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The Art of Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners

Get an introduction to the theories of language learning and apply them to your own teaching practice.

11,669 enrolled on this course

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  • Duration

    4 weeks

  • Weekly study

    3 hours
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Find out how to teach languages to children effectively

Research shows that there is a window of opportunity for learning foreign languages during childhood.

On this course, you’ll get an introduction the theories of language learning and how to apply them in the classroom.

You’ll learn about the pedagogical foundations and methodological considerations that underpin teaching languages to children.

You’ll understand the developmental traits of children between the ages of four and twelve.

With the theory under your belt, you’ll start planning lessons, design tasks and resources for children.

Skip to 0 minutes and 7 seconds For most people, engaging in a new art form such as music, painting or even teaching may sound daunting.

Skip to 0 minutes and 17 seconds They may ask: Do I have the gift?, Do I need special skills or techniques to excel at it?, or will I be able to learn how to do it?

Skip to 0 minutes and 29 seconds Teaching a foreign language is an art form in itself. And teaching young learners involves a particular set of skills. If you envision ever teaching a foreign language to young learners, you may wonder How can I be introduced to this art form?, and how can I learn its basic skills? Then this online course is for you. Here, you will learn the characteristics of young learners, some of the principles that guide foreign language teaching and learning, the importance of intercultural communication, and the basics of designing contextualized instruction.

Skip to 1 minute and 11 seconds Join us on this four-week course on The Art of Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners.

What topics will you cover?

  • Characterising a young learner
  • Foreign language teaching: pedagogical foundations and methodological considerations
  • Fostering intercultural understanding through multimodal communication
  • Designing contextualised instruction: lesson planning, tasks, strategies and resources

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe the developmental traits of children between ages 4 and 12.
  • Demonstrate understanding of foundational notions of language teaching through the planning of a full lesson and the design of tasks for intercultural understanding.
  • Reflect on various aspects of the teaching of foreign languages to young learners.
  • Engage with children in a creative way.

Who is the course for?

The course is aimed at teachers who want to include foreign languages in their lesson planning. It will also be of interest to anyone interested in teaching languages to young people.

Who will you learn with?

Pablo Requena

Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at the University of Texas at San Antonio and the National University of Cordoba. Researcher on linguistics, child language development and bilingualism

Susana Liruso

Methods lecturer and teacher trainer at Facultad de Lenguas, National University of Córdoba, Argentina. Supervisor of trainee teachers in primary schools and language centres.

Who developed the course?

Universidad Nacional de Córdoba

Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC) is a tuition-free public university funded by the Argentine government. Founded in 1613, it is the oldest university in Argentina and one of the most prestigious.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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