Module 1: Teaching and learning

Learning a new language can be difficult, so teaching a new language inherently comes with great
obstacles. To effectively teach English to someone new to the language, you have a lot to
understand, including the basics of the English language, how speakers acquire a new language,
and how to motivate students to succeed when they are struggling. In this module, we will discuss
the basics of how to get started, including taking a hard look at how to access the motivations of
new students, how to use their previous language and cultural background to your advantage,
and how to get them started on the path to English fluency.

Module 1: Teaching and learning

1.1 Motivation

1.2 Understanding cultural backgrounds

1.3 The importance of a first language

1.4 Getting started

1.1 Motivation
Teaching any subject involves knowing how motivation affects a student. Without proper
motivation, it will be difficult for students to accept what they are learning and commit to the
process. Since learning a new language can be especially hard it is even more important that
you, as the teacher, understand the motivation behind your students' commitment to learning, and
use it to your advantage. We will start discussing motivation by breaking it down into its two
smaller parts: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.

1.1.1 Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation is the best stepping stone to success, but you can't teach it. Intrinsic
motivation characterizes someone who is compelled to do something for internal rewards. This
type of motivation is powerful because extrinsic rewards can be fleeting or disappointing, but
an internal drive to succeed will almost always motivate an individual. While you cannot teach
someone to be intrinsically motivated, you can help your students access intrinsic motivation
that they may not know is already there or that they may have lost for the moment. If you know
your students are intrinsically motivated, you can help them succeed. Here are some tips you
can follow:

• Get to the root of what is driving the individual. While they may only acknowledge an extrinsic
motivation for learning English, you may be able to help them tie that to a grander internal
drive. For example, if students come to you wanting to learn English because they are
moving to an English speaking country and it will be helpful to know, the superficial part of
their reasoning points toward extrinsic motivation. However, this extrinsic motivator points to
something internal: the desire to fit in and not feel like an outsider.
 • Understand the basis for most forms of intrinsic motivation. William Glasser, an American
psychiatrist, published a theory in 1998 that proposed that humans have essential needs
that dictate our emotional health. These needs are the need to belong or connect, the need
for power or competence, the need for freedom, and the need to have fun. Having these
needs in mind could help you when designing your lessons. Which of these needs is this
lesson satisfying? This is a way to get away from the punishment and reward system that is
meant to access an individual’s extrinsic motivation.

• Be aware that intrinsic motivation cannot be forced and does not abide by the classic reward
and punishment system that many follow. For example, if someone is not reacting to your
lessons, it will not be helpful to intentionally make them feel that they don’t belong. For
intrinsic motivation to succeed, the individual needs to feel that they are in control of the
situation, so try to access your students’ internal drive, but don’t try to force one on them.

1.1.2 Extrinsic motivation

While extrinsic motivation is not nearly as strong as intrinsic motivation, it is much easier as the
teacher for you to control. Extrinsic motivation refers to when an individual is compelled to do
something because of an outside reward. Because of the ease at which it can be used to teach
someone, extrinsic motivators are often the basis for educational programs. The most common
extrinsic motivator is grading, with which teachers can very simply reward good behaviour and
punish bad behaviour (behaviour here refers to whatever the student is expected to do). A student
who hands in his or her project, follows directions, and effectively addresses the prompt or
purpose of the project is rewarded with an A, and a student who does not is punished with an F.

Why it works

Even though the drive caused by extrinsic motivation pales in comparison to the drive that is
caused by intrinsic motivation, that does mean that you cannot find success with extrinsic
motivation. These motivators access an individual’s innate desire to find success even if someone
else defines that success. Here are some examples of extrinsic motivators that work in the
classroom:

• Grades: This is the most obvious extrinsic motivator. Individuals want to be successful
and feel better when they receive a high score as opposed to a low score. If you teach in
a high school setting, grades can mean the difference as to whether or not the student
gets into college (or a good college), so grades can be a good motivator for students. Even
when there is no next level, however, many students will be motivated to succeed by
grades.
• Competition: Many individuals have an innate desire to be winners, and putting your
students in competition with each other can be a good way to motivate them to succeed,
especially if the ongoing results are available to all students. This approach is often used
by teachers of younger students with such things as performance charts, where teachers
give students who do well some sort of visible reward, such as a gold star. Conversely,
teachers can punish negative behaviours by posting the name of the student in question
on the board as someone who is not behaving. This can sometimes help motivate students
to succeed because they would like to do better than their classmates.
• Extra rewards and punishments: Besides grades, some teachers will offer extra incentive
to succeed, perhaps in the form of prizes. A teacher might, for example, make an
 agreement with a student that if he or she improves, then he or she can go on the class
trip. Conversely, punishments, such as detentions or phone calls home, can be a
consequence that motivates a student.

1.1.3 Which type of motivation is better?

While intrinsic motivation is stronger than extrinsic motivation, it is not very immediate and
therefore can lose effectiveness in the short term. Extrinsic motivation can be very helpful in the
short term, but it is often only temporary. For that reason, the best type of motivation is a
combination of the two. Even students with intrinsic motivation sometimes need to be motivated
by extrinsic rewards and punishments to keep them on track. Here are some examples of how
you can use both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation to help your students:

• We’ll start with an example we have previously used: an individual would like to learn
English because she is moving to an English-speaking country. Whether or not she
realizes it, this can be an example of intrinsic motivation and her need to fit in and be
successful. You can help her access this by asking her to write down the reasons why
she thinks it would be helpful to learn English and then look deeply into those reasons.
While this desire can be a strong motivator, you may find that this student begins
slacking off during your lessons. She may be having trouble seeing the light at the end of
the tunnel. Using extrinsic motivators, such as grades or rewards, can help her get over
the hurdle and back on track. The lasting motivation that will drive her to succeed is the
need to fit in, but the temporary motivation of grades or a reward will help her succeed
when she is having trouble seeing the finish line.

• A man comes to you and tells you he wants to learn English so he can get a promotion
and make more money in his corporate career. While money and prestige are both
extrinsic motivators, the need for approval and competence is intrinsic. This is an
individual who is driven by the desire to succeed, so extrinsic motivators will be very
effective on him. If he wants to use this as a way of advancing his career, then he will likely
want to learn English while attaining the highest grades or scores possible so he can flaunt
his success. This is the extrinsic carrot that you can use to help him succeed.

• A woman feels stuck in a job that is stifling and wants to pursue a career that requires her
to know English and comes to you for help. This individual is intrinsically motivated by her
need for control and freedom. She is less likely to be motivated by outside influences, and
more likely to be motivated by a less overbearing and prescribed teaching style. However,
she may still require some extrinsic motivators to continue striving for success, so you
may need to let her frame her own definition of success and then grade her on the
framework she created. This will give her the freedom she wants while still holding her
personally accountable for her actions.

1.2 Understanding cultural backgrounds

One of the first steps you need to take as an educator when you are trying to help someone learn
a new language is to take their cultural background into account. You cannot help someone get
somewhere new without first understanding where they are coming from. Instead of trying to
present to you all of the potential cultural backgrounds that your students could be bringing to the
table (which could be an entire course in itself), we are instead going to focus on why it is important
to consider your students’ backgrounds and why it can be useful to adjust your instruction to better
address the varying backgrounds of your students.

1.2.1 Why is it important to understand your students’ cultural backgrounds?

Language is directly related to culture because language is fluid and changes over time as the
culture of a region changes. This is why such languages as Italian and French can both originate
from Latin but still be fundamentally different. Latin was taken to these regions, and it developed
as the culture of the regions developed, taking two very different paths in Italian and French. So,
as much as it is important to teach cultural elements as you teach English, it is important to take
into account the importance of an individual’s cultural origins. These cultural backgrounds can not
only affect the way they learn a new language but also the way they learn in general. Here are
some ways that an individual’s cultural background can affect his or her learning a new language:

• A student’s environment can have an enormous effect on the way they learn. Studies have
shown that language acquisition is considerably affected by an individual’s background,
and while learning a new language isn’t the same as learning your first language,
environment can still be important in an individual learning a second language. A student
who comes from a home that values education comes from a home that nurtures what he
or she is learning. A student who comes from a home that values life experience over
formal education might have more difficulty with traditional lessons.

• Students from various cultural backgrounds will react to different styles of teaching in
different ways. Some of your students may be coming from a background of very strict,
teacher-led instruction. Others may be coming from a background of more free, student-
led instruction. While both styles have merit, you will find yourself needing to use
differentiation to properly reach both of these students. You can determine how to best
meet the needs of your students by simply asking them either through an informal
conversation or a more standard pretest. Let your students tell you how they learn best,
and try to adjust your teaching to appeal to their needs.
• An individual’s cultural background can affect the way they think, which can greatly affect
the student’s performance in your classroom. Taking your students’ cultural backgrounds
into account when you are designing and implementing your instruction will help you
account for the potentially different ways that your students think.

1.3 The importance of a first language

More important than understanding your students’ cultural background is understanding how their
first language will affect the speed and ease with which they learn English as a new language.
While a student’s cultural background can affect the way they learn, a student’s native language
can affect the way they view language to begin with. What are some of the obstacles that students
may face when trying to learn English as a second language?

1.3.1 Language barriers

Every language has its own rules, and while many languages share similarities that make new
language acquisition simpler, some students will be trying to transition to a new set of rules and
language structure. Here are some examples of how language is structured differently in different
languages:
 • Some languages have been created based on symbols or pictures that represent ideas
rather than words made up of letters. The transition to English from languages that follow
such a structure can be very difficult.
• Some languages are read from right to left rather than left to right, which is how English is
read. This does not necessarily affect a student’s ability to gain proficiency in speaking the
language, but it certainly presents a hurdle for students who are trying to learn to read
English.
• Many languages require a different sentence structure than English does. One of the most
common examples of this is when languages place adjectives differently in a sentence
than they are placed in English. While in English someone might say “go get the blue car,”
that same sentence in some languages would translate back to English as “go get the car
blue.” This can make fluency difficult.
• Many students will be confused by the way verbs are conjugated in English. Many
languages besides English have fairly set rules that apply to the conjugation of most verbs,
while English can seem like a free-for-all at times.

1.3.2 How can we use our students’ native languages to our advantage?

While a new language like English will certainly present obstacles for your students to overcome,
there are ways you can take those obstacles and turn them into advantages. If your students are
coming to the class already understanding a language other than English, why not use that to
help them learn better? Here are some ways that teachers can use a student’s native language
to help them learn a new language:

• It is important that you understand cognates and how to use them. A cognate is a word or
root word that is used in different languages and has a similar etymological background.
In other words, you can provide a link for your students between their native language and
English. These cognates can be little pockets of comfort for your students as they tread
into the unknown territory of a new language.
• Developing further on the above point, emphasize breaking words down to their roots as
you are teaching them. This helps students have a better understanding of the patterns of
the English language, which will help them succeed more quickly. This makes it easier for
the students to link the two languages through cognates, but it also makes it easier for
students to make connections between new words they are learning.
• Using different texts is a good way to help students ease into the new language. Providing
a translated version of the text may change the structure, connotation, and intent, but it
will give them a frame of reference for when they get stuck. Translated texts can be a
crutch for new language learners, but if they are used properly, they can simply work as a
guide to help students feel more comfortable with a new language.

• Try asking questions in the student’s native language, but ask them to answer in English.
Or switch it around and ask them questions in English that they need to answer in their
native language. This may be more work for you, depending on the diversity of your
classroom, but it can help students ease into understanding English.
• Use your students’ native language to help scaffold and model in English. This can be as
simple as having your students write in their native language and then showing them how
it would look in English. You could then ask them to do the same thing following your
model. Unfortunately, this may require you to be fluent in many languages, but you can
work through it with the student if you don’t speak their native language.
 • Have your students help each other. Even if the students do not speak the same native
language, they are going through the same process and can bond in their desire to learn
English and really help each other learn.

1.4 Getting started

It is no mystery that teaching students a new language is a very difficult task, but it can be infinitely
rewarding. So, how do you actually get started on your career? The first step, of course, you have
already taken, which is to seek training. Let’s take a look at some other important aspects of
successfully helping your students.

1.4.1 Ensuring your success

Here are some basic tips to ensure you are successful and able to help your students learn
English as a second language:

• Make sure that you are well versed in the structure and makeup of the English language.
We will discuss many things you need to know, but it couldn’t hurt to supplement this course
with further study of the language. The English language is incredibly complex and full of
rules that are not necessarily logical, so it will always help you to study up.

• While we will give you many of the tools you need to become an effective teacher of
English as a second language, it is important that you continually seek out research and
professional journal articles to keep up with current educational trends. We are constantly
finding out more and more about how we attain language and how we learn, so teaching
English as a second language is a lifelong educational commitment.

• Make sure you understand how learners acquire new knowledge. As we have discussed
earlier in this module, that does not just refer to language acquisition but to knowledge
acquisition as a whole. Learn everything you need to know about differentiation (which we
will discuss at length in a future model) to give your students the best chance to succeed
in learning their new language.
• Be prepared to be patient. If you do not come from a teaching background, you may not
be aware of the patience it takes to help someone learn something new. If you do come
from a teaching background, then understand that this may be the most difficult thing to
teach someone, and that you will need to be even more patient than you may have
expected.
• Continually use your experiences to build a wealth of knowledge of strategies and
concepts that work for your students. All of the training in the world will help you, but the
true answers to your questions of “how?” will come from experience. Make sure that you
don’t forget any of the lessons you learn along the way.

1.4.2 Understanding the basics

There is a basic framework you will need to follow to be successful in helping students learn a
new language. While we will discuss most of these concepts in detail in future modules, here is
an overview to help get you started on your path to success:

• Linguistics:
 Helping your students understand the basics of linguistics will help ensure that they
understand the basics of how the English language is structured, how we break down and
diagram the components of a sentence, and how we communicate in English. This
concept will give the students a structure on which to build their true understanding of the
language.

• Reading:

Reading is one of the first skills you will try to develop with your students. It is typically
where most teachers of English as a second language begin because having the words
in front of the student can make him or her feel more comfortable trying to decipher them.
Students can learn to see the words and sound them out with the guidance of the word in
front of them.

• Writing:

The next step is usually to work on your students’ skills in writing in English. They will still
have the guidance of the words in front of them as they do when they learn to read, but it
requires them to take the next step because they will be the ones producing the words.
This is a great time for students to really work on some of the linguistic principles they
have already studied and practice sentence structure, syntax, and other basic concepts
of English.

• Speaking:

Speaking can be the most difficult part of learning a new language. Having to sound the
words out loud can add an extra level of anxiety because everyone in the class will hear the
student if he or she makes a mistake. Creating a classroom of respect and support can go
a long way to assuage your students’ anxiety. If the student feels comfortable enough that
he or she is not afraid to make mistakes in front of the class, he or she will be more willing
to take risks.

• Listening:

While listening is arguably a more difficult skill than speaking concerning a new language,
students often feel more comfortable with it because they are not required to put themselves
out there as much. However, listening is the next step after the students begin learning to
speak the language. If a student can listen to something in English, comprehend it, and
respond properly, he or she is exhibiting a complex understanding of the language and is
usually doing it without a visual reference (besides body language).