Introduction Chapter I. Teaching basic speaking skills in English to Young Learners

Humour and Optimism

One of many things young learners excel at is enjoying and benefitting from pronunciation practice. This is best incorporated through rhymes, chants, games and in stories which introduce sounds, stress and intonation naturally and allow them to play with these. Children love a joke and one of many things we can learn from them is to remain optimistic and see the funny side when things go slightly sideways. You will inevitably have days when you don’t feel satisfied with how a class has gone and these are the classes from which we can learn most. Be patient with yourself, as well as your students, and keep an open mind. Children’s abilities can change markedly over time and it is important not to label them according to our expectations, but to allow them to show what they are capable of. Our beliefs about our students affect the way they respond to us. Talk things through with colleagues or if this is not possible, find a community online where you can share ideas (for example here) or attend a local workshop or short course to deepen your knowledge. If you feel under pressure from parents about testing, investigate all the different options available for young learners. Official language tests vary in format and content and some may suit your learners far better than others.
Why Teach Listening Skills? 
There are countless reasons why learning to become a good listener is important: not just in terms of developing critical thinking abilities, but also learning to be an empathetic human being. Some such reasons include (but are not limited to) the following: 

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  When we listen effectively, we open ourselves up to opportunities for learning and personal growth. 
  
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  As good listeners, we improve our ability to think critically, by being able to fully engage in a more informed way.
  
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  Displaying the attributes of a good listener makes space for others to be able to express themselves openly, helping to build relationships and exchange ideas.
  
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  True listening helps avoid misunderstandings, and limits the potential for just talking past one another. 
  
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  When really listening to the thoughts and ideas of others, we can develop empathy and compassion.
  

If the above goals are reached, we set students up to be more active learners, effective communicators, and attuned critical thinkers. But how do we practically do so in the classroom?