e-learning for toddlers

Basic techniques

No matter how eager some adults might be for children to read and write, we need to be aware of each child’s readiness. To be ready to read, a child has to be able to focus their eyes on the page, line and word. To be ready to write, they have to have mastered a certain degree of eye-hand coordination. As we have stated, the emphasis in e-learning for toddlers is on listening and speaking. There are also a number of subtle pre-reading and pre-writing activities which help children develop the muscle coordination they need for reading and writing.

By moving towards the development of these important skills carefully and systematically, we empower the learners with a feeling of confidence and success.

Working with the Picture Cards

The purpose of the Picture Cards is to provide a visual means of introducing most of the new words. In addition to this, by providing a visual anchor in the memory, they replace the written word. In the lesson plans, you will find suggestions for how to work with the Picture Cards in each lesson. These suggestions are based on the following principles of teaching:

·         In the early stages of teaching a foreign language, the meanings of new words should be taught with as much visual support as possible.

·         The principle listening before speaking applies. The children should get used to a word’s pronunciation and intonation first, before they are required to repeat it.

·         All the senses should be involved when introducing new words. Pictures, pronunciation and intonation, as well as learning techniques involving motor skills, complement each other and help to fix a word in the children’s long-term memory.

·         Repeating the words as often as necessary leads to even more lasting storage of the new words. No more than one or two minutes is required for this. The Picture Cards are extremely well suited for such revision stages.