how to be a good language learner dq may 2013

David QuartermainBell Thailand

May 2013

How to help students become better language

learners

Is English easy?

500,000 words in OED

Average native-speaker uses

15-20,000

500 words –14,000

meanings

set

NEW WORD

meaning

pronunciation

spelling

formusage

collocations

memory aid

CRAZY English

• There is no “ham” in “hamburger.”

• There’s no pine (or apple) in “pineapple”

• A boxing ring is square

• Writers ‘write’, fingers ‘fing’

Are your students good language learners?

Are YOU a good language learner ?

Think of words or phrases that you remember learning in a foreign language

Why do you think you remember them?

Hasta la vista!

りがとう (Arigatō)

Mamma Mia!

je t'aime!

Poland

turkey indyk

like lubie

8 osiem

volcano vulkan

ambulance erka

onion cebula

noise huk

how many? ile

no nie

car auto

?How can we improve the learning process

Do you teach every word in the same way?

Tiger handbag

phoneice-creambirdtoothbrus

hsnakekeyschalkchildhoo

dwaterYour lover!

Canoe Problem

There are 19 people. 18 are children, 1 is an adult. They need to cross a river. None of them can swim. There are no bridges. There is only one canoe. Only 3 people can fit in the canoe at one time. 1 of the 3 must be the adult. How many trips across the river will be needed to get everyone to the other side of the river ?

17

• Re-read the problem several times

• Visualised the problem in your head

• Drew a picture or diagram of the problem

• Used a mathematical formula

• Came up with a wrong answer first

• Talked with someone else while working

• Thought about it before writing something down

• Asked someone else for help

• Decided not to do it !

Appeal to visual learners

turkey I ndyk

love L ubie

8 O siem

volcano V ulkan

ambulance E rka

onion C ebula

noise H uk

how many? I le

no N iecar A uto

turkey indyk

love lubie

8 osiem

volcano vulkan

ambulance erka

onion cebula

noise huk

how many? ile

no nie

car auto

turkey indyk

love lubie

8 osiem

volcano vulkan

ambulance erka

onion cebula

noise hukhow many? ile

no nie

car auto

turkey indyk

love lubie

8 osiem

vulkan

ambulance erka

onion cebula

noise huk

how many? ile

no nie

auto

osiem auto

indyk cebula

lubiehuk

vulkan

erka nie

Osiem days ago I was driving my auto and

eating an indyk and cebula sandwich at the

same time. I lubie indyk and cebula

sandwiches! But as I was driving, I heard a

loud huk. It was a vulkan exploding!

I crashed the auto and an erka took me to

hospital. The doctor said;

“Ile times must I tell you – nie eating while

you’re driving!’

days ago I was driving my and eating

a and sandwich at the same

time. I and sandwiches!

But as I was driving, I heard a loud .

It was a exploding!

I crashed the and an took me

to hospital. The doctor said;

“ times must I tell you – eating

while you’re driving!’

Realia Makes words ‘real’

Creates a direct connection

Is interesting

Engages the senses

What does a good language learner do?

A good language learner • thinks about what he/she is learning

• thinks about how he/she is learning

• is willing to experiment and take risks

• is not afraid to make mistakes

• has a strong desire to communicate

• Seeks opportunities to practice

• Notices language & pays attention to patterns

How can I help my students achieve this?

• think about what he/she is learningEncourage questions and personalise topics

• think about how he/she is learningEach lesson, review what you did, and why you did it

• is willing to experiment and take risksNotice over-generalisation errors and delay correction

• is not afraid to make mistakesPraise effort. Mistakes are an opportunity to learn

• has a strong desire to communicatePair/Group work. Inter-personal activities

• Seek opportunities to practiceDiaries. English Club. Conversation pre/post lesson

• Notice language & pay attention to patternsHighlight patterns in boardwork. Inductive approach

Think about how students record new

vocabulary

Recording new vocabulary

15th May 2013

tiger เสื�อhandbag กระเป๋าถื�อwondreful ยอดเย��ยมdisappear หายไป๋escalator 　 บั�นไดเลื่��อนdelighted สื�าราญใจ ✘

a)

light alarm telephone bulb clock

b)

Luck 幸運Gamble 賭博Bet 打賭；賭注Casino 娛樂場；賭場

c) LUCK

Noun = luckAdjective = luckyAntonym = unluckyAdverb = luckily

d) Dice = / daIs / Luck = / lʌk / Gamble = /’gæmbl / Dealer = / ‘di:lə /

e)

abackabandonabashedabattoirabbeyabbreviateabilityaccountantaccustomace

f) football roulette tennis blackjacksport swimming casino craps basketball games baccarat judo slots

g)

Gamble.Ex. ‘She gambled all her money away on the last race.’

Bet.Ex. “I bet him $100 that he couldn’t stop smoking.

h)

casino = a place where people play games in which you can win or lose money.

dealer = a person who gives cards to players in a game.

ace = The card with the lowest or highest value.

Recording new vocabulary

Word / phrase

pron translation grammar use example memory

idea

motorbike

/’məʊtəbaɪk/

รถืมอเตอร�ไซค์� nounRide a ~Get on my~~ Maintenance

~ race~ courier

I’ve just bought a 750cc Honda motorcycle

Memorizing ≠ Knowing words words

A good language learner knows that …

Short-term memory

• No connection with existing knowledge

• Little opportunity to use new words

• Easily forgotten

Long-term memory

• New words connected to existing knowledge

• New words are ‘put to work’

• New words regularly recycled

Form a relationship with the words

thwartgiggleOops-a-daisyblurb /blɜːb/

Get to know a word’s friends

Merry

headache

a haircut

internet

Christmas

a

have

the

Have fun with words

Can I help you?

boing /bɔIŋ /

yummy /'jʌmi:/

What are your favourite

English words?

So, are you really a good language learner ?

Do you remember

Polish?

turkey

like

8

volcano

ambulance

onion

noise

how many?

no

car

indyk

lubie

osiem

vulkan

erka

cebula

huk

ile

nie

auto

Any Questions?