EPIC Teacher's Guide - Book - Page 7
The Natural Approach to Language Learning
The Natural Approach sees language as developing through the use of natural and
meaningful contexts, rather than a conscious learning of language and its structures.
Epic is built on the assumption that young learners are curious and, therefore, attracted by
interesting stories, situations, and characters. The program is built around engaging, ageappropriate stories, which stimulate children’s curiosity and allow for authentic
communication.
The Integrated Multisensory Language Teaching Approach
Bejarano’s (1994) pedagogical concept is based on the firm connection between WHAT
content is included in the language teaching program and HOW that content is taught.
The “WHAT” includes explicit objectives and age-appropriate content, integrating all four
language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing – in natural aural/oral and written
communication.
The “HOW” includes a variety of teaching techniques and activities which consider different
learning styles and forms of intelligences, as described by Howard Gardner (Gardner 1993).
By doing so, the program reflects the individual intellectual and cognitive strengths as well
as the affective needs of each learner.
(Bejarano)
In accordance with Bejarano’s approach, the Epic program includes both the “WHAT” and
the “HOW,” leading to teaching and learning materials, which are academically sound and
successful in the classroom.
4. Topics and Stories
In accordance with the English Curriculum 2020, the topics are relevant to the personal
domain as “this domain refers to the immediate needs and surroundings of the learner.”
(English Curriculum 2020: 8). The topics chosen for the program are part of the child’s
everyday life and immediate environment. Each unit is accompanied by one or two stories,
thus allowing the learning of the vocabulary, lexical chunks, and language use to take place
in the contextual framework of the story.
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