The Nature of Language Teaching

The Nature of Language Teaching

Name : Avni J Dave
Semester : 03
Roll no : 03
Paper no : 12 ELT-1
Topic : The Nature of Teaching Language
Email ID : avni.dave1998@gmail.com
Submitted to : S. B. Gardi Department of the English, MKBU.

 The Nature of Language Teaching 

The nature of language

           Language is a vast subject and it is beyond the scope of this book to do anything more than to introduce very briefly some of the most important points.

The nature of language teaching

           In recent years there has been a shift to seeing language teaching as being most effective when it is subordinated to learning. In other words, the teacher’s job is to help learners to learn effectively, or to facilitate learning. For example, and as discussed above, a teacher can make a choice between ‘telling’ learners what the teacher knows, or setting up ways of helping learners see patterns for themselves. Another way in which learning takes precedence over teaching is in the choices of what is taught and how it is taught, because these decisions should be made with the learners’ needs in mind. The best teachers have a range of techniques available to them, although of course, no teacher can possibly be aware of all the potential alternative methods available. From the range that the teacher has s/he makes a decision on those that are best suited to a particular context, based on such questions as: Who are the learners? What are their needs? What are their expectations? What material and resources are available? The list of potential factors that could influence the choice of approach is huge.

Role of the Teacher

The role of the teacher represents a fundamental difference in the Language Futures approach. Whilst the teacher may be an expert linguist with a deep understanding of how languages are learnt, and therefore the strategies to be used to support this, in the Language Futures classroom he or she will not be the expert in all or even any of the languages chosen by the students.  Instead, the role of the teacher is as a designer and facilitator of learning. Teachers create the conditions for students to manage their own learning processes and learn collaboratively with their peers in order to become more independent learners. Teachers also design projects that offer multi-faceted learning opportunities. They are expert advisors on learning to both students and mentors and responsible for setting up any assessment or student presentation opportunities.

Although making the shift to a Language Futures approach is not easy and may be a challenging prospect at first, particularly needing to let go of control over exactly what and how students are learning, teachers have found the experience reinvigorates their professional practice.

How is Language Futures different?
- languages teacher, not a teacher of a specific language
- role of the teacher in the classroom i.e. not simply a provider of language
- students learn alongside an adult who knows how to learn
- learners enjoy seeing the teacher also have a go e.g. at pronouncing Mandarin
- helps a teacher to remember what it’s like to learn a language
- trusting pupils with their learning
- re-thinking lesson planning i.e. how can I get students to achieve the lesson aim without giving them the language they need e.g. using other languages as a model
- more natural differentiation – students don’t feel they are catching up all the time or are finishing too quickly
- learning a lot from working with language mentors – often not the only adult in the room
- pupils teaching each other as well as teaching the teacher.

The Role of Learner

The role of the student is that of a learner, a collaborator, and a team member. There are a number of theories about learning which help us understand the role of a student or learner. For this course, we will examine only a few of these theories.

One of these theories was developed be Abraham Maslow and is called the theory of basic human needs. Maslow (1954) contended that human beings are motivated by several basic needs.

These needs are basic and are in a hierarchical order based on human priority and necessity. Maslow presents that humans are always motivated by desires and that these desires are satisfied for only brief periods. But, we all need to have our basic needs met before we can begin to become self actualized or gain higher order skills. In simple terms, Maslow found that individuals who basic needs are satisfied are more effective learners. It is incumbant upon a teacher to insure that the first four basic needs: survival, safety, belonging, and esteem, are met before individuals become effective learners

Internal and External factors
Some students learn a new language more quickly and easily than others. This simple fact is known by all who have themselves learned a second language or taught those who are using their second language in school. Clearly, some language learners are successful by virtue of their sheer determination, hard work and persistence. However there are other crucial factors influencing success that are largely beyond the control of the learner. These factors can be broadly categorized as internal and external. It is their complex interplay that determines the speed and facility with which the new language is learned.

Internal factors

Internal factors are those that the individual language learner brings with him or her to the particular learning situation.

Age:   Second language acquisition is influenced by the age of the learner. Children, who already have solid literacy skills in their own language, seem to be in the best position to acquire a new language efficiently. Motivated, older learners can be very successful too, but usually struggle to achieve native-speaker-equivalent pronunciation and intonation.

Personality:   Introverted or anxious learners usually make slower progress, particularly in the development of oral skills. They are less likely to take advantage of opportunities to speak, or to seek out such opportunities. More outgoing students will not worry about the inevitability of making mistakes. They will take risks, and thus will give themselves much more practice.

Motivation (intrinsic):   Intrinsic motivation has been found to correlate strongly with educational achievement. Clearly, students who enjoy language learning and take pride in their progress will do better than those who don't.
Extrinsic motivation is also a significant factor. ESL students, for example, who need to learn English in order to take a place at an American university or to communicate with a new English boy/girlfriend are likely to make greater efforts and thus greater progress.

Experiences:  Learners who have acquired general knowledge and experience are in a stronger position to develop a new language than those who haven't. The student, for example, who has already lived in 3 different countries and been exposed to various languages and cultures has a stronger base for learning a further language than the student who hasn't had such experiences.

Cognition:  In general, it seems that students with greater cognitive abilities (intelligence) will make the faster progress. Some linguists believe that there is a specific, innate language learning ability that is stronger in some students than in others.

Native language:  Students who are learning a second language which is from the same language family as their first language have, in general, a much easier task than those who aren't. So, for example, a Dutch child will learn English more quickly than a Japanese child.

External factors

External factors are those that characterize the particular language learning situation.

Curriculum:  For ESL students in particular it is important that the totality of their educational experience is appropriate for their needs. Language learning is less likely to place if students are fully submersed into the mainstream program without any extra assistance or, conversely, not allowed to be part of the mainstream until they have reached a certain level of language proficiency.

Instruction:  Clearly, some language teachers are better than others at providing appropriate and effective learning experiences for the students in their classrooms. These students will make faster progress.
The same applies to mainstream teachers in second language situations. The science teacher, for example, who is aware that she too is responsible for the students' English language development, and makes certain accommodations, will contribute to their linguistic development.

Culture and status:  There is some evidence that students in situations where their own culture has a lower status than that of the culture in which they are learning the language make slower progress.

Motivation (extrinsic):  Students who are given continuing, appropriate encouragment to learn by their teachers and parents will generally fare better than those who aren't. For example, students from families that place little importance on language learning are likely to progress less quickly.

Access to native speakers:  The opportunity to interact with native speakers both within and outside of the classroom is a significant advantage. Native speakers are linguistic models and can provide appropriate feedback. Clearly, second-language learners who have no extensive access to native speakers are likely to make slower progress, particularly in the oral/aural aspects of language acquisition.