Young
Should we teach or use contractions like "wanna" and "gotta" when we are teaching 3 to 12 year olds? I did research online and most answers are saying that we should let English learners get familiar with contractions. But they were talking about normal contractions like "I'm" or "isn't". What if the learners are kids and we were talking about informal contractions like "wanna" "shoulda" "gonna"? Should we teach them that soon? Or should we wait until they get to some point in the future? Could anyone who is English native speaker with kids-teaching experience or anyone who knows better help me with it? If you are an English native speaker, when did you learn these contractions?
Oct 6, 2019 7:36 AM
Answers · 4
Hi Young Gootta, wanna, gotta, ain't, kinda, gotcha..are frequently used in speech in informal colloquial English, especially American English but are rarely in their written form. But I doubt that outside the USA and American schools, these forms are taught to children at all. Can't see Prince Harry's kids speaking that way :) nor any educated people around the world using them at all if not for a joke. It is, of course, important to recognise and understand them considering that are often used in song lyrics even in Britain for their softer sound (Beatles Docet) in social medias and booming because of the Netlix "generation" watching all the American series. But again in Business Meetings, colleges and Universities outside the US these forms are rarely heard or taught if Americans are not present. So I would maybe touch upon this topic to older kids/teenagers that watch TV series, use internet, media but I would also remind them that they are extremely informal..but there again, I am maybe too British English biased, sorry American friends! ;)
October 6, 2019
Hi Young Gootta, wanna, gotta, ain't, kinda, gotcha..are frequently used in speech in informal colloquial English, especially American English but are rarely in their written form. But I doubt that outside the USA and American schools, these forms are taught to children at all. Can't see Prince Harry's kids speaking that way :) nor any educated people around the world using them at all if not for a joke. It is, of course, important to recognise and understand them considering that are often used in song lyrics even in Britain for their softer sound (Beatles Docet) in social medias and booming because of the Netlix "generation" watching all the American series. But again in Business Meetings, colleges and Universities outside the US these forms are rarely heard or taught if Americans are not present. So I would maybe touch upon this topic to older kids/teenagers that watch TV series, use internet, media but I would also remind them that they are extremely informal..but there again, I am maybe too British English biased, sorry American friends! ;)
October 6, 2019
Since those kids are not in the American environment, you as a teacher have to create that environment for them. And this includes all these words, slangs, expressions, idioms and etc.
October 6, 2019
You have to teach the true english and the right basics....and after you got that ... no problem if he use informal constructions👌👌
October 6, 2019
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!