Language Learning Concepts

Terminology

• Listening: Decoding the meaning of an audio string.
• Speaking: Encoding thoughts and concepts into oral form.
• Writing: Encoding thoughts and concepts into written form.
• Reading: Decoding the meaning of a written string.
• Receptive: Reading and Listening
• Productive: Speaking and writing

Teaching Grammar

• Implicit: No explicit grammar explanation
• Explicit, Inductive: Provide specific examples, then ask students to deduce the rule.
• Explicit, Deductive: Overtly explain rules first, then provide specific examples.

Accuracy vs. Fluency

• Fluency: Natural language use, achieving communication, meaningful use, linking language to context
• Accuracy: Correct formation, practice language out-of-context, not requiring meaningful communication

Acquisition vs. Learning

• Acquisition: Subconscious, informal, uses grammatical feel, stable order of acquisition.
• Learning: Conscious, formal, use of grammatical rules, depends on aptitude, simple to complex order of learning

Lesson Planning 1

• What is set: Learner (class, number, time, pace...), aims and objectives, material.
• What can be modified: Activities (content, form, linking, feedback).
• Varying a lesson: Tempo, organization, mode and skill, difficulty, topic, mood, stir-settle, active-passive.

Main Problems

• Time + class management
• Linking activities
• Anticipation
• Flexibility
• Final feedback + objectives
• Knowing what to do to link lessons
• Get feedback and learn mistakes
• Have all materials and aids ready
• Security and confidence in pupils

Types

• Long term planning (semester/year)
• Short term planning (1 unit)

What to do/remember

• Knowing the class: standards (age, level, number...) / specific (dynamics, HW, links, feedback...).
• Lesson goal and content: Topic, skills, creativity, strategies.
• Choice of activities and material: Objectives, organization, transitions, feedback.
• Feelings: cooperation, enjoyment, talk time.
• Final evaluation criteria: goals, students' level of activity, motivation, organization, success, mistake awareness.

Strategy for Education Policy UP to 2030+3

• Reduction of total amount of learning
• Curriculum information overload
• Redundant knowledge and information
• No time to cover all the material; no space to acquire the knowledge, understand and apply it.
• Focus on outcomes
• Adapting education to societal changes
• Content, methods, and forms
• Motivation
• Individualisation of education

Modernised Curriculum Content

• Modernised, coherent, clearly defined curriculum content
• Creative activities/teamwork
• Students developing critical thinking, linking science and mathematics, learning outside of school
• Creative learning methods

Transforming Educational Content, Methods, and Assessment

• Revise curricula to prioritize critical thinking, problem-solving, practical application of knowledge over rote memorization.
• Integrate digital literacy, interdisciplinary subjects, and reform assessment methods to evaluate competencies

Ensuring Equity in Education

• Address regional and socioeconomic disparities.
• Inclusive environment allows equal access to high-quality education.
• Removing barriers, supporting students to maximize potential.

Supporting Teaching Staff

• Enhance teacher preparation and ongoing professional development.
• Reduce administrative burdens and provide adequate resources to enable educators to focus on effective teaching and student engagement. -Focus on effective teaching and student engagement.

Enhancing Professional Capacities, Trust, and Cooperation

• Foster collaboration among educational institutions, teachers, students, parents, and the broader community.
• Build trust and improve overall quality of education.

Increasing Funding and Ensuring Stability

• Secure stable and sufficient funding for the education system to support the implementation of strategic goals effectively and sustainably.

CEFR 3

• Standardized framework for describing and assessing language proficiency across different languages.
• Focuses on what learners can do at different stages of language proficiency rather than what they cannot do.
• Proficiency Levels: Basic user (A1, Beginner), A2 (Elementary), B1 (Intermediate), B2 (Upper-Intermediate), C1 (Advanced), C2 (Proficient).

Competencies for each proficiency level

• Listening (spoken language understanding)
• Reading (written text comprehension)
• Spoken Production (speaking independently)
• Spoken Interaction (conversing with others)
• Writing (written text production)

Acquisition Theories

• Behaviorism: Language learned through environmental influence. Learning through associating words with meanings
• Nativist: Humans biologically predisposed to acquire language: LAD - Language Acquisition Device. Universal Grammar. Critical period (5-puberty).
• Constructivism: Active process, development socially situated and knowledge constructed through interaction. ZPD - Zone of Proximal Development.

Neuroscience and ELT 5

• Synapses: Structures where neurons communicate.
• Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers.
• Lateralization: Right hemisphere (visual memory, images, emotions, social functions). Left hemisphere (semantic memory, intellectual, logical, analytic functions, language).

Language and Brain Function

• Different cortical areas selectively respond to human voice.
• Speech listening in left-side temple cortex (Wernicke area).
• Reacts to sound, frontal parts activated if recognized as speech.
• Written text recognition – image analysis first (occipital lobes) then prevailing left-side (occipital temporal cortex).
• Speech production between temporal and lower occipital lobes.
• Laterality: Using one side of the body over the other (favoring one hand, foot, eye, or ear); arises from specialization in hemispheres: LH controls RH (vice versa), key role in motor skills, language, and spatial abilities.

Hemispheres

• Left hemisphere (syntax, phonology, producing and understanding speech, able to take over some functions if left h. is damaged)
• Right hemisphere (societies often encouraged right-handedness, more right-handed people; role in decoding and production)
• Dyslexia: recognition of form prevails and lingers; perception, identification of letters and content is not remembered
• Bilingualism: Second language on same level in cortex, language specifics do not make any difference; depend on acquisition level not age.
• Wernicke's Area: Posterior part of left superior temporal gyrus in the temporal lobe; language comprehension, mental dictionary, vocabulary, word meanings, combines visual and auditory info.
• Wernicke's Aphasia: Fluent but nonsensical speech and impaired comprehension

Learning and Acquisition

• Acquisition is more important than formal learning for fluency
• Monitor - Edited speech that is restricted by time, focus and rule knowledge
• Natural Order Hypothesis: Predictable language acquisition order.
• Input Hypothesis: Learners acquire language when exposed to input slightly beyond their current level (i+1).
• Affective Filter Hypothesis: Emotional factors affect the acquisition of input.

Teaching Approaches and Methods in ELT

• Strategies: Specific methods of approaching problems.
• Style: Consistent and enduring tendencies or preferences.
• Process: Every human engaged in learning.
• Learning Styles: Reflective/intuitive (R-weigh consideration before answers). Field-dependent/global/holistic- whole picture). Field-independent/sequential/analytic - separate items). Autonomous – self-directed). Authority-dependent – rely on someone, passive, guidance needed).
• Teaching Methods: Grammar-translation (focus on translating, reading, writing), Audiolingual (based on behaviorism, error-free utterances, repetitive drills), Suggestopedia (positive atmosphere, music, games, dramatic play), Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) (communication skills through role play, develops all language skills). Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) (learning through meaningful tasks), Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) (integrating content subjects language learning), Lexical Approach (emphasis on vocabulary), Blended Learning (integrating face-to-face with online learning).
• Contemporary Approach: Eclectic Approach (integrates various methods based on learner needs).

Teacher Reading

• Comprehension: Developing learners' ability to comprehend texts of varying complexities (newspapers, literature, academic content).
• Vocabulary Expansion: Enhancing learners vocabulary through exposure.
• Critical Thinking: Teaching analysis, identification of main ideas, inferences.
• Cultural Awareness: Diverse topics, perspectives, and cultural nuances in texts.
• Language Proficiency: Integrating reading with speaking, listening, writing, and grammar.

Teaching Writing

• Effective Communication: Equipping learners for written communication (thoughts, ideas, messages).
• Grammar and Syntax: Using correct grammar, syntax, and vocabulary in writing.
• Creative Expression: Encouraging unique voice and style.
• Academic and Professional Writing: Preparing for essays, reports, emails etc.
• Critical Thinking: Analyze, organize thoughts, evaluate information, construct logical arguments.

Teaching Vocabulary

• Contextualization
• Repetition
• Clear and simple definition
• Categorization
• Use visual aids
• Engagement
• Use in context
• Variety of activities
• Personalization
• Listening and pronunciation.
• Contextual learning, visuals, thematic instruction, storytelling, word maps.

Motivation in ELT

• Motivation: Internal driver to pursue and action
• Extrinsic Motivation: Derived from external incentives, (integrative, instrumental, parents, peers, previous experience, penalty and reward).
• Intrinsic Motivation: Urge to engage in learning for its own sake (physical conditions, method, confidence, expectations, teacher).

Learning Styles in ELT

• Grammar-Translation
• Direct Method
• Audio-lingual
• Suggestopedia
• Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
• Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)
• Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
• Lexical Approach
• Blended Learning
• Contemporary/Eclectic Approach

Dive into the essential terminology and concepts of language learning. This quiz covers listening, speaking, writing, and reading, along with teaching grammar methods and the distinctions between accuracy and fluency. Test your knowledge on language acquisition versus learning and see how well you understand these fundamental principles.