Principle #6: Language is used to communicate meaning.
Children will internalize a second language more readily if they
are asked to engage in meaningful activities that require using
the language. For children who are learning English as a second
language, it is important that the teacher gauge which aspects
of the language the child has acquired and which ones are still
to be mastered. Wong Fillmore (1985) recommends a number of steps
that teachers can use to engage their students:
Use demonstrations, modeling, role-playing.
Present new information in the context of known
information.
Paraphrase often.
Use simple structures, avoid complex structures.
Repeat the same sentence patterns and routines.
Tailor questions for different levels of language
competence and participation.