Stage 1 – A Learner Centred Approach

A Learner Centred Approach

to language teaching

Learner Centred Approach – BASIC PRINCIPLES

Motivation – necessity - Cultural and Educational Background – Learning Styles - What makes a
good learner? - Teaching styles – What makes a good teacher? – guiding principles. (Harmer,
Hadfield)

A Learner-Centred Approach views learners as active agents. They bring their own knowledge,
past experiences, education, and ideas - and this impacts how they take on board new
information and learn.
It differs significantly from a traditional teacher-centred approach. Traditional learning
approaches were informed by behaviourism, which sees learners as ‘blank slates” and teachers
as experts who must impart all the relevant information. This approach sees learners as
respondents to external stimuli.
University lecturer Martha Kennedy defined it as:
“...a classroom dynamic in which the students participate actively while the teacher might take a
(seemingly) more passive role. It boils down to group work, one-on-one tutoring in the classroom
between student and teacher, student presentations…To learn a skill, students must be directly
involved. No teacher can stand there and tell the students how to do something and expect the
students to leave the classroom able to do it.”

This is the principle that underpins both Cognitive Learning Theory and Constructivist 1
Learning Theory, and is also featured in Adult Learning Theory.

Why take a learner-centred approach?

Each learning theory has its own school of thought, but one point seems to crop up again and
again: the more engaged students are in the learning process, the more they will retain when
they get back to class.
Learner-centred approach activities
Here are some practical ideas for incorporating learner-centred activities into your class:
1. Foster collaboration with group projects
Think of yourself as a coach on the side-line of a sports game. You’re offering advice and
encouragement where necessary, rather than a lecturer delivering a monologue to learners.

2. Let learners develop content

Start a forum within your Ss or upload podcasts or videos for your learners and let them work
individually or in groups to contribute to it. Let them know what topics should be covered and
encourage them to research them. Over time, this channel will become a valuable resource for
everyone.
 3. Stage presentations Or, instead of using their research to create different types of
media, ask your learners to develop presentations, which can be delivered in-person or
via a live webinar (particularly handy for remote teams). Not only does it help your
learner learn the topic inside out, they also get a chance to develop another important
skill – Digital competence-

4. Hold a competition
A little healthy competition can really spur motivation in a group. You can even let the group
decide what the nature of the competition will be, and what the prize will be - or if it’s just
for pride.

5. Hold a debate
Split the group in three and give them a motion. One group argues for the motion, one argues
against it, and the final group judges. All groups have to stay fully engaged with the topic until
the end, and should come out of the debate thoroughly informed on the issue.

6. Gamify learning
Games are a great way to add an element of fun to the learning environment. Gamification has
been a huge trend in online learning in recent years. Any good class will have gamification
features that will encourage learner participation.
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7. Do role-play
Allow your students to mime, or role play a daily situation.

8. Brainstorm
Twelve heads are better than one. just choose a topic you want your learners to know more
about and ask them to volunteer what they already know. As a group, the chances are they
know a great deal - and you can fill in any gaps as necessary.

9. Do a demo
Showing is often better than telling. Stage a demonstration to show exactly how something
works or how an activity should be carried out.

It’s an active approach to take new materials where learners are given a large degree of
autonomy.
MOTIVATION AND NEEDS
People will have different needs and wants depending on their reasons for learning English. It
could be an external reason or extrinsic motivation like for people career or studies in which
case there may be an examination to pass.
Other learners may be learning English for pleasure, for socializing and conversation. In this
case there are no external motivations but internal or intrinsic motivation, because they have
decided to learn English.
As regards Motivation, it is some kind of internal drive which comes from an individual's
desire to fulfil or achieve a need, learning for an exam or a desire to speak English for
instance. So the strength of the motivation will depend on how much value the individual places
on the outcome he/she wishes to achieve.

EXTERNAL SOURCES OF MOTIVATION

The motivation that brings students to the task of learning English can be affected and
influenced by different factors such as, people who are close to them, (parents or student´s
peers), the society they live in and its attitude towards the English language or the English
culture, and if the English language learning is part of the curriculum. In consequence, there
are some key points teachers should take into account to sustain, and increase, students’
motivation. Firstly, they must build students’ motivation to keep them engaged and involved
during a course, while nurturing 3
students´ self-esteem, which is an important ingredient in success.
As regards Success, it depends on students´ effort and their real sense of achievement, so
part of a teacher job is to set an appropriate level of challenge for the students. For example,
setting tests that are not too difficult or too easy and involving students in learning tasks
they can succeed in. Teachers’ attitude, when teaching, is very important for students’
confidence. They need to believe that teachers know what they are doing, and this confidence
in a teacher may start the moment they walk into the classroom for the first time. Aspects
such as the way we dress, where we stand and the way we talk to the class, are relevant in a
class.
Last but not least, our students’ motivation will remain healthy if they are doing things they
enjoy or If they find a purpose for doing and also, if things are according to their learning
styles and preferences. So, much about student´s motivation depends on the teacher´s
responsibility. (see pp 9)
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Teaching children
Learners are the most important in any classroom, and they are all different. They differ in
obvious ways; age, gender, nationality, language level and personality. The age of our students
is a major factor in our decisions about how and what to teach since people of different ages
have different needs, competences and cognitive skills.
to draw on as well as expectations about the learning process, which engages them in the
learning experience.
Children have a greater immediate need to be motivated by the teacher or the materials in
order to learn effectively. Prizes and similar extrinsic rewards can help, but more effective on
the whole are elements that contribute towards intrinsic motivation. Such elements are most
likely to be effective if they are based on an appeal to the senses or activate the children in
speech or movement. Three very important sources of interest for children in the classroom
are pictures, stories and games: the first being obviously mainly a visual stimulus; the second
both visual and aural; and the third using both visual and aural channels as well as activating
language production and sometimes physical movement.
LEARNING STYLES
Recently, great emphasis has been placed on LEARNER - CENTRED TEACHING, is an approach
which makes the learners’ needs and experiences central to the educational process. For this
reason, it is important to take into account students´ learning styles since people rely on
different senses to help them to learn.
For example, AUDITORY LEARNING STYLE, refers to those people who learn better when
using listening stimuli such as spoken language, music or sounds. Visual learning style, makes
use of pictures, diagrams or writing, and kinaesthetic learning style when people use
movements to learn. These different styles indicate that human brain works in different ways,
and consequently, people respond differently to the same stimuli.
As Howard Gardner suggests, “people possess a range of intelligences” but, in each person, one
of them is more pronounced.
Another point of view states that learning styles depend on people personality too. Learners
can be extrovert or introvert, sociable or shy. Tony Wright, the methodologist, describes four
different learner styles within a group: “the enthusiast”, who looks to the teacher as a point
of reference and is concerned with the goals of the learning group; “the oracular”, who
focuses on the teacher but is more oriented to satisfied her/his personal goals; “the
participator” who tends to concentrate on group goals and group solidarity, and “the rebel”
who is mainly concerned with the satisfaction of his/her own goals.
For this reason, it is advisable for teachers to prepare varied activities in order to give
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opportunities for all.

GOOD LEARNERS CHARACTERISTICS

Learners learn in different ways so there is no one right way to learn a language. However,
there are some qualities that many successful learners share, for example some students are
highly motivated, they have a clear sense of direction and know what they want to achieve.
They can find their own way, without having a constant guide from the teacher, and taking
risks frequently. However, much of what is said about good learners depends on cultural
assumptions.

TEACHING STYLES
To teach is to create conditions in which students can learn for themselves and, one of the
teachers’ responsibilities is to foster good relationships with the group of students, working
cooperatively. It should be taken into account that, just as learners have different learning
styles, teachers have different teaching styles which depend on teachers’ personality, their
level of knowledge and skills, and on the rapport, they establish with the group of learners.
A teacher may be a methodical planner, with a clear organized teaching style or an improviser
with a flexible responsive style. Others are natural entertainers or have sympathetic
classroom presence. Some teachers have an authoritative teaching style –autocratic- while
others see themselves as helpers or facilitators –democratic-, encouraging learners to
discover things for themselves. However, Students expect leadership and direction and, as
groups develop their identity, teachers should be more democratic and allow students to find
their own direction, which is facilitating autonomous learning.

THE ROLES OF A TEACHER

Within the classroom the role of a teacher, in learner-centred-lessons, can vary. A teacher may
be extrovert or introvert, analytical and logical, intuitive and responsive and the teaching role
he/she adopts in the classroom will also depend on his/her beliefs about teaching and learning.
They could act as controllers, as prompters, as participants, as resource, or as tutors.
For example, teachers as controllers are in charge of the class, leading from the front and
frequently, they see their job as the transmission of knowledge, from themselves to their
students. This type of teachers organises drills, read aloud and generally, the teacher is the
central figure in the classroom, so experiential learning does not always take place since fewer
individuals have a chance to participate. (consequently, classroom atmosphere could decline)
However, there are times when teachers should act as controllers. For example, when giving
explanations, organising question and answer work, or bringing a class to order, mainly in the
early stages.
As regards teachers as prompters, (a person who prompts, help, say things) they suggest words,
phrases and so on, when students seem to have lost their way. Often, we have to prompt students
to speak in the target language rather than use their mother tongue. They also encourage 6
learners to think creatively so it is important to find a balance, for example, when Teachers
want students to work out for themselves, they do not tell the answer and put out students’
knowledge by using questions.
In the case of teachers as participants, they want to take part in students’ discussions, not only
as teachers, but also as participants, making the class or lesson livelier) The danger of teacher
as participants is that they can easily dominate the proceedings.
However, in some activities it is inappropriate for teachers to assume any role suggested so far.
For example, when students are preparing for a presentation, they need their teacher as a
resource. They might need to ask how to say or write something or ask what a word or phrase
means so teachers can be one of the most important resources they have. Teachers as resources
should be able to offer guidance, to encourage students to use resource materials for
themselves and to become more independent in their learning generally. Nevertheless, we have
to resist the urge to solve our students´ questions, so that they do not become over reliant on
us.
As regards teachers as tutors, they give students direction when they are working on longer
projects, such as process writing or preparation for a debate. In this case we combine the roles
of prompter and resource, acting as a tutor. It should be taken into account that it is difficult
to be a tutor in a very large group since we should build up intimate relationship more than being
controller and organiser. So, it is advisable to work with small groups of students, or in pairs, to
offer a general guidance and the same help for all. One point in favour for teachers acting as
tutors is, that learners feel supported and helped.
In conclusion, the role of a teacher depends on what we wish the students to achieve and the
group we are teaching. Whereas some students might be more comfortable with the teacher
acting as a resource or as a tutor, others may require a more controlling role. In consequence,
we need to be able to switch between the various roles described, judging when it is appropriate
to use one or other of them. But it is important to consider too how we carry out that role.
Teachers are all performers in the classroom at some level. Depending on the situation, they can
be commanding or entertaining the class or working quietly with a group of learners.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER

A good teacher takes into account students’ needs and wants, and is willing to adapt his/her
own goals to them. So, it is best to try to achieve a balance, to find a teaching style which is
right for you and for your students. Teachers should respect students’ individuality, to offer a
range of teaching techniques and activities to suit different learning styles.
This means you should put into practice eclecticism, to pick and choose techniques and
classroom activities instead of sticking closely to a method. For this reason, our approach to
teaching must be based on some guiding principles since modern language teaching does not
offer a standard method to follow in all classes.
Firstly, we learn language in order to communicate, so the language you teach should be 7
meaningful, natural and useful to your learners.
Secondly, we should respect our learners’ individuality, because they learn differently and our
role as teachers is to respond to their different needs and ensure that the way we teach, and
the activities and materials we use are appropriate for our learners’ level, ability and needs.
Thirdly, learning should be a positive experience, that is to say, we should provide interesting,
motivating, enjoyable and engaging learning activities for our learners, with a clear aim and
purpose for do it.
Last but not least, we should enable our learners to reach their full potential, we need to help
them achieve their personal best, mixing challenge and encouragement, working with them and
helping them take responsibility for their own learning.
Anyway, as you develop as a teacher, you will elaborate more principles to form your own
personal teaching philosophy.

TEACHERS’ MODELS
THE TEACHER AS TEACHING AID
There are specific ways in which we can help our students both hear and understand language
in a language class, for example, by using mime, gesture and expressions to convey meaning and
to create a real atmosphere.
THE TEACHER AS A LANGUAGE MODEL
Students get models of language from textbooks, reading materials of all sorts and from audio
and videotapes. But we can also model language ourselves what means to give a clear language
model, performing a dialogue or reading aloud a text. For example, reading aloud exiting and
interesting excerpts can be extremely motivating and enjoyable for a class, especially when
students have been encouraged to predict what they are going to read. Story-telling and
story/poem-reading can work with adults with contents according to their interests.

THE TEACHER AS A PROVIDER OF COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT

An issue that confronts many teachers in classrooms is how much they should talk and what
kind of talk this should be, since a vital ingredient of any language lesson is exposure to it.
Consequently, the more comprehensible input the students get; the better. This means
students need someone or something to provide language which has been roughly-tuned to be
comprehensible to them, and teachers are placed in the classroom to provide appropriate input
since they know their group of learners and can react appropriately to them. According to
Stephen Krashen comprehensible input is language which students understand the meaning of,
and it is the best kind of language that students could be exposed to. So, this comprehensible
input should be slightly above the learners’ own level of production. Moreover, on most training
courses there is a distinction between STT (student talking time) and TTT (teaching talking
time) and it has been assumed that is preferable STT since students need more practice. For
this reason, we should be aware of how much we speak, giving students plenty of chances to
practice their production.
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Answer the following:
1. Explain, What is intrinsic motivation?
2. Explain, What is extrinsic motivation?
3. What does “assumed knowledge” mean?
4. What does, “comprehensible” input mean?
5. What is “rapport”?
6. What does Howard Gardner´s theory stand for?
7. From your point of view, why should teachers experiment with Gardener´s
Theory?
8. Are Multiple Intelligences the same as learning styles?
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