Teaching and learning



Teaching and learningLearning a new language can be one of the most difficult learning processes there is, so teaching a new language inherently comes with great obstacles. In order to effectively teach English to someone new to the language, you have to understand a lot, including the basics of the English language, how speakers acquire a new language, and how to motivate a student to succeed where he or she is struggling. In this module, we will discuss the basics of how to get started, including taking a hard look at how to access the motivations of new students, how to use their previous language and cultural background to your advantage, and how to get your students started on the path to English fluency.Teaching and learning1.1 Motivation1.2 Understanding cultural backgrounds1.3 The importance of first language1.4 Getting started1.1 MotivationTeaching any subject properly requires an understanding of how motivation affects a student. Without proper motivation, it will be difficult for students to commit to the process. Since learning a new language can be one of the hardest lessons there is, it is even more important that you, as the teacher, understand the motivation behind your students commitment to learning, and use it to your advantage. We will start discussing motivation by breaking it down into its two smaller parts: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.1.1.1 Intrinsic motivationIntrinsic motivation is the best stepping stone to success, but it is not something you can teach. Intrinsic motivation is when a person is compelled to do something for internal rewards. This type of motivation is powerful because extrinsic rewards can be fleeting or disappointing, but an internal drive to succeed will always motivate an individual. While you cannot teach someone to be intrinsically motivated, you can help your students access intrinsic motivation that they may not know is already there, or that they may have lost for the moment. If you know your students are intrinsically motivated, you can appeal to their intrinsic motivation to help them succeed. Here are some tips? to access and use your students’ intrinsic motivation:Get to the root of what is driving the individual. While he or she may acknowledge an extrinsic motivation for learning English, you may be able to help them tie that to a grander, internal drive. For example, if a student comes to you wanting to learn English because they are moving to an English speaking country and it will be helpful to know, the superficial part of their reasoning points toward extrinsic motivation. However, this extrinsic motivator points to something internal: the desire to fit in and not feel like an outsider.Understand the basis for most forms of intrinsic motivation. William Glasser, an American psychiatrist, published a theory in 1998 proposing that humans have essential needs that dictate our emotional health. These needs are the need to belong or connect, the need for power or competence, the need for freedom, and the need to have fun. Having these needs in mind could help you when designing your lessons. Which of these needs is this lesson satisfying? This is a way to get away from the punishment and reward system that is meant to access an individual’s extrinsic motivation.Be aware of the fact that intrinsic motivation cannot be forced, and does not abide by the classic reward and punishment system many subscribe to. For example, if someone is not reacting to your lessons, it is not going to help to intentionally make them feel like they don’t belong. In order for intrinsic motivation to work, the individual needs to feel like he or she is in control of the situation, so try to access your students’ internal drive, but don’t try to force one on them.1.1.2 Extrinsic motivationWhile extrinsic motivation is not nearly as strong as intrinsic motivation, it is much easier for the teacher to control. Extrinsic motivation refers to when an individual is compelled to do something because of an outside reward. Because of the ease it can be used to teach someone, extrinsic motivators are often the basis for educational programs. The most common extrinsic motivator is grades, which teachers can simply reward good behavior and punish bad behavior (behavior here refers to whatever the student is expected to do). A student who hands in his or her project, follows directions, and effectively addresses the purpose of the project is rewarded with an A, and a student who does not is punished with an F.Why it worksEven though, as we have said, the drive caused by extrinsic motivation pales in comparison to intrinsic motivation, that doesn't mean that you cannot find success with extrinsic motivation. These motivators access an individual’s desire to find success, even if someone else defines that success. Here are some examples of extrinsic motivators that work in the classroom:Grades: This is the most obvious extrinsic motivator. Individuals want to be successful, and feel better when they receive a high score as opposed to a low score. If you teach in a high school setting, grades can mean the difference between the student getting into college (or a good college) or not, so grades can be a good motivator for students. Even when there is no next level, however, many students will be motivated to succeed by petition: Many individuals have an innate desire to be winners, and putting your students in competition with each other can be a good way to motivate them to succeed, especially if the results are available to all students. This is used a lot by teachers of younger students with things like performance charts, where teachers give students who do well some sort of visible reward, like a gold star. Conversely, teachers can punish negative behaviors by posting the name of the student in question on the board as someone who is not behaving. This can sometimes help motivate students to succeed because they would like to do better than their classmates.Extra rewards and punishments: In addition to grades, some teachers will offer extra incentive to succeed, perhaps in the form of prizes. A teacher might, for example, make a deal with a student that if he or she improves, then he or she can go on the class trip. Conversely, punishments like detentions or phone calls home can be a consequence that motivates a student.1.1.3 Which type of motivation is better?While intrinsic motivation is stronger than extrinsic motivation, it is not very immediate, and therefore can lose effect in the short-term. Extrinsic motivation can be very helpful in the short-term, but is often temporary and does not last. For that reason, the best type of motivation is a combination of the two. Even students with intrinsic motivation sometimes need to be motivated by extrinsic rewards and punishments to keep them on track. Here are some examples of how you can use both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation to help your students:We’ll start with an example we have previously used: an individual would like to learn English because she is moving to an English-speaking country. Whether she realizes it or not, this can be an example of intrinsic motivation and her need to fit in and be successful. You can help her access this by asking her to write down the reasons she thinks it will be helpful to learn English, and then look deeply into those reasons. While this desire can be a strong motivator, you may find that this student begins slacking off during your lessons. She may be having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Using extrinsic motivators, like grades or rewards, you can help her over the hurdle and get back on track. The lasting motivation that will drive her to succeed is the need to fit in, but the temporary motivation of grades or a reward will help push her through the moments where she is having trouble seeing the finish line.A man comes to you and tells you he wants to learn English so he can get a promotion and make more money in his corporate career. While money and prestige are both extrinsic motivators, the need for approval and competence is intrinsic. This is an individual who is driven by the desire to succeed, so extrinsic motivators will be very effective on him. If he wants to use this as a way of advancing his career, then he will likely want to learn English while attaining the highest grades or scores possible so he can flaunt his success. This is the extrinsic carrot that you can use to help him succeed.A woman feels stuck in a job that is stifling and wants to pursue a career that requires her to know English and comes to you for help. This individual is intrinsically motivated by her need for control and freedom. She is less likely to be motivated by outside influences, and more likely to be motivated by a less overbearing and prescribed teaching style. However, she still may require some extrinsic motivators to continue striving for success, so you may need to let her frame her own definition of success, then grade her on the framework she created. This will give her the freedom she wants while still holding her personally accountable for her actions.1.2 Understanding cultural backgroundsOne of the first steps you need to take as an educator is to take their cultural background into account. Instead of trying to present you all the potential cultural backgrounds your students bring to the table (which could be an entire course in itself), we are instead going to focus on why it is important to consider your students’ backgrounds, and why it can be useful to adjust your instruction to better address the varying backgrounds of your students1.2.1?Why is it important to understand your students’ cultural backgrounds?Language is directly related to culture because language is fluid and changes over time as the culture of a region changes. This is why languages like Italian and French can both originate from Latin, but still be fundamentally different. Latin was taken to these regions, and developed as the culture of the regions developed, taking two very different paths in Italian and French. So, it is important to teach cultural elements as you teach English, to take into account the importance of an individual’s cultural origins. These cultural backgrounds can not only affect the way they attain a new language, but also the way they learn in general. Here are some ways in which an individual’s cultural background can affect his or her acquisition of a new language:A student’s environment can have an enormous effect on the way he or she learns. Studies have shown that language acquisition is impacted by an individual’s background, and while learning a new language isn’t the same as learning your first language, environment can play a significant role in an individual’s second language acquisition. A student who comes from a home that values education comes from a home that nurtures what he or she is learning. A student who comes from a home that values life experience over formal education might have more difficulty with traditional lessons.Students from various cultural backgrounds will react to different styles of teaching in different ways. Some of your students may be coming from a background of very strict, teacher-led instruction. Others may be coming from a background of more free, student-led instruction. While both styles have their merit, you will find yourself needing to use differentiation to properly reach both of these students. You can figure out how to best address the needs of your students by simply asking them through an informal conversation or a standard pre-test. Let your students tell you how they learn best, and adjust your teaching to appeal to their needs.An individual’s cultural background can affect the way that he/she thinks, which can affect the student’s performance in your classroom. Taking your students’ cultural backgrounds into account when you are designing and implementing your instruction will help you account for the potential different ways that your students think.1.3 The importance of first language??More important than understanding your students’ cultural background is understanding how their first language will affect the speed and ease they learn English as a new language. While a student’s cultural background can affect the way he or she learns, a student’s native language can affect the way he or she views language to begin with. What are some of the obstacles students face when trying to learn English as a second language?1.3.1 Language barriersEvery language has its own rules, and while many languages share similarities that make new language acquisition simpler, some students will be trying to transition to a new set of rules and language structure. Here are some examples of how language is structured differently:Some languages have been created based on symbols or pictures that represent ideas rather than words made of letters. The transition to English from languages that follow a structure like this can be very difficult.Some languages are read from right to left rather than left to right, which is how English is read. This does not necessarily affect a student’s ability to gain proficiency in speaking the language, but it certainly provides a hurdle for students trying to learn to read English.Many languages require a different sentence structure than English requires. One of the most common examples is when languages place adjectives differently in a sentence than they are in English. In English, someone might say “go get the blue car.” That same sentence in some languages would translate back to English as “go get the car blue.” This can make fluency difficult.Many students will be confused by the way verbs are conjugated in English. Many languages have set rules that apply to the conjugation of most verbs, while English can seem like a free-for-all at times.1.3.2 How can we use our students’ native languages to our advantage?While a new language like English will provide obstacles for your students to overcome, there are ways you can take those obstacles and turn them into advantages. If your students are coming to class already understanding a language other than English, why not use that to help them learn better? Here are some ways that teachers can use a student’s native language to help him or her:It is important that you understand?cognates, and how to use them. A cognate is a word, or root word, used in multiple languages and has a similar etymological background. In other words, you can provide a link for your students between their native language and English. These cognates can be little pockets of comfort for your students as they tread into the unknown territory of a new language.Developing further on the above point, emphasize breaking words down to their roots as you are teaching them. This helps students get a better understanding of the patterns of the English language, which will help them succeed. This makes it easier for students to link the two languages through cognates, but also makes it easier for students to make connections between new words they are learning.Using multiple texts is a good way to help students ease into the new language. Providing a translated version of the text may change the structure, connotation, and intent, but it will give the student a frame of reference when he or she gets stuck. Translated texts can be a crutch for new language learners, but if they are used properly, they can work as a guide to help students feel more comfortable with a new language.Try asking questions in the student’s native language, but ask them to answer in English. Or switch it around and ask them questions in English that they need to answer in their native language. This may be more work for you, depending on the diversity of your classroom, but it can help students ease into understanding English.Use your students’ native language to help scaffold and model in English. This can be as simple as having your students write in their native language, and then showing them how it would look in English. You could then ask them to do the same thing, following your model. Unfortunately, this may require you to be fluent in a lot of languages, but you can work through it with the student if you don’t speak his or her native language.Have your students help each other. Even if the students do not speak the same native language, they are going through the same process and can bond in their desire to learn English, and help each other learn.1.4 Getting startedIt is no mystery that teaching students a new language is a difficult task, but it can be infinitely rewarding. So, how do you actually get started on your career? The first step, of course, you have already taken; and that is to seek training. Let’s take a look at some other important aspects of successfully helping your students.1.4.1 Ensuring your successHere are some basic tips to ensure you are successful and able to help your students learn English as a second language:Make sure you are well versed in the structure and make-up of the English language. We will discuss a lot of things you need to know, but it couldn’t hurt to supplement this course with further study of the language. The English language is incredibly complex and full of rules that are not necessarily logical.While we will give you many tools to become an effective teacher of English as a second language, it is important you continually seek out research and professional journal articles to keep up with the current educational trends. We are constantly discovering how we attain language and how we learn, so teaching English as a second language is a lifelong educational commitment.Make sure you understand how learners acquire new knowledge. As we have discussed earlier in this module, that does not just refer to language acquisition, but to knowledge acquisition as a whole. Learn everything you need to know about differentiation (which we will discuss at length in a future model) in order to give your students the best chance to succeed in acquiring their new language.Be prepared to access all your patience. If you do not come from a teaching background, you may not be aware the patience it takes to help someone learn something new. If you do come from a teaching background, then understand this may be the most difficult thing to teach someone, and you will need to be even more patient than you may have expected.Continually use your experiences to build strategies and concepts that work for your students. All the training in the world will help you, but the true answers to your questions of “how?” will come from experience. Make sure you don’t forget any of the lessons you learn along the way.1.4.2 Understanding the basicsThere is a basic framework you will need to follow in order to find success in helping students with the acquisition of a new language. We will discuss these concepts in detail in future modules. Here is an overview to help you get started on your path to success:Linguistics:Helping your students understand the basics of linguistics will help ensure students understand the basics of how the English language is structured, how we break down and diagram the components of a sentence, and how we communicate in English. This concept will give students a structure on which to build their true understanding of the language.Reading:Reading is one of the first skills you will develop with your students. It is typically where most teachers of English as a second language begin, because having words in front of the student can make him or her feel more comfortable trying to decipher them. Students can learn to see words and sound them out, with the guidance of the word in front of them.Writing:The next step is to work on your student’s skills in writing. The students will have the guidance of the words in front of them like they do when they learn to read, but it requires them to take the next step because they will be the ones producing the words. This is a great time for students to work on the linguistic principles they already studied, and practice sentence structure, syntax, and other basic concepts of English.Speaking:Speaking can be the most difficult part of learning a new language. Having to sound the words out loud can add an extra level of anxiety because everyone in the class will hear the student if he or she makes a mistake. Creating a classroom of respect and support can go a long way to assuage your students’ anxiety. If the student feels comfortable enough that he or she is not afraid to make mistakes in front of the class, he or she will be more willing to take risks.Listening:Listening is a difficult skill when it comes to a new language. Students often feel more comfortable with it, because they are not required to put themselves out there as much. However, listening is the next step after the students begin learning to speak the language. If a student can listen to something in English, comprehend it, and respond properly, he or she is exhibiting a complex understanding of the language, and is usually doing it without a visual reference (besides body language). ................
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