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Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

When we teach a FL, we have to take into account the external +internal world of the learner, as well as his knowledge and experiences.

This implies following a learner-centred approach where the student has an active role in his learning process.

Jeremy Harmer: best teachers –think carefully about what they are going to do in their classes. Bear in mind students’ characteristics, abilities and needs.

Question 2

This topic is related to…

Answer 2

to topics 13, 14 and 22, as all of them contemplate methodologies based on learner-centred approaches.

Question 3

Foundations LC: Constructivism (intro)

Answer 3

L-C learning based: Constructivism
Main premise: construct our knowledge by reflecting on our experiences.

Constructivism has influenced teaching practice in modern societies: foster thinking + understanding rather than “memorising”,

Question 4

COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTIVISM -intro

Answer 4

Is concerned with how learners understand things. They go through a process of assimilation-accommodation, assimilating new experiences and accommodating them to their mental schemes.
We have to mention two relevant scholars in the field of cognitive constructivism, Jean Piaget and Howard Gardner.

Question 5

Jean Piaget ideas

Answer 5

Piaget is the father of cognitive constructivism. He pointed out that learners cannot undertake certain tasks until they are psychologically mature enough to do so. Piaget described four developmental stages: sensory-motor (from birth to two years of age), pre-operational stage (approximately two to seven), concrete-operational stage (goes from seven to eleven) and formal operational stage.

Question 6

Howard Gardner.

Answer 6

his main contribution is the theory of multiple intelligences (1983). He suggested that there are eight types of intelligence: Visual-Spatial, Kinaesthetic, Linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist and Musical. We all have and use all of them, although differ in the strength of each one. So, in order to cater to the different learning styles and give all pupils equal opportunities to learn, the activities planned should be varied,

Question 7

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM -intro

Answer 7

maintains that human development is constructed through interaction with others. Two influential authors in this field are Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, and John Dewey an American educational reformer.

Question 8

Vygotsky

Answer 8

Vygotsky’s Social Development theory (78) is based on the premise that social interaction plays a crucial role in the development of cognition. He stated that the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level.

Moreover, he distinguished two levels of performance. On the one hand, the independent performance, which refers to what a child can do without help; on the other hand, the assisted performance, which is what the same child is able to do with guided assistance. He called the distance between the two, “Zone of Proximal Development”. Learners need to acquire the necessary autonomy to shorten the distance between both levels, and this can be achieved through the necessary scaffolding, given by the teacher, or social interaction, developed with adult guidance or peer collaboration.

Question 9

John Dewey

Answer 9

he was known for having popularised co-operative learning, which aims to organize the classroom activities by combining academic and social learning experiences. By working in groups, students can benefit from others, promoting learning from peers and developing higher order thinking skills (HOTS in Bloom’s taxonomy), such as evaluating, analysing and creating.

Question 10

outline of “Teaching and learning process in L-C curriculum:fundam&appl”

Answer 10

1. Curriculum
2. L-C: advent Comm. Approach
3. Basic assumptions
4. Teachers’ Role
5. Cambell - 4 advantages
6. Applications

Question 11

L-C approach in the curriculum

Answer 11

The Primary Education curriculum (RD 126 and D89) is based on the learner-centred education approach, as the teaching learning process takes into account that:

• diff. pupils have diff. paces of learning (6 , 3)
• it provides tools for attention to diversity, ensuring that all children learn and develop their full potential through curricular adaptations if necessary (14,17).

Question 12

L-C: advent Comm. Approach

Answer 12

The development of learner-centred teaching came with the advent of the Communicative Approach, as its main goal was the achievement of communicative competence, and this competence was acquired by experimenting with the target language. In other words, learners “learn by doing”, which is a totally learner-centred and constructivist way to learn.

The term communicative competence is highlighted in our Educational System, being set in Objective F (explicar9.

Therefore, in order to achieve this aim, pupils need to learn how to use appropriate language to a given situation, learning in this sense the five sub-competences established by Canales, Swain and Jan van Eck, grammatical, discourse, socio-linguistic, strategic and sociocultural.

Question 13

L-C:Basic assumptions

Answer 13

Basic assumption of a learner-centred curriculum is:
- pupils have an active role in their learning process, where their needs, interests and abilities are considered. This involves increasing pupils’ responsibility and autonomy.

-reflexive approach, where both learners and teachers need to develop a critical self-awareness of their own role.

Question 14

Teachers’ role - intro

Answer 14

In this light, we have to consider that nowadays teachers’ role has changed drastically from traditional methods. Their role is no longer seen as the authority figure who gives the orders. In the modern classroom the teacher is the one who encourages and motivates the students, and takes into account their needs and interests, creating a stress-free environment that fosters communication and participation (S. Krashen, Affective Filter Hypothesis). Therefore, teachers’ role normally changes depending on the type of activity.

Question 15

Types of teachers’ role

Answer 15

Initially, the teacher will need to be a controller, as it is the one who decides which activities are going to be used, and how. However, following a learner-centred Approach, there are times to relax control and let the students get the chance to speak and communicate, as this will help them become communicatively competent.

Teacher also acts as an organiser, as it is important that the students know what they have to do. This means that the teacher has to provide clear instructions.

Throughout the activity the teacher will also have to play the role of prompter, encouraging them to participate and helping the students to continue talking. In this sense, will act as a participant, when the activity calls for it and as resource, when they need help. Finally, teachers will also act as assessors to obtain feedback of the activity.

Question 16

Campbell - advantages of L-C

Answer 16

1. takes into account students’ previous learning experience, as they bring to the classroom their ideas, attitudes and interests. All of them will influence the topics chosen.
2. considers learners as authors, as they can also participate in the creating of their own learning material, such as picture dictionaries.
3. Group solidarity, as well as peer teaching and correction are concepts considered necessary in a learner-centred curriculum, as they foster cooperative-learning and socialization.
4. teachers need to do a constant analysis, adapting their teaching practice to pupils’ needs.

Question 17

Applications of L-C approach

Answer 17

1. trace their syllabus designs according to the official curriculum + pupils’ interest, abilities and needs.
   In this light is crucial that they include motivating activities which foster:
   - learning by doing
   - co-operative learning
   - giving the students the opportunity to contribute to their own learning process
   and in this sense we will promote the acquisition of multiple KC - l2l (4), SC (5), SIE (6)
2. to achieve coco - lesson compile 4 lg skills, as it will provide a sense of continuity and will add variety to the teaching practice. — Teachers need to provide the necessary scaffolding to facilitate their comprehension and always bear in mind that they must be organized from the simplest to the most complex, according to Krashen’s Natural Approach.
3. Material: contextualized, meaningful, interesting and comprehensible to student’s level.Thus the use of games, songs, or stories, will allow students work and learn at their own pace and will provide motivating ways of teaching the foreign language.
4. ICT: which is a cross-curricular element, is an incredibly effective teaching tool that gives them exposure to English spoken by native speakers.
   Acquis. KC - DC (3), CAE (7). The benefits are endless, but mainly it has a great motivational potencial as it combines learning and enjoyment.

Question 18

OUTLINE: “motivations and attitutes”

Answer 18

1. intro
2. techniques and analyse needs
3. Affective Filter - attitudinal factors
4. Types of motivation

Question 19

“motivations and attitutes”Introduction

Answer 19

Motivation and attitudes are key factors that influence the development of a FL. Our students will probably have different motivations and attitudes towards English, so in order to trace the most suitable SD within a learner-centred approach, we must analyse our pupils’ characteristics. This implies knowing not only their age, level or family background, but also their interests and needs.

Question 20

“motivations and attitutes”: techniques and needs

Answer 20

• Formal techniques: include interviews and tests,
• Informal techniques: such as classroom observation.

In this way we can analyse not only objective needs, (English level), but also their subjective needs (to their motivations, attitudes and i’ ).

Question 21

“motivations and attitutes”- positive attitude

Answer 21

In order to create a + attitude towards English, it is crucial to create a SF learning environment where the affective principle is low. According to Stephen Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis, learner’s attitude is an adjustable filter that CAN block the necessary input for language acquisition. He mentioned that there are three kinds of affective or attitudinal variables related to second language acquisition, motivation, self-confidence and anxiety. The first two need to be high, whereas the third should be as low as possible.

Question 22

Types of motivation

Answer 22

Regarding motivation, according to H. Douglas Brown, we can face different types of motivation. On the one hand, extrinsic motivation, which can be integrative, that occurs when students are attracted to the culture of the target language, and instrumental, when the language is seen as an instrument to get a goal, for example, giving the pupils stickers for well done work. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation, which is what makes a student engage and participate in language learning activities.

Question 23

PROMOTION OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Answer 23

1. designing fun activities that combine learning and enjoyments. This can be achieved by means of games, song or drama techniques.
2. giving them the opportunity to decide the activities we are going to do in class, or even designing learning materials, such as flashcards we can later laminate and hang up in the walls.
3. Use of ICT:will cater to different learning styles and it is a highly motivating resource we need to always incorporate in our syllabus design.
4. However, it is desirable that the teacher is continuously monitoring his/her students, in order to be aware of any changes in their attitude and in their level of motivation, and therefore, act accordingly if necessary.

Question 24

concrete operational stage: characteristics

Answer 24

Is characterized by the development of organized and rational thinking. It marks the beginning of logical and inductive thinking about concrete things, as they are able to go from a specific experience to a more general principle. However, they still have difficulties with abstract ideas.