who are young learners?

1. who are young learnres? By Islem Ammari

2. young learners Definition of Young Learners The Characteristics of young learners Teaching Young Learners The Principle of Teaching English to Young Learners Young Learners Vs Very Young Learners

3. THE DEFINITION OF YOUNG LEARNERS IS MAINLY BASED ON THE YEARS SPENT IN THE PRIMARY OR ELEMENTARY STAGES OF FORMAL EDUCATION TO THE TRANSITION TO SECONDARY SCHOOL. THIS IS WHY THE AGES OF THE YOUNG LEARNERS COULD BE VARIED FROM ONE COUNTRY TO THE OTHERS. SOME PSYCHOLINGUISTS SAY THAT ONE OF THE FACTORS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LANGUAGE LEARNING IS A YOUNG AGE. DEFINITION Children roughly from the age of 3 up to 11 or 12 years old are generally viewed as young learners. Unlike adults, young learners display differences in physical, psychological, social, emotional, conceptual and cognitive aspects.

4. WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG LEARNERS? As mentioned above young learners differ from older ones in language learning. what follows is a list of seven of the most important characteristics of young learners. Before listing these characteristics, it is important to note that these learners are still developing. Many aspects of their cognitive capacities get better while they are growing up Success is no accident. It is hard work. 1. YOUNG LEARNERS GET BORED QUICKLY: IF THE ACTIVITIES ARE NOT INTERESTING AND ENGAGING ENOUGH, YOUNG LEARNERS GET BORED EASILY. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LIMITED ATTENTION SPAN. 2. YOUNG LEARNERS ARE MEANING-ORIENTED: THEY MAY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID WITHOUT NECESSARILY UNDERSTANDING EVERY INDIVIDUAL WORD.    

5. Success is no accident. It is hard work. 3. Young Learners Like To Discover Things: They are characterized by curiosity and enthusiasm. They like to make sense of the world around them through engaging and motivating activities where they have to discover by themselves rather than being told.  4. They Prefer Concrete Activities: According to Piaget’s cognitive development theory, young learners are still developing. That is, they are still making their way from concrete to abstract thinking. Unlike adults who are more analytical, they are not yet well equipped to learn abstract concepts such as grammar rules. 

6. Success is no accident. It is hard work. 5. They Are More Egocentric: They prefer to talk about themselves. Activities that focus on their lives are their cup of tea. In addition to that, children under the age of 12 need individual attention and approval from the teacher.

7. 6. They Are Imaginative: Young learners are imaginative. Activities that are full of imagination is a source of enjoyment for them. It is sometimes difficult for them to distinguish reality from imagination.

8. Success is no accident. It is hard work. 7. They Imitate: They learn by imitating adults. It is amazing how humans imitate and discover things from a very young age. Children acquire communication skills through social interactions. Consequently, because imitation functions as a learning tool, it is rewarding to use it to teach children new skills and knowledge.

9. TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS Success is no accident. It is hard work Teaching is a process of giving information that is given by a teacher to student in a range of period and in a special method. Teaching young learners are different from teaching adult. Lessons with young learners should be short, active, fun and extremely fascinating because they can often struggle to focus for a long time on one thing and can become tired quickly. For the successful teaching English to young learners above all, it is essential for the teacher to understand the young learners’ characteristics, instincts, and interests in their cognitive, linguistic, and emotional aspects, because this will play a crucial role in how the teacher builds a lesson, how he or she can make sure that the young learners are fully involved in the learning process, how he or she achieves the objectives of a lesson, and how they respond.

11. The Principle of Teaching English to Young Learners   According to Cameron (2001) there are some ways or technique that can beused in teaching language to young learners. First, by using demonstration or pictures and followed by verbal explanation. When using a demonstration or pictures, the learning should be using an object, using a cut-out figure, using gesture, performing an action, using photograph, drawing or diagrams on the board or using pictures from books. When, using verbal explanation, the teacher should use analytical definition, putting the new word in a defining context, and also translating into another language. But, besides of that learning should be fun and natural for children. In order for them to be successful in learning the target language.

12.  Children are more sensitive to anything that touches the senses;  IT'S STUDY TIME they react easily to physical objects; They respond to the language well through concrete things  Language is taught by having the students use their senses: touch, see, listen, smell, and even taste if necessary.  

13. Success is no accident. It is hard work. The main thing about studying well is to first study smart.. IT'S STUDY TIME Preparing for a test shouldn't involve staying up all night before an exam. Studying well requires preparation ahead of time. The trick to studying well is learning a few tricks as well as your own preferences. Studying depends on your commitment and what type of environment you strive in.

15. YOUNG LEARNERS VS VERY YOUNG LEARNERS  understanding the distinctions between young learners and very young learners is vital for effective education. Here are the key points to remember: 

16. Young learners focus on acquiring language skills and problem-solving abilities, while very young learners engage in sensory exploration and develop object permanence. Peer interaction benefits the social development of young learners, while very young learners form attachment and develop emotional regulation through close relationships. Educational approaches should align with the developmental needs of each group: play-based learning and hands-on activities for young learners, and sensory exploration and responsive caregiving for very young learners.

17. Challenges in teaching young learners include managing shorter attention spans and employing effective classroom management techniques, while teaching very young learners requires overcoming communication barriers and addressing physical limitations. Strategies such as engaging activities, multisensory instruction, visual and auditory stimulation, repetition, and reinforcement can help address these challenges.  Therefore, recognizing the unique characteristics and developmental stages of young learners and very young learners is crucial for successful education.

19. CONCLUSION It is good to say that English teachers should understand ‘whom they teach’, their cognitive development, and their learning styles in receiving knowledge in the form of language; so that, the children will obviously get great outcomes in the form of their achievement. And teachers have also great result from the effect of their teaching in the form of self-satisfaction, higher demands, and successful performance which become their modal to get their professionalism. 

20. REFERENCES https://educhannel.id/blog/artikel/young- learners.html#:~:text=Young%20learners%20are%20naturall y%20active,up%20the%20age%20of%20six. https://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/seven- characteristics-of-young-learners/ https://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/young-learners-vs- very-young-learners/https://www.igi- global.com/dictionary/young- learners/61784#:~:text=Children%20roughly%20from%20the %20age,emotional%2C%20conceptual%20and%20cognitive %20aspects.