Designing a topic-based syllabus for young learners

Abstract

In recent years there has been a good deal of debate on the teaching of English to young learners. Although the article looks at the teaching of English to lower primary children in an ESL context in Southeast Asia, it is not specific to one region. The young learners in question are aged 6 to 8 years. The main focus of the article is how best to design a syllabus and classwork materials suitable for young learners wherever they may be. The writer stresses the need for appropriate target-setting and makes the case for a topic- based/task-based syllabus. The underlying rationale is that a second language syllabus should reflect the world of the child and facilitate the bringing of acquisition into the classroom.