On Learner-centered classroom instruction

1. On Learner-centered classroom instruction Prof. He Gang East China Normal University 2007-07-31

2. Questions to address 1] What is the ultimate goal of classroom instruction in English language teaching? 2] What is the proper relationship between what is taught and how it is taught? 3] Why should we focus on the learner? What kind of needs do learners have? What needs could be created or activated? How could such needs be met through CI? 4] Instances of how learner-centeredness could be achieved through teaching reading or /and writing?

3. Ultimate Goals of EFL Teaching 1] The ultimate vs immediate goals of EFL classroom interaction; A. To bring about competent user of English who could a] make or understand utterances that are not just grammatically right, semantically reasonable, but also situationally appropriate and sufficient to achieve the desired goals of verbal communication; b] to enable a learner to speak, listen, read, write and interpret and/or translate; c] by ways of enabling them to effectively cooperate with the instructor in a variety of forms of teacher-student task-based interaction; B. To educate every individual culturally and socially so that each one will be linguistically equipped with desired qualifications necessary for making a successful living

4. The relationships 1] language in speech: a] Oh, eh, well, why, what, hmm, b] John is a big boy. c] Hurry up, or you’ll be late. d] You are pulling my leg. e] There you go. f] Now I declare the meeting open. g] Peter, Mary is ill. h] Mom, I am hungry. i] Tom, do you have five dollars with you? j] A: China is a great country. B: That’s true. 2] What is to be taught and how it is taught a] situationally effective utterances; b] meaningful and grammatical sentences; c] speech acts; d] patterns of thinking and speaking e] conversational routines and structures e] knowledge of context

5. Why learner-centered? A] Language taught has to be absorbed by the learner through each person’s realization of what it is and how it functions interpersonally B] A competent user is always a self-conscious learner who clearly realizes what he/she needs while learning a language; a competent user is also aware that new needs could be born any time or on any occasion; C] Learner-needs are not just personal psychological (confidence, encouragement, success , communication), but socio-cultural;

6. Learner-needs 1] motivation: learners need to be highly motivated to the EFL program and procedure; 2] Interest: a strong bias toward something beneficial /absorbing 3] Encouragement through difficulties; 4] Sense of achievement 5] communicative intention in situated interactions(in and outside class)

7. Steps to meet such needs Step One: Facilitating situations for students to communicate with simple and useful English (words to do things); Step Two: Gradual and accumulating success; Step Three: Basing encouragement on previous success in order to remove psycho-barriers (lack of confidence, misperception) Step Four: Develop and strengthen interest in task-based interactions , designing and fostering immediate goals (available , attainable) attending to their background knowledge Step Five: Getting learners highly motivated to immediate tasks or goals that are consistent with the ultimate goals

8. Experiences Reading and writing teaching A comprehensive view of reading or writing means that each is closely related to other skills , and others can function very positively towards constructing a creative and massively participating classroom interaction between T and S, or S_S interaction; Creativity means a context for encouraging and rewarding creative efforts, never stopping to ponder and enjoy the satisfaction