Issues in ELT Pedagogy Working with the 21

Issues in ELT Pedagogy: Working with the 21 st Century Student Anna Saroli Acadia University anna. saroli@acadiau. ca

Structure of the workshop I. Overview of teaching approaches in the 21 st century (30 minutes) II. Breakout into groups: (1 hour) - Learning styles - Finding learning opportunities III. Feedback and resources (30 minutes)

Goals of the workshop General: To explore ways of accommodating different learning styles in the language classroom Specific: To share ideas about how to support students with different learning styles by incorporating learning strategies in the classroom

Changes in teaching approaches in the 21 st century � Learner � Focus autonomy on new language competencies: - sociocultural competence - formulaic competence - interactional competence: - actional competence - conversational competence - non-verbal/paralinguistic competence

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Verbal-linguistic: “word smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Logical- mathematical: “math smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Visual-spatial: “picture smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Musical-rhythmic: “music smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Bodily-kinesthetic: “body smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Naturalist: “nature smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Intrapersonal: “self smart”

Recognition of Multiple Intelligences (MI) �Interpersonal: “people smart”

New ideas about language pedagogy � � Postmethod condition: awareness of the futility of trying to find the best method Postmethod pedagogy: seeks to transcend the limitations of method (Kumaravadivelu, B. 2003. Beyond methods: macrostrategies for language learning. New Haven: Yale University Press)

Interaction between theory and practice �Learner �Other - autonomy concepts in language pedagogy: metacognition: “thinking about thinking” self-regulation: “learning to learn” motivation: - intrinsic - extrinsic individual differences

Integrating 21 st Century Skills in Language Teaching �Relevance �Develop thinking skills �Encourage �Exploit learning transfer technology �Encourage creativity (Saavedra and Opfer, 2012)

�Teach students how to learn: ◦ Focus on metacognition ◦ Promote learner autonomy: �Identify and manage learning opportunities

Learning Styles/ Opportunities/ Strategies �Learning styles: ◦ an individual's unique approach to learning based on strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. �Learning opportunities: ◦ access to any activity that is likely to lead to an increase in language knowledge or skill.

�Learning strategies: ◦ procedures that facilitate a learning task �metacognitive strategies �socio-affective strategies

Learning styles: 1. Felder and Soloman’s Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire �Active/reflective information scale: processing https: //www. webtools. ncsu. edu/learningstyles/

Learning styles: Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire �Sensing/intuitive information scale: taking in https: //www. webtools. ncsu. edu/learningstyles/

Learning styles: Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire �Visual/ verbal scale: how information is presented https: //www. webtools. ncsu. edu/learningstyles/

Learning styles: Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire �Sequential/ global scale: how information is organized https: //www. webtools. ncsu. edu/learningstyles/

Visual learners: learn through seeing �Watching �Maps, demonstrations diagrams �Written instructions

Auditory learners: learn from the spoken word �Listening to lectures �Repetition, �Verbal dictation explanation

Kinesthetic learners: learn by exploring the world around them �Hands-on �Crafts, �TPR demonstrations realia

Final points �Students can learn to “stretch” their learning style. �Teachers should focus on the content’s best modality, not the student’s. �However, a variety of learning strategies will make a lesson more interesting and challenging!

Groupwork � 1. Introduce yourselves (2 min. ) � 2. Take learning styles quiz and share results (10 -15 min. ) � 3. Choose teaching topic and age group (5 min. ) � 4. Design 2 – 3 learning activities (20 -25 min. ) � 5. Make notes to pass in (10 min. ) � 6. Choose spokesperson (2 min. )

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