YL SIG – Young Learners Special Interest Group

Supporting teachers of young learners to create joyful and effective classrooms through professional development, resources, and community.

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Young Learners SIG - About Us

About Young Learners SIG

The Young Learners (YL) SIG is dedicated to supporting educators who teach English to young learners, typically from early primary school through to middle school. We bring together passionate teachers committed to creating effective, engaging, and developmentally appropriate language learning experiences.

What We Focus On

Best practices for teaching English to young learners
Developing and sharing research-backed methodologies that work with children
Development of engaging learning materials
Creating age-appropriate resources that make language acquisition enjoyable
Interactive learning strategies
Incorporating inquiry-based learning approaches that foster curiosity
Positive classroom environments
Building motivating and supportive spaces for young students to thrive
Innovative teaching methodologies
Exploring CLIL, project-based learning, storytelling, and other approaches
Fun, hands-on learning activities
Using games, songs, arts, and interactive experiences for language development

Who Can Join Our SIG?

Primary School Teachers

Educators working with primary and elementary school children in regular classroom settings

ESL Teachers

Language specialists teaching English as a second or foreign language to children

Young Learner Educators

Professionals working with children in various educational contexts

Students

Future teachers preparing for careers in language education for young learners

Young Learners SIG Mission Statement

The mission of the Young Learners (YL) SIG is to provide a collaborative space for teachers of young learners to share their expertise, learn from one another, and enhance their teaching practice. The SIG aims to foster an environment of continuous professional development and community engagement, empowering educators to create engaging, effective, and joyful learning experiences for their students.

How it Supports Members

Organizes workshops, webinars, and training sessions tailored to the needs of teachers of young learners.

Offers access to a wealth of teaching resources, lesson plans, and innovative teaching materials.

Provides a platform for teachers to connect, share ideas, and collaborate on projects and research.

Offers guidance and advice through mentoring, discussions, and sharing best practices from experienced educators in the field.

YL SIG Coordinator

Coordinator

Tamara Jumabayeva

YL SIG Coordinator

Tamara Jumabayeva is the Head of SIGs at KazAELT and the YL SIG Coordinator. She holds a Master of Education and has completed CELTA, TKT (Band 4), and the Teaching Young Learners course with OxfordTEFL.

With a strong background in ELT, she strives to support and inspire teachers through meaningful professional development and community engagement.

Get in Touch

jumabayeva.edu@outlook.com

@teachingdays

KazAELT Resource Library

Watch the First Webinar for Free

Teaching Young Learners: Strategies for Engagement

46:41

Young Learners SIG Resources

Access our collection of valuable teaching materials, recommended readings, and tools to enhance your practice in teaching English to young learners.

Tools & Materials

Discover digital platforms and resources that can enhance your teaching and make learning more interactive and engaging for young students.

Storybird

A creative platform for students to write and illustrate their own stories. Ideal for developing language skills through storytelling.

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Wordwall

A tool for creating interactive games and activities that are great for vocabulary practice and grammar reinforcement.

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Teach Your Monster to Read

A free online game designed to teach phonics and basic reading skills in an engaging way.

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ClassDojo

A communication app that helps teachers keep parents informed about their child's progress and classroom activities. It also features behavior management tools and student portfolios.

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Useful Websites

Explore these external resources offering additional learning materials, teaching strategies, and professional development opportunities.

British Council – Teaching English to Young Learners

A great resource with lesson plans, activities, and articles on best practices for teaching young learners.

Visit Website

Edutopia

Offers a wealth of articles, videos, and blog posts on teaching strategies, classroom activities, and tips for engaging young learners.

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TES (Teaching Resources)

A platform where teachers can share and download lesson plans, worksheets, and teaching resources.

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Young Learners English (YLE) Cambridge Assessment English

A dedicated site for resources aimed at preparing young learners for English language exams.

Visit Website

Young Learners SIGs KAZAELT

Upcoming SIG Events

View upcoming workshops and meetups
Register to attend
Browse event archives with photos and recordings

View Calendar

Join KazAELT SIG

Get Involved Today!

You first SIG is FREE as a KazAELT member. Each additional SIG membership is 11,000 KZT per year.

Join a SIG

@kazaelt_sigs

Volunteer Opportunities - YL SIG

Share your expertise by co-hosting engaging workshops and webinars for primary school teachers. Collaborate with our team to develop valuable content, facilitate discussions, and help teachers enhance their classroom practices with innovative teaching methods.

Contribute your thoughts, research, and experiences through articles and blog posts for our community. Share best practices, classroom strategies, and educational insights that can inspire and support primary school teachers in their professional journey.

Take the stage at our conferences, seminars, and special events to share your knowledge and experiences with our teacher community. Inspire others with your unique perspectives, research findings, or successful classroom strategies as a featured speaker.

Help develop valuable educational materials for primary school teachers including lesson plans, worksheets, guides, and digital tools. Put your creativity to work by designing resources that address specific educational needs and enhance classroom learning experiences.

Join our event planning team to organize impactful conferences, workshops, and networking opportunities for the teacher community. Help with logistics, programming, speaker coordination, and creating meaningful experiences that bring teachers together for professional growth.