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Boom in very young learners sparks new IHWO training

After seeing a boom in demand from very young learners, from this September, International House World Organisation will offer a new online qualification aimed at training teachers to work with learners aged six and below.
August 21 2014
2 Min Read

After seeing a boom in demand from very young learners, from this September, International House World Organisation (IHWO) will offer a new online qualification aimed at training teachers to work with learners aged six and below.

The IH Certificate in Teaching Very Young Learners will prepare teachers for the specific challenges of working with very young learners through a series of online course modules such as managing the classroom and developing materials.

In many schools across Europe, Asia and South America the Very Young Learner market is booming whilst the adult numbers decline

“Initial teacher training courses don’t give teachers any input in this area and yet in many schools across Europe, Asia and South America the Very Young Learner market is booming while the adult numbers decline,” IHWO COO Lucy Horsefield told The PIE News.

“Even in an economic crisis, parents will invest in their children’s education and language lessons are an essential part of that,” she added.

Horsefield said IWHO has seen demand among young learners erupt in many major markets across Europe in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Czech Republic, as well as in Kazakhstan and Russia.  Asia is also showing very strong growth.

Horsefield added that governments and education ministries are beginning to introduce English classes for younger age groups in state schools, making it even more essential to provide training for state school teachers in how to teach language effectively to primary aged students.

The course was piloted in IH Prague, IH Milan, IH Almaty and IH Cordoba, and will be rolled out online to join 11 other IHWO online teacher development courses, the majority of which can also be taken in person at registered IH centres.

The most popular courses in the IHWO certification portfolio include  Teaching Young Learners and Teens and the IH Certificate in Advanced Methodology, both of which can now be enhanced with an additional assessment logo after being moderated by Cambridge English Language Assessment.

“What is important about IH courses is that they take a communicative approach and this teaching style is very popular with children and very effective,” said Horsefield.

“The skills can be used by any English language teacher in any country, regardless of the L1 of the student.”

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