Ang Swee Choon, Mao Zhao Hui, Ng Imei, Hao Rui, Lee Chih Hsien

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Abstract

Recent developments in language teaching have placed great emphasis on facilitating language acquisition, particularly in the second language context. Therefore, getting learners to be engaged in authentic communication has become the key task of language teachers. Apart from structured lessons and activities, children's playtime intrinsically provides good opportunity for teachers to facilitate young children's language development. The interaction during play provides comprehensible input and pushed output that are essential to second language acquisition. In our presentation, we will illustrate how teachers' involvement in a play environment can encourage children's language production and aid their language development through techniques such as active observation, questioning, recast, modelling and negotiation of meaning.