Lexis for Young Learners: Are we heading for frequency or just common sense?

There have been limited studies to show what junior level language learners are taught and why. Just how useful are the words that Greek young learners of about 7 to 8 years old have acquired by the end of their first 'junior' year?The present paper presents a qualitative and quantitative analysis concerning the vocabulary used in a number of recent coursebooks for Junior A level. More specifically, the degree to which these words overlap with the first two thousand most frequent words in English is ascertained, according to wordlists from the General Service List (GSL) and the British National Corpus (BNC). In addition it reveals the topic areas within which the vocabulary of these coursebooks falls

Cognitive development, aptitude and language learning in Greek young learners.

Current views of foreign language learning aptitude are adult orientated. Descriptions of aptitude are cast in terms of sophisticated language abilities and these are investigated by means of complex language tests. It is not possible within this framework to test, or even describe, aptitude in young children since their language capacities are still developing. Recent studies support the idea that there is a link between the general cognitive skills that learners possess and their success in learning their second language. They can suggest, therefore, which separate elements of cognitive ability may be part of language learning aptitude in children. A series of research concerning the relation between general cognitive skills and second language success has been conducted during the past three years. The studies are done in Greek schools and involve young learners of 5-9 years. The results suggest that tests of general cognitive skills such as memory and analytic ability are very good predictors of foreign language learning success. In this, aptitude in young learners appears to be very similar to aptitude in adults. These cognitive skills appear to improve with age so it can be argued that in certain ways older learners are actually better language learners than children. Yet, the question of a 'window of opportunity' and the age effect still remains open. As other researchers have supported comprehensible and continuous exposure, appropriate methodology and trained teachers are more promising than the onset time. The study offers convincing evidence that the nature of language learning aptitude might not be fixed at least at that age and there is a possibility that at that stage it might actually be plastic. This does not mean that one could instruct everyone to be equally good at learning languages using the cognitive skills suggested here. It does imply, however, that practice and improvement on certain abilities that relate to language may well facilitate effective learning at least to some extent. A test of cognitive skills that appear to relate to foreign language learning is devised at the end that could hopefully offer a valuable source for a child's learning profile at the very beginning of learning

Una investigación sobre las percepciones de los docentes y los padres sobre la introducción del inglés en

orm of introducing the English language in preschools in Greece during 2021-2022. The “Introduction of English in Preschools”, known as the EAN Project, aims to develop the appropriate pedagogical and methodological framework for English language teachers and preschool teachers for the introduction of English in Greek preschools. The EAN Project seeks to support EFL and preschool teachers by providing them with a comprehensive training course, indicative educational material, scenarios, and activities specifically designed for preschool children. Another aim is to support and monitor the preschools while contributing also to the formative assessment of this innovative initiative.  The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to EFL and preschool teachers and parents. General perceptions, the benefits and the challenges related to the introduction of English in Greek preschools were investigated along with the effect of cooperation between all stakeholders. Analysis revealed that the perceptions are positive from all stakeholders while there Este artículo presenta algunos de los resultados iniciales en relación con la nueva reforma educativa de introducción del idioma inglés en los centros preescolares de Grecia durante 2021-2022. La "Introducción del inglés en los centros preescolares", conocida como el Proyecto EAN, por sus siglas en inglés, tiene como objetivo desarrollar un marco pedagógico y metodológico adecuado para los profesores de inglés y los profesores de preescolar para la introducción del inglés en los centros preescolares griegos. El Proyecto EAN pretende apoyar a los profesores de inglés y de preescolar proporcionándoles un curso de formación completo, material educativo explicativo, y escenarios y actividades diseñadas específicamente para los niños de preescolar. Otro de los objetivos es apoyar y supervisar los centros preescolares, contribuyendo también a la evaluación formativa de esta innovadora iniciativa.  Los datos se recogieron mediante un cuestionario administrado a los profesores de EFL y de preescolar y a los padres.&nbsp

Una investigación sobre las percepciones de los docentes y los padres sobre la introducción del inglés en las escuelas infantiles griegas

The present paper presents some of the initial findings regarding the new educational reform of introducing the English language in preschools in Greece during 2021-2022. The “Introduction of English in Preschools”, known as the EAN Project, aims to develop the appropriate pedagogical and methodological framework for English language teachers and preschool teachers for the introduction of English in Greek preschools. The EAN Project seeks to support EFL and preschool teachers by providing them with a comprehensive training course, indicative educational material, scenarios, and activities specifically designed for preschool children. Another aim is to support and monitor the preschools while contributing also to the formative assessment of this innovative initiative. The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to EFL and preschool teachers and parents. General perceptions, the benefits and the challenges related to the introduction of English in Greek preschools were investigated along with the effect of cooperation between all stakeholders. Analysis revealed that the perceptions are positive from all stakeholders while there are some differences regarding the participants’ views and perceptions, based on their previous experience during the pilot phase, their level of education, their IT skills, and their residency.Este artículo presenta algunos de los resultados iniciales en relación con la nueva reforma educativa de introducción del idioma inglés en los centros preescolares de Grecia durante 2021-2022. La "Introducción del inglés en los centros preescolares", conocida como el Proyecto EAN, por sus siglas en inglés, tiene como objetivo desarrollar un marco pedagógico y metodológico adecuado para los profesores de inglés y los profesores de preescolar para la introducción del inglés en los centros preescolares griegos. El Proyecto EAN pretende apoyar a los profesores de inglés y de preescolar proporcionándoles un curso de formación completo, material educativo explicativo, y escenarios y actividades diseñadas específicamente para los niños de preescolar. Otro de los objetivos es apoyar y supervisar los centros preescolares, contribuyendo también a la evaluación formativa de esta innovadora iniciativa. Los datos se recogieron mediante un cuestionario administrado a los profesores de EFL y de preescolar y a los padres. Se investigaron las percepciones generales, los beneficios y los retos relacionados con la introducción del inglés en los centros preescolares griegos, así como el efecto de la cooperación entre todas las partes interesadas. El análisis reveló que las percepciones son positivas por parte de todas las partes interesadas, mientras que existen algunas diferencias en cuanto a las opiniones y percepciones de los participantes, basadas en su experiencia previa durante la fase piloto, su nivel de educación, sus conocimientos de informática y su lugar de residencia

Words don't come easy: Linguistic analysis of vocabulary in Magic Books

The present study focuses on the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) coursebooks Magic Book 1 and Magic Book 2 that have been designed and developed for third graders in the Greek state primary schools under the PEAP project. It aims to examine the lexical items selected for those coursebooks and set out the criteria that render them a useful tool for teaching EFL to young learners. More specifically, this paper aims to: (a) examine the frequency of the vocabulary included in the two books by using the frequency data of the British National Corpus (BNC), (b) compare the vocabulary of the books with the English Vocabulary Profile (EVP) issued by Cambridge University Press, and (c) examine the thematic areas covered in these books in order to investigate the extent of their continuity with the interests and needs of the target age group

'Greek teachers' preferences in ELT Methodology for the teaching of vocabulary'

This paper presents the opportunity to place vocabulary in the pedagogic spotlight as its main aim is to investigate Greek teachers' preferences in ELT Methodology for the teaching of lexis. It aims to offer some insight and understanding of how methodology of vocabulary teaching is practised in Greek classrooms, to indicate Greek teachers' preferences, to offer some interpretation for these preferences, to find out if theory meets action in class, to suggest how best to facilitate teachers' demanding task

Sobre ética y tecnologías emergentes

Programa Consolider "El tiempo de los derechos" (HURI-AGE

Semantic clusters combined with kinematics the case of English and Modern Greek motion verbs

Sionti M, Claudino L, Aloimonos Y, Penstein Rose C, Markantonatou S. Semantic clusters combined with kinematics the case of English and Modern Greek motion verbs. In: Nikolaos L, Alexiou T, Areti Maria S, De Gruyter Open-Versita, eds. Major Trends in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics 1, Selected Papers from the 20th ISTAL, Thessaloniki 1-3 April 2011. Major Trends in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics 1, Selected Papers from the 20th ISTAL. Vol Vol 20, No 1 (2014). Versita Ltd, 78 York Street, London W1H 1DP, Great Britain.: Versita; 2014: 495-510