Help Students Take Charge of Their Own Learning

TESOL 2014Portland, Oregon

Laurel PollardEducational Consultantlpollard@dakotacom.netLaurelpollard.com

March 29, 2014

ASK THREE BEFORE ME

AB

C

• Task• Goal• Time

•One thing I can use is…

•One thing that might have made this workshop even more useful for me….

My grandmother smoked

cigars

1A

Steven is a ___________ at New York University.He is poor. He__________________ for university tuition.He pays for books.Rent in ______York is very expensive.So, Steven lives in the university ___________.He sleeps on four chairs in the library.He _________his clothes in the library bathroom.He eat crackers and ________orange juice.Steven is a good student and a good _________.

2A

Steven _________a student at New York University.__________is poor. He pays for ________________tuition.He pays for books.__________in New York is very____________.So, Steven lives _______university library.He sleeps on _______chairs in the library.He washes his _________ in the library bathroom.He _____crackers and drinks orange juice.Steven _____ a good student and a _____writer.

3A

Steven is _____student at New York _________.He is poor. _____ ________ for university tuition.He pays ____ books.Rent ___New York is ______ expensive.So, Steven _____ ____the university library.___ ______ on four chairs in ___ library.He _________his clothes in the library ________.He eats crackers and ________orange ______.Steven is a _____ _______and __ good writer.

With these strategies, students learn how to learn, inside class and out. This•is more authentic – because students are taking charge•vastly increases practice time•is empowering: It becomes clearer to students that they DO matter, that they ARE capable. We can help them create situations that make this clear to them and to the people they deal with.•is motivating: When students see that they’re learning faster, they’re motivated to come to class more. Persistence and retention improve.

After all, we can’t “teach” them English. But we can help to bridge our students toward being more effective self-directed lifelong learners.