Giving our students tools to learn David Gray Barcelona, March 2009

Giving our students Giving our students tools to learntools to learn

David GrayDavid Gray

Barcelona, March 2009Barcelona, March 2009

Task 1Task 1

Think of a foreign language you have Think of a foreign language you have learned / are learning. Make a list of some learned / are learning. Make a list of some techniques you used or are using to do the techniques you used or are using to do the following:following:

Learn new vocabularyLearn new vocabulary Improve your speakingImprove your speaking Improve your listeningImprove your listening Revise for examsRevise for exams

Learning stylesLearning styles

AuditiveAuditive VisualVisual Kinaesthetic/physicalKinaesthetic/physical Analytical/logicalAnalytical/logical

InterpersonalInterpersonal IntrapersonalIntrapersonal

Five provocations (?)Five provocations (?)

As teachers, we are good language As teachers, we are good language learners.learners.

We have usually learned in an intuitive We have usually learned in an intuitive way.way.

We often assume that our learners can do We often assume that our learners can do the same.the same.

This is not necessarily true!This is not necessarily true! We can help by focussing explicitly on We can help by focussing explicitly on

techniques and strategies for learning, techniques and strategies for learning, communicating (and doing exams).communicating (and doing exams).

Areas of awarenessAreas of awareness

Study habitsStudy habits My expectationsMy expectations English and meEnglish and me Learning to speakLearning to speak Learning to listenLearning to listen Learning to readLearning to read Learning to write Learning to write Exam techniquesExam techniques

(1) Study habits(1) Study habits

Ways to record vocabularyWays to record vocabulary

Ways to remember vocabularyWays to remember vocabulary

Ways to record grammarWays to record grammar

Ways to reviseWays to revise

(2) My expectations(2) My expectations

Mark the statements. Mark the statements.

1 = Agree totally 2 = More or less agree 3 = Don’t 1 = Agree totally 2 = More or less agree 3 = Don’t agreeagree

I will be able to speak English fluently when I leave I will be able to speak English fluently when I leave school.school.

I expect to do exams.I expect to do exams.

I expect English classes to be fun.I expect English classes to be fun.

It’s the teacher’s fault if I don’t learn.It’s the teacher’s fault if I don’t learn.

…………

…………

…………

(3) English and me(3) English and me

English words in my everyday lifeEnglish words in my everyday life English-speaking people I like / don’t English-speaking people I like / don’t

likelike Interesting jobs and EnglishInteresting jobs and English English and my languageEnglish and my language

- Words with different / multiple - Words with different / multiple meanings (eg meanings (eg constipado, holeconstipado, hole))

- Similarities and differences- Similarities and differences

Skills developmentSkills development

Learning techniques, yesLearning techniques, yes Awareness-raising exercises, yesAwareness-raising exercises, yes

But also…But also…

Communication strategiesCommunication strategies

Speaking (interaction)

Speaking (production)

Listening Writing

• Saying you don’t understand• Asking a person to repeat• Showing interest• Interrupting politely• Checking if another person understands

• Apologising for feeling nervous• Saying what you are going to talk about • Using linkers• Stressing content words

• Predicting• Listening for gist• Listening for specific information• Identifying a speaker’s mood

• Brainstorming ideas• Organising ideas into paragraphs• Checking the first draft• Writing a final draft

So, where have we been?So, where have we been?

It’s easy to make overly optimistic It’s easy to make overly optimistic assumptions about our studentsassumptions about our students

We can give them tools to help them We can give them tools to help them learnlearn

Some areas we can usefully helpSome areas we can usefully help Some ways to do thisSome ways to do this Techniques, awareness, Techniques, awareness,

communication strategiescommunication strategies Exam strategiesExam strategies

Thank you very much!!Thank you very much!!