learning to learn
FND Module 9 Task 1 | Jonathan Turner | October 3rd, 2003
I was curious if anybody was willing to share whether they spent time on teaching 'learning to learn'. It's the subject of this task and I would like to have some other perspectives. Personally I do incorporate 'learning to learn' in the classroom, but as often as not in terms of awareness raising rather than specific tasks. I also think that many syllabuses don't allow time for investigating 'how to learn'.
Jonathan Turner
Equatorial Guinea
Re: FND Module 9 Task 1 | Mike McDonald | October 3rd, 2003
Hi, Jonathan,
Since reading Julian's advice on this topic in FND I have devoted more attention to learning strategies, mostly in the form of consciousness raising. Specifically, some of the ways I go about this with my first-year university students are as follows:
1) Include suggestions on how to study outside the classroom in my beginning-of-course handouts.
2) Tell the students how to access links to a large number of EFL websites on my own site.
3) Distribute a questionnaire on learning habits as the first homework assignment.
4) Summarize the results of the questionnaire in a handout that I distribute for discussion.
5) Hand out instructions in Japanese on how to use the CD-ROM that accompanies the textbook.
6) Devote the second lesson to ways of learning vocabulary.
7) Explain how to use an English dictionary.
8) Recommend suitable English-English dictionaries.
9) Hand out exercises based on Ellis and Sinclair's "Learning to Learn English."
10) Distribute a questionnaire on the use of Japanese in class.
11) Summarize the results of the questionnaire in a handout which I distribute for discussion.
There are other things I do, but I don't want to make the list too long, so I'll stop there. Good luck with the task!
Mike McDonald
Re: FND Module 9 Task 1 | Tisa Retfalvi-Schar | October 3rd, 2003
Hi Jonathan,
This is Tisa, in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. I am also working on the FND module. I hope to send it off next week to make the upcoming marking deadline.
I wanted to respond to your question about incorporating 'learning to learn' strategies into classroom activities. Like you, I tend to employ such techniques indirectly, i.e., through awareness-raising tasks etc.
However, I do encourage feedback from students when we try something new or otherwise and, I suppose, this could be considered a more direct treatment of the subject. I like to ask them questions about how the task helped them or why they think I gave it to them in the first place. I don't like to overdo it, though, at the risk of making everything seem so goal-orientated or sounding condescending. Anyway, I find if I make 'learning to learn' a topic, many students open up and comment on their own accord on what we do in class.
Getting higher-level students used to using English-English dictionaries is something else I try to foster. I figure it's a good habit to get into (even for native speakers!) so why not encourage it in class? Some syllabuses spend time on this. Are you familiar with the textbook writer Leo Jones?
For vocabulary development I've started a word-box with one of my First Certificate groups. Whenever we hit a topic like 'feelings' or 'work', I assign words to students so they can prepare the cards to bring to the next class. This not only gets them using their English-English dictionaries outside of class, but it also makes them feel like a part of team working towards a common goal, a kind of motivation with I think is conducive to learning.
These are just a few of the things I do in terms of actively using 'learning to learn' strategies with my students.
Bye for now,
Tisa
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