TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Trainers notes
Description
TKT: YL Part 1 focuses on knowledge of young learners and principles of teaching English
to young learners. The session looks at how young learners differ from older students on
physical, emotional and cognitive levels and the effects of these differences. It outlines the
test format and task types.
Time required:
45 minutes
Materials
required:
Participants worksheet 1 (one copy for each pair or group of three
participants, cut into strips)
Sample Task
to familiarise participants with the format and content of TKT: YL
Part 1
to consider ways young learners are different to older students and
implications in the classroom
to share classroom knowledge and experience
to practise a TKT: YL odd one out task
Aims:
Procedure
1. Before the session, copy Participants worksheet 1 so there is one copy for each
pair or group of three participants, and cut each copy into strips.
2. Make these general points about TKT: YL :
Young learners in TKT: YL are from 612 years
The test aims to encourage professional development of teachers and classroom
assistants who work with young learners
TKT: YL aims to test candidates knowledge in 4 syllabus areas
Knowledge of young learners and principles of teaching English to young
learners
Planning and preparing young learner lessons
Teaching young learners
Assessing young learner learning through classroom based assessment
There are 80 questions to do in 1 hour 20 minutes in the test.
3. Elicit or make the following points about TKT: YL Part 1:
it focuses on the ways young learners are different to older students
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Trainers notes
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it considers these differences on three levels which are physical, emotional and
cognitive
it looks at developing their learning strategies, cognitive strategies and
communication strategies
4. (10 minutes) Write the following three headings on the board:
Physical
Emotional
Cognitive
Brainstorm ideas with the group of childrens needs in these areas e.g. children have
a physical need for play and activity (see Key below).
5. (15 minutes) Hand out Participants worksheet 1 cut up into strips. Ask participants
to work in pairs or groups of three with the two headings (Young Learners and Older
Students) and to classify the characteristics of the two different groups of language
learners (see Key below).
6. Point out that some characteristics may overlap between young and older learners.
Participants might discuss, from their own experience, the changes that occur in
children as they develop on different levels. Examples are:
physical changes shown through growth and improved co-ordination
emotional changes seen in behaviour and language used
cognitive changes shown through language and understanding of abstract ideas
Feedback to whole group to check answers and share ideas.
7. Give out the Sample Task. Elicit or point out the following:
the format of this task is odd one out, which is one of the TKT: YL task formats.
Participants should always read instructions carefully so they are clear of what
they are expected to do.
there are 4 different task types in TKT: YL:
3 option multiple choice
1-1 matching
3/4/5 ratio matching
odd one out
a. Show participants the practice task and a sample answer sheet from the TKT:
YL Handbook (page 25) and point out:
in the test they have to write answers on a separate answer sheet
the answer sheet has to be completed in the 1 hour 20 minutes allocated for the
exam. Some people complete it as they work through the test; others leave it until
they have finished all the questions. It doesnt matter which technique you use so
long as the answer sheet is completed accurately before the end of the test.
8. (10 minutes) Participants work individually to complete the Sample Task. Allow no
more than 7 minutes for this (candidates have an average of 1 minute per question in
the TKT: YL exam). Feedback to whole group to check answers and share opinions
(see Key below).
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Trainers notes
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9. (5 minutes) Round up to review and summarise the main points covered. Ask
participants:
What is covered in Part 1 of the test? (children as language learners and
developing their cognitive, learning and communication strategies)
What have they learnt about the TKT: YL test in this session? (The test has
80 questions and candidates have 1 hour 20 minutes to complete it. There are 4
different question types and today they have practised an odd one out task type)
How can they prepare for this part of TKT: YL? (Candidates can prepare by:
considering childrens physical, emotional and cognitive needs when
planning classes
looking at other worksheets on TKT: YL which cover Part 1
becoming familiar with the TKT glossary
Additional Information
For the TKT glossary and information on the other three parts of TKT: YL, see the
TKT: YL handbook at
http://www.cambridgeesol.org/resources/teacher/tkt.html
Participants can do the Teaching Resources activities for TKT: Task types 1 4,
TKT: YL Part 1 Children as language learners and Developing childrens learning
strategies and TKT: YL Part 1 Developing childrens cognitive and communication
strategies for more information on the test format and content.
https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/teachingresources
Suggested follow-up activity
Ask pairs to write 3 facts about Part 1 of TKT: YL some of them should be true
and some should be false. Participants then pass their statements to another pair
who decides if they are true or false. Give whole group feedback.
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Trainers notes
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Answer keys
Key to Procedure Steps
Step 4
Childrens physical needs
Childrens emotional
needs
Childrens cognitive needs
to have opportunities for play and activity
to have opportunities to develop manual dexterity for
writing and handicrafts
to feel relaxed and safe
to feel valued
for routines
to express emotions e.g. excitement
to have opportunities to develop numeracy/literacy
skills
to have opportunities to develop the ability to think
abstractly
Key to Participants Worksheet 1
Young Learners
Older Students
need to feel safe and valued
can work independently
are excitable
are emotionally mature
have capacity for play
are responsible
need to be active
are developing manual dexterity
can think abstractly and out of
context
are developing numeracy and literacy
skills
have developed literacy skills
are in high school, university or
working
have limited world knowledge
are developing the ability to think
abstractly
can talk about language
have external pressures to succeed
need for games, songs and stories
can sit quietly for long periods
tend to be self-centred and
preoccupied with their own world
have wide knowledge and experience
of the world
Key to Sample Task
1. C
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. A
6. C
7. B
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Answer keys
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Participants
worksheet 1
Young Learners
tend to be self-centred and preoccupied
with their own world
Older Students
can talk about language
are excitable
are emotionally mature
need to feel safe and valued
can work independently
have capacity for play
are in high school, university or working
need to be active
have external pressures to succeed
are developing numeracy and literacy
skills
have wide knowledge and experience of
the world
are developing manual dexterity
can think abstractly and out of context
Are developing the ability to think
abstractly
have developed literacy skills
need games, songs and stories
are responsible
have limited world knowledge
can sit quietly for long periods
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Participants worksheet 1
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TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Sample task
For questions 1 7, look at some teachers comments about children learning English and the three
options for completing them listed A, B and C.
Two of the options complete the statements correctly. One option does NOT.
Mark the letter (A, B or C) which does NOT complete the statement correctly.
1.
2.
3.
At the start of class I always ask two children
to give out books and another to write the
date on the board because young learners
A. need routines and responsibilities.
I ask the class to make classroom language
posters to put on the notice boards and use
throughout the term to develop
A. numeracy skills.
Children need to develop learning strategies
in English so I often ask them to practise a
new song for homework to
A. find ways of remembering words and
phrases.
B. like to feel valued.
C. need time to finish their work.
B. use of everyday English.
C. ability to ask for things in the lesson.
B. use reference resources.
C. encourage them to review class work at
home.
4.
After reading a story I usually do an activity
to develop childrens cognitive strategies
such as
A. sequencing the events of the story using
picture cards.
B. drilling target language from the story.
C. using flashcards to match target language
with pictures.
5.
Children come to class with different
language learning experiences, motivation
and learning styles so I
A. ask them to work in pairs.
B. plan a variety of tasks to include visual,
auditory and kinaesthetic challenges.
C. use star charts to reward good English,
behaviour and progress.
6.
7.
I encourage pairs and groups to
communicate in English when they are
playing games to practise
A. giving instructions.
I want to raise awareness of their learning so
I often ask the children to
A. look at their own written work and correct 3
mistakes.
B. expressing reasons.
C. role-plays.
B. do follow up activities if they finish quickly.
C. complete Can do self assessment
statements at the end of term.
UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo
TKT: YL (Young Learners) Part 1: Overview Sample task
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