Professional Competencies Required to Teach English to

Young Learners1
Oya Bykyavuz
Sleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Education, Isparta, Turkey
oyabuyukyavuz@sdu.edu.tr

Abstract
Teaching is a multi-faceted profession which depends on a number of factors. Of
these teachers play a pivotal role in constructing and shaping educational practices
at all levels. It would be difficult to dispute the fact that quality education can be
ensured, regardless of subject matter, only by quality teachers. In order for teachers
to teach effectively they are expected to have various competencies. The paper first
discusses the issue of competency for teachers in general terms. In the second part
teacher competency for language teachers will be presented based on current
literature. The third section discusses the characteristics of young learners and the
desirable attributes of English language teachers to young learners concluding with
recommendations for current teacher education program.
Key words: Young learners, teacher competencies, English language teachers

Introduction
Regardless of subject matter teachers play a pivotal role in constructing and shaping
educational practices at all levels. Teachers are powerful figures who have long-lasting
influence in many aspects on students. Teachers directly affect their learners academic
achievement. That is, the learning outcomes turn out to be optimum to the extent of the
quality of their teaching (Campbell, et al. 2004; Rockoff 2004). According to Stronge (2003) it
is teachers who directly affect what, how and how much students learn in a particular course.
With any luck, we had an unforgettable teacher at some point of our educational lives. No
matter what reason makes them permanently etched in our memories, we do not forget
these remarkable people. Since the issue of accountability has emerged in the field of
education, the teacher started to move to the top of the list of variables which influence
educational outcomes. Thus educators have tried to define and describe desired teacher
competencies, attributes, dispositions and behaviors. Ample research has been conducted on
defining competent teachers, however, there is no consensus on one single definition to
date. Despite the fact that the literature on teaching is replete with a variety of definitions
and descriptions as to what exactly constitutes a competent teacher, the fact that teachers
have a direct impact on teaching is undisputable.
1

The article is based on a paper presented at IATEFL TTed Conference entitled Projecting into
Teaching Young Learners held at Mula Stk Koman University, October 13-14 in Mula in 2013.
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Competency, is defined as the ability to do something well. This definition of a competent

teacher is then is one who has knowledge and skills to teach the subject matter well. When
the subject matter is a foreign language the issue of competency turns out to be more
important as their competency is closely related to teaching. With this in mind, the next
section will discuss the characteristics of language teachers with an emphasis on the
attributes and characteristics language teachers are expected to possess.

The Competencies of Language Teachers

Language teaching is the only subject matter in which knowledge, that is, new
information is to be presented in a language other than a students native language.
Nunan (1999) identifies two types of knowledge bases required for language teachers and
states that they are equally important for competency. The declarative knowledge refers
to the things teachers have to know about, more specifically, language teachers are
expected to be competent in using grammatical rules correctly and in articulating four
language skills. The procedural knowledge, in Nunans terms, refers to the ability to
design the curriculum and overall delivery of the lesson.
Borg (2006) conducted a study to investigate the opinions of language teachers and those
of other domains about the distinctive features between teaching a foreign language and
the other subject matters. The sample included more than 200 practicing and prospective
English language teachers and also teachers from mathematics, history, and science
fields. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of the participating teachers
believed that language teaching is more complex and varied as compared to the other
subject matters. Moreover, they claimed, language teachers have the responsibility to
make his/her students think in the ways that native speakers are likely to do in their
culture. Furthermore, the participants stated that a typical language class includes a wide
range of activities, teaching methods and materials which are different from those in the
other subjects. Another finding was related to the peculiarities of methodology utilized in
language teaching. Unlike the other subject matters, Borg (2006) asserts that language
teaching methodology is of a progressive nature thereby forcing the language teachers to
keep up-to-date. English language teachers are obliged to work harder compared to the
teachers of the other subject matters. Another distinction was that language teachers
proficiency and command of the language was usually compared to that of native
speakers of the target language while there was not such a comparison among the other
subject matter teachers.
As for the personality characteristics of language teachers, the participants stated that
English language teachers were supposed to have generally more positive relationships
with learners in comparison to other teachers of other subjects. According to Brosh (1996),
central to the qualities of good language teachers is the mastery of the target language. He
further asserts that along with this quality, competent language teachers are expected to
have skills to organize, explain and to evoke interest and maintain motivation among
students.
Pettis (cited in Shishavan and Sadeghi 2009) attests that professionally competent teachers
have certain qualities. Firstly, good teachers are principled and knowledgeable about their
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subject matters. Secondly, competent teachers are those whose professional needs and
interests change over time throughout their teaching career. That is, competent teachers
are open to professional development thereby finding ways to keep themselves up-todate. Put simply, competent teachers are characterized by their commitment to ongoing
professional development. In addition, competent teachers are expected to possess an
array of teaching activities and know how to blend them with required materials
optimizing the overall learning process in the classroom.
According to Brown (1994) a good competent language teacher in an EFL context
performs teaching with two components; mechanical and mental. The first component
refers to the skills to deliver the lesson in ways most accessible to the students while the
second refers to the teachers mindset and his personality. With regard to personal
qualities, Vadillio (1999) states that competent language teachers should have an
understanding of their students needs in and , he adds, should also have warmth and
tolerance toward students. The next section is devoted to young learners with an
emphasis on their characteristics and the most desirable teacher competencies.

Young Learners and Their Characteristics

Teaching young learners (YLs henceforth) is by no means the same as teaching adults.
Nor as Ersz (2010) states working with young learners is not the easiest job available
(p.18). Phillips (1999) defined the term young learners as children from the first year of
schooling (five or six years old) to eleven or twelve years of age (p.3). Of the attributes
listed in the literature on language teaching to young learners are various agreed-upon
traits. The young learners are characterized by their naughtiness, noisiness, short
attention span, activity-addiction, their passion for games and hands-on learning
experiences (Orr 1999; Cameron 2001; Coltrane 2003; Klein 2005). With regard to the
learner types, the majority of the young learners are bodily kinesthetic and visual learners
(akr 2004). They learn best by doing and making things.

Professional Competencies of Teachers to Young Learner

Given the fact young learners are different from adult learners teachers of young learners
are assumed to have special professional and personal qualities. A quick review of the
related literature suggests the following competencies are attributed to the teachers of
YLs. Teachers of YLs are assumed to provide their students with activities that involve
tasks and activities such as making things, playing/inventing games, doing projects, doing
puzzles etc. Attention-getting activities prevent loss of interest and attention thereby
making YLs focused on the learning process. (Scott & Ytreberg 2003; Slattery & Willis
2001; Cameron 2001).
Games are placed in the center of childrens lives offering a series of true-to-life lessons.
Through games children learn how to live in a rule-governed world thereby
experimenting with so-called realities of life. They get socialized by interacting with their
peers. With regard to the significance of games in English courses for YLs, Toth (1998)
states; that children bring a wealth of knowledge about games to the classroom (p.6); they are

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already familiar with the rules and the roles that they are expected to take up. The
potential merits of games as stated by Ersz (2010) are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

they are amusing and interesting;

they encourage and increase cooperation;
they develop friendship and social relationship;
they are a natural part of the childrens world;
they are the only activity that children take seriously;
they provide opportunities for exploring meaningful and useful language in real
context;
7. they broaden childrens awareness of themselves and the world;
8. they teach children to follow. (p.43).
In the same vein, Cameron (2001) claims that games provide a non-linear and interconnected
growth of language instead of the piling up of discrete blocks of knowledge (p.106). Along with
professional knowledge, the personality traits of teachers of YLs are equally important.
Experience says that we should not overlook the inner wisdom of children. Sometimes they
ask questions that an adult cannot answer.. Larkin (2002) enumerates a number of personal
qualities which are attached to good teachers of YLs. According to Larkin teachers of YLs
should be positive, patient, and caring. Slattery and Willis (2001) state that teachers of YLs
are to create fun-filled and enjoyable learning environment through attention-getting
activities.
In a study relating to the desirable personality characteristics of teachers of YLs, ten year
olds were asked to describe their ideal teacher (Scott & Ytreberg, 2003). The findings of the
study revealed that patience and sense of humor were placed at the top of the list proposed
by the children who participated in the study. Based on the findings of the study, Scott and
Ytreberg (2003) suggest that teachers of YLs should try to learn how to sing or even play a
musical instrument. They further add that, teachers should learn to mime, to act and draw
very simple drawings. Results of the aforementioned study also showed that the children
want to have teachers who like and play music, make students to draw pictures, and play
funny games with students. The next section will focus on Teaching English to Young
Learners, a required course placed in the curriculum of English language teaching
departments in the schools of education. The paper will be concluded with recommendations
for the teacher educators who teach this course.

Teaching English to Young Learners Course

Parallel to the globalizing world and the current status of English as the lingua franca of
the international communication in both scientific and technological arena around the
world English language instruction has started to be integrated into the curriculum of the
primary schools in many countries (Krkgz 2010). More and more children have started
to learn English at an early age. In Turkey with a recent curricular change English has
been integrated into the curriculum of the 4th and 5th graders (Krkgz 2010). Following
the law passed in 2013, the English instruction in Turkey was placed in the curriculum of
the 2nd graders.
Turkish teachers of English are the graduates of the English language teaching
departments housed in the Schools of Education. Currently, the prospective English
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language teachers receive 4 contact hours of Teaching English to Young Learners course
in the first and the second semesters of the junior year. The graduates of the ELT
departments based on their scores from KPSS, a national selection exam for employees,
are appointed by the Ministry of National Education to state schools either at lower
secondary or secondary levels. They are not allowed to choose the type of schools in terms
of level.
Current pre-service teacher preparation for prospective teachers of YLs is handicapped by
a number of weaknesses. Of these, limited credit hours of education provided to teacher
trainees stands out as the major problem. The second problem is the short period of
practice teaching assigned to teacher trainees. Teacher trainees are placed in coordinating
schools without knowing the level they will be teaching after graduation. Apart from
these, the sequencing of the topics in the textbooks which are selected and disseminated
by the Ministry of National Education to public schools is a serious problem. Regarding
the sequencing problem it is widely argued that while the fourth, fifth and sixth grade text
books are full of repetition and recycling units the seventh grade syllabus is unexpectedly
replete with a wide range of new and hard topics. Teachers have raised their concerns
about illogical sequencing of topics in the syllabus. They stated that once the students
attend the first year of the upper secondary school, they start to learn very basic topics
(personal communication with English language teachers working in public schools in
Isparta). Although there are a number of problems, there are still some steps which can be
taken to further improve the teaching practices. The following is a list of
recommendations to improve the quality of pre-service education with an emphasis on
TEYLs course;
1.

The total number of the credit hours assigned to the TEYLs course needs to
be increased. If possible, elective courses which are specifically designed for
YLs should be placed in the ELT curriculum such as; songs and drama
activities for YLs. If possible, a multidisciplinary approach can be adopted
through cooperating with related departments such as theater and music
education department on campus. The teacher trainees can be encouraged
to register for elective courses offered in the mentioned departments.

2.

The curriculum of the ELT departments needs to be restructured in a twodivision system; lower secondary teaching and upper secondary school. In
so doing, specialized training opportunities can be provided to teacher
trainees.

3.

Practice teaching needs to be arranged in a way that teacher trainees do

practicum in both lower secondary and upper secondary schools.

4.

The micro-teachings carried out in TEYLs course can be practiced in actual

YLs classrooms in the daycare centers located on almost every campus at
universities, allowing teacher trainees to have the opportunity to use and
test the materials they designed in the lesson. They can also establish a
materials bank in their departments.

As for the in-service education as argued by Haznedar (2010), more opportunities need to
be provided with the practicing teachers of YLs through which they will be familiarized
with the underlying theoretical principles of child second language acquisition. I would
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like to conclude the paper with two reflections I had from a teacher and a students
perspective. A female English language teacher working in one of the prestigious public
primary schools in Isparta shared her feelings about teaching at primary level;
I dont know how to teach at this level. In order to have the kids sit still at their desks I
threaten them with pop-up oral exam. I punish those who walk around the classroom or those
who watch the playing students in the playground (Unpublished study, 2004).
A female student attending the fourth grade of a public school shared her feelings about
English language course;
I hate English. We have a bad teacher who is actually a pharmacist but somehow is
teaching us English. She punishes us every day with long lists of words we could not
memorize

Conclusion
Although there is not a clear definition of what makes one a competent teacher what is
clear is that teachers play a vital role in actualization of the educational process at every
level. Because teachers can have a long lasting influence on many students for the rest of
their lives, the standards are set very high for this profession. Teachers are expected to
have certain pedagogical, organizational and personality-related qualities. When the
subject matter is a foreign language and the stakeholders in the classroom are children the
expectations even get higher.
In Turkey English language instruction has been integrated into the curriculum of second
graders in Turkey. In writers opinion, in the earlier grades, the major goal of teaching
should be to help children develop positive attitudes toward language learning which
can be achieved only with well-prepared teachers who are able to blend pedagogical
expertise with desirable personality traits mentioned earlier in the paper. Put simply,
teachers working at this level can either make young learners love learning a foreign
language or make them develop a deep hatred which is likely to go on throughout their
educational lives. Teachers of YLs should be knowledgeable about the ways children
learn; if the child is not learning the way you are teaching, then you must teach in the way the
child learns (Dunno cited in Ersz, 2010).
Currently, prospective English language teachers receive instruction on teaching English
to young learners in the junior year of their pre-service education. Given the fact that the
number of students attending lower secondary schools is presumably higher than upper
secondary students the possibility of teaching at this level for the graduates of ELT
departments is higher. At present, the credit hour assigned to the course on teaching
English to young learners is limited to only four contact hours per week. In order for
teacher trainees to be effective the credit hours should be increased. Apart from this, the
ELT departments where prospective language teachers are educated should be
restructured in a way that prospective teachers are placed in two divisions; teacher
preparation for YLs and learners above 12 years of age.
Teachers of YLs must sow the seeds of love for language learning. The fun of speaking a
foreign language, once experienced, will hopefully continue throughout their lives.

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