Abstract
This article states five principles teachers of young foreign language learners can pursue if they wish to make their language classrooms ALIVE: authenticity, lexical priming, integration, variation and engagement. Each of the five principles is fleshed out in the light of the current literature and research. Additionally, the principles are supplemented with practical teaching ideas and authentic learning examples produced by young learners of 6 – 12 years of age in primary and lower secondary school classrooms. Although the examples originate from English as foreign language classrooms, the principles can be applied in the teaching and learning of any foreign language.