Teaching English to children as a second language through a genre-based approach

Resumo

This paper aims at proposing activities for children EFL classes through a genre-based approach. The activities expose young students to genres that not only ignite creativity and interest in the language, but also provide students with a more solid foundation for using the language in the “real world.” This study is developed based on the idea that, by introducing students to various genres early in their burgeoning relationship with their new language, teachers will make them more motivated and better able to communicate. Studies such as Alves and Calvo (2007) have shown the efficiency of genre-based approaches in EFL classes. The present study demonstrates how genres can be explored to teach English to children through a plethora of pedagogical activities.