FLE 200 – Response Paper 3

Behaviorism, which is the oldest one, is a learning theory that takes its foundation on the
possibility of controlling the behavior through antecedents and consequences of a behavior. This
could be done by giving rewards or punishments. It is a theory that has been put into practice in
the classroom by my teachers, and it has been very effective in my development. My English
teacher in middle school used to give us classroom money as a consequence of our participation
in the classroom. The student(s) who gets the most money at the end of the week would get a
small price, but it was motivating. This is a method that is also observable in animals, as most of
the animal training is done by giving a reward as a consequence of the desired behavior.

The cognitive perspective focuses on how information is obtained, arranged, stored, and
retrieved by the mind. A teacher with this perspective can help their students learn by giving
them small quizzes to recall their prior knowledge, chunking what they are teaching into easy-to-
digest parts, and using planners to create a better structure. For instance, if a teacher needs to
teach past perfect tense, they first should make sure their students are good at past tense, as it
requires prior knowledge, and this can be done through the techniques I have just mentioned.

Constructivism is a learning theory that basically claims that learning is creating meaning
from experience. When students can interact with a concept, the process of learning gets easier,
and students take an active role in this process. The students can connect what they learn with
their prior knowledge.

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills to have in the era that we live in. Those
who have these skills are open-minded, able to look at a concept from a broad perspective, stick
to a goal, use reliable sources, keep the initial challenge in mind, and show sensitivity. May
sound unrelated at first, but innovations and technology have an undeniable effect on the
development of critical thinking skills. When the students spend a lot of time in front of a screen,
they are devoid of scenarios in which they can actively create. As play is the foundation of
critical thinking skills, it is easy to agree with this claim.

Phenomenological and humanistic learning theories are the most recent learning theories.
Humans are social beings, and it is impossible to thrive alone. These theories look at the learner
from a broad perspective. The student is a part of the society, and their development in various
areas, such as psychological, and especially technological as a consequence of the era that we
live in, are taken into account in this theory. Human needs, self-awareness, feelings, and attitudes
are considered. What a student wants may not be what they need, or vice versa. Yet, their needs
are to be fulfilled.

Applying one theory alone would not be enough for a teacher to have an effective learning
environment. So, a teacher should have knowledge about all the theories and contemplate what
aspects they can utilize.

Fehmi Arda YILMAZ

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