Use of Personal Analogy for Young Learners’ English Language Learning

Abstract

This study examines the effects of using personal analogy (PA) on 17 five and six year old young learners’ target language achievement while also discussing the learners’ perceptions of the use of PA in their English lessons and analysing how much their creativity is reflected in their written products such as a short paragraph and a sentence. Each learner’s written product was analysed in terms of linguistic and creative achievement according to the standards of a linguistic and creativity assessment rubric developed by the researcher for this study. The learners’ perceptions of the PA-based creative lessons (PABCL) in comparison to the typical lessons(TL) were collected through a post survey. The results showed that many of the learners perceived the creativity-based lessons positively, with most of them achieving the target language of the lesson and having positively expressed their creative abilities in the creativity achievement analysis. The results of this study therefore support the possibility of using a creative approach for developing kindergarten learners’ English language abilities and developing their creativity.