问答题
English learners are getting younger. A global survey of English for young learners, undertaken by the British Council in 1999, showed that the majority of countries in which English was taught in primary schools had introduced the innovation in the 1990s.
Since then, the practice has become more widespread. In Europe, almost every country documented in the 2005 Eurydice survey showed an increasing percentage of primary pupils learning English during the years 1998-2002 (the most recent year for which data was available). Since 2002, the trend has continued apace.
(a) One rationale for teaching languages to young children is the idea that they find it easier to learn languages than older students. (b) They are still developing physically and intellectually; their emotional needs may be higher, they are less able to take responsibility for their own learning. (c) One of the practical reasons for introducing English to younger learner is to ensure that they have longer time in their school careers to master the language; another is because the timetables in secondary schools now have too many competing demands. (d)
There are many hazards attached to EYL, not least of which is that it requires teachers who are proficient in English, have wider training in child development, and who are able to motivate young children. Such teachers are in short supply in most countries, but failure at this stage may be difficult to remedy later.