Teaching a Modern Language to Children at Primary School

Abstract

小學外語教學(大半是指英語教學)是世界上許多國家優先考量的重點政策，但是要制定明智的政策，首先要了解年齡與學習的關係，以避免被「愈早學習愈能保障成功」的迷思所影響。事實上，每一個年齡層均有其學習另一種語言的優勢與劣勢，有許多研究顯示在某些方面年紀小的學習者享有學習優勢，而在其他方面則是年紀較大的學習者較有優勢。小學外語政策要成功不能只看幾個在特殊優越環境中小規模實施的典範學校之成功例子，而應尋找適用於全國學校(包括文化不利、資源不足之學校)的因素。本文依文獻及個人經驗簡述四種影響學習成效的因素：如社會、資源、過程、和個人及群體因素，這些因素每一種都能影響小學外語教育的成效。

The teaching of a modern foreign language (in many cases, English) to children at primary school is a major policy priority in many countries across the world. In order to develop a well-informed policy, it is necessary to be clear about the influence of the "age" factor and to avoid any assumption that merely by beginning "early" one guarantees success. In fact, it is argued that each age brings its own advantages and disadvantages for learning an additional language, and some examples are given of those areas in which younger learners appear to enjoy an advantage, and of those other areas where the advantage seems to lie more with older learners. For a policy on modern foreign languages at primary school to succeed, it is necessary to go beyond achieving a predictable level of success in a relatively small number of "showcase" schools which operate in favourable circumstances and to address those factors which apply to all schools in each particular country, including those in less favoured circumstances. Four different factors are briefly discussed and exemplified, either by reference to published international research findings or to the writer's own personal experience gained in observing classes in different countries. The four sets of factors are: societal, provision, process, and individual/group, and each has some influence on the outcomes of modern foreign languages education at primary school.