Young Learner Agency in Action

Creating Memorable Learning Experiences

Kathleen Kampa
Co-author of Magic Time,
Everybody Up, and
Oxford Discover
 How do we nurture Learner Agency?

Kathy’s Homemade Banana Bread

#ELTOC2021 Photo by Kathy Kampa

What is learner agency?

“Learner agency
refers to the feeling
of ownership
and sense of control
that learners
have over their learning.”
From Oxford University Press Learner Agency Position Paper, p.6

3
 What is learner agency?

Learners . . .
-- have a growth mindset
-- have the ability to learn and improve
-- take risks
-- are resilient
-- are confident that they can learn from their
mistakes
From Oxford University Press’ paper on Learner Agency

4
 Why is learner agency important?

“In short, learners who develop their

agency are not only prepared for success
as language learners but also for the
challenges and opportunities that life
affords beyond the classroom.”

#ELTOC2021 From Oxford University Press’ paper on Learner Agency

 Why is learner agency important?

“Language teachers who promote learner

agency recognize that they do not only
teach language,
they also teach learners.”
Diane Larsen-Freeman

#ELTOC2021 From Oxford University Press’ paper on Learner Agency

 How can we support learner agency
for young students?

Student Voice Student Choice Student Ownership

 It’s time to go to the beach!

It’s time to go to the beach!

What What
do you
doneed
you need
to go to
there?
go there?
<a href='https://www.freepik.com/photos/frame'>Frame photo created by kstudio - www.freepik.com</a>
 What do you see?
Please write one item in the chat box.

Illustration from Magic Time One

Oxford University Press
 Let’s learn these shapes.
How can we make them?
How can we make them with our bodies?

What
feedback
do you give
students
during this
activity?

Picture cards from Magic Time One, Oxford University Press

 Students making shapes
in online lessons.
What do you notice about their shapes?

Zoom photo by Kathy Kampa

 Look!
We can make a
star with Mommy
using our fingers!
Photo by Kathy Kampa
 Chant or sing.
Students can read a rebus.
-Use your picture cards.
-Write sight words and punctuation.
-Create movement for the words below.
-Use the body shapes
or to point to a shape.

I see a .

<a href='https://www.freepik.com/photos/frame'>Frame photo created by kstudio - www.freepik.com</a>

 I See A Star
song from Magic Time 1, Unit 2, Use The Words, pp. 8-9
by Kathleen Kampa and Charles Vilina

I see a . I see a .

Clap clap clap, stamp stamp, Hooray!

Picture cards from Magic Time One, Oxford University Press
 Classroom Management
We Did It!
Celebration Chant by Kathy Kampa

We did it! We did it! We did it today!

We did it! We did it!
Hip! Hip!Hooray!

X
 What might
students do
on their own
after this class?
Students can use shapes to make their
own ideas.

Seisen Kindergarten students used

small paper squares
18
to create these imaginative works.
Photos by Kathy Kampa
 I see a circle!
I see many
circles!

Students
might look for
shapes at
home.

Photos by Kathy Kampa

19
Students use the idea of making body
shapes in other lessons.

Photos by Kathy Kampa

 Do you use
teaching
prac ces that
promote
low
learner agency
or high
learner agency?
X From Storyblocks
Let’s explores strategies
to nurture
high learner agency.
 1. Build anticipation
and
a sense of wonder
in the lesson or topic.
i.e. mystery box

<a href='https://www.freepik.com/photos/frame'>Frame photo created by kstudio - www.freepik.com</a>

 2. Engage students.
Continue to create a sense of wonder.
Pre-assess. Find out what they know.

Illustration from Magic Time 1, Unit 2, Oxford University Press

 3. Make your teaching
“learner-centered.”
Explore vocabulary
in many different ways.
Students can create their
own ideas.
Is th e r e a n o th e r Multiple

w a y to d o th is ?
 In a lear ner- cent ered classroom
students have choices. M o d e lin g
We listen to students’ ideas.
To build confidence, first show students what to do.
O n lin e
Then give choices to build creativity. Le sso n s
For very young learners, give two choices.
Think, think, think,
Think, think, think,
What should we do?
Should we make a small circle or a big circle?
4. Give feedback
to guide, assess,
and affirm
each student’s
learning.
In a classroom with
high learner agency
practices,
the teacher responds to
what is taking place in
the lesson.
Photo by Kathy Kampa
5. Students reflect on what they know
and what they can do.
Encourage students to think about
what they can do independently.

Zoom class Photo by Kathy Kampa

Imagine that your students are learning
these six adjectives.

What activities will you do to promote

high learner agency?
Write your ideas in the chat box.
Illustration from Magic Time 2, Unit 2, Oxford University Press
Students can find adjectives in the
picture.

Illustration from Magic Time 2, Unit 2, Oxford University Press

 If you’re online, have a scavenger hunt.
Write about your objects in the chat box
If you’re face-to-face, try the mystery box.

Something long
Something short

Something big
Something small
Something fast
Something slow

If you’re at school, use the mystery box.

Zoom photos by Kathy Kampa from Online English class
What movements should we do?

Long and short.

Long and short.
Clap-clap-stamp-stamp
Long and short.
*Wink one eye, then jump up high!
Or count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Fast and slow
Big and small
 Students can create their
own chants.
Can you think of two opposites?

_____________ and _______________

_____________ and _______________
Clap-clap-stamp-stamp
_____________ and _______________
*Interlude:
*Wink one eye, then jump up high!
 Classroom Management
We Did It!
Celebration Chant by Kathy Kampa

We did it! We did it! We did it today!

We did it! We did it!
Hip! Hip!Hooray!

X
 What do you see?
How are these the same?
How are they different?
I
I wonder . . .

37
Photo by Jeanne Cook
 Inquiry
What do you see?
How are these the same? Different?

I wonder . . .

38
Photo by Kathy Kampa
What happens to leaves in the autumn?

39
Photo by Kathy Kampa. Used with permission.
 Inquiry
• The students watched
the leaves fall.
• They used many
different leaves. Do all
leaves fall the same
way?
• How does my pencil
fall?
They LOVED this!

40 Photo by Kathy Kampa

41
Photo by Kathy Kampa
 Falling Leaves
by Kathy Kampa on Jump Jump Everyone

Red,
Down, yellow,
down, orange and
down, brown
the leaves are
down,
falling
the leaves to the
are falling ground.
to the
ground. Whoosh!
Whoosh!

42
How did we nurture high learner agency?

Photos by Kathy Kampa.

43
Leaves by Jeanne Cook
 Through Inquiry:
Students and teachers
ask questions together.

Then imagine and play!

44
Photos by Kathy Kampa. Leaves by Jeanne Cook.
 Classroom Management
We Did It!
Celebration Chant by Kathy Kampa

We did it! We did it! We did it today!

We did it! We did it!
Hip! Hip!Hooray!

X
What do people do in the winter?
Write your ideas in the chat box.

そり
strategies
sori

Students listen to the

story.
Did they see and
hear their idea?

https://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ezras-books/the-snowy-day/
 Let’s pretend.
Let’s decide what we’ll do on our snowy day.

Think, think, think!

Think, think, think!
What should we
do?

Image: "Children play on snow pile" by DenaliNPS is licensed under CC BY 2.0

How did we nurture high learner agency?

そり Students can use

their home
sori language to share
ideas.

As a learning community,
students choose ideas
together.

"Children play on snow pile" by DenaliNPS is licensed under CC BY 2.0

https://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ezras-books/the-snowy-day/
 Snowy Day Fun?
These are “Scarf Snowballs”

Photo by Kathy Kampa. Used with permission

 Classroom Management
We Did It!
Celebration Chant by Kathy Kampa

We did it! We did it! We did it today!

We did it! We did it!
Hip! Hip!Hooray!

X
Provide students with strong role models.
How can they take action?

Illustration from Oxford Discover 4, Oxford University Press

Projects

Summative projects
are a great way for
students to make
their own choices
and express their
ideas. They have
ownership over what
they are making.

Illustration from Oxford Discover 1,OUP

Projects can be
done at home or at
school. At school,
we enlisted the help
of our art teacher.
Photos by Kathy Kampa
 Can you adapt an activity to give
students more choices? More ownership?

These students learned

six phonics words
starting with /a/ or /b/.
They found words around
their home and added
them.

Student Photo by Kathy Kampa Used with permission

Our kindergarten students created their own
ice cream shop.

What kind of ice cream do you want?

Do you want a bowl or a cone?

Photos by Kathy Kampa

Students learned
about origami in
their textbook.
They learned the
vocabulary and
sequencing
words.
They they taught
each other (and
me!)
Photos by Kathy Kampa
Used with permission
Education’s resident colorful sketchnoter Sylvia Duckworth
took Oskar Nowik’s thoughts on the benefits of stepping out
of your comfort zone and, true to form, created a graphic.

https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/happens-start-stepping-comfort-
zone/?fbclid=IwAR3NEuqPEPWxrGjyAQCU0qI170Jl2w3ONzSpfzmHEn_RBoK8m6pHZmznYXU
 CCBA
room

Catch
Ch ild ren
Bein g
A m azin g !
Stu d en t Im a g e M ik i u sed w ith p erm issio n

X
 Affirm your students.
Celebrate their successes.

Photo by Kathy Kampa/ Used with permission

 Classroom Management
We Did It!
Celebration Chant by Kathy Kampa

We did it! We did it! We did it today!

We did it! We did it!
Hip! Hip!Hooray!

X
 If I haven’t said “Thank You” in your
language, please teach me how to say it
by writing it in the chat box.

Image: "thank you note for every language" by woodleywonderworks is licensed under CC BY 2.0
 If you’d like to connect:
Blog: http:// www.magictimekids.com

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 Learner Agency:
Maximizing Learner Potential
Nurture independent learners with our upcoming position paper on
Learner Agency - available end of March 2021!
• Encourage a lifelong investment in learning.
• Nurture engaged, confident, and self-directed learners.
• Support independent learning, both remotely and in class.

Download all our

position papers at
www.oup.com/elt/expert

#ELTOC2021