RESUMEN DE LOS TESTS DEL MÓDULO 1
PART 2 – BACKGROUND TO LANGUAGE LEARNING
1) Strategies for motivating learners
Engage learners’ cognitive skills The teacher uses puzzles and problem-solving
activities
Build rapport The teacher starts each lesson by chatting to
the class
Respond to learners’ feedback The teacher repeats an activity because the
class said they enjoyed it
Help learners to see their progress The teacher gives the class regular written
feedback on their work.
Encourage learners to develop independence The teacher shows the class how to find the
pronunciation of new words in a dictionary
2) Learning strategies
“To learn new words, I always create pictures of them in my mind” Memorizing
“I always keep new vocabulary on cards which I separate into topics” Organizing learning
aids
“Whenever I can, I talk with native English speakers in social situations” Using opportunities
for practice
“I workout the meaning of a new word from the language around it” Guessing from
“I try to identify the part of speech from the other words in the context
sentence”
“I pay attention to my own language to make sure it is accurate” Self-monitoring
“If I am not sure of the meaning of a word or of how to use it, I look it Consulting
up in a dictionary” reference resources
“If I am not sure what form to use, I look it up in a grammar book.
Using teacher feedback on errors as guidance Accepting
correction
Deciding the best way to record vocabulary in their personal Thinking about how
wordbooks to learn
Looking back at language structures from previous lessons on a regular Revising
basis
Using a word when they are not sure it is correct Experimenting with
language
Noting how native speakers communicate in English outside the Paying attention to
classroom language use
“I sometimes draw timelines in my grammar notebook” Illustrating meaning
“Occasionally, I test myself on recently taught words so I don’t forget Memorizing
them”.
“I make a note of the stress when I put words into my vocabulary Highlighting
notebook.” pronunciation
features
“I try to listen out for new words in expressions, rather than individual
words.”
3) Learning styles
visual auditory kinesthetic
Watching a video clip without Dictation Miming stories
sound and predicting the Information-gap listening
story activities
Learning new vocabulary
with flashcards
4)
Learning styles Preferred ways of learning
A. Conformists: these learners prefer to learn The learner likes working through a grammar
about language rather than communicate. book with guidance
They like depending on the teacher.
B. Concrete learners: they enjoy the social The learner likes doing role-plays and writing
aspects of learning and learning from letters to real people and going to the centre
experience. of town to chat to tourists
C. Reflective learners: they prefer to have the The learner likes having quiet time to analyze
opportunity to think carefully about their problems and also having time to edit his
answers before giving them. work before giving it to the teacher.
5) Techniques for encouraging motivation
TECHNIQUES ADVICE
Encourage learner autonomy Train students to use reference
resources to help them study
successfully on their own
Find out what student think Listen to student feedback using a
class “suggestion box” or a short
questionnaire
Make your feedback positive and constructive Think about how you tell students
about their progress. How can you
praise or encourage them instead
of just giving marks?
Give comments on students’ work
which are helpful and enable them
to feel a sense of progress
Build variety into your teaching Put students into new groups for
different activities
Don’t always do the same kinds of
things in the classroom. Try new
activities and change activities in
each lesson
6) Descriptions of learner preferences
This learner wants explanations of grammar rules: “I really like knowing how language
works”
This learner enjoys practicing language in pairs and groups: “I prefer working with
other students to speaking to the teacher in front of the class”
This learner enjoys doing language practice that focuses on accuracy: “Most of the
time should be spent doing grammar exercises”
This learner doesn’t want to work with other students:”Why should I listen to other
students’ mistakes? The teacher should talk most of the time”
This learner needs to feel a sense of progress:”It’s important for me to know how well
I’m doing”
This learner focuses on communicating:”I just want people to understand what I mean.
I don’t worry if I make mistakes”
This learner doesn’t want the teacher to explain grammar:”Rules just confuse me – it’s
better to work out language from examples”
7)
Classroom activities Strategies for motivating learners
At the start of the class, the teacher writes on Make the learning aims clear to learners.
the board what she hopes the learners will
achieve in the lesson.
The teacher introduces a new topic by using Personalize lessons
situations from the learners’ own lives.
The teacher gives only positive feedback on Build up learners’ confidence in their abilities.
language used in an activity.
Students A and B exchange information in Give learners a reason for communicating
order to complete a text. with one another.
The teacher finds out how and when the Ask learners about their learning preferences
learners like to be corrected.
The teacher shows the learners how to use Encourage learner autonomy
the self-access center.
8)
Group of students Types of courses
These young adults need a range of study A course focusing on listening and note-
skills before going to a British university. taking, and writing academic essays
These adult beginners are going on holiday, A course focusing on basic language skills for
and need to learn how to communicate in an everyday situations
English-speaking environment.
This group of young children have a short An activity-based course with lots of games,
attention span; their parents want them to songs and stories
learn english while having some fun.
These business people need to meet and An oral skills course based on cross-cultural
work with people from other countries at material
international conferences.
These secretaries and receptionists want to A course based on role-plays and situations,
focus on vocabulary and skills which are such as greeting visitors and telephoning
useful for them in their work. clients
These scientists need to keep up-to-date with An online course in which students read texts
the latest developments in their subjects. on specific topics and answer detailed
comprehension questions
9)
Considerations about learning Teacher’s decisions
A. The role of errors The teacher decides not to correct the
learners during a fluency activity.
The teacher encourages learners to ask for
clarification when they don’t understand on
another.
B. Motivation The teacher decides to sing a song with the
class who are disappointed with their test
results.
The teacher decides to read the class a story
they all really like.
C. Learning style The teacher decides to let one learner work
by himself as he works better that day.
10) Statements about language learning
Interlanguage is a language only learner’s use.
L1 learners process language until they can use it correctly and appropriately
When L2 learners overgeneralise new language they are experimenting with language
Developmental errors cannot be avoided
Both L1 and L2 learners pick up language from their surroundings.
