Effective Language Learning Strategies for Children

Response Through Action (TPR):

Even in our mother tongue, we do not always respond to a linguistic message with another linguistic message. Very often, the fact of doing something is an adequate response to a message just received. So, a physical answer is also a way to prove partial or total comprehension (when the child hears 'Come here', he/she does not answer 'I'm coming'. He/she simply does it).

Besides, we often understand more than we are able to speak so in the first steps learning a language, a physical response plays an especially significant role.

Teach Full Subjects in English (CLIL):

CLIL refers to teaching subjects to students through a foreign language and suggests equilibrium between content and language learning. The non-language content is developed through the foreign language and the foreign language is developed through the non-language content.

CLIL aims to create an improvement in a variety of ways in the foreign language competence and a development of knowledge and skills in the non-language areas.

CLIL's advantages are:

• Helped learners increase their motivation.
• Helped raise self-esteem, build independence and teach organizational skills.
• Helped learners improve language proficiency (fluency and accuracy).
• Foster learning to learn.
• Encouraged creative thinking process.

The Child's Ability for Indirect Learning:

When a child is involved in a task (game, puzzle, quiz...) he/she is learning language but his/her mind is occupied in the task and not in the language he/she is using. The same process that takes place in the learning of the mother tongue, takes place here: they acquire the language through immersion and use, not in a conscious way but 'indirectly'. This unconscious learning stimulates spontaneous and fluent use of the language.

(We must take into account that, as they grow older and have a deeper knowledge of the language, conscious or direct learning is also introduced in the process).