Issues in language learning (2018-2).pptx

ISSUES IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

1. Issues in language learning (2) Howard Nicholas Ho Chi Minh City Open University November 19-29, 2018

2. Reflections Think back to yesterday – How did you feel in the class? What was familiar about what I did? What was new about what I did? What did you think about most?

3. Your recollections of yesterday What you felt What was familiar What was new What you were thinking about

4. Priorities for change With the person next to you, agree on one thing that you COULD change in your context what the hardest thing to change is and why Groups of four: Compare your conclusions Same or different - WHY? Groups of eight Group together the things that are the same Explain what causes the differences

5. Changes Commonalities Teaching methods Syllabus* Classroom management (widening techniques) Materials Learning environment Our opinions Attitudes Differences and reasons Class size Curriculum Mixed level students Learning materials (by sector) Learning roles Passive students

6. Questions How do I encourage ‘low level’ learners to speak? How can I change student-teacher relationships? How do I know if my teaching principles are effective? What can we do about the “big” things such as curriculum? What do I do if my classes have safe spaces but my students remain passive? How do I get my students to finish their homework? How can I have appropriate ‘methods’ for different learners?

7. Teaching principles (random ones from Howard) Build trust Allow multiple answers Don’t ‘put down’/criticise/demean Encourage different thoughts – critical reflection Build in multiple steps/recycling Listen (actively) Compare and relate Understanding requires active reflection (discussion)

8. When, how and where can you ‘intervene’ in your students’ learning processes? Focussing on accuracy; correction immediately; speaking – correct later Increase focus on participation and support motivation with bonuses Helping/scaffolding rather than correcting

9. Why do/can you (not) intervene in your students’ learning?

10. What is the meaning of ‘remember’? This also requires something to be present to be worked on. Usually something as a ‘chunk’ and more something that you ‘know’ than something that is ‘done’ [though the body can also remember actions such as how to ride a bike or the way that words are spelled/written] ‘practice/practise’? This requires something to have been added before it can be practised ‘learn’? This has to come first because it is about adding/building something extra

11. Your ideas in neat columns Howard’s comments in red and blue in capital letters all over the place [the word dropping off the bottom is ‘embedded’]

12. For one aspect of language that you learn Define it Describe what changes as you learn it

13. Digesting the readings Form groups of about 6 people who have read the same article (2 groups for Bui; 2 groups for Weissberg) Compare your interpretation of the main claims and supporting evidence in the article you have read (15 minutes) Find a partner who read the other article and explain the content of your reading to your partner (10 minutes)

14. Readings – Summarise for yourself the main significant argument from each reading and identify one implication for your thinking Bui (2016) Weissberg (2000) You

15. Questions for reading (and listening) In (relation to) this text, what do I know already is new for me is wrong is missing

16. Samples of your students’ work Outstanding Average Problematic

17. Administrative issues Referencing (APA6) – examples of format Becker, C. & Roos, J. (2016) An approach to creative speaking activities in the young learners’ classroom. Education Inquiry, 7 (1), 9-26. doi : 10.3402/edui.v7.27613 Pienemann , M. (2010) A cognitive view of language acquisition: Processability Theory and beyond. In P. Seedhouse (ed.), Conceptualising learning in applied linguistics (pp. 69-88) . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Assessment Look carefully at possible connections between class tasks and aspects of the assessment.