This preface is addressed to you by the creators of this magazine, who wish to explain, as briefly as possible, the origin and character of our work. Learning like toddlers is a Magazine created for English teachers to teach pronunciation; in the following you will find activities addressed to improve the pronunciation of the ESL & EFL students, tips to teach pronunciation and articles about education designed to inform and provide examples of what one can do to make the learning experience a little bit more “easy going”. It is important that teachers learn to use a variety of teaching methodologies in order to cater for the range of learning needs and requirements that are present within most class environments, likewise in Learning like Toddlers we believe in learning a language the same way we acquire our mother tongue, we based our activities in the teaching methodologies that aloud both the teacher and the student, to simulate first language acquisition strategies that parents and kindergarten teachers use: Learning by playing. “The capacity to learn language is deeply ingrained in us as a species, just as the capacity to walk, to grasp objects, to recognize faces. We don’t find any serious difference in children growing up in congested urban slums, in isolated mountain villages, or in privileged suburban villas” Dan Slobin, The Human Language Series 2 (1994). Before the age of 5, the child knows most of the intricate system of grammar, Use the syntactic, phonological, morphological and semantic rules of the language. Join sentences, Ask questions, Use appropriate pronouns, Negate sentences and Form relative clauses. All of this is learned by listening, repeating, associating and playing; while listening to the words and using them in a game or activity the brain understands and “absorb” the information quicker and in an easier way despite the age. Of course we are not saying that we should treat adult students like a toddler but taking advantage of the little kid we all have inside with special activities created with that purpose. Said that we invite you, our dearest reader, to start the tour though our pages and hopefully enjoy what we have to offer.
By Eugenie Gonzalez
Consonant Practice Topic: /ʧ / and /ʣ / Stage: Guided Practice. Population: Intermediate. General objective: Create and complete different exercises with consonants seen in class. Instructions: The teacher will pronounce a list of words for the students to get familiar with the sound, and the students will clap with the /ʧ / and stomp with the /ʣ / sound. Then the teacher will place sentences with words that contain those two sound on the table and each student will take a sentence from the table and the student will read the sentence and rest of them will clap or stomp when they hear the /ʧ / or /ʣ / sound. By Andrea Benavides
/ʧ / and /ʣ / choke joke cheap jeep chew Jew cheer jeer cherry Jerry
Sentences • The children were jumping and playing catch. • The judge sent the man to jail. • This jelly is made of cherries. • The jeep is not cheap. • She’s going to change the furniture in this room. • Charles was looking for a job. • Sometimes they cheer, sometimes they jeer. • Take this check to the manager.
Vowel Practice Stage: Guided Practice Population: Intermediate General objective: Identify and distinguish vowel sounds: /ə/ - /æ/ • The class is divided in pairs. • The professor shows a tongue twister as an example. • The professor provides different sounds to each pair. • The teacher provides a list of words that contain both sounds /ə/ and /æ/. Each group will create a tongue twister using the words provided. • Students exchange tongue twister with another pair and read them aloud. By Andrea Benavides
T ips This are some unknown rules of English that could help us: 1. When there is one consonant and nothing more following a vowel, the vowel will be short. sun 2. When there is a vowel followed by two consonants and nothing more, the vowel will be short. hand 3. When a vowel stands alone at the end of a word, the vowel will be long. go 4. An “e� at the end of a word will be silent and will make the first vowel long. smile 5. When vowels are adjacent, the second vowel is silent, and the first vowel is long. train 6. If there is one consonant* following a vowel, that consonant will move on to the next syllable. program 7. When a vowel is followed by two consonants, the consonants will split. The first consonant will stay in the first syllable, and the second consonant will move on with the next syllable. subject
The Direct Met hod
By Andrea Benavides
The Direct Method has one very basic rule: No translation is allowed. Its meaning is to be conveyed directly in the target language through the use of demonstration and visual aids, also its principles are that the reading skills will be developed through practice with speaking. Language is primarily speech. Culture consists of more than the fine arts and the objects (videos or pictures) present in the immediate classroom environment should be used to help students understand the meaning. The native language should not be used in the classroom, the teacher should demonstrate, not explain or translate. It is desirable that students make a direct association between the target language and meaning, and they should learn to think in the target language as soon as possible. Vocabulary is acquired more naturally if students use it in full sentences rather than memorizing word lists for purpose of language learning is communication. Pronunciation should be worked on right from the beginning of language instruction and self-correction (metacognition) facilitates language learning. The lessons should contain some conversational activity—some opportunity for students to use language in real contexts, students should be encouraged to speak as much as possible. Learning another language also involves learning how speakers of that language live. Omaggio, A. (1993). Teaching Language in Context. Massachusetts: Heinz and Heinz.