This document discusses key issues in teaching young learners including classroom management, special needs of students, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, multiple intelligences, tutoring, use of technology, and importance of professional support. It provides strategies for managing behavior, meeting needs of students with dyslexia or ADHD, incorporating multiple intelligences, creating effective tutoring lessons, using technology safely, and joining professional organizations. Professional support organizations can help teachers stay informed on educational developments.

1. Key Issues in Teaching Young Learners
Professor: Dr. Hajmalek
Presented by: Mojgan Azimi

2. Classroom
management
Establish clear rules at the
beginning of the year.
Teach the concept of appropriate
and inappropriate behavior.
Offer rewards judiciously.
Plan more than you think you will
need.
Balance activities.
Provide specific feedback.
Know when to use the child’s native
language.

3. Special Needs
Special needs range from
visual and hearing
impairments to other
specific problems.
Learners who are
bilingual.
Students who have
dyslexia.
Learners suffering from
attention deficit disorder.

4. Dyslexia is referred to as word
blindness.
A learning disability that impacts
children learning their native
language as well as EFL or ESL.
The cause is not known ,but
there are links to heredity and to
early hearing loss.
Example: a student with
Dyslexia may confuse left and
right or be able to read a word in
one paragraph ,but when the word
appears in subsequent paragraph
the student is at a complete loss.

5. Teachers’ challenges
EFL teachers may find inappropriate to provide learners
suffering from this condition, English_language literacy
instruction until they have mastery in their native
language.
Many EFL teachers have little formal training to meet
the needs of dyslexic learners.
Sometimes there are no resources available to help such
learners.
British dyslexia association web site has provided a list
of indications that teachers can refer to.(see p. 194-5)

6. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD)
Many teachers can not
diagnose learners with this
disorder.
There are some signs and
symptoms that help teachers
to recognize the situation.
If a child is diagnosed with
ADD or ADHD ,teachers with
the help of a specialist
provided by school need to
develop a plan to meet the
learner’s need.

7. The Symptoms of
ADHD
•fails to give attentions to details
•messy writing
•difficulty in performing a task or
play activities
•not follow instructions
•forgetful in daily activities
•act as if “driven by a motor” and
can't remain still
•answer before question has been
completed
•often interrupt others

8. Some Strategies for children
with ADHD
Allow a child to change work sites while completing homework
or studying.
Assign tasks involving movements (passing out papers, watering
plants).
Use music as a tool for transitioning from one activity to another.
Permit a child to do sth with hands while engaged in sustained
listening.
Provide opportunity for student to show creative thinking.
Vary tone of voice: loud, soft, whisper.

10. Multiple Intelligence
Howard Gardner
1. Mathematical_logical
2. Interpersonal (understanding others)
3. Intrapersonal (understanding one’s self)
4. Bodily kinesthetic
5. Verbal linguistic
6. Musical and Spatial
7. Naturalist (ability to discern patterns in nature)

11. Teachers’ awareness about Gardner’ s theory of multiple
intelligence will provide them a framework for looking
at children’s strength.
They can include in their instructions different types of
activities to meet each learner’ s type. For example:
For interpersonal students you can provide a situation to
work alone.
For bodily kinesthetic learners you can have them dance
to English song.
For learners with verbal linguistic intelligence you might
provide them with extra English books to read.

12. Tutoring
Tutoring is difficult for
teachers, because :
1.It needs constant energy
and attention
2.Parents may have
unrealistic expectation
about the amount of
material covered in a
session.
3.Having troubles in
learning, children are
referred to tutoring.

13. Before teaching, outline the background ,age and gender of
young learner.
Make a list of questions you would want answered before first
tutoring lesson.
Create a lesson plan.
Have a realistic expectations.
Match activities to the language cognitive level and
intelligence of the learner.
Pay attention to learner’s interest.
Consider learner’s ability to absorb the activities.

14. Technology
Access to resources
Useful tool to use with your
learners , under your
supervision
Without adequate
supervision, children can
easily become victims to
internet crime and visit sites
inappropriate for them
For helpful web sites see
page(201-202)

15. Professional Support
Two most well-known professional organizations
designed to support teachers are (TESOL) teachers of
English to speakers of other languages and (IATEFL)
international association of teachers of English as a foreign
language.
Association of supervision and curriculum development (ASCD)
support teachers by sending them articles on educational
developments from around the world.
It is recommended anyone teaching young learners ESL
or EFL join a professional organizer aiming at helping
teachers work with EFL or ESL learners.

16. Thank you