An investigation into teaching english for vietnamese children from 0 to 12 years old by natural approach with helen doron english program case graduation thesis faculty of foreign languages

INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITYFACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ------GRADUATION THESIS AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHING ENGLISH FOR VIETNAMESE CHILDREN FROM 0 TO 12 YEARS OLD BY

INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

- -GRADUATION THESIS

AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHING ENGLISH FOR VIETNAMESE CHILDREN FROM 0 TO 12 YEARS OLD BY NATURAL APPROACH WITH HELEN DORON ENGLISH PROGRAM CASE

INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

- -GRADUATION THESIS

AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHING ENGLISH FOR VIETNAMESE CHILDREN FROM 0 TO 12 YEARS OLD BY NATURAL APPROACH WITH HELEN DORON ENGLISH PROGRAM CASE

STUDENT : TRẦN THỊ NGỌC ANH

ID NUMBER : 17036751

COURSE : 2017-2021

SUPERVISOR : LE PHAM THIEN THU, M.A

HO CHI MINH CITY, 06/2021

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

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Student’s declaration: I declare that this graduation report is entirely my own work and does not involve in plagiarism or collusion It also has not been accepted as part of a submission to another purpose elsewhere I accept heavy penalty for any cheating or plagiarism. Date submitted: ………

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English language has been the common language of the world for decades, the most spokenlanguage around the world Therefore, the growth of teaching and learning English has beenorientation of any country in the world It is now impossible to find a country where teachingand learning English has not become a norm However, with a lot of difficulty in teaching andlearning a second language for Vietnamese children, educators could find out severalchallenges to teachers and learners, from that discovering suitable methods to apply Englishfor children effectively From the view of this situation, to make motivation and interest inlearning a second language of children is the key target to help teachers be creative inchoosing teaching methods and support for children in getting success of learning English.Helen Doron English Program is a unique method for teaching babies, toddlers and childrenEnglish Applying HDEP to teach English for Vietnamese children from 0 to 12 years old isone of the current methods to get high effectiveness In addition, teachers and parentsunderstand clearly children’s psychology at this age, so teachers can find out a suitablemethod to help them acquiring knowledge naturally This method is mainly used with NaturalApproach – children apply the English language as their mother tongue, combined with theonset of education very early in the childhood In this study, the researcher will do a survey onthe opinions of teachers and parents in teaching English for children with HDEP Moreover,this research will be useful for parents to overcome difficulties choosing the best program fortheir children with some suggestions To conduct this study, the writer will use the qualitativemethodology to support for finding out the general view of participants in integrating HDEP

to teach English and pointing out effects of taking techniques and teaching aids to apply forchildren and giving recommendations for teachers to instruct children learning the best.This study has five main chapters to help the researcher go into detail about the problem frombeginning to the conclusion In chapter one, the author will focus on giving the problemstatement with the aims of the study, research questions, significance of doing this researchand limitation of the study Moving on to chapter two, the writer will definitely providereaders with the theoretical framework of terms involved Stepping up to chapter three, theresearcher will concentrate on describing factors such as place of the study, participants,research methods, research methodology, data procedures and data analysis In chapter four,the author will take concern on findings and discussion about the study through charts, tablesand opinions from participants and end up at chapter five with conclusion of the impact ofHDEP to teach English language for children with ages 0 – 12 years old and give some

my work became convenient and smooth.

Secondly, I am grateful for the School Board of the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh Cityand the Faculty of Foreign Languages creating advantageous conditions for me to do thisstudy

Thirdly, I would have not finished the questionnaires without the assistance from lectures whospent their time on answering my questions whenever I got troubles during designedquestionnaires

Next, I would like to be thankful for Helen Doron English Centers where teachers made acondition for me having the opportunity to conduct the survey I also thank to all parents andteachers who helped me to do the online questionnaires

In addition, my appreciation goes to all my friends who still spent tremendous sympathy andsupport on contributing to my study during this difficult time

Moreover, I would also like to show my deepest thanks to my sister who is always willing tohelp me both physical and mental aspects to boost my motivation so that I could tackledifficulties in doing my study Whenever I got troubled, she encouraged me to have moreenergy for giving a solution She turned me to be stronger and more confident to cope withtroubles

Finally, I sincerely thank all people for helping me to finish this graduation thesis

SUPERVISOR’S REMARKS

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OPPONENT’S REMARKS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 14

1.1 Rationale 15

1.2 Research goals 15

1.3 Research questions 16

1.4 Significance of the study 16

1.5 Scope of the study 16

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 17

2.1 Vietnamese children should study English at an early age 18

2.1.1 The circumstance of teaching and learning English in Vietnam nowadays 18

2.1.2 The characteristics of children from 0 - 12 years old 23

2.2 Natural Approach in teaching and learning English of Vietnamese children 26

2.2.1 Definition of Natural Approach 26

2.2.2 The characteristics of the Natural Approach 27

2.3 Helen Doron English Program 33

2.3.1 Definition of Helen Doron English Program 33

2.3.2 The characteristics of Helen Doron English Program 35

2.3.3 The roles of teachers and learners of Helen Doron English Program 38

2.3.4 The benefits and limitations of Helen Doron English Program 40

2.3.5 The outstandings of this program 41

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 42

3.1 Place of the study 43

3.2 Research Methodology and Data Collection Instruments 43

3.2.1 Research Methodology 43

3.2.2 Data Collection Instruments 43

3.3 Participants 44

3.5 Data Analysis 45

CHAPTER 4 FINDING AND DISCUSSION 47

4.1 Results from questionnaires for parents 48

4.1.1 The most suitable ages for children to learn English 48

4.1.2 Common types of courses children often learn in Helen Doron English Program 49

4.1.3 A survey of parents on suitability assessment of program for Vietnamese children 50

4.1.4 A satisfaction survey of the view of parents in children’s evolvement after learning this program 51

4.2 Finding from questionnaires for teachers 53

4.2.1 Children should learn English as soon as possible 53

4.2.2 The most suitable ages to learn English for Vietnamese children 54

4.2.3 The main features that characterize the psychological development of Vietnamese children when learning English language from 0 to 12 years old 55

4.2.4 Types of methods teachers use when teaching kids 56

4.2.5 Kinds of techniques used when teaching children with Helen Doron English Program 57

4.2.6 Common types of teaching aids teachers use in the class 58

4.2.7 Collecting opinions from teachers about the suitable levels of Helen Doron English program 59

4.3 Research discussion 60

4.3.1 Effects of Helen Doron English Program for children 60

4.3.2 Effects of teaching aids on motivating children 61

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 64

5.1 Conclusion 65

5.2 Recommendations 66

REFERENCES 68

APPENDICES 72

APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PARENTS 73

APPENDIX 2: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS 77

PROGRESS FORM 82

SUPERVISOR’S EVALUATION FORM 84

EXAMINER’S EVALUATION FORM 86

PEER EVALUATION 97

TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Periods of age for Vietnamese children to learn English language 48

Figure 2 The specific number of children in each course commonly in the study 49

Figure 3 A survey of suitable levels of curriculum for Vietnamese children 50

Figure 4 Time of progressing children learn this method 51

Figure 5 A survey on the progress of children from 0 to 5 years old 51

Figure 6 A survey on the progress of children from 6 to 12 years old 52

Figure 7 A survey of the most suitable ages for Vietnamese children to learn English 54

Figure 8 Common types of methods in the class 56

Figure 9 The specific number of activities use in class 57

Figure 10 Popular techniques to apply class 57

Figure 11 Common kinds of teaching aids appearing in Helen Doron English Program class .58

Figure 12 A survey of teachers of suitable levels in Helen Doron English Program 59

HDEP: Helen Doron English Program

HDEE: Helen Doron Early English

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

Contemporary, more and more people are spending time studying English as a secondlanguage because it is considered as a global language In fact, to approve of any languagesare not completely easy in general and English language in particular but learning English forpeople are about opening the world up On the other hand, when this social life is developingwith lots of opportunities and challenges of living standard, people have a desire to studyEnglish as a tool to help communicate with people as well as in their jobs As we can seemany businesses carry out meetings in English, universities teach courses in English as welland over the world, people use English as a common language in life

In addition, many countries around the world include the countries are using English in theirschool syllabus that orienting children should learn English at an early age Educationalexperts give advice that children can approach English by many natural ways It is important

to learn foreign languages as early as possible In the first few years of child’s lives, childrenhave to learn many things so everything is new to them At this age, whatever they learn will

be open towards new ideas Children can be able to apply their natural ability to learn Englishlanguage With this natural ability, it is easy to learn, they do not need to try very hard to learn.Furthermore, it is good for their mental health, enriching their intellectual development andhaving more possibilities to find a good job in the future as well Especially, a new methodcan be applied to teach Vietnamese children to learn English effectively is Helen DoronEnglish Program with Natural Approach This method totally helps children to be able toacquire English easily in learning English

From the demonstrations above, to create a large motivation for children to get good results inlearning new languages and Vietnamese children learn English in particular This study aims

is finding out advantages and disadvantages of learning language for children at an early age,give effective methods We can also use Natural Approach to apply for children to help themfeel less bored when learning English It is essential for school to change the way children canachieve knowledge with interest when they learn any things, exactly English language Forthat reason, I made a decision to conduct this study

1.2 Research goals

On the other hand, this study finds out the method of teaching English for Vietnamesechildren from 0 to 12 year-old with Natural Approach, especially I can mention to HelenDoron English Program Children are curious, they want to learn new things so Englishteaching methods have to get easily excited, be completely fresh and attractive to apply for

focuses on helping teachers to be more creative to lead children to English easily Using thismethod is a way of assisting teachers to do a good job in their teaching process, designing alesson with some useful activities to attract children to have motivation learn English.

1.3 Research questions

This study desires to address these questions below:

a Why should Vietnamese children learn English at an early age?

b How can we apply the Natural Approach to Vietnamese children’s learning English?

c What is Helen Doron English program? How do Vietnamese children study English withHelen Doron English Program?

1.4 Significance of the study

This study finds out strong points of using Natural Approach with Helen Doron Englishprogram to help teachers have methods to assist Vietnamese children learn English effectively.Besides supporting teachers, this study also points out special features of Natural Approach toteaching English for children, which inspire children to learn English enthusiastically.Furthermore, I am doing research with the contribution to make educators and teachers bemore creative as well as detecting many natural methods in the English teaching and learningfor Vietnamese children As the results, teachers can change their previous teaching methodsthat it could not be suitable for children from 0 to 12 year-old by having a method be HelenDoron English program to help a lesson productively and attract children to the lessonnaturally From that, children could be excited more and more in English learning

1.5 Scope of the study

The study consists of English lecturers belonging to the English center that teaching NaturalApproach with Helen Doron English Program and Vietnames students from 0 to 12 year-oldwho are learning English at centers of Ho Chi Minh City I am going to do a survey to havemore information from teachers, children at the age from 6 to 12 years old can giveinformation to support for my study and sometimes can be parents of children I hope that Iwill get their own different ideas about an English teaching method for Vietnamese children

by Natural Approach

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Vietnamese children should study English at an early age

2.1.1 The circumstance of teaching and learning English in Vietnam nowadays

2.1.1.1 Social context of teaching and learning English for children in Vietnam

In Vietnam, teaching and learning methods of English language are still mainly grammar atcurrently This leads to many students from elementary to high school still do not speakEnglish well One of the important reasons for this situation is that there are still manyproblems with teaching methods and tests

Firstly, Vietnamese students still have passive learning mentally, not self-aware of learningforeign languages in particular and English language in general Secondly, they have notreceived adequate, specific and reasonable instructions on the method of learning English, donot know how to apply this method Thirdly, the method of teaching the English language ofmany teachers nowadays is still inadequate

Thus, if we want our children to be aware of the importance of English as well as haveappropriate learning methods, we must look for a good learning method for children whenthey are young age

2.1.1.2 The advantages and disadvantages of teaching and learning English for Vietnamesechildren

2.1.1.2.1 The advantages

There are many reasons for starting with the teaching of English at an early age Studies haveproved that teaching children a second language at an early age does not affect their culture orthoughts On the contrary, it expands the child’s capacity to grasp the mother tongue andculture The implementation of English teaching in kindergarten may also become a usefulmeans for the younger generation to understand a deeper knowledge of religions and cultures

in the world (Inna Kondrashova, 2013)

Nowadays, there are also many methods to apply in teaching English language in Vietnam.Each method has a different teaching and learning strategy For example, there are someEnglish teaching methods that the teacher can use games and songs in the classroom, youngstudents learn sounds, words and even phrases Such songs are usually catchy and they areaccompanied by a funny video They must be simple and fun as well So, children learn and

do not realize that they are learning With games, which can be as often as possible utilized inthe class It is quite an effective way to learn and review vocabulary through games

In addition, I believe that there are so many advantages typically children can achieve oncethey learn a second language Retrieved fromhttps://spanishiw.com/top-10-benefits-learning-second-language-early-age/, for instance:

Higher Test Scores: Numerous reports have demonstrated students who have studied a foreignlanguage perform much better than monolingual ones

Better and more advanced reading skills: A study undertaken by York University in Canadarecommends that bilingual children’s knowledge of a second language gives them a benefit infiguring out how to peruse

Greater confidence: Children are continually finding new things, and for kids learning alanguage comes to them all the more naturally and will in general be fun as they learn in playactivities This achievement also gives them the certainly they need

Give brains a boost: Research into the impacts of bilingualism on children proposes thatexposure to more than one language is an excellent way of flexing brain muscles Bilingualchildren in a single report announced in Nature showed a significantly larger density of “greymatter” in their brains Those who had been exposed to a second language from an early agedemonstrated to have the most grey matter of all

Greater opportunities for college and careers: Colleges now place an increasingly high value

on knowledge of more than one language As the admissions process becomes morecompetitive across the board, knowing a second or a third language adds a new dimension to

an applicant’s resume (Helen Doron)

Furthermore, kids can acquire listening skills at a very young age and it helps them throughtheir lives They are likely to understand English words and phrases in different songs andnatural speech easily at an early age

In these ways and others from learning a second language, we will find out new and evenunique uses, opportunities and ideas to adapt language-learning processes to us as well as tochildren’s needs and aspirations

2.1.1.2.2 The disadvantages

According to TEFL & TESOL Courses (2019), there are downsides in such a burdensometrend First of all, English classes in a kindergarten are not low cost as principals endeavor tohire native teachers who command a high wage Therefore not everybody can afford to teachtheir child English so early

It is obvious that such young students lack motivation and it can be difficult for them tounderstand why they need to repeat some weird sounds That is why they are prone tomisbehavior If a teacher gets distracted by such poorly motivated students, a lesson isunlikely to be successful A teacher needs to engage reluctant kids in the games and relax theatmosphere in the classroom Some children can be shy and not willing to participate in anyactivities.

However, for some teaching English to preschoolers may also have some disadvantages inwhich the language is learned, if kids are in touch with the English language since they areborn, they may start speaking three to six months later; than those who are raise in amonolingual environment, children will temporally mix languages, additional effort fromparents and children to encourage each other to learn the foreign language is needed (SilkeRheman, 2010)

Fortunately, these drawbacks arise early in the language learning process One of the moststriking drawbacks of children being taught in English from the moment they are born is thatthey may begin speaking three to six months later Rehman says that “You can expect yourbilingual child to begin speaking about 3-6 months later than his/her monolingual peers”.Around the age of 18 months, monolingual children should say their first 8-10 words, andaround the age of 2 years, they should say their first two-word phrases She also suggests that

“if monolingual children do not talk in the first 6 months, they have to go and ask a doctor”.Furthermore, if bilingual children do not begin speaking after the extra six months, there islikely to be a language barrier or a medical condition impeding the learning process

Another big drawback disadvantage of teaching English particularly in preschool is thatchildren will mix languages for a short period of time Rehman states that “It is normal for bi-/multilingual children to mix up languages until about the age of 4 If children are lacking theright word in language A, they will borrow it from language B to communicate theirmessage.” It suggests that they may mix the languages at any time, affecting how they interact

or transmit their ideas or messages to others

2.1.1.3 The importance of learning English at an early age

2.1.1.3.1 The importance of learning language for young children

Some educational professions believe that children who have limited English may not beready to start school They feel that the children’s level of English will be insufficient to copewith the school environment While it is an advantage for children to speak some English and

be able to communicate their needs and wishes, some children do begin school without

For children who have already attended a children’s service, the ability to speak English is animportant asset that they can use within the school environment However, children’sreadiness for school is shown in many ways For example, children need to demonstrate anawareness of other children around them and be able to relate to others in a social context.Being able to take a risk and talk to a peer or adult even with only a few words in English is

an indicator that a child is ‘socially’ ready for school Other skills include self-confidence,positive social skills and an interest in learning (PM Clarke, 2009)

Studies have proved that learning English at an early age helps students grasp their mothertongue better, simultaneously enabling them to acquire remarkable proficiency in their secondlanguage (Inna Kondrashova, 2013)

The early years are recognized as the foundation years for children’s development Inparticular, the first six years are crucial for young children in developing their first languageand cultural identity It is during these early years that children build up their knowledge ofthe world around them For children from language backgrounds other than English, thelanguage or languages of the home that have been used since birth are the basis fordeveloping meaningful relationships and learning about meaningful communication andinteraction (Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke, 2000)

Vygotsky (1986) reported that: ‘Language is the most powerful tool in the development ofany human being It is undeniably the greatest asset we possess A good grasp of language issynonymous with a sound ability to think In other words language and thought areinseparable’ Language has a major role in supporting children’s process of identity formationand in helping them understand where they fit in the new environment they are entering Theacquisition of language is essential not only to children’s cognitive development, but also totheir social development and wellbeing

For young children interaction with adults and other children is the key to the acquisition oflanguage For infants and toddlers their early interaction with parents and caregivers providesthe basis for communication and learning in both the first or home language and in the secondlanguage (Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke, 2000)

Expert Neil Roberts, Vice President of British council teaching center said that “In this period

if we implement adequate ways that allow our students not only to study but also to playeffectively Children will not be afraid of studying rigidly, by contrast, they feel their classes

as break time and relaxing time, therefore, students feel interesting throughout their studyingtime Despite mentioned reasonable things, if children do not feel interested in English yet,

counterproductive That is a reason why English studying solutions are an important factor toattract children to learn English.”

A good quality school program should foster rich language interactions for all children andencourage the use of the first or home language as well The best experiences for childrenlearning English are those that occur within the classroom environment rather than outside itaway from their peers It is important to remember that learning English as a second language

is like other forms of learning, and learners should not be isolated from the mainstreamprogram where the best models of natural language occur (Clarke 1992)

2.1.1.3.2 The most suitable age to learn English

According to “Anh ngữ Lite”, this is a hot debate for a lot of people in particular parents.They are worried that if students study English too early, their pronounce abilities to theirmother tongue may be affected But by many surveys and researches from educationalorganizations confirm that children should learn any foreign languages before the age of 15

In addition, the brain of a child is like a perfect learning machine, according to ProfessorPatricia Kuhl, executive director of the Children's Brain Research Institute at the University ofWashington in the United States Children's brains are the most suitable for learning foreignlanguages when they are under the age of five Furthermore, children who begin learningEnglish at the age of three will be able to listen and speak with native standards, absorbreadily, and acquire mental capabilities quickly

On the other hand, there is another survey that said that after only a few hearings, childrenbetween the ages of 0 and 3 are quite competent at imitating the melody and phonetics of aforeign language song As a result, if children are given the proper English teaching, they willswiftly increase their ability to listen to and speak standard English in natural tones At thisage, children have the opportunity to discover their own norms in a completely natural way

So, they will absorb the teacher’ information quickly and readily

From study reports, this is a stage in which children’s brains begin to perfectly and the ability

of imitation is extremely quick Children are not afraid of making conversation, continuouslypracticing and thinking wisely Under 15-year-olds are a period in which children love tolearn, observe and be curious about new things Children have chances to approachpronunciation properly from alien teachers which generate natural reflex, flexiblecommunication

2.1.2 The characteristics of children from 0 - 12 years old.

2.1.2.1 Physical

For children, their perception reflects the specific visual properties of things and phenomenaand occurs when they directly affect the senses Perception helps children navigate quickly,helping children reasonably adjust activities In the child's cognitive development, teachershave a huge role in teaching how to look, form visual skills for students, guide them toconsider, to listen

In addition to the development of perception, the child's masterful attention is still weak, andattention that can be adjusted is not strong Therefore, the use of teaching aids is an importantmeans of organizing attention for students Excitement can trigger and maintain unintentionalcaptions, so teachers need to find ways to make class time engaging in order to capture thechild's attention

Children have visual memory - symbolic development predominates word memory - logic.Thinking of new school children is specific thinking, based on the visual characteristics ofspecific objects and phenomena In the development of thinking in children, specific intuition

is still shown in the early grades and then gradually shifted to generality in the final grades Inthe teaching and education process, teachers need to firmly grasp this feature Teachers need

to guide students to develop their ability to analyze, synthesize, abstract, generalize, judge,and reason through working with their teacher or peers

2.1.2.2 Mental

2.1.2.2.1 Brain development of children from 0 to 12 years old

This comprehensive guide to the brain development of children is packed with insightful tipshelp parents to understand children more We already have a lot of good information from thefield of neuroscience that can help us understand our children’s early brain development Thisstudy provides an overview of the information that parents and teachers may find useful inunderstanding and raising their young children A child’s brain development takes placeduring child development These early years are a critical period in a child’s development asthe child learns some skills and an amount of information

 In the first two years old

During the first fourth month, children attend to the human face, look in the direction of theperson who leaves them They smile in response to the person who speaks to them and laughswhen being played with

When the children are in the eighth or ninth month, they attempt to imitate the speech ofothers, by repeating syllables heard They also copy simple acts and gestures observed inothers.

In the first 2 years, the child’s play is self-centered He wants to do what he wants to, at hisown time and in his way He is generally non-cooperative and has to be handled patiently,carefully and tactfully

 From two to six years old

During this period, the children learn to adapt to others and to co-operate in group playactivities They are resistive up to the age of three years, but become cooperative and friendlyand seek the approval of adults by four years or so He likes to share or exchange his toyswith some of his friends

The activity is such as associative play and cooperative play, the last type of play activitybecoming dominant when he is in the fifth or sixth year Play with other children helps him toadjust himself to group life, to give and take – and to share his possessions with his playmates.Some of the important forms of social behavior during this period are negativism, rivalry,quarreling, teasing and bullying, cooperation, sympathy and social approval If we want thatthe child should develop attitudes of cooperation, sympathy and social approval, he shouldhave under contacts in a good nursery school

 From five to seven years old

Scott and Ytretberg (1990) stated that at this age, children can talk about what they are doing,they can plan activities, they can argue for something, tell you why they think and what theyhave done or heard They can plan activities, argue for something Children also use logicalreasoning, their vivid imaginations and a wide range of intonation patterns in their mothertongue Their own understanding comes through hands, eyes and ears The physical world isdominant at all times

Young children are often happy playing and working alone Sometimes they can be veryreluctant to share It is often said that children are very self-centered up to the age of six orseven and they can not see things from someone else’s point of view This may well be true,but do remember that sometimes children do not want to work together because they do notsee the ponit They do not always understand what we want them to do So I think youngchildren are enthusiastic and positive about learning

 From eight to twelve years old

Children of ten are relatively mature children with an adult side and a childish side They cantell the difference between fact and fiction and ask questions all the time Even they are able

to make some decisions about their own learning Children can work and learn with others(FH Rahmat, 2015)

In these periods, when a foreign language comes to them, they will realize that there are manysimilarities between learning one’s mother tongue and learning a foreign language Most eight

to ten years old will have some sort of language awareness and readiness which they bringwith them into the foreign language classroom

Let’s think about young children telling jokes They remember jokes and can work out thepunch line from the situation The system of language and the understanding of its seem tofall into place for many children in the same way

2.1.2.2.2 Critical thinking development of the children

o Why is critical thinking so important?

Critical thinking is a fundamental skill for both language and literacy success

 Language

Language and critical thinking grow up together and nurture each other’s development Aschildren engage in critical thinking, their language skills expand because they’re encouraged

to develop and use more complex language with words like “because”, phrases with “if” and

“then” and different verb tenses Conversely, as children’s language development progresses,their ability to think critically grows as well (The Hanen Centre)

 Literacy

To truly understand the meaning of a book, children must be able to do more than recognizeand sound out letters and words They must also “read between the lines” to figure things outthat are not stated in the book To do this, they must use critical thinking skills like problem-solving, predicting and explaining Encouraging this kind of thinking early in a child’s lifeprepares her for understanding the books she’ll read on her own later on (The Hanen Centre)

o When and how does Critical Thinking develop?

Research shows that children begin to think critically at a very young age These skillsdevelop during the natural, back and forth conversations children have with the importantadults in their lives

As soon as children can speak in sentences, critical thinking skills will prepare them forsuccess in school Whether you’re reading a book or taking a walk in the park, any time is agood time to build critical thinking.

2.1.2.3 Psychological

Children are at the age of forming and developing both physiologically, socially, easilyadaptable and receptive to new things Children also lack high concentration, the ability toremember, hyperactivity and emotion but still express clearly Children remember veryquickly and forget also quickly Children are curious They always want to learn new things,like to experiment, be interested in games and activities Children can not concentrate for verylong and it can be hard to calm down Children do not respond very well to explicit input andwork on language systems They want to use language, not to study it in its own right

2.2 Natural Approach in teaching and learning English of Vietnamese children

2.2.1 Definition of Natural Approach

In 1977, Tracy Terrell, a teacher of Spanish in California, outlined “a proposal for a ‘new’philosophy of language teaching which [he] called the Natural Approach” (Terrell 1977; 1982:121) This was an attempt to develop a language teaching proposal that incorporated the

“naturalistic” principles researchers had identified in studies of second language acquisition.The Natural Approach grew out of Terrell’s experiences teaching Spanish classes, although ithas also been used in elementary-to-advanced-level classes and with several other languages

At the same time, he joined forces with Stephen Krashen, an applied linguist at the University

of Southern California, in elaborating a theoretical rationale for the Natural Approach,drawing on Krashen’s influential theory of second language acquisition

The Natural Approach is another term for what by 1900 had become known as the DirectMethod It is described in a report on the state of the art in language teaching commissioned

by the Modern Language Association in 1901 (the report of the “Committee of 12”)

Krashen and Terrell see communication as the primary function of language, and since theirapproach focuses on teaching communicative abilities, they refer to the Natural Approach “issimilar to other communicative approaches being developed today” (Krashen and Terrell1983: 17) According to Krashen and Terrell, the major problem with these methods was thatthey were built not around “actual theoies of language acquisition, but theories of somethingelse; for example, the structure of language” (1983: 1) A critic of Krashen and Terrell doesdescribe about the natural of language and emphasizes the primacy of meaning Theimportance of the vocabulary is stressed, for example, suggestting the view that a language is

essentially its lexicon and only inconsequently the grammar that determines how the lexicon

is exploited to produce messages

In the Natural Approach, language output is not forced but allowed to emerge spontaneouslyafter students have attended to large amounts of comprehensible language input The NaturalApproach shares many features with the Direct method (itself also known as the "Naturalmethod"), which was developed as a reaction to the grammar-translation method and isdesigned to take the learner into the domain of the target language in the most natural mannerand was formulated around 1900 Both the Natural Approach and the Direct method are based

on the idea of enabling naturalistic language acquisition in the language classroom; they differ

in that the Natural Approach puts less emphasis on practice and more on exposure to languageinput and on reducing learners' anxiety

As mentioned above, Krashen and Terrell (1983: 1) said that “It is based on an empiricallygrounded theory of second language acquisition which has been supported by a large number

of scientific studies in a wide variety of language acquisition and learning contexts”

o Why should we use this method?

The Natural Approach enjoyed much popularity with language teachers, particularly withSpanish teachers in the United States Markee (1997) puts forward four reasons for thesuccess of the method First, he says that the method was simple to understand, despite thecomplex nature of the research involved Second, it was also compatible with the knowledgeabout second-language acquisition at the time Third, Krashen stressed that teachers should befree to try the method and that it could go alongside their existing classroom practices Finally,Krashen demonstrated the method to many teachers' groups, so that they could see how itwould work in practice

2.2.2 The characteristics of the Natural Approach

2.2.2.1 The role of teacher and learner of Natural Approach

2.2.2.1.1 The role of the teacher

In the Natural Approach, a teacher has three central roles First, this method needed theteacher as the source of comprehensible input within the target language and also the teacher

is the primary generator of that input With this role, the teacher is required to generate aconstant flow of language input The Natural Approach demands a much more center-stagerole for the teacher than do many contemporary communicative methods (Krashen andTerrell, 1983)

Second, Krashen and Terrell (1983), the teacher has to create a comfortable classroomatmosphere that is interesting and friendly as a result of in this means students will have a lowaffective filter and they can learn the maximum amount as they will Natural Approachtechniques as not demanding speech from the students before they are prepared for it, notcorrecting students’ errors and providing subject material of high interest to students.

Third, teachers have to be compelled to select some activities that they can develop andadditionally to gather more materials they can use in the class It is difficult to specifycommunicative goals that are necessary to the needs of all students Therefore, choosing anytopics or situations must be understood as syllabus suggestions instead of as specifications.,according to Krashen and Terrell

2.2.2.1.2 The role of learner

In Natural Approach, the learner’s role should not attempt to learn the language in a usualway The extent to which they can lose themselves in activities involving meaningfulcommunication will determine the amount and kind of acquisition they will experience andthe fluency they will ultimately demonstrate Students must participate in communicativeactivities to have naturalistic practice but something really important is that at the verybeginning, they do not have the obligation of answering in the foreign language but targetlanguage Learners’ roles change their stage of linguistic development Central to thesechanging roles are learner decisions on when to speak, what to speak about and whatlinguistic expressions to use in speaking

Learners have four kinds of responsibility in the Natural Approach classroom:

 Provide information about their specific goals so that acquisition activities can focus

on the topics and situations most relevant to their needs

 Take an active role in ensuring comprehensible input They should learn and useconversational management techniques to regulate input

 Decide when to start producing speech and when to upgrade it

 Where learning exercise are to be a part of the program, decide with the teacher therelative and amount of time to be devoted to them and perhaps even complete andcorrect them independently

2.2.2.2 Teaching techniques of the Natural Approach

Although children learn a language faster than adults, but they do not learn through traditionallanguage teaching methods Through fun activities, children can learn a language better as

learning becomes natural for them since these activities do not make them conscious that theyare learning a language To appeal to young learners’ learning styles, songs, rhymes andgames can be very effective tools for teaching children a foreign language These tools can beused in children’s classes to utilize their natural ability to learn a language.

Here are some typical teaching techniques:

2.2.2.2.1 Telling stories

The use of storytelling in the target language classroom creates a good learning environmentand provides meaningful and comprehensive input Through stories, the language acquisitiondevice is activated and it is easy for children to induce the language elements from dataprovided by the stories (Krashen, 1981)

Language learners can benefit from storytelling because stories help them to develop theability to understand spoken language and engage in thinking skills In connection to this,Castro (2002, p.52) reports on a study carried out in Colombia and stresses that “Listening tostories develops children’s listening and concentration skills and their ability to receive andunderstand information expressed in words Besides, with the stories children developlearning strategies such as listening for general meaning, predicting, guessing meaning andhypothesizing”

Through the stories, the children sharpen their memory and develop the ability to predict andinfer Telling stories provides the opportunities for children to speak the foreign languagecreatively, integrate information and knowledge that they learn from others sources andbecome more confident in the ability to express themselves spontaneously

On the other hand, reading stories also helps children to make connections between orallanguage and print oral language For reading stories in the early language stages, the teachershould first do a lot of pre-reading work which prepares the children to be able to understandthe stories This pre-reading work is focused on building up vocabulary through differentkinds of activities such as games, puzzles, matching activities, songs and other sorts ofactivities that help children to become familiar with the new language Children like listening

to stories over and over again Repetitive stories are particularly easy for children tomemorize Besides, the repetition feature is a great way for children to improve their readingskills (NI Porras González, 2010, pp 95-106)

2.2.2.2.2 Music

Most children enjoy singing songs, they can often be a welcome change from the routine of

break from following a set curriculum Songs can be taught to any number of students andeven those teachers with the most limited resources can use them effectively Songs can play

an important role in the development of language in young children learning a secondlanguage Yet songs may be used relatively ineffectively and the potential for languagelearning is not maximized (Neil T Millington, 2011)

Nothing can be as effective as music in children’s language classes When children do not payattention to boring instructions in a language class as they are unaware of the significance oflearning a language They will learn a language naturally if they enjoy what they are doing inclass It has been said that children have a natural taste for music and because of that Englishlanguage teachers around the world use such enjoyable and supportive means for children toimprove language learning and acquisition (Cakir, http://iteslj.org/, 1999)

Music is considered a source of motivation, interest and enjoyment, it is much easier forchildren to imitate and remember language than words that are just “spoken” A song can beused very effectively to teach children the sounds and rhythm of the language and to reinforcestructures and vocabulary Moreover, songs contain words and expressions of high frequencyand offer repetition (Cakir, http://iteslj.org/, 1999)

Songs can also provide a relaxed lesson on a hot boring day Almost everyone loves songs It

is a part of our language and life from before birth onwards As a baby, we often hear ourmother and father sing a song to deliver us to sleep in the bedroom When young children, weplay, sing, and dance to rhymes The important thing about choosing a song to do with a class

is to make sure that the lyrics are clear It can be very frustrating for the students not tounderstand a word (Dewiatinsurya, 2013)

From the description above, we are suggested to include songs in language learning as well

So, listening to the songs has become a habit that everyone enjoys Aside from that, songs candeliver a relaxing lesson on a monotonous day

2.2.2.2.3 Games

Just like songs and rhymes, games also provide a wonderful atmosphere in the children’slanguage class English language games improve learning, and with children, they are one ofthe most effective classroom tools (Shaheen, 2009)

The first reason why games are so useful is that since games make learning fun, children arewilling participants and are not just present in class because they have to be Students paymore attention because when they enjoy themselves, they do better, feel better aboutthemselves, and do even better The next reason is playing a game has a purpose and an

outcome In order to play, students have to say things Therefore, they have a reason tocommunicate and this makes them want to know and learn more Games stimulate andmotivate children to a new level They know that if they do not pay attention, they will not beable to play the game well and they will let their team down so they make more effort to join

in and learn as much as possible (Vernon,www.teachingenglishgames.com)

The proverb “repetition is the mother of skill” becomes very meaningful during the games inchildren’s language class as students get to use the language all the time with a lot ofrepetition Although repetition is boring in some cases, during games it is fun for children butthe game has a massive amount of vocabulary and grammar that can be revised in a short timebecause it is very difficult for learners to remember vocabulary if they never use it.Furthermore, the physical movement involved in some of the games also helps children have

a lot of energy and are not good at attending formal lessons for long periods, so if theyparticipate in a game involving physical movements from time to time, they will never getimpatient and bored These games increase confidence in all students Usually, this does notjust mean they get better at only English, but in all subjects in school This in turn makes theteachers more motivated and optimistic, and they can make a difference in their lessons.(Vernon,www.teachingenglishgames.com)

Language games create a bond between the teacher and their students, which is fulfilling forthe teacher and students alike In short, if used properly by the teacher, games are excellentways whereby children have fun and at the same time acquire a language (Vernon,

www.teachingenglishgames.com) So, it can be said that English language games givestudents a reason to communicate, and a context for speaking practice

2.2.2.3 Skills developed when learning Natural Approach Method

According to Krashen and Terrell (1983), when learners use Natural Approach courseorganization, they will achieve skills such as:

Firstly, they are basic personal communication skills that including oral is listening toannouncements in public places and written is reading and writing personal letters

Secondly, they are academic learning skills that including oral listening to a lecture andwritten is taking notes in class

They note that the Natural Approach is primarily “designed to develop basic communicationskilled – both oral and written” (1983: 67) They then observe that communication goals

“ may be expressed in terms of situations, functions and topics” and proceed to order four

pages of topics and situation “which are likely to be most useful to beginning students” (1983:67).

Furthermore, the view of Krashen and Terrell holds that “the purpose of a language coursewill vary according to the needs of the students and their particular interests” (1983: 65)

In a Natural Approach class, children will recognize the meaning of the words used in contextthrough activities that the teachers use to communicate and guess the meaning of utteranceswithout knowing all of the words or the grammar Besides that, teachers will try to create acomfortable classroom environment so that children will be willing to guess the meaning.The reproduction stage is the development of listening comprehension skills The earlyproduction stage is usually marked with errors as the student struggles with the language Theteacher focuses on meaning The last stage is one of extending production into longerstretches of discourse involving more complex games, role plays, open-ended dialogues, etc.2.2.2.4 The advantages and disadvantages of the Natural Approach

2.2.2.4.1 The advantages

Children acquire the target language naturally and easily Teaching materials are designedvery well Children can acquire language from easy to difficult, from single to complex andfrom concrete to abstract

2.2.2.4.2 The disadvantages

Children may use the target language fluently but they can not use it accurately Besides that,teachers should collect various teaching aids and use them appropriately Special teaching,designs are necessary for the children with better

2.2.2.5 The outstanding features of Natural Approach in applying teaching English forchildren

This method's outstanding feature is its ability to help children deeply absorb and memorizevocabulary so that they can easily apply it in practice Children learn languages visually byconstantly exploring their surroundings Furthermore, the highlight of this method is theapproach to language through humming, learners will immediately begin thinking in English

It is a natural process that occurs without our awareness or effort

2.3 Helen Doron English Program

2.3.1 Definition of Helen Doron English Program

2.3.1.1 The theory of Helen Doron English Program

Helen Doron Early English is a natural method Children acquire the target language in theway they acquire their mother tongue (K Rokoszewska, 2003) Helen Doron Method hasdeveloped the four principles which serve as a base of the HDEE learning programmes:repeated background home hearing, positive reinforcement, making learning fun and building

on success (Doron, 2010)

In Helen Doron English Program repeated background hearing of the audio portions at homeand positive reinforcement given by the teacher in the class (Doron, 2000) Babies andchildren hear the tapes at home a few times a day and then they hear them again in the class,accompanied by pictures, movements and other props, so the children gradually grasp themeaning (Doron, 2010) Another principle is that there is no pressure on the child to startspeaking immediately Since listening before speaking is natural, it is normal for babies andchildren in early programmes to not listen or participate at all, but then they gradually joinduring songs This is very different from the call and response method that the traditionalclass use, and the immersion system of the background home hearing recognises the need ofthe brain to become familiar with the sounds, and starts perceiving them as somethingcomfortable and enjoyable However, she stresses the importance of exposing a child tolanguage at home at an everyday basis and as much as possible in order to obtain best results(Doron, 2010)

When it comes to positive reinforcement, it is thought to be crucial for early acquisition Forexample, when babies produce their first sounds, parents encourage them by praising andsmiling and babies want to do this more The feeling of success motivates every child and inthe HDEP methodology it is achieved by creating a non-threatening, comfortable and pleasantenvironment in which a teacher praises and encourages every success, no matter how small(Doron, 2010) The feeling of success encourages a child to try more, to participate more andfinally to learn more

The HDEE method also promotes learning in a fun way by using games, songs and otherinteresting activities In Helen Doron classes, everything is bright, colourful and fun, so itfeels more like playing than learning and creates a pleasant, supportive environment Whilethese games and activities are entertaining for the children, they are actually intentionally and

carefully planned lessons, based on methodically designed materials that aid spontaneouslearning (Dora Rolj Kovačević, 2013).

Building on success means that a child attending Helen Doron courses should feel successful

at every moment Even if a child gives a wrong answer, the HDEP teacher gives the correctanswer with a smile, the child repeats it and the teacher praises the child In addition, when achild succeeds at one level, he can move to the next but there should never be the sense ofbeing overwhelmed (Doron, 2010)

2.3.1.2 The founder of Helen Doron English Program

Helen Doron was born on November 5th, 1955 in London She is a British Linguistic Educatorwho lives in Israel She is the founder of the Helen Doron Educational Group which offersEnglish classes to young people The various Helen Doron learning centers are linked to eachother through a franchise network that is based in Misgav She lives in Hararit

Helen Doron grew up in London She studied Linguistic Science and French language at theUniversity of Reading She taught English at the University of Poitiers in France beforecompleting her MA in Linguistics After a few years, she developed her own methodology,known as the Helen Doron English Method

2.3.1.3 The origin of Helen Doron English Program

More than 30 years ago (1985), Helen Doron had a moment of inspiration while watching heryoung daughter learn violin through the Suzuki method “If Suzuki is teaching the language

of music, why are we not teaching the music of language?”, asked Doron As a linguisticscientist, she had a deep understanding of the mechanics of language As a mother watchingher children grow up bilingual, she saw the challenges involved in teaching children English

as a second language (https://www.helendoron.com/about-us/)

The Helen Doron Method teaches English, often using music There is also listening,watching teacher’s body language and gestures and student repetition involved in this method.Helen Doron English Method was “one of the most famous and successful courses in teachingEnglish courses to pre-school children” The Helen Doron learning process was also studied

in Poland, with several young English learners (Klimova, 2013)

2.3.1.4 This program popularity in the world

 From local to global

The business grew from a home-based business into a global franchise network and HelenDoron’s vision of teaching English naturally, backed by her proven methodology and creative

learning materials including original songs, animated videos, and educational apps, opened awhole new world for teaching English as a foreign language.(https://www.helendoron.com/about-us/)

More than three million children have learned English with the unique Helen Doronmethodology Nowadays, Helen Doron English is an international educational franchise withover 30 years of experience and 94 franchisors around the world, more than 1000 Centers andpresent in more than 38 countries, and is still growing (https://www.helendoron.com/about-us/)

Thanks to this new method of learning English, there are more than 3 million childrenworldwide who can speak English as a second language since birth

2.3.1.5 This program activity in Vietnam

Currently, Helen Doron has been in Vietnam since 2018 with the desire to change theperception and method of learning for young children, creating a stable young generation ofVietnamese with global language capabilities

Helen Doron Enrichment Kindergarten is a part of the Helen Doron Group that allows youngchildren to begin and prepare a great foundation for future schooling through positivereinforcement, direct teaching, play, music and experimentation- all in a bilingualenvironment

An exclusive kindergarten bilingual curriculum, taught entirely in English, based on researchfrom around the world and developed by groups of experts in the education sector,specializing in leading educators in early childhood education and Helen Doron, pioneer ofThe Helen Doron English Method

2.3.2 The characteristics of Helen Doron English Program

2.3.2.1 The properties of Helen Doron English Program

The main characteristics of the teaching-learning process are background hearing and positivereinforcement Listening to the tape at home twice a day without focusing, children absorb thesounds and intonation of the target language, then come to the class where they learn themeaning of words, sentences and songs from the tape, are stimulated to speak and positivelyreinforced for their attempts to learn

Helen Doron teaches English as a foreign language to children, from babies to teens HelenDoron created action-packed lessons that were so much fun, the children did not realize they

interaction, conversations, music, games and a wide variety of activities, children learnEnglish easily and naturally, they can learn a second language in the same way they learntheir mother tongue.(https://www.helendoron.com/)

2.3.2.2 Education Program of Helen Doron English Program

2.3.2.2.1 Babies and toddlers (0-4)

According to the study about Helen Doron English program, there are three courses of HelenDoron English with the ages from 0 to 4 years old

2.3.2.2.1.1 Baby’s Best Start

Children get familiar with spoken English learned through developmental activities, songsand rhymes for infants ages 3 months to 2 years In this Helen Doron course, children willlearn 40 lessons over 550 new words The time length of each lesson is 45 minutes Teacherswill teach Vietnamese children English language as a mother tongue through 24 originalsongs with different rhythms and styles from around the world Children will learn English,social development, pre-reading skills, music and rhythm, brain development, baby signs andphysical development

2.3.2.2.1.2 Toddler’s Best Start

Children ages 15 months to 3 years learn through a lot of playful rhymes and 28 originalsongs with musical styles from around the world They learn 40 lessons with 700 words for

45 minutes in each lesson In classroom conversations, fun learning activities and games Thecourse develops and encourages early mathematical thinking

2.3.2.2.1.3 It’s a Baby Dragon

This course is a joyful, musical introduction to English Through repeated hearing, childrenlearn to speak easily and naturally while learning to speak their mother tongue For younglearners ages 2 to 4 years, a number of lessons are 40 lessons with 400 words and lasts 435minutes each period It is a Baby Dragon is appropriate for those who have completed Baby’sBest Start or Toddler’s Best Start

2.3.2.2.2 Kids (4-9)

There are a lot of different courses for kids from 4 to 9 years old I can list some typicalcourses to reference such as:

2.3.2.2.2.1 More Fun with Flupe

This course has 40 lessons with 650 words and 25 songs which develop the children’sphonemic awareness and pre-reading skills Students age from 4 to 6 years More Fun with

Flupe has 12 new episodes of the adventures of Paul Students find out how the characterssolve problems of the fairies, magicians and dragons they meet along their way.

2.3.2.2.2.2 Nat and Friends

This course is suitable for students age 4 to 7 years old with 40 lessons including 700 wordsand a lesson length of 45 to 60 minutes Teachers teach them to speak English withconfidence Polly the Collie and Nat the Cat, who travel the world together, are introduced topupils in eight entertaining and original videos They meet new friends from familiarchildren’s classics like Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs along the journey,and in each episode they help them solve problems and save the day

Through the repeated hearing of the animation dialogue, positive reinforcement and lots ofplayful interaction, the students learn English with ease

2.3.2.2.2.3 More Jump with Joey

At the ages 6 to 9 years, 40 lessons, 900 words and lesson length is 45-60 minutes Studentscontinue to follow lively adventures and they will watch English come alive through magicactivity books, 25 songs and lots of fun activities and games In addition, there are 12 newepisodes of the adventures of Paul and Millie in Storyville In addition to learning 25 newsongs, more advanced language structures and broadening their vocabulary A workbook forreading and writing practice will be an option for students who want to improve their readingand writing skills

2.3.2.2.3 Tweens (9-12)

2.3.2.2.3.1 World of Wonder (WOW)

This is a course for students ages 11-14 who need to learn the basics of English It is anexciting new course developed to fulfill the needs of students who did not start learning aforeign language from a young age With nature and the environment as the main theme, teensexplore four different worlds: Jungle, Ocean, Desert and Arctic; each features exciting storiesand engaging activities, to teach and enhance basic reading and writing skills through phonicsand sight words

2.3.2.2.3.2 Paul Ward Explores

This program is suitable for students aged from 8 to 14 years, 40 lessons with 1800 words andincludes listening and reading comprehension, writing, spelling and assessments to markstudent progress With 8 original songs, stories and fun activities keep students motivated.Students learn to speak English naturally as a mother tongue language—through stories,

2.3.3 The roles of teachers and learners of Helen Doron English Program

2.3.3.1 The roles of teachers

Not only has the Helen Doron methodology been taught the world over with incredible results,but because it is based on a deep understanding of how children learn and need to reach theirfull potential, kids love it Teachers are highly trained experts in Helen Doron uniquemethodology and best the industry has to offer They support your learning process every step

of the way, encouraging them to be the best they can be

The role of the teacher Helen Doron English Method may be analyzed in terms of differentapproaches adopted by Doron Firstly, it is analogical to that in Suzuki’s method HelenDoron who provides the model of the target language on the tapes, is the real teacher It isassumed that children will internalize her knowledge of English as the native speaker,pronunciation, intonation and rhythm in particular The role of the class teacher is that of ahelper or guide in children’s lessons with Helen Doron, the more so as learners listen to thecassette twice a day and meet their class teacher once a week The roles of the teacher, parentand learner are equally important Emphasizing the role of parental involvement, Doron saysthat the teacher and parent work hard in hand (Doron, 1993) Just as the teacher organizes thelearning environment in the class, the parent is expected to do so at home in terms ofbackground hearing In the case of very young children, parents participate in the lesson, i.e.they sit with them, help them and respond to their physical and psychological needs At thesame time, parents, just like teachers, are expected to give children time to learn, and neverforce them to speak, do some tasks, reprimand or overtly compare their performance

Secondly, in line with Suggestopedia whose elements are used in the course for children aged11-13 called ‘Paul Ward and the Treasure’ (PW), the teacher’s role is that of ‘the architect’ of

a highly stimulating, psychologically safe learning environment in which learners easilyremember new information and can use it creatively (Doron, 2001) The teacher’s authority issaid to come from ‘an entire way of being’, non-verbal communication being very important(Ibid) The teacher-learner relationship is influenced by the teacher’s behaviour, bodylanguage, mannerism, tone of voice or clothes

Thirdly, in the light of Edu-K, the teacher becomes a brain jog instructor who addresseslearners’ personal motivation to learn, is concerned with mental and physical aspects oflearning and emphasizes learning readiness, i.e accessing and applying innate gifs to thephysical, mental and environmental requirements of a given skill (Dennison, 1986)

Fourthly, similarly to the Montessori Method, the teacher in Helen Doron is the creator angthe interpreter of the environment (Dennison, 1964) The teacher’s talk is to prepare a rich andlearner-friendly environment by bringing a whole range of props, and creating a properlearning atmosphere Bearing in mind that children get to know the surrounding world also inEnglish, the teacher becomes an interpreter not only of the language input from the tape butalso of the surrounding world Like Montessori teachers, Helen Doron teachers are expected

to respect the child’s freedom and natural development

Generally, the teacher’s role may be described as that of a facilitator in Doron’s immersionprogramme The teacher’s task is to motivate learners to listen to the tape, show the meaning

of the absorbed language material in the most efficient way, and stimulate them to speak bythe use of various activities and props Knowing that the length of the silent period variesfrom child to child, the teacher is expected to patiently await the results of the learningprocess, allowing each child to progress at its own tempo It is assumed that speach willnaturally emerge as a result of background hearing and a stimulating positive environment(Doron, 1993) Hence, the teacher is expected to encourage learners to speak or do someactivities, respecting the child’s free will and the right to pass

2.3.3.2 The roles of learner

Children love to learn and play and they learn best when having fun Children do not enjoysitting down for long intervals- that does not motivate them to learn At Helen Doron,children always come first We have developed a way of teaching that speaks directly to them

in a language they understand and one that guarantees the best outcomes (Helen Doron) Wepromise to expose your child to a world of colourful characters, captivating stories, catchysongs and great games

The learner’s role may be described as a participant in the Helen Doron immersionprogramme The learner’s task is to listen, observe and respond First of all, the learner isexpected to listen to the tape twice a day Although at the beginning the responsibility fororganizing background hearing rests on parents, it is soon taken over by children The learneralso keeps a record of background hearing in the form of a listening chart, colouring it greenfor listening and red for not listening The learner shows the chart regularly to the teacher, and

is rewarded with some stickers or other small prizes for filling it in Each lesson begins withthe questions if learners listened to the tape and finished with reminding them to do so.Furthermore, the learner is expected to observe the teacher’s presentation of the material fromthe tape, infer the meaning and respond physically or orally to stimuli provided in various

activities like the Please Game which involves giving commands to others, with the teacher’shelp in the form of whispered prompts, if necessary.

The teacher-student relationship resembles the parent-child relationship in that the teachershows the meaning of the target language and reinforces any attempts to speak, just like aparent does in first language acsquision The teacher also responds to the child’s physical andemotional needs in a parental way In line with the Domans’ (Doman, 1994) and Suzuki’s(Suzuki, 1983) guidelines, the teacher should have a nurturing attitude towards the child.(Brewster, J & Ellis, G & Girard, D., 2002)

2.3.4 The benefits and limitations of Helen Doron English Program

2.3.4.1 The benefits

Children acquire the target language naturally and easily Teaching materials are designedvery well Children can acquire language from easy to difficult, from single to complex andconcrete to abstract

2.3.4.2 The limitation

The procedure of the method also has some problems, which refer mainly to thecharacteristics of the teaching-learning process Children may use the target language fluentlybut they can not use it accurately The method emphasizes language areas and skillsappropriate for young learners However, introducing vocabulary in thematically unrelatedsets, phonics teaching and a lack of grading grammar The assumption that learners internalizenative-like pronunciation is also undermined by teaching practice which shows that sound arenot readily acquired by those children, and have to be properly modelled and practised in theclass What is more, following the so-called natural order of skill i.e listening, speaking,reading and writing, is an oversimplification of children’s learning, which is a complexprocess whereby literacy may actually contribute to oral skills (Ibid)

Besides that, teachers should collect various teaching aids and use them appropriately Specialteaching, designs are necessary for the children to be better HD techniques are similar tothose commonly advised in teaching young learners However, they differ in a greateremphasis on information gap, suspense and fun, activation of all senses, doing andexperiencing, presentation and revision Still, the teacher has to be careful as many techniquesaddress vocabulary and grammar Another risk may be that learners will know a lot of wordsbut will use single words only if not encouraged to use them in some chunks

It is important to add that the method is very demanding for the teacher in terms of preparingand conducting the lesson Not only are the teacher’s linguistic skills important but singing,