BOYS & BOYS & LANGUAGESTeaching Boys How To Teaching Boys How To

Embrace Language Learning Embrace Language Learning through Global Thinkingthrough Global Thinking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKaUL2mtAqA

GOALS

Where do boys go after Secondary School?

Why is it that language teaching attracts the female school leaver?

How can language teachers encourage and promote languages for boys?

Where does decision-making Where does decision-making take place?take place?

Home: food, clothes, behaviour, TV, Home: food, clothes, behaviour, TV, computercomputer

Leisure: sport, weekends, holidays, Leisure: sport, weekends, holidays, partiesparties

School: subjects, friendship (mates), School: subjects, friendship (mates), relationships (girls), part-time workrelationships (girls), part-time work

Future: work, travel, study, marry, Future: work, travel, study, marry, home, familyhome, family

What influences Boys’ choices?What influences Boys’ choices?

Intrinsic motivationIntrinsic motivation: learning preferences; : learning preferences; personality; physical attributes; what makes me personality; physical attributes; what makes me feel good (5 senses?); desires; limitationsfeel good (5 senses?); desires; limitations

Extrinsic motivationExtrinsic motivation: expectations family and : expectations family and friends; siblings (how many); economic; time; friends; siblings (how many); economic; time; rules and regulations (family, school, community)rules and regulations (family, school, community)

RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPS

Relationships are the fundamental Relationships are the fundamental key to successkey to success

The single most influential factor in The single most influential factor in the success of a boy is his the success of a boy is his relationship with his teacher. relationship with his teacher. (Michael Gruin)(Michael Gruin)

Young men are looking for guidance Young men are looking for guidance and role modelsand role models

An old saying:An old saying:

I don’t care how much you know until I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care. I know how much you care.

Boys:Boys: like jargon or codelike jargon or code are bored easilyare bored easily need more physical spaceneed more physical space use movement to stimulate the brainuse movement to stimulate the brain deal with symbolismdeal with symbolism have low serotonin (irritability,impulsivity,aggression)have low serotonin (irritability,impulsivity,aggression) learn better by doinglearn better by doing are more likely to take risksare more likely to take risks have less oxytocin (empathy)have less oxytocin (empathy) take hours to process emotivelytake hours to process emotively don’t seek helpdon’t seek help speak 7,000 words for every 20,000 female wordsspeak 7,000 words for every 20,000 female words

Get Boys Thinking Globally

Move beyond the here and now Get them thinking about what comes

next

Get Boys Thinking Globally

Students who are in Junior School now will be working in jobs that do not yet exist and with technologies that have not yet been invented.

These students’ lives will be global. Our challenge is to open their minds to the importance of languages in their future.

How do we accomplish this?

What about girls????What about girls????

Strategies used to engage boys can Strategies used to engage boys can work equally well for girls.work equally well for girls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCD57wVjFMMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCD57wVjFMM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcT8dS-OwPI&feature=related

MAKING LANGUAGES MAKING LANGUAGES RELEVENT TO THEIR FUTURERELEVENT TO THEIR FUTURE

http://www.vistawide.com/careers/http://www.vistawide.com/careers/language_careers.htmlanguage_careers.htm

http://www.maynereport.com/http://www.maynereport.com/articles/2008/02/04-1045-248.html#tarticles/2008/02/04-1045-248.html#t

Useful LinksUseful Links

Michael Gurian: Gurian InstituteMichael Gurian: Gurian Institute

http://www.gurianinstitute.com/http://www.gurianinstitute.com/ Visual thinking:Visual thinking:

http://www.pz.harvard.edu/vt/http://www.pz.harvard.edu/vt/ Win Win Discipline:Win Win Discipline:

www.langfordlearning.comwww.langfordlearning.com British Education (BECTA)British Education (BECTA)

http://www.becta.org.uk/http://www.becta.org.uk/