The Language LearnerThe Language Learner

Today’s aims are to look at:

• how language classes bring together students of different interests, abilities, learning styles & moods

• what we can do about a class of different backgrounds• what factors students believe make a ‘special teacher’• how all this influences the role of both the teacher and

students during a lesson

How was your week?How was your week?

Today

Yesterday

2 days ago

3 days ago

4 days ago

5 days ago

6 days ago

1. Did you and your partner feel the same each day?

2. Did you and your partner do the exercise in the same way?

3. What might an exercise like this show us about our students?

1. Did you and your partner feel the same each day?

2. Did you and your partner do the exercise in the same way?

3. What might an exercise like this show us about our students?

“We do not teach a group but (up to) 30 different separate people. Because of this, the problem of mixed abilities in the same room seems absolutely natural, and it is the idea of teaching unitary lesson that seems odd.”

(Rinvolucri 1986 as quoted in Prodromou: Mixed ability classes 1994)

1. How long have your students been learning English?

2. What effect might this have on the classroom?

3. What steps can we take to overcome this effect?

1. How long have your students been learning English?

2. What effect might this have on the classroom?

3. What steps can we take to overcome this effect?

1. Why are your students learning English?

2. What effect might this have on the classroom?

3. What steps can we take to overcome this effect?

1. Why are your students learning English?

2. What effect might this have on the classroom?

3. What steps can we take to overcome this effect?

1. Where have your students been learning English?

2. What effect might this have on the classroom?

3. What steps can we take to overcome this effect?

1. Where have your students been learning English?

2. What effect might this have on the classroom?

3. What steps can we take to overcome this effect?

The Learner

Reason for learning?

How are they feeling?

Previous experience of language learning?

First language?

How are their four skills?

Style of learning?

What is their knowledge of English?

Below are lists of factors that teachers thought made a teacher special.

Working with a partner put them in order, starting with the one believed to be the most important

Below are lists of factors that teachers thought made a teacher special.

Working with a partner put them in order, starting with the one believed to be the most important

treats each student as an individual 1. (Most important)

has caring qualities 2.

is spontaneous / flexible 3.

creates a rich learning environment 4.

is funny 5.

is enthusiastic and inspiring 6.

Teachers think a special teacher…

The information in this section is based on an article by Paul Bress that appeared in ETP in January 2000.

Below are lists of factors that students thought made a teacher special.

Working with a partner put them in order, starting with the one believed to be the most important

Below are lists of factors that students thought made a teacher special.

Working with a partner put them in order, starting with the one believed to be the most important

Students think a special teacher…

The information in this section is based on an article by Paul Bress that appeared in ETP in January 2000.

uses a variety of up-to-date materials, topics and methods

1. (Most important)

has caring qualities 2.

interests / motivates students 3.

gives all the students equal, fair treatment 4.

is funny 5.

is patient and re-teaches where necessary 6.

The Teacher

doesn’t use the students’ names doesn’t know anything about the studentsdoesn’t use their voicehas no sense of space doesn’t look at the students doesn’t check or cross check doesn’t take account of time doesn’t use the board

What effect might these have on a class?

The Learner

Reason for learning?

How are they feeling?

Previous experience of language learning?

First language?

How are their four skills?

Style of learning?

What is their knowledge of English?

The Teacher

doesn’t use the students’ names doesn’t know anything about the studentsdoesn’t use their voicehas no sense of space doesn’t look at the students doesn’t check or cross check doesn’t take account of time doesn’t use the board

When planning remember this:

You are not teaching a homogenous class of students, you are catering for maybe 30

individuals with their unique learning styles, needs, abilities and… moods!