a
touch of intrigue to the class and make the lesson much more dynamic as imaginations are aroused. This is especially useful with those students who find it difficult to use their imaginations. The picture story provides a support and ideas which the students can then build on more easily than inventing their own story all together. Picture stories also add pace to class. The students" reaction to a picture is almost immediate whereas the same reaction from a written story would take much, much longer. The students are interested and enthusiastic right from the beginning of the class. %e can use two methods to teach the young learners using pictures. These mothods are useful to practise speaking ability with their imagination, and also to make the learners easier to memori&e vocabulary. 'or the first method we can use flashcards. sing flashcards to learn (nglish is very effective, because it allows students to understand the meanings of (nglish words by looking at pictures. )y studying flashcards, students can learn words that define certain actions, facial expressions, colors, fruits, vegetables, seasons, animals, and others. *ost flashcards that are available on the +nternet can be printed out for convenient reference. 'lashcards worksheets can be an excellent learning and teaching tool especially when introducing new vocabulary or drilling familiar words. )esides being used by the teacher, they can also be used in a variety of activities and even posted around the classroom for students to reference.
'lash cards are a simple, versatile, yet often underexploited resource. They are really useful for many things, it depends on the vocabulary or grammar point you are teaching to your students. ou can use them to introduce new vocabulary or to ask your students to tell a story based on the pictures shown in the flashcards. They give students interesting and challenging
speaking practice. And, students can
remember the vocabulary easily because they can see the image. )y using flashcards, the students will be able to understand the new vocabulary without the need of translating it. The second method is by using picture dictation method. Picture dictation is a good way to reinforce or revise taught vocabulary. oung learners love drawing and colouring so they usually keen to do activities like this. %hen we plan to do picture dictation with your kids, make sure everybody has a set of coloured pencils ready to use. A rubber also would be a good idea for them to have. ou might wonder what is the big deal about having a rubber but remember little children take pride of their work and they don"t want to make mistakes. -o it is a big deal for them if they think their work is not perfect to have a chance to correct it. This is a low preparation fun activity that works well with large classes, especially with young learners and teens. All your students need is a blank piece of paper and all the teacher needs is a little bit of imagination.
To implementing this method we can do some procedures. 'irst of all explain to the students that they are going to do a picture dictation, that you are going to describe a picture to them and that all they have to do is simply listen and draw what they hear you describe. ou then describe a simple and easy!to!draw picture to them and they draw it. To help you with your first picture dictation you can use the picture on the accompanying worksheet and the description below it as a guide. +t is a very simple picture for a low!level beginner"s class but this kind of activity can be adapted to any level of student. -imply change the content of the picture accordingly. %hen you are describing the picture it is best to describe one object at a time slowly and to repeat each description two or three times. *ake sure you give students enough time to finish drawing one object before you move onto the next object and it is a good idea to walk around and look at the students" drawings as they are drawing them so that you can see how well they are understanding your descriptions and then you can adjust them accordingly and give them any support they need. )y implementing those method to young learners, they will be more interest in learning, because pictures really help to reduce preparation time. -ets of pictures can be re!used, especially if you can laminate them, and can be used at any level in classes for kids, teenagers, exam classes and adults following general or business courses.
%hen it comes to using picture stories in class, the key point is not to limit yourself to typical class activities and writing exercises. -tudents need as much spoken (nglish practice as they can get.
