Module 1: Introduction to Basic Pedagogy

1.1 Learning a language

Those of us who speak a language, which is the vast majority of humanity, get that language from our parents and from other
people around us. None of us who can speak our first language, barring any physical or mental condition, had to think about the
process of acquiring that language. It just happened.

The key factor in acquiring our first language is exposure. We hear words and phrases spoken to us or around us every day and we
are given opportunities to use what we hear as much and as often as possible. This is what is known as language acquisition and it
is a subconscious process.

Age is often a factor in acquiring more than one language. Due to exposure, children have an extraordinary ability to acquire more
than one language. Children are more willing to try speaking, and do not become shy or embarrassed when they make mistakes.

Children who grow up in a functionally bilingual family are exposed to two languages during their developmental stage, helping
them understand two languages natively. It is more difficult for teenagers and adults to acquire language as easily as children do.
However, teenagers and adults may be more efficient learners.

We often talk about acquisition being a subconscious process and learning being a conscious
process. When we study grammar, for example, we think more about the form, the meaning,
the use, and the pronunciation. Through learning, we can change the conscious process of
learning a second language into the subconscious process of using that language – but this
takes time, effort and practice.

Task 1

Have you ever studied a second language? How did you study it? Were you successful?
 1.2 Teaching a second language
The differences between acquisition and learning:

In the classrooms where you will be teaching, your students will be learning a language. This means you will be teaching them
grammar, functions and vocabulary.

But is this the best approach? Is it better to give learners exposure to language, more like what children receive when learning their
first language?

In a theory called Input Hypothesis, the linguist Stephen Krashen argues that people acquire language if they get comprehensible input;
that is, if they are exposed to language that is just above their skill level, but which they more or less understand. He suggests that this
is all they need to learn a language.

However, this theory has been questioned by other theorists who believe that it is
impossible to test, as people cannot say whether the language they speak has been
acquired or learnt.

A third approach to language learning has been suggested by those who believe that
exposure to comprehensible input is not enough to acquire a language. They believe that
there must be an element of conscious attention to the actual language that is being used
in the input.

The best way?

If we want to mirror the way native speakers acquire a language, then the best way to
learn a new language would be to live in a country where the language is spoken. This
allows learners to get both exposure to the language and many opportunities to use it,
like children do. But this is not always possible for the majority of language learners
 across the world, which means the classroom is the most feasible way to gain exposure to a new language.

Task 2

What do you think is the best way to teach a second language? Why?

1.3 Learners and Teachers

Learner Characteristics:

One of the most important aspects of teaching a language is knowing what our students are like. This is a key factor in successful
teaching. We need to establish in which ways our students are different and in which ways they are the same.

The characteristics of a good learner have been identified in various studies and can be summarised as follows:

A good learner:

 Tries to guess when they don't know something - and often succeeds.
 Tries to get their message across even if their knowledge of the language isn't very good
 Is prepared to make mistakes
 Tries to figure out how language works
 Practises whenever they can
 Analyses the way they and others talk
 Has a good self-image and confidence

What are the primary aspects of teaching a language?

Whatever we are teaching, the way we manage the classroom is vitally important. In a well-managed classroom, students can learn
and they are likely to be engaged. In a badly managed classroom, this is not nearly so easy for them. Teachers must consider
whether it is more effective to teach the whole class, split students into pair or group work, or have the students work as individuals.
A language teacher must consider the issue of student and teacher talking in lessons. Who, for example, should do most of the
talking, and if or when teachers talk, what kind of talking should they do?

Teachers need to be sure that their students understand instructions and meanings. We also need to know what to do at the
beginning of a lesson or if a student is late. Teachers must know how to prevent discipline problems and what to do when these
problems happen.

One of the sensitive areas for both learners and teachers is correction and how
and when to do it. Giving feedback is a vital aspect of teaching, as is offering
appropriate and effective correction.

The teacher's role:

When we think of teachers, we can, perhaps, remember times when they stood
at the front of the class and taught us something new. There may have been
times when we were working in groups and they came to help us or perhaps we
were working on our own and the teacher didn't seem to be doing much at all.
Maybe the teacher was talking a lot or asking a lot of questions and drawing out
student responses. What the teacher was doing in each case was fulfilling the
role of the teacher.

Scaffolding:

One of the most important roles a teacher has is scaffolding. This means supporting the students and providing a framework to
hang their knowledge on, just as we use scaffolding to support a structure that is being built.
 Modelling for students is a cornerstone of scaffolding. An example would be showing students the outcome or product of a task
before they do it. If a teacher assigns a persuasive essay or inquiry-based science project, a model should be presented side-by-
side with a criteria chart or rubric. You can guide students through each step of the process with the model of the finished product
in hand.

Task 3

Write down the most important characteristics of a good learner.

Write down the most important characteristics of a good teacher.

1.4 Considerations
1. Understanding cultural backgrounds

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 is not the same as learning your first language,
environment can still be important for an individual learning a second language. A student who comes from a home that values
education has an environment 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 freer, 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 pre-test. Let your students tell you how they learn best and try to adjust your teaching to meet 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.

2. Understanding potential 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 structures. Here are some
examples of how language is structured differently in different languages:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 where 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.
4. Many students will be confused by the way verbs are conjugated in English. Many languages have fairly set rules that apply
to the conjugation of most verbs, while English can seem like a free-for-all at times.

Task 4

Consider these potential barriers to education. How would you overcome them as a teacher?

Assessment
Think about the difference between learning your native language and learning a second language. Write a comparative text on the
major differences between these two contexts of learning.