Who are the Learners

1. WHO ARE THE LEARNERS? CELTA SESSIONS AT WWW.TEFLUP.COM

2. INTRODUCTION Different learners have different: linguistic, cultural and educational backgrounds; • motivations, goals and needs; • challenges and proficiencies. •

3. YOUR EXPERIENCE Think about a time you learned a language. • What was the language? • Why did you learn that language? Was it your choice? • What goals did you have as a result of learning this language? (e.g. travel/passing an exam) • How did you learn? Were you self-taught? Did you have a teacher? Did you go to group classes or one to one? • If you attended classes, what did you expect to get from them? Did you get this? • How did you stay motivated? If you didn’t, why not? • How good did you want to be at the language? Did you get there? • Was learning a positive experience? Is there anything you would change?

4. WHY DO STUDENTS LEARN ENGLISH? What do these acronyms stand for? • EFL = ? • ESL = ? • ELF = ? • ESP = ? • EAP = ? What does it mean to be bilingual or multilingual? Which learners find English most difficult because of their first language? Which find it easiest? Which students get the most exposure to English? Which get the least? Which students are usually the most motivated?

5. LEARNER GOALS How do you learners’ goals differ in terms of: Fluency • Accuracy • Pronunciation • Tasks • Progress •

6. LEARNERS' EXPECTATIONS How might the following learners’ expectations of learning be different: An older student (65+) • Someone from a conservative religious country (e.g. Saudi Arabia) • Someone from a liberal egalitarian country (e.g. Sweden) • A teenager • A university lecturer •

7. END OF SESSION