JoLIE 10:1/2017

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ANALYSIS OF TEXTS FOR CHILDREN: LEXICAL APPROACH FOR YOUNG LEARNERS[1]

Zhivka Ilieva

Shumen University, Bulgaria

Abstract

Texts for children create context for teaching lexically. The free tools for lexical analysis which help teachers make their choice of songs, rhymes, stories or shorter texts. We analyse the readability indices of a corpus of more than 100 texts for children (40 stories, 60 rhymes and songs, some proverbs, tongue twisters and riddles suitable for young and very young learners).

All the stories analysed in this article are approbated with young learners. They are suitable both for work with young learners and for work with student teachers. Some of the stories have to be adapted for work with younger learners: the results of our analysis confirm that adaptation improves indices’ values, i.e. the stories become easier, more reader friendly.

The article pays attention to the most often met words and phrases: the most often met phrases with the verb said; one of the most often met nouns is day and the most often met collocation with it is one day; little is among the most often used adjectives in the corpus (the model little + an animal); one of the most often met adverbs in our corpus is back. The corpus shows that the same text can illustrate various models with the same words or similar models with different words.

Using authentic texts for children (books for native speakers) gives learners phrases that are above their current level of linguistic development. This way they sometimes use grammar structures that are difficult for young learners but due to the memorable context and multiple repetitions are easily acquired and activated for use in conversations.

Key words: Lexical approach; Young learners; Texts for children; Readability of texts; Frequency; Collocations.

References

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ARI (http). The Automated Readability Index (ARI). Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.readabilityformulas.com /automated-readability-index.php

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Flesch-Kincaid (http). The Flesch-Kincaid grade level readability formula. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.readabilityformulas.com/flesch-grade-level-readability-formula.php.

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Resources

365 (2004). 365 Stories and rhymes for boys. Bath: Paragon.

Are You Hungry? (http). Retrieved June, 2017, from http://supersimplelearning.com/songs/ original-series/one/are-you-hungry/

Baudet, S. (1995). The incredible shrinking hippo. In J. Eccleshare (Ed.), Five-minute stories (pp. 20-22). London: Scholastic Ltd.

Baxter, N. (1996). My little treasury of stories and rhymes. London: Bookmart Limited.

Baxter, N. (2002). Mine. London: Bookmart Limited.

Bear Song (http). Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activity/bear-song.html.

Bourgeois, P. (1999). Franklin and the tooth fairy. Ontario: Kids Can Press Ltd., Atlas Editions Inc.

Brett, M. (n.d.). Tick Tock Turkey and the Disappearing Sandwich. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.storynory.com/2007/03/04/tick-tock-turkey-and-the-disappearing-sandwich/.

Brown, M.W. (1996). Goodnight moon. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Brunhoff, J. (2002). The Story of Babar. In Dean Childhood favourites: ten complete picture classics (pp. 79-130). Glasgow: Egmont Books Ltd.

Burningham, J. (1970). Gumpy’s outing. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Bye Bye Goodbye. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://supersimplelearning.com/songs/ original-series/three/bye-bye-goodbye/.

Chicken. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/chickenchicken.html

Churchill, F., Ronell, A. Who`s afraid of the big bad wolf. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/big-bad-wolf/

Come, Little Leaves. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/comelittleleaveslyrics andmidi.html.

Do-Re-Mi. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/ doremilyricsandmidi.html.

Family rhymes. Some families, Three in a family, I love Mommy, Families. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.preschooleducation.com/sfamilysong.shtml.

Farm Animals Song for Kids. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ0q3Vm6Spk.

Five Little Ducks. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/fivelittleducks.html.

Five Little Froggies. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/ kidsongs/fivelittlefroggies.html.

Five Little Mice. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/fivelittlemice.html.

Friends are Special. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/friendsarespecial.html.

Goldilocks (2006). Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Kuala Lumpur: Kohwai &Young.

Hello, hello!. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.supersimplesongs.com/cd3-2.html.

Henkes, K. (1998). Owen. New York: Greenwillow Books, William Morrow & Company.

I see. Retrieved June, 2016, from www.hamsterkiste.de/E010/03.doc.

If You`re Wearing… Retrieved June, 2016, from http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/ifyouwear.htm.

Jingle Bells. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/jinglebells.html.

Konstantinova, L. (2001). Five funny tales about fellows with tails: colouring and picture book. Sofia: Fjut.

Milne, A. A. (a). Winnie the Pooh. Chapter 1 In Which We are Introduced to Winnie-The-Pooh and Some Bees, and the Stories Begin. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://www.acc.umu.se/~coppelia/pooh/stories/ch1.html

Milne, A. A. (b). Winnie the Pooh. Chapter 4 ...In which Eeyore Loses a Tail and Pooh Finds One. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.greeting-cards-4u.com/PooH/PooHBook/chap4.html

My hands. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/m047.html.

Open Shut Them. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.supersimplesongs.com/cd3-3.html.

Patience, J. (2007). Enchanted tales. Bridlington: Peter Haddock Publishing.

Rainbow Song. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/r017.html.

Rey, M. (2000). Curious George flies a kite. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Ross, D. (1995). The house that suits you will never suit me. In Eccleshare J. (Ed.), Five-minute stories (pp. 132-134). London: Scholastic Ltd.

The ants go marching. Retrieved August, 2015, from http://www.theteachersguide.com/kidsongs/antsgomarching. html

The littlest worm. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/littlest_worm.html

Tongue twisters. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/tongue-twisters.

Tongue twisters. Retrieved June, 2017, from http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/en.html.

Verhoglyad, V. (2002). English fairy tales intermediate. Moscow: Airis press.

Will, J. (1997). One plus One. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/1plus1mp3. html.

Zaritzky, B., & Barrows, W. (1950). The little white duck. Retrieved June, 2016, from http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/ littlewhite.html.

Free access tools

http://www.wordandphrase.info/analyzeText.asp Retrieved June, 2017.

http://www.textinspector.com/ Retrieved June, 2017.

https://readability-score.com/ Retrieved October, 2016.

Frequency lists

http://www.duboislc.org/ED-Watch/Words1-100.html. Retrieved August, 2015.

http://www.eslkidstuff.com/WordLists.htm#.VFXjuDSUfTo. Retrieved June, 2017.

http://www.manythings.org/vocabulary/lists/l/kelk-about.php. Retrieved June, 2017.

http://www.tooter4kids.com/classroom/Most_Common_Words.htm. Retrieved June, 2017.

http://www.word-english.org/english500/.htm. Retrieved June, 2016.

How to cite this article: Ilieva, Zh. (2017). Analysis of texts for children: lexical approach for young learners. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 10(1), 93-118. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2017.10.1.7

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[1]This article is published as part of project RD-08-106/06.02.2017, Scientific Research Fund of Shumen University, Bulgaria.