-Ariel !

Finally, I want to add that I resonate with your practicum experiences. In my case, I had a third-grade student who struggled with reading in English, though he understood the language well when visual aids were provided. During one class, I helped him read a text and asked him to draw the words he recognized in the text. This approach increased his enjoyment and reading comprehension without requiring translation. I think my experience could also serve as an example of the importance of addressing students' individual needs and learning styles in the classroom. Therefore, I want to thank you for providing a clear example of how to make classes more inclusive. Well done! Keep up the hard work!

I am Carolina Riquelme. I really enjoyed your pre-listening activity. As we have seen in classes, young learners enjoy activities that involve movement, chants, and songs. Therefore, I believe this activity is effective for the context you are implementing it. The use of Total Physical Response (TPR) in the activity will keep the students engaged and help them understand the meaning of the words without relying on translation, which is very positive. I think that after this activity, the students will be ready to listen to the story and understand its content. When I did my first practicum with young learners, I found activities like this, that is why I like this activity and I wouldn't change anything about it. It might be helpful to include saying the actions after doing the chant and checking if they are doing the movements correctly, just to check comprehension. This is an activity that I would include in my teaching practices if my students need to listen to this story.

How do you think the integration of movement and chants in learning activities impacts young learners' engagement and understanding?

It is also true that the constant use of these strategies is crucial for students' language learning facilitation.

When it comes to my classes, the use of concrete objects and songs or chants is something I would like to incorporate into my future students' daily routines. However, I believe that slowing down my rate of speech is a strategy I need to put into practice.

What strategies you've found most challenging to incorporate in your practicums so far?

Regarding your challenge 9, I think that it is a good idea you decided to implement as a before listening activity. You used a song and use this type of strategy with young learners is so meaningful, 1st graders love sing songs. It is an engaging activity. Also, you used total physical response. With this, students can use your body to express something and they are charge of your learning process which is so significant! Answering the questions that you ask: do you think this type of activity improves the learning experience for young learners? Would you implement this activity in your classroom, and what changes would you make if it is necessary? In my opinion I think that this type of activity improves the learning experience since they have meaningful instances to learn, for instance, singing a song. I would implement this actitivy inside the classroom because I believe it is an effective way that students can learn and also they can sing outside the classroom! Finally, I think that the activity is appropiate so I do not make changes.

Good job! See you!

I would like to start by addressing the organization of your post. It is very well structured, visually appealing, and easy to understand. Excellent job!

Now, regarding your challenge, I can say that I consider it highly appropriate for first graders since it is engaging, easy to follow, and interesting. Chants are always a very good alternative to implement with young learners because they seem to have lots of energy! and what is better than using it while learning? Having fun songs during classes enables students to learn through participation and body movements, which makes their early language learning experience more meaningful.

Furthermore, your challenge helped me to understand how easy it is to implement this kind of activities, because we do not even need a musical backtrack, we just need our voices and bodies to create rhythms! Said characteristic makes chants accessible for everyone. I think that having enriching tools to apply on the Chilean classrooms and their different contexts is highly relevant due to how difficult it can be for YL to learn a foreign language that is not fun nor linked to their realities.

Along these lines, repetition is also a key part of chants. As I have learned in courses like Second Language Acquisition and Teaching and Learning Primary I, learners need to listen to a word several times to remember it. Therefore, this strategy enables the learning process to be both enjoyable and effective, because by singing along multiple times students become repeat and familiarized with the pronunciation and stress patterns of the words they are expected to learn.

Moreover, your activity made me remember that students (third graders) in my second practicum practiced different chants per unit, which allowed them to learn vocabulary faster. In that way, not only did they associate words with images, but with songs and rhythms made by clapping and stomping their feet. Due to the amount of enthusiasm they showed when a new unit was introduced, I can assume that the strategy was enriching and entertaining. They seemed eager to learn, participate, and interact, because it felt like playing (in a regulated way to ensure a positive yet enjoyable classroom environment).

You did a very good job depicting and including the strategy into your script!

Nonetheless, I would like to ask a few questions before leaving. Do you think there is any consideration that EFL teachers should bear in mind in order to use chants as a learning tool with young learners? Do you think chants can be effective if used with older learners?

Thank you so much guys!

-Antonella García