How Students learn
How students Learn
In this chapter we introduce the concept of Second Language Acquisition, and how a student’s first language affects the way in which they learn an unfamiliar (or second) language. We cover the importance of active communication channels, sensory learning styles, and inductive versus deductive reasoning.
Meaning of words in the classroom are interpreted by your students in three distinct ways: The actual word itself conveys 7%, the context in which it is said provides 38%, and your body language provides 55% of meaning. Body language being something not commonly used within Thailand.
It is also worth mentioning that students remember information in different capacities as well. Typically, students remember 20% of what they have heard, 30% of what they have seen, 50% of both combined, but most importantly – 90% of what they have executed on their own. This means that active participation in classroom exercises and elicitation games is of vital importance to the learning process.
Second Language Acquisition is also important to understand, as is the interaction between your students’ first language, and the second one that they are attempting to learn. In the classroom, errors should be not only tolerated – but encouraged – as they are a natural part of the learning process. As in the previous chapter, as an ESL teacher you also need to be sensitive to the growth and development of each individual student. Praise is essential to building confidence as well as showing appreciation that the student at least attempts the language on their own.
We explore the concepts of Deductive and Inductive reasoning. Where: deductive reasoning starts with the bigger picture and introduces the specifics afterwards – where inductive reasoning is the opposite process. They are both referred to as “Top Down” and Bottom Up” respectively.
The Inductive method is a more natural way of learning as we have acquired our mother tongue through this method our entire lives.
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Assessment Category: Learner & Teacher Motivation