As a school leader in Japan, I have noticed how much focus is placed on the need for young learner educators to develop high levels of English language proficiency. But all educators, even those with strong English proficiency, may need support with the spontaneous and interactive nature of a young learner classroom. There are many ways for school leaders to support and train our multilingual educators in the best ways to interact with children in classrooms. By providing ongoing training in three key areas — setting children up for success, using a more active coaching approach, and asking open-ended questions throughout the day — school leaders can help educators create supportive, language-rich classroom environments. This article explores each of these professional development priorities in more detail.
Why the most important English isn’t found in a textbook
Many educators who don’t speak English as a first language may choose to take the TESOL or EIKEN tests to demonstrate their English proficiency. Both tests provide a somewhat standardized approach to the knowledge needed to teach English, either in Japan or in other countries.
However, these tests do not always reflect the language of a young learner classroom. Questions rarely have one specific answer, requiring a different approach and a different type of language entirely. Chouinard [2007] found that preschoolers ask an average of 76 questions per hour, and as young learner educators, our classrooms have a language all their own.
The hidden curriculum is teacher talk
For example, take the following questions:
- “Does my dog understand what I am saying?”
- “Where does the sun go when it is night time?”
- “Why doesn’t he like purple? Purple is my favorite color.”
- “What if mom doesn’t know where I am and then can’t find her way back here to pick me up?”
None of these questions can be answered easily, and they require some understanding of the complex inner workings of a child’s brain. This cannot be taught in a textbook or written on a test. Learning how to interact with children in ways that are meaningful and provide them with ongoing language learning is a skill in and of itself.
And this is the hidden side to young learner classrooms. The more teachers talk, the more children are exposed to a wide range of vocabulary, and they will become more confident in sharing their ideas and expressing themselves using the vocabulary they hear and learn.
Train educators to give clear, specific directions
One of the main ways for educators to consistently set children up for success is to set clear expectations for them. Creating an environment that tells children specifically what, how, why and when we want them to do something provides them with the tools they need to be more successful in following directions. Below are two examples you can share with your educators.
Example from the Japanese school context:
As children in Japan change their shoes to come in and out of school, it is not uncommon to hear phrases such as “Banana Shoes” if their shoes are on the wrong feet. But this does not support their awareness of what the issues are, aside from something being “wrong” with their shoes. Instead, saying “Your shoes are on the wrong feet; please switch them over” tells them where the issue is and how they can correct it.
Another example:
Telling a class to “Line up at the door, please” usually ends in chaos as all the children run to line up at the door and be first. But using language such as “When I say ‘go’, everyone from Amy to Jackson should stand up, walk carefully to the door, and line up on their spot quietly so we can go to the toilet” tells them what, how, why, and when you would like them to do something.
Specific and succinct language shows and supports learning while giving young learners the information they need to adjust their behavior and achieve the success we want for them.
Encourage cheerleading language
Positive and complimentary language styles are common in a young learner classroom, but educators are consistently making conscious choices about what they say and how they say it. Positive reinforcement within a classroom takes two main forms — that of ‘Cheerleader’ and that of ‘Coach’. In simple terms:
- A cheerleader hypes up the children and gives positive general praise (i.e.,”Well Done!”, “Great Effort!”, and “Excellent Try!”)
- A coach supports the children by telling them exactly what they are doing right so they know how to replicate it (i.e., “I love the way you are sitting with your feet on the floor and your hands in your lap”, “That was a great answer in a full sentence”, and “Wow, I can see you were listening really well when I asked you to get your coloring pencils from your locker and sit at your spot at the tables.”)
With coaching-style answers, teachers use a significantly larger amount of language with the children. In this way, not only are educators providing students with more vocabulary; they are providing clear specifics about what students are being praised for. Encourage your educators to adopt the coaching style whenever possible for better results.
Support educators in asking open-ended questions
Another form of language that differs in young learner classrooms is the ways that open-ended questions are used. Open-ended questions are those that require more than a one-word answer. Not only do they promote and provide agency for the children; they also extend language, help children feel heard, and support the idea that there are no right and wrong answers. Examples include:
- “What do you think will happen if…”
- “How can we fix this so….”
- “What do you think will happen next in the story?”
- “How do you think the character is feeling right now?”
- “How can we work together to….”
- “How can we share this toy so everyone is happy?”
These sorts of questions give the children space and freedom to answer in a way that gives them the opportunity to use language. Both learners and educators benefit when school leaders support educators in using open-ended questions.
Additional professional development strategies
As members of the leadership team within a school or organization, it is crucial for us to support the ongoing learning of our staff. The following ideas provide additional professional development opportunities for staff:
- Create a newsletter for staff to provide helpful information on language to use in the classroom.
- Use weekly Teacher Bulletins to share common language mistakes made by teachers and the correct sentences to use, with examples such as: “You do not have many homework today” –> “You do not have much homework.”
- Use weekly Teacher Bulletins to share common mistakes made by children and the correct sentences to use, with examples such as: “Today is my Happy Birthday.” –> “Today is my birthday.”
By giving educators opportunities to strengthen their classroom language skills, school leaders can help them communicate with greater confidence, and language learning in the classroom will change. This support can also build a shared understanding of the unique language needs in young learner classrooms and create more environments where children are encouraged to participate, express their ideas, and grow as communicators.
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