Professional Practice II 2025 – Worksheet 2

Activity-based teaching – Content-oriented Learning

Activity-based learning
Bibliography:
“Teaching English to children - an activity-based approach” by David Vale and Anne Feunteun

Read the section below and make notes of the most important contributions made by these authors.
Relate them to the characteristics of young learners, as developed by Susan Halliwell.

Teaching English to Children: An Activity-based Approach

Introduction
Traditional EFL approaches usually imply that the language presented on a textbook page is the
learning aim. The result is that (in the case of teaching adults) a similar content is taught to all the
students at the same time for a similar purpose. If this approach is transferred to the teaching of
children, it assumes that all the children are able to, and motivated to, learn the same language, for
the same purpose, at the same time. It may certainly be more convenient, from the teacher's point of
view, to teach the same language content to all the children at the same time, from the same page in
the same book. However, the validity of such an approach is extremely doubtful when one considers
the wide range of ability, interest and motivation that is likely to exist within, for example, an average
class of twenty eight-year-old children.

In recent years, much of EFL methodology and curricula have been developed for the purpose of
teaching highly motivated adults or exam-driven teenagers. General EFL teacher-training courses,
therefore, may not always be relevant to the teaching of children. The teaching approach is necessarily
different. Moreover, if our aim is for the individual child to be at the centre of the learning that takes
place, then we must search for alternative ways of teaching English.

One possibility is to adopt an activity-based approach through a significant content. Here the
motivating forces are practical activities, the content of which would be valid to the children
in their own mother tongue. For example, within a unit called 'My family and friends', if
nine-year-old pupils carry out a survey on the colour of eyes and hair among children in their class
(and their parents), the content is significant in itself, and it is clear that the language point could
centre on have / has got:
Ten children have got brown eyes.
How many children have got green eyes?
I have got green eyes. My mother has got brown eyes, etc.
Here, the activity-based approach offers the opportunity for children to work on a practical task, and
succeed at their own level, incorporating their own abilities and experience. The results, created by the
children, of this practical task can be used as the context within which language practice can take
place.
The above contrasts strongly with language-based starting points such as This is a pencil/. Is the pencil
green or red? If translated into the children's mother tongue, this task is unlikely to be considered as
valid content (or as a sensible question) for a normal nine-year-old child.

Despite possible problems (such as lack of experience, time or resources), it is worth keeping in mind
that all normal nine-year-old children, when given the opportunity to live in an L2 environment, and
interact with L2 speakers of their own age, will successfully acquire the L2, without a teacher, usually
within a six-month period. It is a rare teacher who can honestly say that all normal nine year olds in
his/her class will become successful users of English. It is our belief that by including an
activity-based approach within significant content in the language classroom, the teacher is
Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz
Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
1
offering children many more opportunities for success. It follows that children who feel they
are succeeding in practical tasks will gain the confidence to take risks, in order to succeed
with the language that is inherent in the tasks.
We feel that teachers of children should consider integrating/using an activity-and-content-based
approach within their language classroom, since such an approach seems to have much to offer in
terms of the overall needs of the child. For example:
-​ children study activities which have practical educational value;
-​ children are motivated and interested in what they are studying;
-​ children are introduced to a wide range of natural English. This language is meaningful and
understandable, because the activities are meaningful and understandable;
-​ children are taught in English;
-​ children are not introduced to English language in an artificially pre-determined sequence of
grammatical structures or functions; the input from the teacher, and their learning about their
world, is in English;
-​ children can be taught in mixed ability groups: children with more English will speak more about the
activity they are doing, and help lower-level classmates at the same time;
-​ the learning focuses on the individual child: each child is encouraged to acquire language at his or
her own pace and own manner.

Priorities for Teachers of Children

A key priority for teachers is to establish a good working relationship with children, and to encourage
them to do the same with their classmates. The teacher's role is that of parent, teacher, friend,
motivator, co-ordinator, organiser. The skills for these roles have more to do with understanding
children's development, children’s needs, children’s interests, the children themselves - than with EFL
methodology alone.

Young learners have specific learning needs. It is not sufficient to provide children, whether native or
non-native speakers, with a programme of study which merely focuses on language or indeed on any
other isolated skill. Instead, it is necessary to offer a whole1 learning situation in which language
development is an integral part of the learning taking place, and not the only end product. Moreover, it
is extremely difficult to know what children in any given (language) lesson can or will learn. What is
known is that children learn best when they are involved, and when their work is valued. They learn
best when they are the owners of their work - when they have the opportunity to experience and
experiment for themselves.

An Activity-and-Content-based Approach
Language activities for the sake of teaching language alone have little place in the children's classroom.
For example, it makes little sense to ask children Can you see a boy and a girl in the picture? Can you
fly? where the purpose of these questions is merely to teach can/can't. Children do not normally learn
language one structure or six new words at a time. They are able to learn a language whole, as part of
a whole learning experience. It is the responsibility of teachers to provide this whole learning
experience. Therefore, rather than impose a language-based course of study on young learners,
where children are exposed only to small and predetermined chunks of language, it would seem to be
of far more value to encourage children to acquire language through an activity-based curriculum. Such
a curriculum can provide a language-rich environment/input for the child, while at the same time
reflecting the actual interests and needs of the young learner. For example, let us assume that the
language point you wish to teach is can/can't. Within an activity & content-based approach, this

1
The term whole is used in this context to refer to the provision of activities which are of value to the overall educational
and social development of the child, and not merely to develop English language skills.

Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz

Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
2
language item will naturally appear within the context of “Small Creatures”, for example. A possible
teaching sequence might be:
1-​ Introduce children to a range of small creatures, encouraging them to add their own examples.
2-​ Ask children to sort the creatures according to specific can/can't criteria (e.g., fly, swim, sting,
buzz, walk, wriggle, dig).
3-​ Create an individual/class chart to record this information.
4-​ Encourage/support/teach the children to describe the results focusing on can/can't.
While this task is taking place, the teacher is also exposing the children to a very wide range of
language in the form of instruction, comment and description related to small creatures. This will be
absorbed by each child at his/her own pace, without the pressure or need to produce it for display.
At the same time, this practical task will be supporting the development of the children in more general
terms, such as:
- supporting cognitive development in terms of subject matter (e.g. science, art, geography);
- developing observational and recording skills;
- promoting awareness of the environment;
- focusing on co-operative work and socialisation;
- supporting emotional needs, for example, in terms of providing a situation in which children will
proudly display their work.
An activity & content-based approach does not, however, prevent the teacher from establishing clear
language objectives. The relationship between the topics being studied and the language to be focused
upon (or to be covered according to the school curriculum) can be clearly demonstrated. For example,
where the topic is measuring (personal height, weight, ability to jump, hop, etc.) the following chart
illustrates the relationship between the main activity (measuring) and the language:

Main activities Skills practised Physical Language input from the potential language
and topics include response teacher output from the
language children
Measuring and Measuring stand up Registration language; Numbers 0 to 9.
personal distance, reach up instructions, questions, eye; hair, foot,
measurements height, etc.; stretch comments and hand, centimetres,
recording higher descriptions related to me, her, him,
results of wider measuring activities and to yes/no, verb to be:
measuring relax classroom management. I’m (142 cm) tall
sit down
From Early Bird 1, Teacher’s Book (David Vale, Cambridge University Press)

Similarly, the chart below demonstrates this relationship for an art and craft topic that includes
making a beetle mobile:
​
Main Skills Physical Language input from Potential language output
activities & practised response teacher from the children
topics include language

Beetles & Making a draw Registration language; parts of the body

beetle games beetle; cut instructions, questions, numbers: 21-30
playing beetle glue comments & long (longer)
games; pick descriptions related to big (bigger)
numbers; up making beetles and small (smaller)
parts of the say playing beetle games round , dice
body and to classroom a / the
management my/your/her/his turn
Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz
Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
3
 verb to have: has a (small
round head, etc.)

In other words, not only are the language needs of a traditional EFL curriculum being covered, but at
the same time the children are being exposed to, in terms of relevant input, a wide range of language
as part of a whole learning experience in English.

Putting the Children's Needs First

In the EFL classroom there is a lot of pressure on the teacher to produce immediate, tangible results.
Teachers worry about their own performance; parents want to hear their children speak English;
administrators need concrete evidence of progress. Teachers therefore feel responsible if specific new
structures and new words are not learned and produced every lesson. This is potentially a very harmful
state of affairs since silence does not mean that the children are ignorant or not learning. Indeed,
there is evidence that, in a total immersion situation, for example, many children go through a silent
period during which they are processing their language environment.
Moreover, if teachers insist on accurate production as evidence of achievement from children, they will
encourage a considerable percentage of children to fail. Children who have tried their best and failed to
produce the result the teacher wants will often lose confidence and interest. They will feel, quite
wrongly, that English is too difficult for them - and stop trying. Children should therefore be allowed to
learn at their own pace, and language learning targets should not be forced upon them because of an
external and nonflexible language syllabus.
Those who favour an activity & content-based approach feel that children gain in confidence and
motivation by studying English in an activity-based environment, where the main objective is the
successful completion of a practical task in English within a significant context. Since the focus is
initially on the practical task, children can be encouraged to work out for themselves what they want
to say about their own work, at their own level. They can be allowed to make language mistakes
without the fear of failure. In this way, a teacher is laying the foundations for a successful language
learner. Most children will speak in the classroom - and speak well- when they are ready to speak,
and have something they wish to speak about.

Errors and Correction

The long-term aim of teaching English is for the pupils to speak English confidently, correctly and
fluently. However, it is neither reasonable nor desirable to have this expectation at the beginning of
a language programme. Young learners may have ten or more years of language study ahead of
them. In the early stages of a language course for children, it is important to establish priorities for
the child as a learner. These include:
- building confidence;
- providing the motivation to learn English;
- encouraging ownership of language;
- encouraging children to communicate with whatever language they have at their disposal (mime,
gesture, key word, drawings, etc.);
- encouraging children to treat English as a communication tool, not as an end product;
- showing children that English is fun;
- establishing a trusting relationship with the children, and encouraging them to do the same with their
classmates;
- giving children an experience of a wide range of English language in a non-threatening
environment.

Moreover, the correction of errors in the early stages of a language course may foster the
following negative aspects:
- children lose confidence from fear of making mistakes;
- children become reluctant to take risks: they only say what they know they can say;
Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz
Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
4
- children become dependent on the teacher [or correction;
- the need for accuracy interferes with the need to communicate.
There are certainly times when children do want to know how to say something correctly, and there
are times when correction may be necessary. Teachers need to judge the importance of errors and
correction with respect to the other factors that affect the success of learning for children. Experience
has shown that errors made in the early learning days do not become so ingrained that the children
themselves cannot be guided to recognise and correct them - when they have enough experience of
the language to make such correction meaningful and productive.

Group Support
Speaking a foreign language requires the learner to take risks. To make mistakes in front of many
others can be a daunting experience for young learners. Until children feel comfortable and secure in
the class they may learn very little. This sense of security takes time to develop and needs to be built
up throughout the year. Lessons should always therefore incorporate activities which encourage group
support, fun and friendship. Furthermore, to make the most effective use of class time these activities
can be adapted to fit in with the theme or language of the particular unit that is being studied.

Using their Bodies

It is very important for children to have the opportunity to use their hands and their bodies to
express and experience language. In an everyday context in an English-speaking country, children
are normally exposed to a variety of physical and intellectual experiences of language. In the foreign
learning situation where children may have as little as one hour per week of English, it is vital to
include physical activities where the main focus is on the physical response or physical activity, and
not the spoken word.
The importance of providing physical and practical learning opportunities cannot be overstressed. For
children, this type of input is a crucial stage in the learning pathway. With respect to activity-based
study, where children are working in a language-rich environment, many of the preparation activities
should necessarily incorporate physical response. This provides a foundation of active understanding of
the English that will be needed for any given topic or project.
Similarly, course material should encourage children to do a range of practical activities or tasks that
require dextrous as well as intellectual skills. These tasks will give the language a practical context that
has obvious meaning to children. The results of the tasks -- whether a chart, a badge, a beetle, or a
collection of bottles - form a natural language text, created and owned by the children themselves. The
teacher can then go on to exploit and practise selected aspects of this language text.

The Age of the Learner

An activity & content-based approach can be used successfully with children of all ages and
nationalities. The activity content can be chosen from activities which are common throughout the
primary school years. The content can, if necessary, be adapted to the country and culture of the
children. Taking measuring as an example, six year olds may need a lot of guidance in order to be able
to use a ruler and standard units of measurement. On the other hand, most ten year olds are able to
estimate measurements in advance, and measure extremely accurately with a variety of measuring
tools. However, the task of measuring is relevant to both age ranges. The language that is generated
from the activity is also relevant to both age ranges. The role of the teacher is to make sure the
activity content is exploited to suit the developmental age of the children in the class. The teacher also
needs, where necessary, to ensure that this content is adapted to the children's cultural experience.

The Pace of Learning

Children do not all learn at the same pace or in the same manner. Pace within a lesson is a matter of
experience, and sensitivity to individual needs. The temptation is often to work too fast through
materials, rather than to exploit the ability and interest of the children. It is not necessary, for

Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz

Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
5
example, for all the children to complete all the activities that a book suggests. Moreover, when
children have successfully mastered an activity, it may well be more useful to build on this success
than to move on to the next unit.
It is also important to incorporate many changes of activity within one lesson. This means that the
children should be introduced to language and content through a variety of steps and activities. Some
may involve movement, others may be more passive. Since the attention span of young learners can
be extremely short, change of pace (and approach) within a teaching sequence is vital.
In terms of overall pace through a course, this very much depends on the teacher and the class. One
of the strong features of activity-based materials is that learning is not tied to a linear sequence of
structures and functions. Teachers are able merely to leave out that which they feel is too easy, too
difficult, or not relevant to their particular class.

Main Considerations
In terms of the language teacher, an activity & content-based approach may require a change in
attitude and teaching strategy. Traditionally, EFL has focused on the value of the language forms.
Activity & content -based learning focuses on the value of the language used to carry out activities
related to a significant content. The latter approach would seem to favour the needs of the child -
and these needs are a very important factor to consider when teaching children.

Adapted from:
Vale, D. and A. Feunteun. 1995. Teaching Children English. Cambridge University Press: Gt Britain

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Content-based Teaching
(You will need the file “Worksheet 2 Reading text – the search for content)

Bibliography:
Ray Tongue (1997), “English as a foreign language at primary level: the search for content”, in Brumfit C. et
al (eds), Teaching English to Children. Longman: UK.
Read the chapter and answer the questions that follow. Keep the answers to be discussed when we meet.

1.​ Summarize the two traditional approaches to language teaching. What did they have in common? What
are the drawbacks of traditional approaches?
2.​ Explain the acronym TENOR. What can be done to avoid TENOR? Mention and explain the four
approaches Tongue suggests.
3.​ What should be, according to Tongue, the priority in the teaching of English?
4.​ Can you relate TENOR to the way you learnt English? In what ways?

Round up discussion and task

Go back to your notes from the first task in this worksheet. Discuss with your partner the
new ideas you have come across. Then, do the activity below.

Consider the following statement

Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz

Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
6
Gathering all the material you have read so far, you will do the following activity (thinking routine
GENERATE-SORT-CONNECT-ELABORATE). You should work with a partner in pairs or groups of three.

Generate
Generate a list of not more than 20 ideas and initial thoughts that you have considered can support the
statement in the box.
Write your list here.
●​ Xxx
●​ xxx

Sort
Sort your ideas into groups: two, three or four groups, you decide. Decide why you have put ideas into the
same group and give each group a name. The example below is for two groups, but you can have more.

Connect
Connect your ideas by drawing connecting lines between ideas that have something in common (or
highlighting the phrases with the same colour).

Elaborate
Elaborate, in approximately 250 words, your own understanding of the topic. You should base your work
on the ideas developed in the previous steps of this activity. An original production is mandatory, care
should be taken not to pick up statements from the bibliography you have read.

Plenty to do!

Instituto Superior de Profesorado Pbro Dr A. M. Sáenz

Campo de la Formación en la Práctica Profesional II
Worksheet 2-2025 - Activity- based teaching; Content-oriented learning
7