TEFL Flashcards
10 characteristics of good teaching
- Clear structure of learning and teaching processes
- High proportion of time-on-task
- Constructive alignment of goals, content, methods
- Variety of methods
- Smart practice
- Individual suüpport
- Classroom atmosphere conductive to learning
- Meaningful communication
- Student feedback on teaching
- Clear expectation and professional assessment of student achievement
- Clear structure of learning and teaching processes
- transparent, logical, plausible
- Goals, structure, processes and expected products/outcomes (the students know at any time what they are meant to do)
- Instructions: 1. Rituals, routines
2. Classroom language
3. body language, gestures,
props - Agreement in rules, do
s and donts: shared responsibility/learner autonomy
- Clear structure of learning and teaching processes - example
visual aids on blackboard - structure of day
- High proportion of time-on-task
- Students are actively working on their task
- Reduction of time spent on aspects other than learning -> rules (less disruptive behaviour)
- Time used for / invested in learning
-> time spent exclusively on activity
-> Punctuality, clear time frames (students know how much time they have and are able to plan accordingly) - Smart classroom & Time management
-> (clear structure) saves time
-> invest time wisely (established rituals save time (teaching aids))
- High proportion of time-on-task - example
set specific and clear time frame (e.g. timer), use rituals/procedures more often
-> once the students know the ritual, it saves time to use this specific one instead of learning new rituals all the time
- Constructive alignment of goals, assessment, contents, methods
- Teaching is goal-driven learning
-> Goals (point of departure)
-> How goals can be assessed (lesson
planning)
-> How to achieve goals (topics/contents,
processes, methods,
products/outcomes) - “backwards planning” or “constructive alignment”
- Teachers goals = Students goals
Goal, assessment, content, method need to fit together and should all contribute to the overall goal
- Constructive alignment of goals, assessment, contents, methods - example
goal is maximize student talking time -> implement pair/group work
- Variety of (instructional/teaching) methods
- Different methods for different learning goals, content and students
- Variety of learners need a variety of methods
- most promising: mix of…
-> social settings (group/pair work)
-> student-centred phases
-> teacher-centred phases
- Variety of (instructional/teaching) methods - example
think - pair - share, group puzzle
- Smart Practice
- Repetition leads to automation
- the method used is suitable for the individual students
- similar structures content should not be introduced parallel or successively
- the subject is authentic -> coneccted to / also happens in the real world
-> involves positive emotions/affects (if possible)
- Smart practice - example
mind maps
- Individual support
- Support learners to develop in their individual, best possible way
- Individual support does not equal “one-size-fits-all”
- emotional and cognitive support
- foster learner autonomy
-> support the student but dont take away their own effort
- Individual support - example
a student is overwhelmed with the task, give them easier tasks or help in understanding
- Classroom atmosphere - conducive to learning
- Comfortable learning enviroment
-> students are at ease , dare to make
errors
-> rewards, praise & empowerment
rather than punishment - positive feedback culture
- students have a say
- clear structures
- mutual respect, politeness
- equality, openness, tolerance, justice
- change of perspective: “how do my students feel?”
- Classroom atmosphere - conducive to learning - example
regular feedback rounds, (e.g. how ist the teacher doing? how are the students doing?), focus on the positive things
- meaningful classroom communication
- meaningful exchanges of information with clear goal
- age-appropriate and authentic topics, methods, materials, activities
- maximize student talking time (“language learning is language use”)
- avoid IRE-pattern (initiation, response, evaluation)
- meaningful classroom communication - example
variety of methods to avoid IRE / same talking patterns all the time
- Student feedback on teaching
- teacher invites feedback -> adjusts teaching
- students feel responsible -> taken serioulsy (feeling of competence/positive self-concept)
- positive feedback culture
- students learn to give feedback (clear, specific, positive -> change of perspective)
- Student feedback on teaching - example
online tools, box for feedback cards, etc.
- Clear expectations, professional assessment of student achievement, continuous feedback
- clarity of learning goals -> students know what is expected
- assessment needs to be valid, reliable, objective
- continuous feedback/assessment for learning
- Clear expectations, professional assessment of student achievement, continous feedback - example
talk to your students at the beginning of the session/year: what is the goal? -> make a checklist, so you can keep an eye on the goals together
Refelctive Practitioner
- current professional teacher model
- knowledge
- practice + experience
- refelction/drive to improve
-> trough effort and hard work (no talent or special personality needed)
basic dimensions of teaching quality
- strukturierte Klassenführung
- kognitive Aktivierung
- konstruktive Unterstützung
Strukturierte Klassenführung
- Which characteristics support the basic dimension?
- as little disruption as possible
- all students involved
- teaching time used effectively
Characteristics:
1, 2, 3, 7, 10
kognitive Aktivierug
- Which characteristics support the basic dimension?
- To what extent are learners encouraged to actively engage with what they are learning?
Characteristics: 2, 4, 5, 8
Konstruktive Unterstützung
- Which characteristics support the basic dimension?
- In what way does the teacher help the learners?
- meta cognitive, cognitive, emotional/social/motivational
Characteristics: 6, 7, 9
Faciliating good teaching: Competence of good teachers
Me/Myself as a teacher and a person:
- Context: social, school-related, regional
- Learners: positive atmosphere & connection, individual support, advanced knowledge regarding child/adolescence development
- Content: expert subject, continuous development (language, lingistics, literature, etc.)
Pedagogy: expert learning, curricula
input - orientation
- what teachers have done
- “Klassenbuch” topics, what did we do? / we covered that yesterday
> result of PISA-shock
output- orientation
- What did the students learn? What did the learning process enable them to do?
-> empowerment / can-do-approach
-> students learning = goal-driven curriculum
-> primary responsibility of teacher
Learning -definition
“The process by which relatively permant changes ocurr in behavioural potential as a result of experience”
Learning -neurobiological perspective
- brain saves information in neurons (data points)
- access to info trough synapses (connections) between neurons
Learning= formation/restructuring of neuronal network -> i.e. changes in brain structures
- new information saved in neurons
- improvement of synapses: new/strengthen & refine/rewire old
- no synapses = forgotten
Cognitive activation
active processing of sensory information
Distinguishing learning processes according to (lack of) consciousness
- explicit -> conscious: with focus/attention/awareness
- implicit -> subconcious: without focus/attention/awareness
Distinguishing learning processes according to (lack of) intentionality
- intended -> planned: predominant at school, with clear focus/goal
- incidental -> non-intentional: additional, on the side, by chance
Mental Lexicon
- How vocab knowledge is stored:
> Meaning
> Use
> Form
Meaning (Mental Lexicon)
semantically related words are stored together (hypernyms, synonyms, same word class)
e.g.: plant - flower - rose
Use (Mental Lexicon)
frequently used collocations are stored together
e.g.: “quench your thirst”
Form (Mental Lexicon)
similar writing, shape or sound are stored together
e.g.: goes - clothes
Learning -Theory of Constructivism
- Learning = active process
> knowledge/skills/competences to be actively constructed through demanding cognitive activity/effort by every learner themselves
> cannot be taught/passed on from teacher to student / student to student
Learning -Theory of Constructivism
> Adapt your teaching
- consider specific requirements, wants & needs for successful and efficient learning of a particular student
- teacher needs to involve the students
> You cannot always know all of the students requirements: ASK!!
> Give students options, choices
> Empower students with skill to optimize & take charge of their own learning (=learner autonomy/self-regulated learning)
Goal = individualized, student-centered lessons with rich opportunities for learning
Motivation -definition
“An internal state that arouses, directs and maintains behaviour.”
Intrinsic Motivation
activity itself is rewarding/pleasant for a person
> internal locus of causality (within a person)
e.g.: you do it because you want to/enjoy it
Extrinsic Motivation
External factors like rewards, punishment, pressure
> external locus of causality (from the outside)
e.g.: You do it for a reason
Learnt helplessness
- uncontrollable/unavoidable events/outcomes
- downward spiral:
> Motivational deficits: relevant to work
> Cognitive deficits: not training/practice of abilities
> Emotional deficits: anger, loss of energy, depression
Growth Mindset
- Rephrasing attributions
- There is always sth you can do
Five theories of motivation & their inventor -Name
- Behaviourism - Skinner
- Maslow´s hierachy of needs - Maslow
- Self-Determination Theory - Deci & Ryan (Pink added purpose)
- Attribution theory -Weiner
- Expectancy-Value Theory - Eccles & Wigfield
- Behaviourism - Skinner (Motivation)
- Brain = black box
- Pattern: stimulus - response (=behaviour) (positive/negative) feedback
1. Feedback: Incentive (theoretical) & reward -> encouragement
2. Feedback: Punishment -> Discouragement - Motivation due to extrinsic cause: attractive rewards & unattractive punishment (strive for rewards, avoid punishment)
- Behaviourism - Skinner (Motivation) - How to foster motivation in classroom settings
- Clear/transparent rules without room for interpretation
- feedback = contingent
- include internal locus of control / room for interpretation
> set up rules together
> understanding (importance of rules)
> decide on rewards & punishment together (beforehand)
- Maslow´s hierachy of needs - Maslow
- deficiency needs: psychological, safety, love/belonging, esteem
- growth needs: self actualization/self transcendence
- Motivation = addressing/striving to satisfy bodily & psych. Needs
- Def. Needs: lower needs as prequisite
- Growth Needs: no final state, sought after continously
- Def. Needs must be met before one can learn
- Criticism: people behave atypically, focus on multiple needs at the same time, people stop to strive for fulfilment at some stage
- Self-Determination Theory - Deci & Ryan (Pink added purpose)
- Three basic human needs
1. Autonomy & control -> Authority in ones life/wishes & in charge of ones behaviour - internal locus of control
2. Competence -> Feel competent, get better/achieve something
3. social-relatedness -> feel connected, sense of belonging
4. Purpose (Pink) -> doing sth. that is relevant - Intrinsic motivation = students learn more, are more interested
- Chance of internalization of external educational goals
- Self-Determination Theory - Deci & Ryan (Pink added purpose) - Implementation
- Autonomy & control -> choice of: topics, materials, partners, goals, etc. / Learners organize their learning
- Competence -> make improvements visible, focus on what they can already do (can-do-approach), celebrate achievement
- social-relatedness -> pair/group work, learners support one another, invest in positive relationships
- Purpose -> relevance of teaching (real world connections)
- Attribution theory -Weiner - Central ideas
- We try to make sense of ours/others past success & failure and seek explanations
> Basis of our (de)motivation & future behaviour - Attribution = casual explanation/perceived reason (ones own personal explanation of our exercise for past success and failures)
- Attribution theory -Weiner -> three dimensions of attribution
- Locus of causality: internal vs. external
- Stability: cause = fixed/permanent or unstable
- Locus of Control: internal/controllable or external/uncontrollable
- Attributions -> empower students motivation or the opposite
- Attribution theory -Weiner - How to foster motivation in classroom?
- Provide security (comfortable & anxiety-free enviroment)
- Figure out with students what helps/develop strategies
- clarify expectations
- reduce pressure
- celebrate success
- Expectancy-Value Theory - Eccles & Wigfield
- Motivation as a product of:
1. Expectation of success/reaching a goal (likelihood of success in future) -> How do I see myself as a language learner?
2. Value (relevance/importance) of the goal to a person both in relation to costs of pursuing it (what sacrifice?) - Factors can be influence/reframed -> how valuable a goal is, how much they are convinced of their success
Competence -definition (Weinert)
“Kompetenzen sind die bei Individuen verfügbaren oder durch sie erlernbaren kognitiven Fähigkeiten und Fertigkeiten, um bestimmte Probleme zu lösen, sowie die damit verbundenen motivationalen, volitionalen und sozialen Bereitschaften und Fähigkeiten, um die Problemlösungen in variablen Situationen erfolgreich und verantwortungsvoll nutzen zu können.” (Weinert, 2001)
Competence -combination
Combination of
> knowledge
> attitudes/self-related skills
> ability, skills
Competence orientation
focus on students being able to solve problems
can-do-approach
- focus on things that students are able to do
- celebrate those things
Ability
- basic
- e.g. being able to produce sounds with your mouth
Skill
- better than ability
- e.g. speaking skills which consist of talking & knowledge of language
competence
- subordinate thing
- requires both ability & skill
- e.g. speaking competence which consists of speaking & listening
Declarative Knowledge
“know what” - e.g. you know what a bike is
Procedural Knowledge
“know how” - e.g. you know how to ride a bike
receptive skills
literally just reading & listening
productive skills
literally just speaking, writing & mediation
> creating your own product
inductive approach
- letting students figure out the rules themselves from examples
> bottom-up: accommodation
> new knowledge is accommodated in the existing neuronal schemata
deductive approach
- telling students the rules and letting them come up with examples
- top-down process: assimilation
> neuronal conflict: new knowledge challenges what the student already knows
exercise
- focus on form
- gap-fill exercises
- language in isolation
> usually only used for “practice”, not very effective nor efficient
task
- more authentic, using language skills to solve a problem
> e.g.: writing a diary entry
> outcome/product at the end
> primarily focus on task more effective (for fostering competences)
accuracy
> focus on “correct” use of language
fluency
- focus on “fast-paced” use of language
- usually important for speaking focused tasks
competence
What do i know
Performance
How do I perform
Error
- I did not know that
> you do not know that you made an error and cannot fix it
mistake
- I forgot that in the moment
- you notice the mistake and fix it
- you theoretically know that this is wrong
Kompetenzbereiche des Fachs Englisch (competence dimensions/areas) -> Schaubild
- Sprachlernkompetenz (links)
- Interkulturelle kommunikative Kompetenz > Verstehen, Handeln, Wissen, Einstellungen, Bewusstheit (oben)
- Funktional kommunikative Kompetenz
> Hör-/Hörsehverstehen, Leseverstehen, Schreiben, Sprechen, Sprachmischung - Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel und kommunikative Strategien (mitte) - Text- und Medienkompetenz
> mündlich, schriftlich, medial (unten) - Spachbewusstheit (rechts)
CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
A1 - C2
- Basic user A (A2: Hauptschulabschluss)
- Independent user B (B1: Mittl. Schlabschluss; B2: Grundkurs Abitur)
- Proficient user C (C1: Leistungskurs Abitur)
Theories & Principles of language learning & their inventors -name
- Behaviourism -Skinner
- Innatism/Nativism - Chomsky & Krashen
- Contempory perspective/interactionism -Vygotsky
- Behaviourism -Skinner (language learning)
- Language learning = habit formation through imitation, correct repetition of role model & practice with gap-fill exercises
- focus on correct language form
> mistake = sth. bad to be corrected immediately to prevent formation of incorrect habits - Goal: Learner becomes native speaker level (C2)
- Audiolingual method and use of gap-fill exercises to learn grammar
- overly simplified idea of communication & language learning
> knowing language form is not enough -> you still can´t speak: boring practice, stigmatization of mistkes = demotivating
- Innatism/Nativism - Chomsky & Krashen
- LAD = Language Acquisition Device
- UG = Universal Grammar
- Children are genetically equipped to learn L1 (mother tongue)
> Children produce ungrammatical sentences never heard before -> they do not just learn from parents
- Contempory perspective/interactionism -Vygotsky
- I = my current level of competence
- I + 1 (Krashen) = one step beyond current level (comprehensible input); what a learner can usually achieve by themselves
- ZPD (Zone of proximal development) = the distance between what a learner can achieve alone and with help/support (=scaffolding)
> comprehensible output-hypothesis (not only input but also output drives language learning “language learning is language use“)
Krashen´s Monitor Model
- Chomsky´s L1 ideas are the basis
- Comprehensible input hypothesis (i+1): most important for learning
> “I” = current knowledge
> “+1” = new knowledge, slightly above current knowledge - Aquisition-learning hypothesis: two ways of developing language
> aquisition: subconscious/implicit/without attention (leads to procedural knowledge “feeling/intuition” -> cannot be verbalized)
> learning: conscious/explicit/with particular focus (leads to declaritive knowledge -> can be verbalized) - Monitor hypothesis: system that monitors (& corrects) language production if: enough time, learner knows the rules, focus on accuracy
- Natural order hypothesis: predefined order of acquisition, stages cannot be jumped/changed
- Affective filter hypothesis: metaphorical emotional barrier that can prevent learning by blocking off comprehensible input (no learning/acquisition possible)
> e.g. anxiety, lack of motivation, tiredness
> underlines importance of comfortable learning atmosphere & motivation
Contemporary perspective: Implementation/practical application -Lexical approach (Lewis)
- Language = words words words
“Language is grammaticalized lexis, not lexicalized grammar” - Lexis -> i.e. words/chunks before grammar
- Meaning determined by words rather than grammar
- “without grammar nothing can be conveyed” (Wilkins)
Speech production -Levelt
- Most complex skill
> Language-related reasons: what you say (content) & how you say it (form)
> Usage-related reasons: performative (time-pressure-automation)
> Personality-related reasons: identity
Levelt´s model of speech production (adapted)
- Pre-verbal message: we have an idea what we want to say, but it is not put into words yet
- Formulator: Message is formulated
- Phonetic plan: message is put together in your head, you imagine how you would say it
- Practice + scaffolding -> automation
- Process/way (focus) vs. product/goal/outcome
- Linear/ordered rather than chaotic, repetitive, loops
- importants of strategies
- short- and long-term + working memory
- Integration of listening
Speaking/oral communication
- Real world communication; overcome (knowledge/information) gap
- Monological & dialogic/multilogic forms; interaction of speaking & listening
- highly complex skill/competence
> Language-related resons: What you say (content) & how you say it (form)
> Usage-related resons: performative (in speaking: time-pressure, automation)
> Personality-related reasons: identity - Communication: convey content & manage social relationships
Erwerbsorientierte Methode/Aquisition-based method (Ziegésar)
- Demonstration
> grammar presented in context (often overuse/emphasis) - Understanding & reacting (to new structure)
> receptive; prior knowledge - Reproduction
> use in guided enviroment/imitation - Clarification & focus/language awareness
> Students discover rule/explanation - Production
> application in meaningful settings (information gap tasks ≠ gap fill exercises)
- Inductive: with gradual progression in authentic communicative situations
- Elaborate version of PPP (Present-Practice-Produce)
