1. Some characteristics of different age groups
Young learners:
they're good at interpreting meaning - they don't need to understand all individual words
learn indirectly
great skill in using limited language creatively
enthusiastic about learning and curious about the world around them
need individual attention and approval from T
take great delight in talking about themselves
imaginative
limited attention span
forget things quickly
Adolescents:
search and need for identity
need for self-esteem and peer approval
As language learners in the classroom, in what way are they different than children?
Adults:
motivated (have clear goals)
life experience
more disciplined
expectations about the learning process
past experience (if positive - helps in the learning process; if negative - they may feel anxious about language learning)
may worry that their intellectual powers may be diminishing with age
Can we teach different age groups using similar methods and techniques? Why/why not?
2. What are aptitude tests and what are their drawbacks?
3. Good learner characteristics:
tolerance of ambiguity.
positive task orientation.
high aspirations, goal orientation and perseverance.
make errors work for them
Those are also students who:
can find their own way without being guided.
are creative and make intelligent guesses.
seek their own opportunities for practice; are autonomous.
The idea of what a good language learner is, may be also influenced by the culture. Different cultures value different learning behaviours.
4. NLP and MI. In what way can we relate these psychological concepts to teaching?
5. Motivation - what is it? (kinds and sources) How would you define your motivation?
6. Characterise different roles of a teacher.
7. Rapport - what is it? How to establish it? What does successful interaction with students depend on?
8. TTT and STT
9. Plateau effect
10. Native-speaker teachers and non-native-speaker teachers
Methodology, year1; October 2010