Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Introduction to Early Childhood Education

• Approaches to early childhood education are presented.
• Neuroscience in early language development is introduced.

Table of Contents

• Language development in preschool years is discussed.
• Introduction to neuroscience
• Why neuroscience is relevant for ESL teaching.
• The social brain and mirror neurons
• Contemporary theories in early language acquisition including the Neurofoundation approach and seven layers
• Teaching a second or third language to young children.
• EFL teaching background - primary and pre-primary education
• Approaches to early childhood education - example of a format, details on child-initiated activity and teacher-led activity
• Tips for teaching English considering Gardner's multiple intelligences

Introduction

• Adults often try to learn languages in a contrived, unnatural way.
• When people are immersed in a language, like children learning through play and exploration, learning is easier and quicker.
• Children of four years immerse in the environment, and learn 2,000 words.
• Babies babble 70 sounds that make up all languages of the world during the first six months.
• Babies lose their ability to speak languages if they are not exposed to them.

Introduction to Neuroscience

• Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system and the brain.
• The brain has plasticity, which means it can change throughout life.
• The brain reorganizes itself by forming new connections between brain cells (neurons).

Why Can Neuroscience Be Relevant for Educators?

• Neuroscience offers educators valuable insights into learning processes.
• Neuroscience helps educators identify and support students with learning difficulties.
• Neuroscience helps create better learning environments and methods.

Neuroscience Is Relevant

• Language Acquisition: Neuroscience provides insights into how young brains acquire language.
• Memory and Retention: Techniques, like spaced repetition and active recall, improve vocabulary retention and skills.
• Engagement and Motivation: Neuroscience highlights the emotional importance of engagement in learning.
• Multisensory Learning: Multisensory activities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) make language learning more effective and enjoyable.
• Addressing Learning Differences: Neuroscience helps identify and support students with learning differences, like dyslexia.

Experiment

• By the time a student reaches high school, the optimum learning period is lost.
• In Sweden, there are high literacy rates, where different languages are spoken, especially at migrant camps.
• Three-year-olds can speak three different languages fluently.
• Sensory stimulation and play combined with language learning is used

The Social Brain

• Learning was believed to be an isolated process.
• Interaction with a group is necessary to develop intelligence.
• The brain adapts itself to changing environments.

Mirror Neurons

• Mirror neurons fire when performing certain actions or observing others perform those actions.
• The brain's mirroring of another's action enables imitation and empathy.

Contemporary Theories in Early Language acquisition: "Neurofoundation"

• The first year of life is critical for infants to hear repeatedly repeated sounds
• A cluster of neurons becomes wired to respond to that phoneme.
• The brain creates a map for the sounds of the languages in a child's environment

Kadho's Neurofoundation Curriculum

• Interventions exercise children's neural processing from the earliest age, ensuring all remaining circuits work effectively later in life, especially second language learning

The Neurofoundation Approach

• Infants are born with a fully developed auditory system, able to process and respond to sound.
• During early years, sound processing and attention are important.
• Sound processing is the ability to focus on and distinguish certain sounds.
• Attention consists of the ability to consciously focus on sound aspects.

Syllables

• Syllables are the key units and building blocks for language processing.
• Phoneme discrimination is the essential skill needed for language learning.

Neurofoundation by Khado

• Language development is not necessarily dependent on genes.
• There is an important period for brain development for future language skills (0-3 years old).
• Children's language potential can be reached, regardless of circumstances.

Stages of Language Development

• Different stages are discussed.

Language Acquisition by Neurofoundation: "The Seven Layers"

• Attunement to language sounds (rhythm, tone, stress, intonation) occurs even in the womb.
• Development and protection stage: Exposure to basic sounds of languages.
• Enhancement and reinforcement: Combinations of sounds form linguistic combinations.
• Preparation for language learning (lexicon, semantics, and objects).
• Language mastering: Understanding more complex grammatical concepts, increased vocabulary, improved semantics, syntax, grammar development.

The Verbal Self

• The second year of life is characterized by increased linguistic ability (left brain development).
• Words become an important part of feedback.
• The quality of verbal feedback is significant as well.

Cognitive Benefits

• Stimulating a baby's brain is linked to a higher IQ score

How Can You Teach A Second or Third Language to Young Children?

• Infants learn through listening, seeing, imitating, and practicing.
• Children should be encouraged to use rhymes, songs, games, and counting in the target language.
• Having fun is essential as it aids memory creation

Is Having Fun Important?

• The emotional part of the brain is responsible for forming memories.
• Learning which is made emotional and fun, creates easier connections.

Approaches to Early Childhood Education

• Discusses different approaches, formats, child-initiated and teacher-led activities

EFL Teaching Background- Pre-Primary Education

• Current situation in EFL teaching under six years in Europe, Asia, and South America.
• Repetition of language items, songs, and games are employed.
• Recognizing the value of activities but focusing on spontaneous communication

Approaches by Bruner

• Interaction between children and parents occurs through routines and familiar situations (e.g., "Peek-a-boo").
• These routine activities form the basis for "format" learning.
• These formats have a structure, rules, and clearly defined roles.

Child-Initiated Activity

• Child-initiated activity is important for exploration, making mistakes and developing independence
• Children become responsible for learning.

Teacher-Led Activities

• Formats appear in classroom routines and game-like activities.
• These activities help develop understanding, create opportunities to predict, support, enhance vocabulary.
• Frequent exposure to linguistic features and routines fosters language acquisition.
• Children should lead activities to apply the key learning principle

How we can deal with teaching a second or third language considering Gardner's Theory

• Learn by doing (e.g., role playing).
• Learning through pictures, accompanied by language.
• Learning should be fun; avoiding stressful environments.
• Utilizing music and rhythm to engage kids, learn through movement.
• Linking numbers and words for memorization using different methods
• Engaging through different senses like touching and tasting

References

• Different references on the topics are cited.

Further Suggestions

• Questions for the audience