Foreign Language Teaching Methods Active learning in the language classroom Fulbright FLTA Orientation Fayetteville, Arkansas, August 16-20 2017
Teacher Challenges
Teacher Challenges
Good Language Learners What do good language learners do?
Good Language Learners Personality Outgoing Risk taker Talkative Dedicated to learning Behaviors Ask questions Complete homework Participate actively Review vocabulary Teachers can train student behavior.
Good Language Learners How can I help my students do the things that good language learners do?
Student Centered Learning Good language learning behaviors begin with a student centered approach to language teaching. student
Role of the Teacher Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire. - William B. Yeats
What is Student Centered Learning? Teaching Learning Learning is an ACTIVE process that students must ENGAGE in.
What is Teacher Centered Learning? Traditional teacher-centered approach: Instructor talks, students listen Students often work alone Instructor evaluates learning Classroom is quiet; students only talk when called on This style of learning is comfortable for teachers and often for students.
What is Student Centered Learning? Student-centered approach: Instructor models & students interact in pairs or groups Instructor is an information resource Classroom often feels noisy and busy
A Student Centered Classroom!
What is Student Centered Learning? Student-centered learning gives students the opportunity to practice language in situations where they will actually use it. (MEXTESOL Journal, Vol. 34, No. 1) Focus is on: interaction, conversation, language use, communication rather than only grammar.
Roles of the Students and Teacher Student Role: Perform Describe Relate Communicate Teacher Role: Model Guide Facilitate INSPIRE
Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire. - William B. Yeats
Presenting a Grammar Structure Many textbooks present grammar rules and charts like this one. Your job is to present this information to students in an interactive way. Base form Simple Past Tense Past Participle be was / were been eat ate eaten have had had go went gone
Using a listening passage 1. Listen to the dialogue between two travelers. What happened to the man? When did this happen? 2. Listen again. Raise your hand every time you think you hear a verb (or an action word).
Read the dialogue. Circle the verbs. Emma: Hey Ralph! Where were you last night? We missed you. Ralph: I was stuck in the airport. My flight was delayed, so I slept in O Hare. Emma: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. That was probably not very fun. Did you get anything to eat? Ralph: Yeah, I had some pizza for dinner, and I ate a bagel for breakfast. Emma: Oh...Well, we re glad you finally made it. Come on, let s go to class! Ralph: Okay.
Read the dialogue. Circle the verbs. Emma: Hey Ralph! Where were you last night? We missed you. Ralph: I was stuck in the airport. My flight was delayed, so I slept in O Hare. Emma: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. That was probably not very fun. Did you get anything to eat? Ralph: Yeah, I had some pizza for dinner, and I ate a bagel for breakfast. Emma: Oh...Well, we re glad you finally made it. Come on, let s go to class! Ralph: Okay.
Practicing Language Different types of language activities: Mechanical accuracy form teacher-control Communicative fluency usage student-control After studying German for two years at the university, I was very good at filling in worksheets, but I could not speak the language. Thomas
Practicing Irregular Verbs 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 go be teach buy see write 2 run cry pay take wake grow 3 steal do put find bring stand 4 drink teach begin spend break give 5 eat catch forget fall keep feel 6 tell make hit meet hear come
Practicing Language Brainstorm activity ideas for each category. Mechanical Fill-in-the-blank worksheets Repeat the teacher Match vocab items Comprehension questions (T/F) Identify pictures of vocab Yes / no questions Translate Communicative Discussion pairs, circles Role plays, dialogues Presentations Speeches Debates Stories Posters
Creating Interactive Practice Students LEARN when they are ACTIVE. Here are some examples of making typical textbook activities interactive and communicative:
Making Activities Interactive Match questions to answers. 1. What s the time? a. No, I m not a doctor, I m a nurse. 2. What s your name? b. They re coming on Thursday. 3. Are you a doctor? c. It s five o clock. 4. Where do you live? d. Fine, thank you. 5. How are you? e. My name is Sandra. 6. Why are you laughing? f. I live in Canada. 7. Which day are they coming? g. Because it s funny!
Making Activities Interactive Write an ending to these sentences: When I was a child Last time I went dancing The best dinner I ever had When I was in high school Before I could speak English Last time I went to the movies In my worst nightmare On TV last night
Making Activities Interactive Put in the following adverbs: bravely, happily, loudly, politely, quietly, sadly 1. Well, at last we ve succeeded! she said 2. What are you doing here? he shouted 3. We re so disappointed, sobbed the girls 4. I hurt myself, but you mustn t worry, he declared 5. Please be quiet, Jane is sleeping, she told us 6. Can I help you? he asked
In Summary: What do good language learners do? You have learned strategies to HELP your students move towards these behaviors!