Teaching Young Learners Flashcards
6 cards from real TKT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Teaching Young Learners flashcards as text
What does the term 'holistic development' mean in the context of teaching young language learners?
Answer: Taking into account young learners' cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development — not just their language progress
Holistic development recognises that young learners are developing cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically — and that language teaching must account for and support these broader developmental dimensions.
What is 'mother tongue support' in young learner language classrooms and when might a teacher use it?
Answer: Using the learners' first language (L1) strategically to support comprehension, check understanding, or provide emotional reassurance in the target language classroom
Strategic use of learners' L1 can support comprehension, reduce anxiety, and clarify meaning for young learners — particularly at very low levels — when the target language alone is insufficient.
Why is 'praise and positive reinforcement' especially important in young learner language classrooms?
Answer: Because young learners are building self-confidence and self-image as language learners, and positive feedback reinforces motivation, effort, and willingness to take risks
Positive reinforcement builds young learners' self-confidence and motivation as language learners, encouraging them to participate, take risks, and view mistakes as part of learning.
What is the significance of 'routine and predictability' in young learner language classrooms?
Answer: Young learners benefit from familiar routines and predictable lesson structures that provide security and enable them to participate with confidence
Predictable routines (greetings, warm-up activities, familiar activity types) give young learners a sense of security and reduce anxiety, enabling greater cognitive resources for language learning.
What does 'cross-curricular' learning mean in the context of teaching young learners?
Answer: Integrating language learning with content from other school subjects such as science, maths, art, or geography
Cross-curricular learning integrates English language teaching with content from other school subjects, making language learning meaningful and contextualised within real educational content.
Why should young learner language teachers avoid activities that involve competitive winners and losers in class?
Answer: Because very competitive activities may increase anxiety, damage the confidence of less successful learners, and undermine the collaborative classroom atmosphere that supports learning
Highly competitive activities can increase anxiety, damage self-esteem in learners who frequently 'lose', and create a negative classroom atmosphere — all of which inhibit language learning.