efl: motivating learners in the age of the digital native - tesol france 2010
DESCRIPTION
Until the current generation of 20-year-olds starts moving into the ELT profession, EFL is a bi-polar pursuit: digital immigrants teaching digital natives. Our frames of reference and past experiences with learning are vastly different. If we can unlock motivation in this generation by using the vast wealth of new tools and approaches today available to us, we can finally defeat the "Teen learners have high potential but aren't motivated" paradox.TRANSCRIPT
Unlocking Learner Motivation In The Age Of The Digital Native
Paul Maglione Co-founder
TESOL France27 November 2010
The internetis now20 years old
1910 2010
“A subordinating conjunction always comes at the beginning of a subordinate clause. It
"introduces" a subordinate clause. However, a subordinate clause can sometimes come after
and sometimes before a main clause….”
It’s high time we put these four things together and came up with a more effective
way of motivating learning and teaching English to teens and young adults.
Who Are Teens? What’s going on with their lives?
- hormones / sexual development- independence / autonomy- questioning of authority / rebellion- social hyperactivity / peer pressure
What’s going on with their future? - pressure over education, career
prospects, type of friends, values What are their cultural
references? What is their relationship with
education? English: how do they see it as
relevant to them?
What else do we know about teens?
Their brains are in a very specific state of development.
last
1st
PrefrontalCortex
LimbicSystem
• Physical Coordination
• Emotion
• Motivation
• Reasoning
•Organizing, prioritizing information
• Control of Impulses
Not fully mature until age 25!
Teen BrainDevelopment
Phenomenon #1
Maturing of brain as Grey Matter is lost
age
Adolescent Pruning Of Brain CellsThe brain selectively strengthens or prunes neurons based on activity. Synapses continually used will flourish; those that are not used will wither away.
Teen BrainDevelopment
Phenomenon #2
Teen BrainDevelopment
Phenomenon #3
Mylenation (increase in White Matter)
Speeds the brain’s
information-processing
capacity equivalent to
3,000 X increase in computer bandwidth
The Teen Brain: UNDER CONSTRUCTION
A framework, not an empty structure waiting to be filled
EFL teaching implications
Phased teenage brain development
video, music, movement, news, games, anecdotes
worksheets, lectures, objective texts
+
-
Use teen craving for NOVELTY and EXCITEMENT to get their ATTENTION
Break large, long-term assignments down into short-term objectives
Remind them of concepts, objectives and deadlines frequently.
Teens can only focus on someone talking for 15 minutes at a time they need a change in state of mind every 20 minutes.
Use short formats
For young(13 – 16) teens, don’tmake topicstoo abstract
Keep It Real
INTEGRATE THISinto CommunicativeTask Work
The teenage brain NEEDS to CONNECT
EFL teaching implications
“Use it or lose it” brain cell pruning
Focus material on what they see as relevant and useful to them
• Relationships• The environment• Racism / Diversity• Justice• Jobs / Careers• Independence
Get them to not just read a vocabulary item, but also…
use it in a sentenceuse it in a story
see a photo of itplay a game based on it
hear it in a songunjumble it hear it spoken by a famous actor
Repetition with variation
EFL teaching implications
Explosion in brain processing power
Exposure Input Intake
Multiple exposures to language items in different but similar contexts reinforces retention.
Manageable chunks, always in a context
Ask : How
What Why
Provide ANALYTICAL CHALLENGES that stimulate higher-order thinking
Don’t forget: male and female adolescents mature at different rates
Grey cell pruningstarts at age 10 – 12
Grey cell pruningstarts at age 14 – 16
Boys and girls maybe ready to absorbchallenging materialat different stages.
…also don’t forget: the average teen isSLEEP DEPRIVED
Physiologically,teens require 9.25 hours of
sleep. Most teens
report sleeping 5 hours or less
per 24-hour period.
Sleep deprivation
makes it more difficult for most
students to learn, remember
and think creatively.
WHAT ABOUT EFL PEDAGOGY?
What have we learned these past 20 years?
MOST of these match up with Cognitive Neuroscience-basedprinciples for engaging teens and young adults
NEW EFLApproaches
One of the things they really enjoy, even seem addicted to, is VIDEOGAMES. Why?
What else do we know about teens?
What can we learn (and adopt) from Video Games?
• Failure is part of the game• Try and try again without stigma • Repetition breeds competence• Positive reinforcement all the time• Positive vs. negative stress• Level design: progress to next level is
always a challenge, but achievable• Progress = status enhancement• Social (multiplayer gaming; leader boards;
in-game chat; challenge-a-friend)
Where it all comes together for teens:
MOTIVATION
Understanding Learner Motivation
• The “neglected heart” of our understanding of how to design instruction.
• Particularly an issue for teens, due to:
ZZZZZZZ
Learner Motivation For Teens
Exploit learners’ natural curiosity to explore the world, which is at its most powerful during teenage and young adult years
Learner Motivation For Teens
Make the input material relevant to them. Do they believe that what they are learning will be useful to them soon?
Learner Motivation for Teens
“The simplest way to ensure that people value what they are doing is to maximise their free choice and autonomy”
- Good & Brophy, 2004
Learner Motivation for TeensThree strategies* to encourage positive
self-evaluation:
Promote / Reward
Effort rather than
Ability
Provide
MotivationalFeedback
IncreaseMotivation
via Rewards, not Grades
*Dornyei, 2001
A word about technology…
Class Time Is Precious Time: Technology Can Optimize It
• Exposure / input and repetition: outside the classroom as much as possible.
• Use precious class time for:• discussion• interaction• group work• tasks requiring teacher
supervision• face-to-face intelligent error
correction
The Web allows learners to go beyond learning: to create
#efl #esl #elt #edtech #iatefl #tesol #eltchat
Some Ed-Tech Gurus
Some final points about teens and EFL
Language is part of one’s identity and is used to convey this identity to others.
Teens’ identity is in full-swing evolution, so both L1 sophistication and L2 learning have a significant impact on the social being of the learner.
*Thanasoulas, 2007
If we can integrate English into teens’ idea of self, we turbo-charge their learning, retention, and enjoyment of the process.
*Thanasoulas, 2007
Unlocking Learner Motivation In The Age Of The Digital Native
Twitter: @paulmaglione@englishattack
Web: www.english-attack.comBlog: http://blog.english-attack.com
E-mail: [email protected]: Paul Maglione