ASSUMPTIONS
Activity Assumption
personalisation / identification
with topic is an effective aid to
learning
need to activate interest /
schemata
visual stimuli / pictures are useful /
it’s important to include different
types of input (reading, listening,
visuals etc.)
need a task to help understand a
text
need to see language in context
need practice in reading skills
sufficient to understand only main
points of a text / read text without
needing to understand everything
jigsaw reading / info gap / opinion
gap is useful
reading texts are a good way of
introducing/exposing students to
language items
benefit from moving from receptive
to productive
important to focus on skills AND
systems / a variety of skills /
integrated skills
benefit of working collaboratively /
interaction / communication
guided discovery / working out
language / inductive approaches
are effective
learners benefit from noticing /
being encouraged to notice
language
Pronunciation is an integral part of
Reasons
Because engages learners / reduces
affective filter / is motivating / makes skills
and language meaningful / is easier to talk
about concrete than abstract
Because will help with top-down
processing (and make text easier)
Because recognisable / contain a lot of
information / are engaging / may appeal
to visual/ a variety of learning styles
Because otherwise they won’t know which
part of the text to focus on.
Because it will help with meaning of
language and its retention.
Because may not transfer skill from L1
Because outside class need to deal with
texts where they don’t understand every
word / will often read texts with particular
purpose in mind / gives practice in useful
skills to transfer from L1
Because it encourages learners to engage
further with the text / collaborate / offers
another opportunity for communicative
practice / reflects what happens in real life
(where we often summarise an article
we’ve read)
Because similar to learning L1 / real life
Because this is how languages are learnt in
the ‘real world’
Because they reinforce each other in
language learning
Because they learn from each other.
Because gives confidence to speak
fluently / extensively
Because cognitive involvement enhances
the learning process
Because it aids acquisition/ helps students
notice gap between their own language
use and correct forms
Raising awareness of pron & IPA will give
learning a new language and
involves both receptive &
productive work. Reception needs
to precede recognition.
Learners benefit from an explicit focus
on form
The use of timelines can be useful to
clarify concepts associated with time
and tense.
The importance of progressing
from known to unknown and a
progression of challenge
them good habits & useful tools.
Awareness of how a specific grammatical
structure is formed should enable them to
use the TL accurately for themselves.
Because some learners are more visual and
a visual aid helps with
understanding/learning.
Helps learners’ confidence, they are not
overloaded from the beginning/ they will
have time to absorb the easier TL before
moving to new language
Can be diagnostic, allowing learners which
language they don’t know thus helping
them to focus their efforts