BACHELOR OF PYSCHOLOGY IN HONOURS

May / 2021

HDPS2603
ENGLISH FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

NO. MATRIKULASI : 990729055512001

NO. KAD PENGENALAN : 990729-05-5512
NO. TELEFON : 017-3172719
E-MEL :

PUSAT PEMBELAJARAN : NEGERI SEMBILAN

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Part 1
1.0 Introduction
According to (Scott & Ytreberg,1990), five to seven year old children can do the following
things:
a) They can talk about what they are doing.
b) They can tell you about what they have done or heard.
c) They can plan activities.
d) They can argue something and tell you why they think what they think.
e) They can use logical reasoning.
f) They can use their vivid imaginations.
g) They can use a wide range of intonation patterns in their mother tongue.
h) They can understand direct human interaction.

Children are amazing and they have a so much to offer in class and it is the teacher who
needs to learn how to manage this in class. In order to teach English to the young children
effectively, the teacher should have knowledge and skills of how the language should be
presented at the very young age. “Experienced early childhood professionals encourage
caregivers and teachers of young learners to provide developmentally appropriate
instruction”(Linse, 2005). Teachers should establish a good rapport with the students and
children must feel that their teacher is there to play with them.

Young children are natural language acquirers; they are self-motivated to pick up language
without conscious learning, unlike adolescents and adults. They have the ability to imitate
pronunciation and work out the rules for themselves. Any idea that learning to talk in English is
difficult does not occur to them unless it’s suggested by adults, who themselves probably learned
English academically at a later age through grammar-based text books.

The process of speech and language development in infants and children is complex and
interrelated. For normal communication to develop, there must be an integration of anatomy and
physiology of the speech systems, neurological development, and interactions that encourage
infants and children for communication attempts. Language development includes both receptive

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and expressive language. (Owens, 2012) There are four theories that explain most of speech and
language development: behavioral, nativistic, semantic-cognitive, and social-pragmatic.
According to the social interactionist perspective, children discover the functions and
regularities of language through a rich language environment. This theory assumes that language
acquisition is influenced by the interaction of some factors such as social, physical, linguistic and
cognitive. Unlike the work of Chomsky, this approach to language acquisition places a high
premium on the environment and the context in which the language is being learned.
According to this theory, language is not an inborn endowment of the child. Instead, the child
is driven by a need to speak and be spoken to. Language, in this respect, is seen to develop
through a process of negotiating with the child's home and cultural environment, where feedback
is readily available. Briefly put, language development is contingent on the active participation
of the child in socially mediated interactions and significant interpersonal communication.
The biggest name in the interactionist theory is the Russian scholar Lev Vygotsky (1896-
1934). He feels that children need more than just a desire to express themselves, more than an
innate LAD, and more than a model to parrot. He claims that children learn the language out of a
desire to communicate with the world around them, and this can only be learned in the context of
interaction with people who want to communicate (Bohannon & Bonvillian, 1997).

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2.0 Principles of Interactionist theory

According to Wikipedia, social interactionist theory (SIT) is an explanation of language

development emphasizing the role of social interaction between the developing child and
linguistically knowledgeable adults. It is based largely on the socio-cultural theories of Soviet
psychologist, Lev Vygotsky.

The interactionist approach (sociocultural theory) combines ideas from sociology and

biology to explain how language is developed. According to this theory, children learn language
out of a desire to communicate with the world around them. Language emerges from, and is
dependent upon, social interaction. The Interactionist approach claims that if our language ability
develops out of a desire to communicate, then language is dependent upon whom we want to
communicate with. This means the environment you grow up in will heavily affect how well and
how quickly you learn to talk. For example, infants being raised by only their mother are more
likely to learn the word “mama”, and less likely to develop “dada”.

Among the first words we learn are ways to demand attention or food. If you’ve ever tried to
learn a new language, you may recognize this theory’s influence. Language classes often teach
commonly used vocabulary and phrases first, and then focus on building conversations rather
than simple rote memorization. Even when we expand our vocabularies in our native language,
we remember the words we use the most.

It’s important to keep in mind that theories of language acquisition are just ideas created by
researchers to explain their observations. How accurate these theories are to the real world is
debatable. Language acquisition is a complicated process influenced by the genetics of an
individual as well as the environment they live in.

Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, created a model of human development now called the
sociocultural model. He believed that all cultural development in children is visible in two
stages. First, the child observes the interaction between other people and then the behavior

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develops inside the child. This means that the child first observes the adults around him
communicating amongst themselves and then later develops the ability himself to communicate.

Vygotsky also theorized that a child learns best when interacting with those around him to
solve a problem. At first, the adult interacting with the child is responsible for leading the child,
and eventually, the child becomes more capable of problem solving on his own. This is true with
language, as the adult first talks at the child and eventually the child learns to respond in turn.
The child moves from gurgling to baby talk to more complete and correct sentences.

Bruner, best known for his discovery learning theory, believes that learners, whether they are
adults or children, learn best when they discover knowledge for themselves. He believes that
students retain knowledge best when it is something they have discovered on their own. Bruner
argues that an adult and an infant have conversations despite the child being unable to speak. The
interaction between the two, such as games and non-verbal communication, build the structure of
language long before the child is able to communicate verbally.

As with critical and critical feminist theories, interactionist theory has several specific goals,
most of which involve change to the structure of sports. Interactionists believe that: Sports
should be organically developed, Creation belongs to the athlete, Ideas, questions, challenges
should be heard, Athletes need not be alienated (pain).

There are three dominant themes of interactionist theory. Social interaction refers to young
children are curious and actively involved in their own learning and the discovery and
development of new understanding.

The More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) refers to someone who has a better understanding or
a higher ability level than the learner concerning a particular task or process, such as peers,
teachers, parents, other adults, and even computers.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is an important concept that relates to the difference
between what a child can achieve independently and what a child can achieve with guidance and

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encouragement from a skilled partner. According to Vygotsky, learning occurs here. There are
two integral conceptual tools to this, namely scaffolding and reciprocal teaching. Scaffolding is
where a child accomplishes a task or solves a problem that he cannot do alone, with the help of a
more capable partner (MKO). The amount of support or coaching given depends on the child's
progress. Eventually, the child internalises the process and can carry out the task independently,
without excessive frustration.

Reciprocal teaching is where an environment of open dialogue is provided for the both child
and teacher, which goes beyond a simple question and answer session.

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3.0 Implications in teaching and learning

Vygotsky's theory is important in education because of the emphasis given to the social
context of learning. In the classroom environment, the teacher has the responsibility to guide
and direct the children's activities. The teacher also models processes for the children to
understand and internalise.

When faced with learning English as a second language, the student is essentially an
infant. They cannot communicate with the teacher except through non-verbal
communication. Therefore, it is up to the teacher to act as the adult in the infant-adult
relationship. He or she is responsible for leading all interaction at first, and as the student
becomes more familiar with the English language and able to communicate, the control of
the interaction can be relinquished a bit and the students can take more control of their own
language learning. Also, if students are encouraged to experiment with the language and
learn that it is okay to make mistakes, they will be able to discover for themselves how to
combine words and phrases to form full sentences and dialogues.

Finally, as we have seen all week, each theory has several weaknesses that you should be
aware of. In this case, interactionist theory has two such weaknesses: because interactionist
theory tends to be so focused on the individual, it misses out on larger structural questions,
on power dynamics and on social inequalities. For this reason, many interationist theories
also use critical theories as a means to examine these larger infrastructural questions. Second,
interactionist theory tends to seek change in the form of participation, but it lacks a larger
vision for an organizational structure that could lead to positive athlete participation and
identity formation. Again, interactionists look to critical theory for help with this
shortcoming.

Social interaction has some benefits as far as students’ learning is concerned. Some of the
benefits are discussed below. Social interaction helps to improve the learning strategies.
Social interaction enables the learner to discover the situations that are distressing unto him
or her. This thus enables one to modify his or her behaviors so as to realize positive

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outcomes. Social interaction enables a person to understand other people’s behaviors and so a
learner can improve his or her learning strategies by modifying his or her negative behaviors.

The other aspect in which the social interaction can help one to improve his or her
learning strategies is that it enables one to become a good listener as well as learning how to
accept responsibility with regards to actions that one takes. Social learning has been
considered as an ideal teaching strategy because it encompasses all levels of learning i.e.
from kindergartens up to the time when one completes his or her secondary education. For
instance, the adolescents socializes with one another by sharing their feelings ,supporting
each other emotionally as well as learning to view things form their colleagues’ perspective
(Burr,1995,12-17).

Social interaction is important because it does not discriminate the learners with regards
to their objectives or ethnic group. It thus provides an environment where people from
different origins can interact freely with one another so as to achieve a common objective.
Social interaction helps to enhance the perseverance in learning i.e. the achievement of the
group goals provides the students with a motivation to work hard and persevere. The social
interaction enables students to increase their individual efforts so as to enhance the group
grades The social interaction enables students to be involved with regards to school
community and thus the ability to maintain trust as well as manage the conflicts(Goodnow
&Warton,1992,18-26).

Social interaction usually helps to reduce the work of an instructor. The instructor only
provides guidelines and assist where the students have been met with changes, the students
think, communicates and shares information among them (Burr, 1995, 12-17). The groupings
usually have an effect as far as the achievements of students are concerned due to the fact
that those students who are of low ability are usually motivated by ones who have high
ability and hence they end up performing well.

Social interaction is important because it enables students to enhance their

communication skills. For effective learning to take place, there is need for proper

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communication. Both verbal and non verbal communication enables the students to interact
with others. With this regards to communication, social interaction enables students to have
high esteem upon which they communicates effectively with their colleagues. The social
interaction helps to improve the communication skills of students by enabling them to
become good listeners.

The social interaction helps students to overcome fears associated with large crowds and
also making them to be assertive. Communication skills as a result of social interaction thus
enables the students to be relaxed and thus to think and also to act in given
situations(Burr,1995,12-17). Social interaction plays an important role of enhancing the
student’s interpersonal skills. It thus enables them to get over their shyness and be in a
position to exchange ideas with others. Interpersonal skills enable the students to gain self
confidence which in turn helps them to succeed as far as their learning is concerned.

Social interaction helps students to develop a positive attitude towards school. Usually,
the students are very curious with regards to their leaning environment. The school
environment, workloads, their fellow students, rules and regulations as well as the parent’s
ambivalence often affects their attitude towards school. The social interaction enables student
to develop positive attitude towards school in that, the workload is discussed among the
students and so the students are not overwhelmed or bored as a result of workload problem.

The participation as a result of social interaction helps to understand the student’s needs.
Each student is given a chance to express his or her views concerning an issue and this in
turn enhances their understanding (Burr, 1995, 12-17). Social interaction enhances
negotiation with respect to understanding. Negotiation entails two people with a difference in
which they initiate a discussion attempting to solve it and bring in a consensus that satisfies
their interests. This also happens n social interactions among students where students discuss
issues in which they differ and reach an agreement. The success of negotiation may entail the
parties making promises to each other to comply to the terms and conditions of the
agreement reached.

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Other teaching strategies teachers can practise in the classroom with Vygotskian ideas are as
follows:
(a) As children work better in groups, use the classroom to form groups for peer instruction,
collaboration and small group instruction;
(b) Generate greater social interaction among children by capitalising on the use of group
projects such as artwork and presentations to get them learning;
(c)The classroom environment and learning materials should be designed to promote interaction
and collaboration leading into a classroom community,
(d) Use online activities and projects to foster cooperation even when not in the classroom;
(e) Monitor and encourage children's use of private speech;
(f) Use the child's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in teaching
(g) Use scaffolding with real-world objects (realia) and interactions whereby the most sensitive
guidance and instruction should be given to spark development of higher mental functions;
(h) Use videos and interactive worksheets to engage the children and assist
them through scaffolding; and
(i) Use more-skilled peers as teachers.

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4.0 Conclusion

Interactionist theory "is based on the idea that human beings, as they interact with one
another, give meanings to themselves, others, and the world around them, and use those
meanings as a basis for making decisions and taking action in their everyday lives" (Coakley 47)
Interactionists believe that society and culture and our own identities are produced from the
bottom up: from patterns of interaction and behavior over time.

Vygotsky’s theory of social interaction emphasises that social learning including cultural
influences tend to come before cognitive development. For Vygotsky, the environment in which
children grow up will influences how they think about. Hence, adults or the more knowledgeable
others made up an important source of cognitive development.

The interaction theory of language development is a compromise between the nativist

theory and the behaviorist theory of language development. The interaction theory recognizes
that both environmental and biological factors are important in language development. Within
this theory of compromise are theorists who are closer to one end of the extreme than the other.
However, all interactionists believe that language acquisition occurs as a result of the natural
interaction between children and their environment, more specifically, their parents or
caregivers.

Social interaction is very crucial as far as learning is concerned. It has been used in
learning for many years with an aim of enhancing positive interactions among students. Social
interaction plays a vital role with regards to learning. Most people have gained while at school
through sharing of their problems with their classmates or teachers.

This implies that one learns from the others and others learn from an individual. The
mere act of sharing of ideas and information is usually crucial as far as gaining of knowledge is
concerned.The discussions withy the rest of the students often enables them to acquire much
knowledge and hence helps them to improve their grades. Social interaction also ensures that the
positive changes are infused so as to enhance the student’s individual development.

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Part 2

1. Title My Hobby

2. Objective BI 1.3.2 Talk about favourite things and activities

BI 1.3.4 Talk about familiar activities and experiences
3. Learning At the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to
outcome 1. Talk about their favourite things and activities with a complete
sentence.
2. Talk about familiar activities and experiences with a complete
sentence.
4. Age Group 6 years old

5. Number 12 pupils
of students
6. Time/Duratio 0800 – 0840 am ( 40 minutes )
n

7. Method Set Induction ( 4 minutes )

1. Teacher gives an instruction before playing a video.
(Teacher: Children, pay attention to the things and activities that
you see in the video. I need you to say what you see in the video.)
2. Teacher plays the video and pupils watch the video.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90LfcLAjLiI)

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Step 1 ( 6 minutes )
1. The pupils are required to mention the things and activities carried
out in the song. ( guitar, playing guitar, bike, bike riding,
swimming, fishing, fishing rod…….etc )
2. Teacher tells the pupils the aforementioned activities are hobbies.
3. Teacher explains the meaning of hobby.
( An activity done regularly in one's free time.)

Step 2 ( 10 minutes )
1. Teacher gives an example to the pupils.
( My favourite thing is guitar. My hobby is playing guitar.)
2. Pupils are divided into groups of four.
3. The pupils are required to talk about their favourite things and
hobby to their friends.
(A: My favourite thing is basketball. My hobby is playing
basketball.)
(B: My favourite thing is television. My hobby is watching
television.)
4. Teacher goes around the class and evaluates their communication
skills and jots down in the evaluation form.
5. Teacher corrects the pupils’ pronunciation if needed.

Step 3 ( 15 minutes )
1. Pupils are required to go back to their seat.
2. The pupils are required to talk about their familiar activities and
experiences.
(A: My hobby is playing football. I play football every evening.)
(B: My hobby is fishing. I go fishing with my father every Sunday.)
3. Pupils are then required to talk about their friends’ hobby.
( C: A’s hobby is playing football. He plays football every
evening.)

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 ( D: B’s hobby is fishing. He goes fishing with his father every
Sunday.)
4. Teacher goes around the class and evaluates their communication
skills and jots down in the evaluation form.
5. Teacher corrects the pupils’ pronunciation if needed.

Conclusion ( 5 minutes )
1. Teacher instils a moral value, which is to use time wisely.
2. Pupils sing the hobby song together by replacing their hobby in the
lyric.

Hobby Song
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
A : My hobby is ________________.
B : My hobby is ________________.
C: My hobby is ________________.
D: My hobby is ________________.
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
E: My hobby is ________________.
F: My hobby is ________________.
G: My hobby is ________________.
H: My hobby is ________________.
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?

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 What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
I: My hobby is ________________.
J: My hobby is ________________.
K: My hobby is ________________.
L: My hobby is ________________.
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?
What’s your hobby? What do you like to do?
What’s your hobby? What is fun for you?

8. Resources Computer, Projector, Speaker, Video

The use of ICT increases the scope of teaching. It provides
quality learning materials and creating autonomy of learning. Along with
academic excellence students must have English communicative skills for
their prosperous future. Curriculums must be made easy by including
technological aids. The integration of ICT will enable teachers to
vary teaching and learning activities, to gradually change the teaching style
to be more student-centred, to train students to have more active role
in learning, and to access a huge range of authentic learning materials. In
this lesson plan, teacher uses computer, projector and speaker to play a
video. This makes the students enjoy, feel happy and sing along with
music. Technology  has been used to both help and
improve language learning. 
Technology enables teachers to adapt classroom activities, thus
enhancing the language learning process. Technology continues to grow
in importance as a tool to help teachers facilitate language learning for
their learners.
Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school
readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and
overall literacy. It helps the body and the mind work together.
Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the

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 sounds and meanings of words.
Music stimulates all the senses, helping children learn to recognize
patterns and sequence. Early music exposure helps children learn by
promoting language, creativity, coordination, social interaction, self-esteem
and memory. Your baby's memory and oral and written language will all
benefit from the attention. Songs, instruments, and instrumental
music are wonderful ways to develop children's listening skills and
awareness of different words and musical pitches. It is critical that we
begin to develop listening skills in our child care settings. Therefore, song
is used in this lesson plan to intrigue the students’ interest in learning.
The function of using songs while teaching English classes is to
engage students in speaking and understanding the English language,
while reinforcing the fundamentals of language and communication. 
Songs contain lyrics that are easy for students to follow and memorize and,
therefore, easy to learn and understand. )

9. Evaluation During the class, teacher goes around to evaluate the pupils’
communication skills and records in an evaluation form as evidence.
Pupil that can talk with a complete sentence is given achievement level 6.

Example of Evaluation form

Communication Communication
skills skills
( 2/7/2021) ( 2/7/2021)
Pupils able to talk Pupils able to talk
Name
about their about their familiar
favourite things and activities and
activities with a experiences with a
complete sentence. complete sentence.
Nazira 5 5
Lim Mei Ling 4 3
Shahirah 5 5
Megan 4 4

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Kavishala 6 6
Raj 6 6
Muhammad Adam 5 5

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