Learning English by Lynn Cameron. Learning Literacy Skills, Grammar and Learning through Stories - Essay Example

Chapter 5: Learning Grammar In this chapter, Lynn Cameron provides readers important insights on how young learnersof English process the learning of grammar. The main focus here are the learners ages five to twelve, and the chapter discusses the subject of English grammar as it is linked to the child learner's original “knowledge” of grammar, and the importance of knowing how the pattern of learning words and phrases is significant in learning grammar. In the first parts of the chapter, topics such as the theory of how grammar is learned is first presented. As the chapter progresses, this theory is applied through techniques that are effective inside the classroom. At the opening of the chapter, the author negates the ongoing belief that “grammar has no place in a young learner classroom” (Cameron 96). By exploring the idea of learning grammar through the eyes of the learner, Cameron opens an avenue for the possibility of effectively teaching grammar to very young English language learners. Here, on of the most important point that Cameron emphasized is that “grammar is closely tied into meaning and use of language, and is inter-connected with vocabulary” (Cameron 96). This makes one realize therefore that it is possible that there is no such thing as “wrong grammar,” but just a non-standard grammar when applied in the English language. However, this does not mean that grammar is not important, since it is crucial especially in “express[ing] precise meanings in discourse” (Cameron 98). This is where pedagogical grammars come into play. According to Cameron, “Pedagogical grammars are explicit descriptions of patterns, or rules, in a language, presented in ways that are helpful to teachers and to learners” (100). Now, while older English language learners may have the ability to understand the more formal pedagogic grammar, young English language learners need to be introduced to it slowly --- through meanings associated to single words or phrases. To support this point, it is just logical to allow young English language learners to learn grammar bit by bit, because they have a lot of time ahead of them to learn the full language. The more technical aspects of grammar may be introduced at a latter time. It can also be inferred from this chapter that since different languages may have different rules in grammar, English language learners could benefit from encouraging their curiosity, and being introduced to the “patterns and contrasts in and between languages [in and between the learner's first language and English]” (Cameron 121). This also means that teaching grammar to young English language learners can be done effectively not through formal teaching, but by introducing it whenever an opportunity shows up. Here is where one of the strongest points of the chapter lies. All within these theories and principles of teaching presented, the author also focuses on presenting classroom data. This allows readers to link the chapter's concepts to application inside the classroom, and to focus on what really happens inside classrooms of young English language learners. It is also good that this style is presented through conversations with different young learners', because not only it shows that it is applicable in almost every foreign learner situation, but also emphasizes that there are still several emergent concepts inside a young English language learner's classroom. Chapter 6: Learning Literacy Skills In this chapter, author Lynn Cameron provides readers important insights on how young learners of English develop literacy skills. Just like the previous chapter, this specific area of learning in a young English learner's classroom requires a teacher who is not only skilled in teaching, but also well-informed when it comes to some issues and concerns on the learning of literacy skills especially of young kids. The chapter provides useful information on the applicable strategies and effective principles for teaching based on the contemporary theories of how young kids learn reading and writing. However, despite all these suggestions provided in this chapter, one still needs to keep in mind that learning literacy skills by young English language learners is a complex matter, and still has a lot of areas unexplored. The chapter also helps answer questions such as 1) When to start teaching reading?, 2) What really is literacy and how to introduce it?, and/or; 3) How to encourage young learners to enjoy the process of learning to read and write? These are very common questions of teachers in both L1 and L2 classrooms, and the book allows teachers to make informed decisions when it comes to teaching literacy skills to young learners. Generally speaking, English is usually introduced in most primary schools, giving children several years ahead of them to continue learning the language. Therefore, it is also crucial to link this fact to the whole process of teaching literacy skills. This is also where the concept of satisfied learners comes in. This chapter also stresses the importance of encouraging children to learn through different approaches, and through giving reading and writing different roles in these learners' learning process. One crucial part of successful learning is letting the children feel the emotional, physical, social, mental, and linguistic satisfaction of developing literacy skills. Teachers should understand that these are several factors that affect a child's development of literacy skills. Things to consider in this area are the child's experiences within their native language, the child's age, the written forms of the child's native language, the child's current literacy in English, and the child's literacy in his or her mother tongue. It is even sometimes helpful to check the learner's fluency and fluidity in both the native tongue and English, in order to see the learner's strengths in his or her native tongue, and check how those strengths can be transferred in developing the learner's English literacy skills. In line with this, since a child already has a certain level of literacy upon entering school, Cameron emphasizes that every level of literacy is important. Language knowledge and skills should go hand in hand in the development of literacy. She states that young English language learners should be considered as a satellite looking for information by zooming in and out to different levels, scales, etc. Cameron also emphasizes on the different levels of skills of young learners, from understanding letters, to syllables, morphemes, words, sentences, paragraphs, texts, and eventually, contexts. The chapter also touches on the fact that even if these young English language learners are taught English from their first day of school, they do not really attend primary school without any previous knowledge of their language, or even of English. A lot of them would have their own levels of literacy, be it in their mother tongues or in English. This is why it is difficult to say when literacy skills begin to develop, because basically, it is the form of language used in sharing meanings and expressing thoughts among people. This is another strong point of the chapter --- making teachers very much aware that literacy is both a cognitive and a social skill. Chapter 7: Learning through Stories According to the author, stories are good tools in teaching young learners a secondary language --- for this matter, English. Stories exposes a child to the use of “rich, authentic...language” (Cameron 159). They also provide children with a chance to a learning process that is both educational and enjoyable. This is the whole idea of the teaching strategies provided in the book --- to allow children to enjoy the whole process in order to feel emotional, physical, social, mental, and linguistic satisfaction of learning a foreign language. The author first shows how a story can be considered as discourse, before presenting the linguistic characteristics that are embedded within stories that can be utilized within L1 and L2 classrooms. She explored the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” to show how its structure, vocabulary, meaning, etc. are useful tools in teaching English, and how the characteristics of the story can be used as guidelines in choosing which stories to utilize in classroom learning. Cameron also stresses the point that even in choosing a story to use, the learner's enjoyment must be given consideration: “A good story is, at on level, simply one that listeners or readers enjoy” (166). Not only do stories provide an important tool in teaching a foreign language, if chosen correctly, they also provide children with knowledge in the culture of the target language. It is not even necessary to use a whole book when it comes to using stories. A chapter, a passage, or even storybooks will do. Storybook can actually encourage learners, especially the younger kids, to enjoy the whole process of learning. According to the author, storybooks can b very useful when it comes to combining learning language and cultural contexts. They are also good stimulants of the children's active imagination. Even sharing storybooks among classmates can provide the learners with a deeper social learning, making the classroom environment a more enjoyable place of learning. It also helps in providing authentic grammatical structures, allowing learners to slowly begin to understand more advanced aspects of grammar like the past tense, etc. Since most storybooks that can b used in classrooms are child-oriented, it helps the child to links words to pictures, thus create meanings. As learned in the previous chapters, a deeper understanding of meanings opens an avenue for understanding the language. In general, what the author wants to share is that using stories to steer clear of the traditional use of coursebooks to teach young English language learners is appealing especially to the active minds of young children. It also encompasses several fields in the area of language learning --- vocabulary, grammar, contexts, etc. And while there are truly several teaching strategies than one can apply inside a language learner's classroom, in the end, the teacher must look not only into the scope of topics that can be learned, but also into ensuring that lack of interest among learners will be avoided through the chosen method of learning. Read More