USING VISUAL MATERIALS IN TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS

Abstract

Visual materials play a significant role in teaching young learners, not only languages but other school subjects as well. The paper aims to provide the theoretical background on teaching English to young learners, with a focus on the classification and benefits of using visual aids in the classroom. The empirical research was designed to investigate the use of visual materials in teaching English to young learners and to register teachers’ and learners’ attitudes towards using such materials. The use of visual materials in the classroom was determined by a questionnaire for teachers of English. Learners’ attitudes towards using visual materials in the classroom were examined by an interview. According to the research results, the most used visual materials in the classrooms were pictures and flashcards while television, videos and computers as tools were rarely used. The paper contributes to improving practice in the area of teaching English to young learners by providing some ideas for teaching English with the help of visual materials.