In this plenary talk I will share some principles that I consider important in teaching second/foreign languages to young learners. These principles have been drawn out of 25 years of work researching and studying different aspects of child second language learning and also working closely with English language teachers from all over the world as part of my job at the University of Warwick. Much of my inspiration also comes from children themselves! The plenary talk will discuss current themes and concerns in research from an international perspective and I will also address what I think the future holds for TEYL.