Learning Strategies peer seminar

• Engels
• WO
• Studiejaar 3

Welcome to 'What all language teachers should know about language learning strategies'

Today's objectives

* You know what language learning strategies (LLS) are.

* You see LLS 'in action' and become aware of them.

* You can form & voice your opinion on the use of LLS in your lessons. 

* You take home at least one practical idea to use LLS in your lessons.

* You have an informative and active seminar.     

Warming-up

Write down all the language learning strategies you can think of on answergarden.ch. ID = 842297

Note! We are NOT talking about skill-strategies (such as skimming, predicting, etc.) but we are talking about 'general' language learning strategies. 

Difficult?

Use strategies!

- Think back to MRPD I (Brown & Lee) & III (Slavin) 

- Work together

- Cut the 'problem' into smaller pieces (can you come up with strategies for learning/practising elements of language learning? Vocabulary? Speaking? Listening? etc. )

Look at the handout for a list of LLS as found in the literature. Some are very specific for language learning, others are more general learning strategies. Take a moment to think and mark all the strategies you think you have used yourself in the past two months for your master's education.

Now score for each strategy on a scale from 1 to 10 how aware you were of using that strategy.

1 = totally unaware

10 = 100% conscious I was using this particular strategy

Think! How do the strategies help with learning for you personally? How does being aware of the strategies influence your learning? Would this be the same for your pupils?   

Making thinking visible.

Use the 'feely lines' (thinking4learning tool) on the handout and position yourself on each line for each statement.

1 = I do not think so/ not the case for me

10 = I fully agree/ totally the case for me

#1 Language learning strategies are the basis of all language learning. 

#2  I spend time in my English lessons in upper secondary on language learning strategies (teaching them/ making students aware of them).

#3 LLS are more suitable for girls than for boys. 

Think, pair, share! 

(= useful strategy!) 

Team up with someone and compare where

you both positioned yourselves and why.

#1 Language learning strategies are the basis of all language learning.

#2 I spend time in my English lessons in upper secondary on language learning strategies (teaching them/ making students aware of them).

#3 LLS are more suitable for girls than for boys. 

There is a lot to know about language learning strategies... 

Way too much to cover in this seminar. So we'll focus on some basics, do some thinking together and discover if LLS are useful to incorporate in your lessons and how&when.  

Language learning strategies, an all-encompassing definition. 

"L2 learning strategies are complex, dynamic thoughts and actions, selected and used by learners with some degree of consciousness in specific contexts in order to regulate multiple aspects of themselves (such as cognitive, emotion and social) for the purpose of (a) accomplishing language tasks; (b) improving language performance or use; and/or (c) enhancing long-term proficiency. Strategies are mentally guided but may also have psychical and therefore observable manifestations. Learners often use strategies flexibly and creatively; combine them in various ways, such as strategy clusters or strategy chains; and orchestrate them to meet learning needs. Strategies are teachable. Learners in their contexts decide which strategies to use. Appropriateness of strategies depends on multiple personal and contextual factors.” (Oxford 2017) 

A more workable definition: 

Language learning strategies are deliberate, goal-directed attempts to manage and control efforts to learn a (foreign or second) language (Afflerbach, Pearson & Paris, 2008). 

My own definition: everything a learner does (thoughts and actions) to accomplish language tasks, improve language performance and/or enhance long-term proficiency. Strategies are teachable. Learners decide which strategies to use. (van Kempen, 2018 :-) 

A more workable definition: 

Language learning strategies are deliberate, goal-directed attempts to manage and control efforts to learn a (foreign or second) language (Afflerbach, Pearson & Paris, 2008).

My own definition: Everything a learner does (thoughts and actions) to accomplish language tasks, improve language performance and/or enhance long-term proficiency. Strategies are teachable. Learners decide which strategies to use. (van Kempen, 2018 :-) 

What are these strategies? 

There are many strategies which can be grouped into types of strategies. One way of categorizing them is into four general strategies: 

# cognitive strategies (require direct control over the material)

# metacognitive strategies (involve planning or thinking about the learning) 

# socio affective strategies (classroom interactions and the learning environment)

# communication strategies (help learners with the actual communication).

(Macaro, as cited in Rivera-Mills & Plonsky, 2007; Oxford, 2017; Rivera-Mills & Plonsky, 2007).

Think & act!

Each one takes the strategy-category you read about beforehand. Use your 'homework information' to fill the 'worksheet'. Start in the centre and work your way outwards. First connect your strategy to the elements of language learning you think 'your' strategy is useful for.

Then fill the next part with actual language learning strategies that fit 'your’ strategy.

Finally think of real-life-language teaching/learning situations in which you or your students have used or can use 'your' strategy.

You have a maximum of 8 minutes for this.  

Now swap please!

Turn the worksheet so everyone gets a new strategy. Read what the previous 'owner' of the strategy wrote down, then add your own thoughts and ideas.

You will have 4 minutes for this. 

Swap again! 

Do the same thing. You now have 3 minutes. 

And again!

You get the idea.

You have 3 minutes again. 

And finally...

Swap again so you end up with 'your' own strategy.

Read what was added. 

Group discussion!

Discuss the next questions together.

1 Do you see why strategies can be useful?

2 What element of language learning are strategies most helpful for?

3 Are these strategies teachable? How?

4 What is the difference between upper 

& lower secondary pupils? Why?

Why teach LLS?

Language learning goes on outside of the classroom. The better learners are equipped with strategies, the better they can acquire a language. All the sources reported that learners using LLS are better language learners (Chamot, 2004; Gu, 2018; Hismanuglu, 2000; Oxford, 2017; Rivera-Mills & Plonsky, 2007; Rubin, 2013; Slavin, 2014) .

Strategies are teachable. Girls are usually better at using strategies (Oxford, 2017).  

Some big concepts & names:

- Mediated & self-regulated learning & ZPD (Vygotsky)

- Agency & Autonomy (Brown& Lee)

- Growth mindset vs fixed mindset (Williams in Oxford)

- Self-efficacy (= level of confidence) (Brown & Lee, Bandura)

- Information processing model & memory strategies (Atkinson-Shiffrin Model in Slavin)

- Use of mental structures (schemata) and operations (strategies) through mediation by a skilled teacher (Feuerstein in Oxford; Slavin).

Another way of categorizing strategies.

 

Direct strategies:

memory (e.g., creating mental links)

cognitive (e.g., analysing)

compensation  (e.g., guessing)

Indirect strategies:

metacognitive (e.g., evaluating one’s own learning)

affective (e.g., encouraging and motiving one’s self) 

social (e.g., asking questions)

(Oxford, 2017)

(From Oxford, 2017)

Summary of strategy categories

(And again...) Think!

Together, come up with ideas for the ‘new strategies’ memory, compensation, affective and social:

- useful for which elements/parts of language learning?

- example of real-lesson-situation?

- how to teach?

Inspired?

Choose one 'thing' (example, situation, strategy) you find inspiring/useful. 

Just so you know...

Strategy categories are not rigid but flexible, there is no complete agreement on exactly what strategies are, how many exist, how they should be defined and categorised and whether it is possible to create a hierarchy of strategies.

(Oxford, 2017)

The magic words...

ACTION & CHOICE

Action is at the heart of self-regulated learning and is the core of L2 learning strategies. Self-regulated learning comprises of a range of strategies: goal setting, focusing on instruction, organising, coding and rehearsing information, managing time and environment, using resourses effectivey, monitoring performance, seeking assistance and monitoring beliefs and emotions. The element of choice is present in all of these strategies. 

Go back to the start

Use the second set of 'feely lines'. Again, position yourself on the lines for each statement. (#2 has slightly changed)

#1 Language learning strategies are the basis of all language learning.

#2 I am going to spend time in my English lessons in upper secndary on language learning strategies (teaching them/ making students aware of them).

#3 LLS are more suitable for girls than for boys. 

Compare with a neighbour.

Did anything chance in your positioning? Why (not)?

There is so much more! 

LLS are fascinating! The more visible you can make them, the more aware your students will be, the better they will make use of them, the better they will learn English inside and outside of your lessons. Find more information in the reader. From academic and theoretical to highly practical.  

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