Inspiration of Family-Based Immersion Model of Language Acquisition for English Teaching for Young Learners

Abstract

The trend that an increasing number of young learners start to learn English at a very early age facilitates the diversity of language teaching methods. However, influenced by traditional language learning method, some teachers still focus on language form, not giving full attention to learners’ communicative ability. As a result, younger learners keep using pattern drill to practice speaking without sufficient listening as input, which is opposite to the “acquisition” principle and partly explains why young learners fail to learn English as expected. According to the theory of second language acquisition, listening and speaking should come before reading and writing. This is a natural process of acquiring a language. Meanwhile, younger learners are special for they are highly motivated by interest and their attention span is limited. Therefore, language learning for younger learners is supposed to be interesting, practical, and close to their daily life. In accordance with this need, some families adopt the immersion method to help their younger learners acquire the language naturally in daily communication. Since language learning in the classroom shares a common goal with it, this essay is to explore how the immersion method of language acquisition in the family could be used in classroom teaching; what kind of activities can be conducted for that purpose. More inspiration is expected for English teachers to improve their teaching efficiency in the sense that learners can communicate with what they acquired in the class.