Teaching Young Learners
YL market in Russia and BKC-IH
YL courses at BKC-IH
Early Childhood Education (VYL programmes)
Testimonials
YL market in Russia and BKC-IH
Nowadays there is rapidly increasing demand for English as a Foreign Language for Young Learners (YL) programmes throughout the world. More and more students in many non-English speaking countries start learning English as early as possible. Moscow, as one of the world's biggest metropolitan centres is not an exception.
Since Russian Perestroika, the city has become more open. There are also many international companies that have their offices in the city now. A great demand for English is determined by the fact that since that time many Russians have been able to travel around the world. They go abroad for business purposes, for studying or vacation. These travelers and employees try to get their children into the way of studying at least one foreign language. The obvious reason they want this is to be less isolated and to be able to keep in touch with the rest of the world. Of course there are career incentives as well.
In response to this demand to English, Moscow offers a huge amount of programmes. Recently the government began to teach foreign languages in basic schools from 5-7 years old, instead of 10, as it was before. Over 60 percent of all Russian students learn English as a foreign language. But regular state or private school is not enough.
There are many schools which teach all subjects in English beginning with the first class. They are either embassy related schools or independent ones but both accept Russian students. There are also English clubs for kids and camp programmes throughout the country. Parents send their children abroad to Great Britain, the US or other English speaking countries to study English as well.
But most of them prefer sending their children to extra curricular language academies where teachers are qualified native English speakers. What is more these English schools require EFL teachers of YL not just for the academic year or during the summer but all year round. Teachers, either experienced or newly qualified, who can teach young learners, are welcome to Moscow all year round.
BKC-IH Moscow is a school of foreign languages with approximately 6000 students per year. There are numerous YL programmes which are increasing from year to year. According to statistics from March 2005 55 % of the school's students are younger than 16 years old (see diagram below).
BKC-IH Schools where young learners study the language are equipped with computers, teaching resources, English libraries, Internet, etc. All BKC -IH teachers are supported and mentored by DOSes / ADOSes and Senior Teachers. There are ADOSes for Very Young Learners (VYL), and Young Learners (YL) programmes as well. We run monthly development seminars for all BKC teachers. For the teachers of young learners there are huge amount of seminar topics. To learn more about seminars for YL teachers simply click here.
With an ever increasing demand for qualified teachers of English to YL in Russia as well as around the world, BKC-IH Teacher Training Centre has started running the IH course for teaching Young Learners - IHCYL. Completing the course gives EFL teachers additional skills and qualifications to teach English to Young Learners anywhere in the world. Usually, these teachers already have some form of pre-service training in teaching English Language to adults (e.g. International House Certificate in Teaching English to Adults / Cambridge CELTA / Trinity TESOL) but some may not have had previous experience teaching Young Learners. BKC-IH teachers are offered considerable discounts for the course.
YL courses at BKC-IH
BKC-IH offers many courses and programmes for young learners, divided by age group. We have programmes for children (7-9 years old), juniors (10-13 y.o.), and teens (13-16 y.o.).
We offer study abroad programmes for YL. Annually hundreds of young Russian students, with the help of BKC-IH learn second languages in Great Britain (Oxford, Seaford, Torquay, and London) and other countries like Spain, France, Germany, and Malta.
BKC-IH runs its camp programmes in the area around Moscow. It is situated in a coniferous forest and enjoys wide popularity: on average there are about 1000 children going to summer sessions every year. During the winter and autumn school holidays there are camp programmes as well. Ages range from 6 to 16, and levels from beginner to advanced.
In our schools we use various course-books such as I-Spy, Project, Headstart, English File, and All Stars etc. Young Learners study all levels of general English from Beginner up to Upper-Intermediate. To learn more about the courses and course-book structures see the diagram below:
YL Course structure
Testimonials
Mauro Baldelli
When I arrived in Moscow the idea of teaching English to young and energetic Russian people produced mixed feelings of fear and excitement as well as a sense of challenge. Now, after almost two months, I realize that both of them have become real in their different ways but following parallel routes… Young people's minds are easy to influence and shape so the earlier they become aware of the existence of diversities, the earlier they get rid of potential instincts of discrimination. 
Jennifer Hillhouse
Before coming to work for BKC, I spent two years in St. Petersburg teaching English, mostly to young learners. I taught kids and teenagers at all levels. I also worked at an English camp for Russian teenagers in Finland for two weeks. There were only two teachers and together we were often responsible for supervising and entertaining the students, as well as for teaching them English for six real hours each day.
Mauro Baldelli
When I arrived in Moscow the idea of teaching English to young and energetic Russian people produced mixed feelings of fear and excitement as well as a sense of challenge. Now, after almost two months, I realize that both of them have become real in their different ways but following parallel routes. The challenge of being a good teacher in finding new, educative and funny activities for my students has intensified, whereas the fear has dissipated since the moment I started to work and interact with these enthusiastic and amazingly quick-witted young learners. From them I will try to gain their simplicity and light-heartedness, from me, I hope, they will learn how to speak and understand a new language, how to behave in a group of people and, maybe most important, how to fully appreciate the beauty of opening themselves towards unknown peoples and cultures.
Young people's minds are easy to influence and shape so the earlier they become aware of the existence of diversities, the earlier they get rid of potential instincts of discrimination. I think that this is a good reason to start studying a foreign language as soon in your life as possible.
Mauro Baldelli
March 2005
Jennifer Hillhouse
Before coming to work for BKC, I spent two years in St. Petersburg teaching English, mostly to young learners. I taught kids and teenagers at all levels. I also worked at an English camp for Russian teenagers in Finland for two weeks. There were only two teachers and together we were often responsible for supervising and entertaining the students, as well as for teaching them English for six real hours each day. We were given no guidelines or textbooks, and only convinced the office to let us use the photocopier at the end of the second week. It was a demanding experience, and not especially lucrative (the two weeks netted me $100) but very rewarding and fun.
Students studied English along with dancing, music and art, followed. The school did not have anything like the support network available at BKC, so I was very lucky that the Russian administration took me under their wing. It was an amusing school to work at. Sending a bad student out of the class was more of a severe penalty than normal, as the school had no hall and used the corridor for dance classes. By sending a student out of your English class you were effectively banishing them to tap or ballet! I've often been told that one of the key differences between teaching YLs and adults is motivation. Kids and teenagers don't pay for their classes, they've already spent six hours in real school and there are generally 101 other places they'd rather be. As such, before you can teach them anything, you have to get them to want to be in your class. They need to enjoy it. If they have fun, you can teach them and they almost don't notice.
The thing I like the most about YLs is that no two kids or teenagers are the same. They'll always surprise you. An 11 year old once brought his guitar to class to serenade me with 'Yellow Submarine'! It's also possible to develop some rapport with teenagers. I taught class of 15 year olds for two years, taking them from Upper Intermediate to FCE. (At our last class they arrived laden down with beer and champagne. I know this is Russia, but the School Director was still not too impressed.). Now I'm working at Krylatskoe and Molodozhnaya. There are many resources and the Local Organiser and administration are always helpful, despite the occasional craziness of my requests. I've had the opportunity to work with Very Young Learners for the first time, and am loving it.
At the end of a good YL class you can walk away with more energy than you had at the start. You have to have fun, otherwise there's no point - and your students will agree.
Jennifer Hillhouse
March 2005
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