Strategies of Teaching English to Young Learners: A Case Study at Lovely Bee Montessori Preschool

Abstract

This study investigates the teaching strategies employed by teachers at Lovely Bee Montessori Preschool in teaching English to young learners and examines how these strategies are implemented during different stages of classroom instruction. Using a qualitative case study design, the research involved two preschool teachers and one principal from Lovely Bee Montessori Preschool Branch 4, Araya, Malang. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that teachers consistently applied structured teaching strategies across the opening, learning, and closing stages of lessons. In the opening stage, song and movement activities, questioning, and modeling were used to engage learners and prepare them for learning. During the main learning process, teachers employed modeling and demonstration, hands-on activities, repetition, and visual or gestural support to facilitate language comprehension and participation. In the closing stage, question & answer activities and vocabulary repetition were used to reinforce learning outcomes. The study concludes that structured Montessori-based teaching strategies effectively support young learners’ English acquisition and classroom engagement, highlighting the importance of developmentally appropriate and interactive instructional practices in early childhood  EFL education.

Keywords: Teaching Strategies, Young Learners, Montessori Preschool, EFL