Introduction
The topic of improving the schools for young learners is disputed among scholars worldwide. There are different opinions as for the leading factors that can provide for this improvement. However, it is out of question that teachers play a vitally important role in forming the school environment for students. Thus, teachers can attempt to improve schools for young learners by implementing new teaching techniques and in-class policies. The effect of the latter can be obvious not at once, but this will be a great step to the improvement of the educational system. So, the role of teachers and their in-class strategies and policies in increasing the interest of young learners in the study, helping the ELL students improve their academic performance and assisting young learners with disabilities in their education is a crucial one in the issue considered in this paper.
Discussion
One way that teachers can improve academic performance for special needs students is changing their teaching techniques in respect of the motivation of student and making them conform to the class rules. Usually classes with young learners are characterized by lack of interest in the study process, inability of teachers to motivate their students, difficulties that young learners have dealing with the curricula that was not adopted for the needs of young children, etc. Solutions to this group of issues are best articulated in the work by a prominent scholar Kevin Thompson from the British Council. The author puts the main emphasis on the motivation and classwork organization as policies teachers should use for success with young learners. Thompson (2009) considers such policies as introduction of the competitive element in the class, clarification of rules students should keep to in the class, and rewarding their cooperation with each other and with the teacher. In more detail, the competition as a policy to be used in class is effective as children want to be leaders. Seeing the progress made by some students, others inevitably start working harder to prove their skills and abilities: “…introduction of a competitive element seemed to create a new dynamic where having fun playing games replaced “having fun” creating conflict with the teacher.” (Thompson) Moreover, clear rules make it easier for children to realize what is required from them, while rewards motivate them showing that they conform to the specified class rules. Accordingly, these techniques provide for the academic success of young learners and make schools better for them.
Way two that would improve the special needs students’ academic performance is the use of specific strategies to show the students the purpose of their study and contextualize their knowledge. This issue is especially important for ELL students. First of all, studying English as their second language, these students need additional supervising and counseling to guide their academic activities. Bilingual young learners are at even higher risk of facing issues at schools. The specific character of their education presupposes the possibility for the students to lose skills in their first language if too much emphasis is put on the second one (Lenters 328). Thus, ELL students and bilingual young learners are also in need of specific teaching practices to help them. Feher (2005) and Lenters (2004) present their views and solutions on them. One of the main points in their views is that children should realize why they have to study: “Children should be able to find or have explained the reasons for their learning a foreign language. They need to know the purpose and what they will gain from learning or they might lose interest.” (Feher) Moreover, it is rather important to allow children play in class to combine leisure activities with the academic ones. It is essential for the children psychology, and ELL students can benefit from it as their adjustment to school requirements goes through two stages – adjustment to the new culture and to the curriculum demands. As for the bilingual students, they should be provided with equal practice in both languages they study:
When young second-language children in submersion programs are immersed in the target language and receive no instruction in their first language, the results are typically a loss overtime of the first language in addition to cognitive and affective difficulties in the immersion program (Lenters 328).
Thus, ELL students and bilingual young learners can develop their language skills if their goals are articulated and the students are motivated.
In addition to ways one and two, way three would also facilitate the academic performance of the special needs students. This way presupposes the use of Assistive Technologies (ATs) in the study process of the special needs students and students with disabilities: “Young children with disabilities need an enriched environment to promote their social and cognitive participation and growth. Technologies, from low to high-tech, can play a role in promoting their participation, but are often underutilized.” (LD Online) Drawing from this, the role of teachers in the implementation of these Assistive Technologies can be overestimated – it is crucial, especially if the following facts are considered. National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in Education has been the first to offer the Assistive Technologies (ATs) for young learners with disabilities. This step was grounded by the fact that up to three years of age children are open to outside influences and receiving new information, and ATs are aimed at assisting children of exactly this age. Moreover, the clear six-step program of ATs usage and effectiveness monitoring has been proposed. It includes gathering information on children’s backgrounds, identifying their daily activities and possible areas of interventions, looking for ATs solutions, practicing them and monitoring their results (LD Online). If properly implemented, ATs can improve schools for young learners with disabilities.
Conclusion
To conclude, teachers play an important role in improving schools for young learners. First of all, they are responsible for the properly implemented teaching techniques and in-class policies that can motivate students, condition their cooperation in class and improve their academic performance. Secondly, ELL students and bilingual young learners can also benefit from the discussed teaching practices. Clear outlining of the goals of their study and guiding them on their way to knowledge can provide these students with wider range of the academic opportunities and will facilitate their study progress. Finally, students with disabilities, as people in need of special facilities to study, will see great improvements in their academic lives if all the above practices and Assistive Technologies are implemented by teachers. All these means will provide for the successful academic development of the young learners at schools.
Works Cited
Feher, Karmen. “Young Learners in language schools.” Newsletter Samples. 2005. Iatefl.org. Web.
Lenters, Kimberly. “No Half Measures: Reading Instruction for Young Second-Language Learners.” The Reading Teacher 58.4 (2004): 328+.
National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in Education. “Help for Young Learners: How To Choose AT?” LD Online. 2006. Ldonline.org. Web.
Thomson, Kevin. “Making a difficult young learner group better.” British Council. 2009. BBC. Web.