When I was about 17 and couldn’t wait to be 18, a friend of my mum’s told me that years would pass so quickly after the age of 25. That was a big “Huh!” for me at that time but now (at the age of 31) I totally agree with her. I have no idea how and when all things happened that are in my life now. I graduated from high school and then from university, became a teacher, got married, became a wife then a mum…  Now, I’m standing here, with my experiences in my pocket and still trying to fill them… As my mum says “You can lose everything except your experiences”. Talking a lot about mum? Hmmm…  Getting older perhaps… Just like Sezen Aksu- the adorable Turkish singer- says:  “If you remember your mum ever so often; moreover, understand her better; hug your inner child! You are getting older.”

OK! Back to the “experience” thing… Now, I have my experiences as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mum, a friend, an educator… etc. I know very well that when you share things they become more mature and valuable so I want to share the ones about being an educator for Very Young Learners (VYL). Here’s a list from A to Z in alphabetical order: (only one thing is mentioned for each letter but seems like the list may continue in the following days…)

Agreement: On the very first day(s) of school, after meeting each other, set the rules of your class, all agreed with the students. As the VYL need visualization, ask them to picture the class agreement and hang it into the class where they can always see and remember.

Bullying: Even small kids can attack those in the class who are less powerful. The action may be emotional or verbal- nearly never physical, no matter how it is done, it must be taken into consideration immediately and seriously.

Curiosity: When you teach VYL, you have to arouse curiosity in your class. For instance, if you are telling a story, don’t tell the whole story at once. Read one page or two, and then tell them you will continue in the next lesson. Believe me, the next lesson they will be waiting for you to tell the rest of the story.

Decorate: Use a lot of colorful and varied materials to decorate your classroom. Colors send signals to the brain without us even thinking about it. The colors in a room can change the atmosphere of a room and behavior.

Experience: Let your students experience the language on their own. Let them play with words, make mistakes and learn from their own or peers’ mistakes. Don’t be the “always correcting teacher”.

Fun: Always find something fun for your subjects. Bring a puppet, a wig, a cloak or a wizard’s hat etc. There are many things you can bring to your class and surprise your kids.

Girls or Boys?: Oh! That’s a very big problem when teaching VYL. If you recognize three girls one after another then boys will start complaining about you always calling on girls. Vice versa may happen… So keep in mind, the best formula is one boy, one girl   ;)

TO BE CONTINUED…