English learning program for children: tips and tricks for choosing games

We have said more than once that English for children should be taught exclusively in a playful way. You can teach children a new language with the help of colorful cards, funny songs and rhymes, and funny videos. A computer program for learning English for children will also be a good help in classes. It’s the 21st century and there’s nowhere to hide or hide from children’s love for technical toys. Therefore, today’s material will be entirely devoted to finding the optimal computer or mobile course for teaching English to preschool children.

Can computer games be useful?

The debate about the dangers and benefits of teaching children to use a computer from an early age will probably never subside. We will not delve into all the positive and negative facts of computerization, but we will immediately make a reservation that we recommend using computer games in English only as additional material. They can devote one small lesson a week, for example, 20-30 minutes on a weekend, or 5-10 minutes to review the learned vocabulary at the end of each lesson.

If programs and games for learning English cannot be a full-fledged textbook, then why use them at all? The answer is simple, again so that English seems to your children not as a strict duty, but as useful and interesting entertainment. In addition, this form of training has a number of special advantages.

A computer program for learning English helps the learner:

• remember sounds and letters;
• learn new vocabulary;
• listen to the correct pronunciation of words;
• master reading skills;
• gain first knowledge of grammar;
• learn the cultural traditions of the country;
• test the acquired knowledge.

As you can see, with games you teach children many useful things. But not every computer program is suitable for learning from scratch and will captivate a child into the world of the English language. In the next section we will learn how to choose the right computer training courses for preschool children.

What should be the English learning program for children?

There are two main criteria by which the effectiveness of an interactive program for activities with children is assessed: the children’s interest and the usefulness of the material. In order for both of these factors to be positive, you need to pay attention to the following points when choosing a course.

1) Interface

First of all, the program should be convenient and pleasant to work with. Even the presence of all subsequent factors will not allow you to conduct classes without a comfortable control mode. Ideally, the interface should be so intuitive and simple that the child can independently complete all the lessons and tasks. Otherwise, such lessons will simply be meaningless.

2) Difficulty

Focus on the child's level of preparation. The material should not be difficult for children to understand, but it should not be too easy.

If you are just starting to learn English for kids, then be sure to make sure that the curriculum has a section on letters and sounds. At the same time, for children over four years old, such information is hardly of any interest. Here you need to pay close attention to the presence of useful vocabulary, a small explanation of grammar, etc.

Other English topics: English for children from scratch: when to start studying and how to instill a passion for the language

3) Material supply method

Children's attention is attracted, of course, not by the educational “filling”, but by the beautiful wrapper, i.e. means of providing new information. A good course can influence all organs of perception. To do this, the program must have:

• bright and child-friendly pictures;
• clear and not too fast voice acting;
• funny songs or dialogues;
• colorful animated videos;
• entertaining interactive games.

All these factors can interest a child in learning English.

4) Storyline

Short individual lessons are unlikely to be interesting even for children 4-5 years old, let alone older children. The program must have a plot and various characters. Firstly, it is more interesting for the child to study, and secondly, the desire to find out what happens next in the plot story will push the children to master new information.

5) Knowledge testing system

The interest of children must be constantly maintained, therefore a system of bonuses should be provided for the correct completion of tasks. It can be anything: game points, various certificates and diplomas, increasing the game level, hidden videos that open only with all the correct answers, etc.

The verification format is also important. For children who are only 3-4 years old, voice acting of both the task itself and all the words involved in it is required. Tasks must be explained clearly and understandably. Also, a good program always has hints in stock, designed in case the child finds it difficult to pass the test or thinks too long about its solution.

This, in theory, should be an effective program for learning English for children. Now let’s take a practical look at which computer applications have earned recognition from children and their parents.

English for children 7-8 years old: extracurricular activities program

Fetkulaeva S.A. English for children 7-8 years old: program of extracurricular activities // Sovushka. 2022. N2 (20). URL: https://kssovushka.ru/zhurnal/20/ (access date: 01/25/2022).

Order No. 666651

Program Information Card

Explanatory note

The additional educational program “English for children 7-8 years old” has a social and pedagogical orientation and is intended for the implementation of paid educational services with 1st grade students.

The socio-economic changes that have occurred in our country over the past 5-10 years have led to a decisive revision of the place and role of foreign languages ​​in the life of society. The main goal of teaching children English is to create positive motivation for further learning a foreign language. At this stage, it is of great importance to create psychological and didactic conditions for the development in younger schoolchildren of the desire to learn a foreign language, the communicative and cognitive need to communicate with foreign peers and discover their world.

The purposefulness and effectiveness of teaching children to communicate in a foreign language is explained by the fact that at this stage of their development, children are less withdrawn and shy than older students. It is also easier for them to achieve good pronunciation. They have a better developed sense of rhythm and auditory perception. A foreign language creates conditions for early communicative and psychological adaptation of children to another culture in order to subsequently overcome psychological fear in using a foreign language as a means of communication.

Communicating in a foreign language in the classroom, children become acquainted with foreign children's songs, fairy tales and poetic folklore and they develop an interest in participating in theatrical performances in a foreign language. A foreign language is presented as the key to the world of games and adventures. When learning a foreign language, children develop communicative and playful abilities to play out various situations of communication with children and adults in a foreign language. At this stage, conditions are created for the bilingual development of children.

Teaching listening and speaking in a foreign language is aimed not only at solving traditional educational problems, but is also a way of introducing a child to the world of a foreign language and getting to know the life of children from other countries.

The program ensures the development of intellectual general educational skills and creative abilities in students, necessary for further self-realization and the formation of the child’s personality, allows the child to express himself, overcome the language barrier, and reveal his creative potential.

The program is designed taking into account the requirements of the second generation federal state standards and corresponds to the age characteristics of primary schoolchildren.

One of the main objectives of education according to second generation standards is the development of the child’s abilities and the formation of universal educational actions, such as: goal setting, planning, forecasting, control, correction, assessment, self-regulation.

To this end, the program provides for a significant increase in active forms of work aimed at involving students in dynamic activities, ensuring their understanding of language material and developing intelligence, and acquiring practical skills for independent activity.

When developing the program, a person-oriented approach was taken into account, that is, the psychological and age characteristics of children were taken into account. All program materials correspond to the interests of students of this age, increase motivation, and contribute to their personal and social development.

The principles of the communicative approach are consistently implemented, aimed at developing the communicative competence of students.

To achieve these goals, the program material includes a large number of communicative-oriented tasks: various games, communicative situations. Based on songs, rhymes and stories, handmade elements, etc.

The activity approach allows students to master ways of interacting with the world. The activity aspect of learning is expressed in the fact that students have to master both verbal activity and types of non-verbal self-expression, that is, the educational process is an interaction and solution of communicative (problem) problems.

The development of students' cognitive abilities is also one of the main principles of the course, which is embodied in tasks to develop memory and skills in working with information.

An innovative feature is the implementation of the principles of a multisensory approach, which is based on the involvement of the senses in the educational process. Tasks are offered using various sounds, noises, music, images, objects (crafts), facial expressions, gestures, movements, etc. The purpose of these tasks is to activate all channels of information perception and thereby make learning as effective as possible for all students. When selecting language material, speech situations, illustrative and audio materials, I was guided by the principle of authenticity. Students are offered excerpts from original texts belonging to different functional styles, as well as poems, rhymes and songs.

The sociocultural orientation is ensured through the inclusion of linguistic and cultural materials, knowledge of which is necessary to expand students’ understanding of the world. This gives students initial information about the traditions of Great Britain, the lives of their foreign peers, what they do in their free time, and where they like to go. Students will learn about tea ceremonies and traditional ice cream vans, British school uniforms and their favorite attractions - London Zoo and Legoland.

The program also reflects interdisciplinary connections: elements of mathematics, knowledge of the world around us, the work of music, geography and history are used.

The concept of the program is based on the principle of language acquisition due to the immersion of students in a language environment. Children of primary school age master a new language without special effort if, on the one hand, they constantly hear the foreign language speech of the teacher and speakers and are surrounded by examples of written speech in visual materials, and on the other hand, they are emotionally involved in the learning process through games, songs, rhymes , manual labor, etc.

Mastering general abilities, skills and methods of activity is a necessary condition for the development and socialization of schoolchildren. Purposeful and systematic formation of general educational abilities, skills and methods of activity is one of the most important principles underlying this program.

Goal and objectives of the program

The purpose of the program: to create conditions for the intellectual development of the child and the formation of his communication and social skills through gaming and project activities through the English language.

Tasks:

1. Cognitive aspect.

• introduce children to the culture of the countries of the language being studied (music, history, theater, literature, traditions, holidays, etc.);
• promote an earlier introduction of younger schoolchildren to a new language world for them and their awareness of a foreign language as a tool for understanding the world and a means of communication;
• introduce the mentality of other peoples in comparison with their native culture;
• form some universal linguistic concepts observed in native and foreign languages;
• contribute to the satisfaction of personal cognitive interests.

2. Developmental aspect.

• develop motivation for further mastery of the English language and culture;
• develop learning skills and develop rational methods for mastering a foreign language in students;
• introduce children to new social experiences by expanding the range of social roles played in play situations;
• to develop children’s readiness to communicate in a foreign language;
• develop speech technique, articulation, intonation;
• develop children's motor abilities through dramatization;
• introduce the basics of acting and teach how to behave on stage.

3. Educational aspect.

• promote tolerance and respect for other cultures;
• introduce to universal human values;
• promote the development of personal qualities (the ability to work in cooperation with others; communication skills, respect for oneself and others, personal and mutual responsibility);
• ensure communication between the school and the family through the involvement of parents in the process of preparing productions;
• to instill independent work skills for further mastery of a foreign language and culture.

Features of the program implementation

The basic principles of training at the initial stage of mastering a foreign language are:

• The principle of communicative orientation (the main function is to create conditions for communication);
• The principle of collective-individualized interaction (the main function is the maximum realization of the child’s individual abilities through collective forms of education);
• The principle of accessibility and feasibility (taking into account the specifics and capabilities of age).

To implement the program in the classroom, the following teaching methods are used:

• Explanatory and illustrative. Communication of educational information using various didactic means: words, various manuals, demonstration of video courses. Students perceive, comprehend and record the acquired knowledge in their memory.
• Reproductive. Its essence is the repeated repetition of samples given by the teacher, and its main purpose is the formation of skills and abilities to use and apply the acquired knowledge.
• Partially searchable. The main purpose of the method is to gradually prepare children to solve problems independently.
• Creative. The essence of the method is to ensure the organization of creative search activities of students to solve problems that are new to them.
• Game. Used when implementing a program as a lesson or part of it (introduction, explanation, reinforcement, exercise, control).

Students in a playful way master the main types of speech activity - speaking, listening, get acquainted with English sounds, and get the first ideas about English-speaking countries and their culture.

Since the majority of children of this age do not yet read even in their native language, learning English occurs orally.

The oral beginning from the first steps creates conditions for revealing the communicative function of the language, arouses students’ interest in the subject and creates a fairly high motivation for learning English, allows children to focus their attention on the sound side of a new language for them, somewhat pushing aside graphic difficulties.

Dramatization in extracurricular activities acts as an effective means of increasing motivation to master foreign language communication. It is dramatization that helps children “plunge into the language” and overcome the speech barrier. Work on reading and dramatizing literary works that correspond to the age characteristics of students in grades 3-4 contributes to the development of students’ creative imagination, expansion of vocabulary, development of individual abilities, creativity, increasing their emotional responsiveness, stimulating imagination, imaginative and associative thinking, self-expression, enriching the inner spiritual world of the student.

Dramatization, like no other technique, can help a teacher overcome a child’s resistance to learning a foreign language, making the process of learning English exciting and enjoyable; setting realistic goals for the student, successfully achieving which, he will want to move on; connecting the child’s language learning experience with his or her life experiences.

The subject of the program is based on the principle of Round-up lessons. Therefore, a forward movement is possible, maintaining continuity and a step-by-step process, which covers all aspects of language activity: mastering vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading and tasks for reaction and ingenuity. This positively motivates language learning. Lexical and grammatical topics (round-up principle), repeating from level to level, are enriched with new vocabulary (becoming more complex and supplemented), thereby deepening and expanding the language level of students.

Forms of conducting classes

English language classes are traditionally based on three forms: individual, group and mass work (speeches, performances, matinees, etc.). The leading form of organizing classes is group work. During classes, an individual and differentiated approach to children is provided.

Each lesson consists of two parts – theoretical and practical. The teacher plans the theoretical part taking into account the age, psychological and individual characteristics of the students. The program provides for classes that integrate various forms and techniques of game-based learning, design, literary, artistic, visual, physical and other types of activities.

In order to achieve high-quality results, it is desirable that the educational process be equipped with modern technical means, visual aids, and game props. With the help of multimedia elements, the lesson is visualized, evoking positive emotions in students and creating conditions for the successful activity of each child.

During the holidays, educational activities may change (going to theaters, showing plays, participating in concerts, holding joint holidays with parents, etc.)

Class schedule, number of hours

The program is designed for 1st grade students (7-8 years old).

Classes are held 2 times a week for 30 minutes from October to April.

Place of classes: it is recommended to conduct classes not only in the classroom, but also in the game room, gym, fine arts and music classrooms, in the assembly hall, in the library and on the playground (depending on the type of activity in the lesson).

Activities:

• gaming activities (including outdoor games);
• reading, literary and artistic activities;
• visual activity;
• staging dramatic scenes and performances;
• listening to songs and poems;
• learning poetry;
• learning and performing songs;
• project activities;
• performing exercises for relaxation, concentration, and development of imagination.

The effectiveness and efficiency of this program depends on compliance with the following conditions:

• voluntariness of participation and desire to prove oneself;
• a combination of individual, group and collective activities;
• combination of children's initiative with the guiding role of the teacher;
• entertaining and novel content, forms and methods of work;
• aesthetics of all events;
• clear organization and careful preparation of all planned events;
• the presence of goals and prospects for activity, the opportunity to participate in competitions, festivals and projects at various levels;
• widespread use of methods of pedagogical stimulation of student activity;
• publicity, openness, involvement of children with different abilities and levels of mastery of a foreign language;
• involving parents and older students in preparing and conducting events with younger students.

Results of training in the program “English for children 7-8 years old”

• Personal results - general ideas about the world as a multilingual and multicultural community, awareness of language, including foreign, as the main means of communication between people, familiarity with the world of foreign peers using the means of the foreign language being studied;
• Meta-subject results - development of the ability to interact with others when performing different roles within the limits of the speech needs and capabilities of a primary school student, development of the student’s communicative abilities, the ability to choose adequate language and speech means to successfully solve an elementary communicative task, expansion of the general linguistic horizons of primary schoolchildren, development of cognitive, emotional and volitional spheres of a junior schoolchild;
• Subject results are mastery of initial ideas about the norms of a foreign language (phonetic, lexical), the ability to find and compare linguistic units such as sound, letter and word.

In the communication field:

I. Speech competence:

• speaking – conducting an elementary etiquette dialogue in a limited range of typical communication situations;
• listening - understand by ear the speech of the teacher and classmates;

II. Language competence:

• adequate pronunciation and auditory discrimination of all sounds of the English language, compliance with the correct stress in words and phrases;
• application of the basic rules of graphic representation of letters and words;
• recognition and use of studied lexical units in speech.

III. Sociocultural awareness:

• knowledge of the name of the country of the language being studied, some literary characters of children's works, poems, songs.

In the cognitive sphere:

• the ability to compare linguistic phenomena of native and foreign languages ​​at the level of individual letters and words;
• the ability to act according to a model when performing tasks;
• the ability to carry out self-observation and self-assessment within the limits accessible to a junior schoolchild.

In the value-orientation sphere:

• ideas about the foreign language being studied as a means of expressing thoughts, feelings, emotions;
• familiarization with the cultural values ​​of another people through children's fairy tales;
• development of a sense of beauty;
• the ability to follow a planned plan in your educational work.

Educational results:

The first level of results is the acquisition of social knowledge about the situation of interpersonal relationships, mastering ways of behavior in various situations.

The second level of results is that schoolchildren gain experience and a positive attitude towards the basic values ​​of society (person, family, homeland, nature, peace, knowledge, work, culture).

The third level of results is that schoolchildren gain experience of independent social action (the ability to present their own projects, performances, productions to the audience), including in an open public environment.

Personality qualities that can be developed in students as a result of classes:

• tolerance, friendly attitude towards representatives of other countries;
• cognitive, creative, social activity;
• independence (including in decision making);
• the ability to work in collaboration with others and be responsible for one’s decisions;
• communication skills;
• respect for yourself and others;
• personal and mutual responsibility;
• readiness to act in unusual situations.

Monitoring and evaluation of the planned results of mastering the program

At the initial stage of learning, interest in a foreign language is established; students’ achievements are very flexible and individual.

Control at this stage is carried out in the form of a game (competitions, performances, vocabulary games, solving crosswords and puzzles), through the implementation of creative tasks, their presentation and subsequent reflection.

The methods for determining the effectiveness of the program are: diagnostics carried out at the end of each section in the form of natural pedagogical observation; exhibitions of works or presentations of a project.

Form of summing up: the final work at the end of each topic is theatrical performances, stage productions, open classes, games, concerts, competitions.

Calendar and thematic planning

Literature:

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2. Bim I. L. Sample programs in foreign languages. English language. Primary general education / I.L. Beam, M.Z. Biboletova et al. M.: Astrel AST, 2005. 192 p.
3. Grigoriev D.V. Extracurricular activities of schoolchildren: methodological designer: a manual for teachers / D.V. Grigoriev, P.V. Stepanov. M.: Education, 2010. 223 p. (Second generation standards).
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