This generation is born to an English speaking environment.
Unlike other subjects or fields that are being taught at school or in any other formal settings, English is no longer such a subject. For the simple reason that language is an innate ability that every human being possesses, unlike math, sports, arts, etc. which require explicit instruction and training. Today more than ever, we are surrounded by English almost as a local language. In fact, Gen Alpha was born into this English world and is now seeking to know English as part of their identity in their aim of interacting and being part of this world. The only way to make it part of one's identity is to acquire the English language naturally. So what does English have to do with early years? Why do children show curiosity to know English more than ever? Why not continue learning English the traditional way? In the following text, I will try to answer these questions or at least give reasonable ideas for these issues.
Why is it necessary to acquire English naturally, why not continue learning the way we all did at school?
The Alpha generation is a generation born into a society where English is abundant and present in all areas of life, whether spoken or written. Today, more than ever children are exposed to spoken English through videos, songs, computer games, and podcasts. People around them use English jargon through slogans, expressions, brand names, celebrity names, and more. Alongside it, written English is also presented to us in its full variety as written text in stores, chains, and shopping centres. This daily accessibility to the English language is embedded in our routine, creating the need to take English one step further.
A quick glance to the past reveals a reality in which English was only learned in school and did not appear anywhere else beyond the boundaries of school. Today's reality is different. Today, English is more accessible to us than ever before and well supported by the environment. Therefore, we know and believe that acquiring English is easier and more natural and should replace the traditional method of memorizing words, rules, and the general difficulty of speaking it.
Children don't like to be different, they want to be like everyone else.
Speaking a language goes beyond simple communication - it signifies belonging to a broader community and shaping one's identity. As children undergo social and personal development, they inherently strive to be part of their family, friend groups, and the world around them. A significant part of the Gen Alpha children's world is surrounded by English. Thus, they show great curiosity and motivation to know English, not because adults tell them to, but because they see its necessity- to be part of the world. They know that in order to survive in the environment, you have to know it.
English is cool
English plays a significant role like any other trendy object, game, brand, lifestyle, etc. Children, as well as everyone else, are seeking to be trendy and up-to-date. They listen to popular music, play popular video games, behave and adapt to trendy behaviors, looks, etc. Children perceive English as a trendy, popular thing for a few reasons: They hear adults praising someone who knows English or even showing off their own ability to speak the language. They are inspired by popular characters who speak English and wish to be like them. Children meet other children who speak about English as a positive thing. They perceive it as something that you have to have in order to be successful, to have greater status, it has a positive impression, etc.
In today's globalized landscape, being conversant in English - the international language - allows children to gain membership into a truly global community. Understanding the nuances, humor, cultural references, and messaging in English media and materials becomes a gateway to full participation and integration. The desire to learn English stems from an innate yearning to break down barriers and experience a sense of belonging to the worldwide community that communicates in this common language.
Our enterprise has nothing to do with English lessons but to allow immersion into a speaking English environment. We don't teach words; we speak, and the children grasp and perceive the language, thus acquiring the language naturally, spontaneously, and intuitively, until it eventually becomes part of their identity.
Why start exposing a child to English so early when he hasn't even started speaking his own native/mother tongue language yet?
Learning a language and acquiring a language are two different things. learning engages a conscious process where as acquisition engages a subconscious process- i.g intuitive, spontaneous and naturally. In addition, speaking of the differences between learning/acquiring a language, acquisition involves naturally deeper processes such as mental, social and psychological.
How many times have you come across a word or phrase in your mother tongue language where you understand its meaning but are unable to say exactly what it is? many. Krashen is a well known linguist who claimed that: “we acquire a language in one way and only one way: when we understand messages.” Which means we don’t necessarily know every the meaning of every word but the general concept and the idea behind it.
Krashen pointed out 5 stages of language acquisition development which pretty much correspond with the natural process of language development of a baby (from birth to later years):
1. A silent period- in which ones only listens and absorb they language.
2. One or two word- which one uses keywords and ignoring grammar etc.
3. Speech emergent
4. Intermediate fluency
5. Advanced fluency
The first stage ‘a silent period’ is a crucial stage for both first and second language acquisition. It is a period of time of primarily listening for the purpose of understanding (not for conveying a message), picking up words and restoring them, developing awareness for the sounds of either phonemes or words order, building up comprehension as well as self efficacy and confidence. This ‘silent stage’ aligns with the child's developmental stage, in which they are only required to listen and not speak - thus building confidence and not developing barriers created by an inability to express themselves (when dealing with older children whose minds think faster than their ability to express).
Furthermore, the topics of conversation and the complexity of discourse are also acquired in accordance with the child's cognitive developmental stage. At an early age, the discourse is concrete, with short and basic sentences. The topics become increasingly complex, as does the way of expressing them and pronunciation. Ultimately, language is a tool for explaining and expressing our feelings and thoughts. For example, at an early age, a child recognizes emotions such as happy, sad, angry - as they grow older, they discover more emotions like excited, satisfied, calm, curious, exhausted, embarrassed, worried, tense, anxious, etc.
Another fact is that a young child is accustomed to being in a process of learning and acquiring language, which is natural for him to make mistakes, as opposed to an older child who becomes embarrassed when making a mistake and then becomes mentally blocked and builds barriers.
Young children acquire syntax and grammar as an initial and promising stage of the English language as a basis for further developing language complexity, comprehension complexity, and expression ability and vocabulary expansion.
By Einav Goldman
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