ELTT 2023: Professional Knowledge

 

Unit 1 Foundations of Language Learning

Lesson 1: Learners and Language Learning

Preview the Lesson

Read about the four Lesson Topics to preview the lesson.

Topic 1 How Classrooms Shape Language Learning	In a classroom, students can benefit by learning new language in context and by taking an active part in their learning.
Topic 2 Differences in Learning an L1 and an L2	Thinking about how L1 learners learn is useful when thinking about how to present new language to English learners.
Topic 3 Similarities in Learning an L1 and an L2	Thinking about how the similarities in learning an L1 and an L2 can also help you understand how to support your students.
Topic 4 How Teachers Can Support Language Learning	You can help increase students' interest in learning by making the purpose of activities clear to them.

Here are the Key Professional Terms that you will learn in this lesson. Click on a word or phrase to see the meaning and listen to its pronunciation. When you are finished, click Submit.

Key Professional Terms

assess

(v) to evaluate, test, or judge what a learner does; you assess your students either formally or informally to check their progress or evaluate their learning

autonomous

(adj) independent; if learners are autonomous, they are able to learn on their own. Teachers can show students ways to become more autonomous.

context

(n) the event or situation in which language is used or taught (giving directions is a context for teaching commands such as Turn left. Go straight.); the circumstances or situation that form the setting for an event or interaction.

corrective feedback

(n) information given to a student that shows him or her how to correct mistakes

developmental stages

(n) the steps in the language learning process; learners of a language learn certain vocabulary and structures before they learn others. This order is similar for both L1 and L2 learners.

interaction

(n) when two or more people come together to communicate for some reason

interact (v)

L1

(n) the first language you learn, usually the language your parents or caretakers speak

 L2

(n) the second language you learn; often students learn a language, such as English, in school.

learner autonomy

(n) when a student manages his or her learning; the student can plan, make goals, and achieve learning objectives independently.

positive feedback

(n) information provided to a student that shows what he/she is doing well or right

practice

(n) meaningful use of the structures and vocabulary being taught;

(v) to produce a grammar structure; the second part of the PPP lesson sequence; students practice using language in controlled writing or speaking activities.

purpose

(n) the reason for doing something (for example, someone's reason for learning English, or the reason for doing an activity); the reason for listening, speaking, reading, or writing; someone listens to the weather report because they want to know whether to wear a coat or bring an umbrella. Their purpose is to find out this information.

rate

(n) the speed that language learning happens in a given amount of time

readiness

(n) the state of being prepared to learn something; for example, students are ready to learn present progressive (continuous) after they have learned the present forms of be.

role-play

(n) a classroom activity where the teacher gives pairs or groups of students a role to act out using language they have learned; for example, one student may act as a shop clerk, and the other someone shopping.

self assess

(v) to assess one's work; for example, a student might write a story and then read it using a checklist with items such as: uses a capital letter at the beginning of each sentence, uses a period at the end of each sentence, and uses adjectives to describe nouns.

self-assessment (n)