Early experiences in English: Do, talk, enjoy and learn!

This paper reports how one teacher enriched the ways she provided early experiences in English to young children. The teacher wanted children to enjoy language experiences that involved them as active and interactive learners. She thought carefully about the children and the early childhood setting, and decided to set up a shop in the classroom, with the children's help. She modelled correct 'shopping' behaviour, was on hand to scaffold children's use of language, and helped them find ways to solve problems that arose at times. The teacher was surprised at the children's enthusiastic response to the shopping activities, and at their confidence in using the language in context. 'Going shopping' has motivated the teacher to try out other ways of providing children with active and interactive language experiences.
本文旨在介紹一位老師如何有效地啟發幼兒學習英語的方法。該老師期望透過適切的活動，讓兒童在主動學習及互相交流中獲得語言經驗。她對這班兒童的特徵及其所在的環境，作出了周密考察和分析，最後，決定與兒童一起，在課室內設置一個購物遊戲區。她先以準確的「購物」模式作出示範，之後引導和幫助兒童在討論購物區的建設和參與購物活動中，建構自己的語言。這位教師十分驚喜地發現，兒童對購物活動反應熱烈、角色關係和諧、語言運用自如。這項成功的經驗，使該教師去嘗試不同的方法，讓幼兒更加主動地在團體遊戲中汲取語文經驗。 Copyright © 2002 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.