This document discusses teaching English to primary school children. It provides background on the increasing interest in teaching foreign languages at the primary level in the 1990s. It describes the typical features of primary education, focusing on development of reading, writing and logical/mathematical thinking skills. It also outlines Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky's theories of child cognitive development, including Piaget's stages of sensory motor, preoperational, concrete operations and formal operations. The document stresses the importance of respecting children's development stages and providing English experiences related to their world to facilitate social language learning.

1. “ Teaching English to children” Presentado por: Lic. Claudia María Wall Medrano

2. Introduction Antecedent. Typical features of the level primary. General panorama of child´s development. Piaget and the stages development. Vigostky and the social constructivism. Final considerations.

3. Antecedent In the decade of the nineties, the primary schools demonstrated to have an increasing interest to initiate the study of a foreign language. Teaching foreign languages in primary has turned into an area of attention, and one of the priorities of the European community. In México the study of the English like foreign language in the primary one has received(charged) importance. The English program in primary statewide arose in the forums of consultation of the state program of education 1996-2002 in México. English is studied as a subject an just a few hours and only in some schools.

4. The elementary school It takes place among pre-school and secondary (6 to 14 years): The domain of the reading an writing in mother´s tongue The basic notions logician – mathematical thought. The education trains a reflexive, critical student and gives him a participative formation and responsible of his self-learning.

5. General panorama of the development of the child Biological Processes Socio-emotional processes Every new school year (or semester) the teachers are responsible for a new group of children in the their classrooms. Cognitive Processes

6. Stages Development Piaget and thestages The child reorganizes and rebuilts his(her) schemes. Stages according to Piaget : Sensory motor period (0-24 months) The preoperational period (2-7 years) Period of concrete operations (7-11 years) Period of formal operations (11-15 years)

7. Vigostky and social constructivism The language is the principal tool that leads us to understanding(including) the cognitive functions. The learning and development are influenced each other .

8. Consideraciones finales Respecting the stadiums of the knowledge. To provide experiences in English related to the world of the child. Social context and learning of the pupil. The language is acquired inside a social context. Making differnces between physical context: The Second language Foreign Language

9. Links http://www.tlsbooks.com/spellingworksheets.htm http://www.english-4u.de/ http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/freeexercises.htm http://www.onestopenglish.com/section.asp?sectionType=listsummary&catid=59462&docid=153652 http://kids.discovery.com/ http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/ http://bogglesworldesl.com/