Course books for young learners

[lucy5]

Has anyone used this series? Can anyone recommend a good coursebook for young learners?

Thanks

[Fiona]

I tried the I-Spy series and liked it. I think OUP publish it. I depends what age group you're working with.

I don't know the book you're talking about. It may be ok.

How long have you taught YL's? We could exchange ideas, if you like

Fiona

[lucy5]

Thanks from the suggestion. I have been a teacher for 10 years but Have only just started to properly teach young learners. I run a small eal department in an international school in Spain. I teach years 3-6 which covers the age group of about 6-12. Where are you, what do you do? I would love to swap ideas. Thanks again Lucy

[Fiona]

I teach in Poland - I used to teach in Spain.

I used to teach primary but now I do mostly teenagers which I like very much. I'm thinking of going back to teaching younger children.

Fiona

[jasminade]

i hope you can post some ideas and tips and coursebooks on teaching yps as i have been told that we are expanding into a summer school this year. normally i teach older persons so any advice on teaching and coursebooks would be of great value to me...

[Fiona]

Hi Jasminade,

I might be able to help. what age group will you be teaching?

Fiona

[jasminade]

hello fiona

normally, i teach late teens to early twenties from mainly italy and spain.
however this year we are expanding and teaching very yps as part of a summer school experience.

some tips and ideas would be of help. course lengths would be of 20, 30, 40, and 60 hours; so any ideas would be of help.

ta in anticipation.

joseph

[shaygirl58]

hi , I have been teaching young learners for the past 20 years now , in Greece and now for the last 4 years in Ireland..and I use JOIN IN all the time. I find it has everything one needs to use with young learners...the books are colourful and with plenty of activities and songs to sing and do.. there are workbooks which go with each level and the exercises in these are enough for youngsters and not too much..sometimes one finds in workbooks there is too much work and youngsters only have a short concentration span.. the children love Toby too and can relate to him..I also find the c.d.rom a great incentive for all children , not only the english language learners, Irish kids love the c.d.rom too.The themes used are the themes one would find in everyday classroom,and you can really start with any book in the series..(depending on your learner)cos there is cyclical repetition.so you could start with book 3 if you have an older child of say 9 who knows a little English and you will find they will go over again the basics.ie.colours, school. hobbies but at a relevant level for the child.
and finally there is the teachers book with each level if you need any help or a logic for any of the activities and answers
hope this has helped

[Fiona]

Hi Jasminade (and others who have joined in)

If you're doing a course of 20 hours with YLs, it's a good idea to centre it around a story.

Choose one that will appeal to the age group and then plan activities, songs, games that come out of it. EG if it's raining in the story, you can teach other weather vocab, children can colour in the sun, clouds, etc. If it's about a farm, you can play "the farmer's in his den", teach vocab of the animals on the farm. If somebody goes shopping in the story, you can do a little role play in the shop, and look at what is sold in a toy shop, a greengrocer's etc. I'm sure you get the idea.

If the course is longer than 20 hours, you'll probably need a course book.

If your school is doing YL's for the first time, you'll need new materials, eg plastic fruit, kitchen equipment (or whatever for teaching vocab), you'll need scissors, card, glue etc for making things with the YLs ( unless you ask the children to bring them)

good luck, I'm sure you'll have fun

Fiona