Page 26 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom

Key Principles

The Age Factor
One of the most intriguing questions in the area of teaching English to YLs
is whether there is a critical period for learning a foreign or second language
or, as it is often put, does younger mean better? The question of age is un-
doubtedly a central concern in FLT and is reflected in the worldwide trend of
teaching an FL to ever younger children. There is a widely held belief that if
we start learning a foreign language young, we will end up as better speak-
ers of this language (Brewster et al., 2002). A standard argument claims that
starting early is especially important for acquiring a natural pronunciation
and native-like accent.
Although several studies have tried to prove the advantages of an early
start, it is impossible to give a conclusively positive answer to the question
of appropriate age for FL learning (Brewster et al., 2002; Enever, 2015; Pinter,
2011; Lightbown & Spada, 2013). Rather than a definite answer, there is a gen-
eral consensus among researchers that we can speak of benefits for different
age groups. One of the most important benefits of starting young is that chil-
dren are more sensitive to the sound and rhythm of the FL which means that
they are more likely to develop good pronunciation. They are generally less
inhibited than older learners and have lower anxiety levels. Pinter (2006) also
argues that by starting early, they ultimately dedicate more time to language
learning than those who start later in life.
On the other hand, there are several advantages of starting to learn a for-
eign language later in life, in puberty or adulthood. For one, older learners
are able to understand and analyse the rules of the new language which al-
lows them to use more efficient strategies for learning it. They can rely on a
much more developed conceptual knowledge network and superior cogni-
tive abilities compared to younger learners. Most importantly, however, they
usually have a clear sense of why they are learning the FL (Pinter, 2006).
Another important aspect related to the best time to start with FL learning
has been put forward by Enever (2015) who argues that the advantages of
starting early are closely linked to other important conditions, such as the
necessary expertise of YLs’ teachers, the continuity of the learning process,
the learners’ motivation and learning experience, the importance of setting
realistic objectives and the role of out-of-school language learning.

The Constructivist Perspective
Constructivism is a theory of knowledge influenced by the work of several
noted psychologists, such as Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner and
others. Broadly speaking, the constructivist perspective argues that ‘children

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