MATERIALS FOR YOUNG

LEARNERS
 materials can be anything that is used with the aim of teaching the target language,
increasing the knowledge and experience of learners with the language and facilitating the
learning of the language
 Because children learn through experience and by interacting with the physical world,
 a wide variety of objects and activities should be used to convey meaning to young learners
 In other words, language learning materials for children cover a wide range of items-
puppets, toys, realia, crafts, textbooks, storybooks, workbooks, dictionaries, grammar
books, readers, cassettes, CDs, videos, photocopied handouts, flash cards, posters, real
language examples such as magazines or restaurant menus, web-based games and websites.
 The term young learners can be used to describe: (a) preschool learners, (b) primary
school learners, and (c) early secondary school learners. The abilities and interests of
these children vary greatly among these age groups, therefore, the materials and activities
used for them should vary accordingly
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 No matter what the child’s age is, teachers should bear in mind some crucial features of
materials to be chosen and used. Materials for young learners:
 should be meaningful, comprehensible and relevant to the child.
 Language should be presented in natural, real or understandable contexts.
 The activities should be purposeful. Children would be thrilled to discover and use the
target language to do things.
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 should be developmentally appropriate.

 The activities should be adequately challenging (i+1).
 Materials should be interesting for young learners, should engage them affectively and
cognitively.
 They should be appropriate for the motor, cognitive and socio-affective development of
the child.
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 should be related to their world. Children are interested in issues that belong to their
natural world. The real objects and issues that are “here and now” in their real world, and
stories and fantasy in their imaginary world should be used.
 should be recycled for better retention. Children may learn slowly and forget fast. Plenty
of exposure to language that involves all senses and that cater for different learning styles
and intelligences should be provided. Materials need to involve constant review and
recycling in different ways and different contexts.
 should contain physical action. Physical action is part of children’s world. They are full of
energy, therefore activities that involve movement are welcome by children such as
games, songs, singing, dancing, TPR storytelling, etc. Children learn by doing. They love
arts and crafts activities, so materials for young learners should involve lots of hands-on
activities.
 should contain proper and accurate use of the target language.
 should be attractive. Materials for young learners should be appealing, even at first sight,
with lots of illustrations and color.
 should be varied. Materials of different types and sources would appeal young learners.
Story books, puppets, audio and visual materials such as songs, rhymes, flashcards,
posters, animations, videos, and so on.
 should increase their natural curiosity for motivation. Materials for young learners should
develop children’s imagination and creativity. Content has to be attractive but at the same
time should provide some routines, because children need certain routines in their lives.
To increase their motivation, fun and an element of puzzle should be an integral part of
the lessons.
 should involve the right type of grouping according to the age requirements.
 Younger children like playing in the presence of others but by themselves and may be less
likely to cooperate whereas older children and teenagers are more sociable and like group
activities in which they can play with classmates.
 The materials and activities used in the classroom should be appropriate to the social
behavior and development of the child.
 Authentic language is a piece of real language taken from the real world, produced by a
real speaker or writer for a real audience and for a concrete reason.
 printed materials (newspapers, articles, brochures, leaflets, calendars, ads, etc.),
 audio materials (CDs,DVDs, songs, news, commercials, announcement at the airports),
 visual materials (postcards, maps, signs, photos),
 realia (coins and currency, cultural tools or any real object brought into the classroom),
 children’s literature (stories, poems, tales, etc.),
 music, films, TV programs and radio broadcasts, the Internet, the press media, and comics
and so on.
 Is the material appropriate for the learning points to teach or skills to develop?
 Is the language comprehensible?
 Is the language appropriately challenging? (slightly above the students’ present level / with a fair ratio of
known and guessable items?)
 Are the activities in line with age, needs, interests and background of the students? Are they likely to create
interest?)
 Are there illustrations/pictures/title(s) that support the text?
 How is the sound quality? Do the visuals support the audio/text?)
 Is the material or text, affordable and easy to access?
 Are unfamiliar cultural elements appropriate?
 Do the students have at least some experience with the topic?
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