TEACHING ENGLISH TO PRE-SCHOOLERS USING ‘LEARNING BY PLAYING’ APPROACH: EXPERIMENT, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Nguyen Ngoc Luu Ly1,, Nguyen Thu Bich Ha2
1 University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
2 The Olympia Schools

Main Article Content

Abstract

While it was becoming more and more imperative to develop applicable theories and gather experience in improving learners’ English proficiency at all levels of education, we piloted the ‘learning by playing’ approach in teaching English to pre-schoolers at a kindergarten. Evaluation results over the course of a school year show that this approach helps pre-schoolers improve and maintain their learning motivation, keep their words-memorizing-ability at a sustainable level and improve their communication ability. Besides, the results point out that pre-schoolers are able to participate effectively in guided self-study. These positive initial results promote the belief in a teaching approach that suits children’s psycho-biological characteristics, as well as encourage early childhood educational institutions to apply suggested teaching activities, create and experiment new activities following suggested principles that are suitable to their given conditions.

Article Details

References

Andrews, M. (2012). Exploring play for early childhood studies. Sage publications.
Bronson, M. B. (2000). Self-regulation in early childhood: Nature and nurture. The Guilford Press.
Bruce, T. (1996). Helping young children to play. Hodder Education.
Bruce, T. (2001). Learning through play: Babies, toddlers and the foundation years. Hodder Education.
Chapelle, C. (2013). The encyclopedia of applied linguistics. John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Christie, J. F., & Roskos, K. A. (2006). Standards, science, and the role of play in early literacy education. In D. G. Singer, R. M. Golinkoff & K. Hirsh-Pasek (Eds.), Play = Learning: How play motivates and enhances children’s cognitive and social-emotional growth (pp. 57-73). Oxford University Press.
Cronin, S., & Sosa-Masso, C. (2003). Soy bilingue: Language, culture and young Latino children. Center for Linguistic and Cultural Democracy.
Garvey, C. (1977). Play. Fontana, Open Books.
Giddings, M., & Halverson, C. (1981). Young children's use of toys in home environments, family relations. National Council on Family Relations.
Huizinga, J. (1955). Homo ludens: A study of the play element in culture. Beacon Press.
Hutt, S. J., Tyler, S., Hutt, C., & Christopherson, H. (1989). Play, exploration and learning. Routledge Education Books.
Huỳnh, T. B. V. (2015). Vận dụng lý thuyết thụ đắc tiếng mẹ đẻ vào giảng dạy tiếng Anh cho trẻ em. Ngôn ngữ & Đời sống, (2), 60-66.
Johnson, J. E., Christie, J. F., & Wardle, F. (2005). Play, development and early education. Pearson Education.
Jones, E., & Cooper, R. M. (2006). Playing to get smart. Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Pergamon Press.
Krashen, S. D. (2009). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Internet Edition.
Levy, J. (1978). Play behavior. John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Lillemyr, O. F. (2009). Taking play seriously: Children and play in early childhood education – an exciting challenge. Information Age Publishing.
McKay, P. (2006). Assessing young language learners. Cambridge University Press.
McKeown, S., & McGlashon, A. (2012). Brilliant ideas for using ICT in the inclusive classroom. Routledge.
McTavish, A. (2014). Playing and exploring in the early years: A practical guide to how babies and young children learn. Essential Resources Educational Publishers.
Meier, D. R. (2004). The young child’s memory for words: Developing first and second language and literacy. Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
Michelsen, V. (1982). Educational approaches in day care centres. Host & Sons Forlag, Kobenhavn.
Moyles, J. (2010). Thinking about play: Developing a reflective approach. Open University Press.
Nguyễn, H. C. (2021). Sự hình thành và phát triển ngôn ngữ ở trẻ em. Nxb Tri thức.
Pellegrini, A. D. (2005). Recess: Its role in education and development. Erlbaum, Mahwah.
Rasmussen, T. H. (1978). The significance of play. Liber Laromedel Lund.
Rogers, S., & Evans, J. (2008). Inside role-play in early childhood education: Researching young children’s perspectives. Routledge.
Sheridan, M. D. (2011). Play in early childhood: From birth to six years. Routledge.
Stern, H. H. (1970). Perspectives on second language teaching. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
Tizard, B., Phelps, J., & Plewis, L. (1976). Play in preschool centres: Play measures and their relation to age, sex and IQ. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, 251-264.
Tizard, B., Phelps, J., & Plewis, L. (1976). Play in preschool centres: Effects on play of the child’s social class and of the educational orientation of the centre. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, 265-274.
Trần, H. L. (2008), Cơ sở tâm lí học dạy học ngoại ngữ. Nxb Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội.
Trentacosta, C., & Izard, C. E. (2007). Feeling, thinking and playing: Social and emotional learning in early childhood. In O. N. Saracho & B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives on socialization and social development in early childhood education (pp. 59-77). Information Age Publishing.
Vĩnh, H. (2011, 24-12). Ngoại ngữ: Dạy mãi sinh viên vẫn kém! Tuổi trẻ online. http://tuoitre.vn/tin/giao-duc/20111224/ngoai-ngu-day-mai-sinh-vien-van-kem/470754.html
Whyte, S., & Schmid, E. C. (2015). Teaching young learners with technology. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Wood, E., & Attfield, J. (2005). Play, learning and the early childhood curriculum (2nd ed.). Paul Chapman.