Very Young Learners in a Gallery of Modern Art – Possible Opportunities Arising from the Implementation of Modern Art in Foreign Language Teaching

• Main Author: Krystian Kamiński
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland 2020-09-01
• Series: New Horizons in English Studies
• Subjects: modern visual arts; very young learners; teaching very young learners; teaching vocabulary; intercultural competence; visuals in language teaching
• Online Access: https://journals.umcs.pl/nh/article/view/9916

Inviting very young learners to a gallery of modern art does not seem as an obvious didactic solution. Some may argue that children are not able to interpret modern art, and, therefore, it is not possible to use such a medium as a teaching tool. However, it all depends on the pedagogical approach and the way art is implemented during classes. This article starts with an overview of definitions of very young learners, defining this group not only in terms of their age, but also characteristic traits. It is also to justify the use of modern art-cued visual materials as a component of language teaching and to ponder upon using elements of artistic creation to foreign language classrooms. The practical implementation of a presented solution is also discussed in the article. The ideas were used as workshops aimed at introducing very young learners to modern art as well as at acquiring new English vocabulary. Classes were carried out in one of the modern art galleries in Lublin. An example of chosen artwork and pieces created by a very young learner are shown in this article. Finally, the opportunities arising from implementing the new methodology are analysed. They are connected with linguistic development, improvement of young learners’ skills, as well as developing intercultural competence.