Teaching Teenagers

Bell ThailandMay 2013

David Quartermain

What were you like as a teenager?

rebellious?sullen?fun to teach?

How are you different now?

wiser?more independent?more motivated?

Think of something you were really motivated to do, and that you put a lot of effort into.

What & Why?

What is Motivation ?• In psychology, motivation is the driving

force (desire) behind all actions of an organism.

• Motivation is goal-directed behaviour.

• A student’s willingness, need, desire and compulsion to participate in, and be successful in, the learning process.

What is Motivation ?

Intrinsic Motivation: This is caused by factors within the student. For example, a person might be motivated simply because they enjoy the learning process, because they are naturally competitive, or because they desire the praise and satisfaction of doing something well. The teacher can do a lot to increase or reduce a student’s intrinsic motivation

What is Motivation ?

Extrinsic Motivation: This is shaped by factors outside the individual. For example the student might be motivated by the need to get a job, pass an exam, study overseas or to please his/her parents

What is Motivation ?

Short Term / Long Term

So why are so many teenagers un-motivated ?

Lack of personal involvement

Irrelevant to life now

No understanding of how it may impact their future

Too self-conscious

Experience of failure

Why is an un-motivated student a problem?

Reluctant to participateShort attention spanDisruptive behaviourNegative effect on peers

Reflects poorly on teacher!

What is a Motivated Learner ?

• Looks Interested• Keen to participate• Asks Questions• Takes the initiative• Works with pride

So how do I get from….

to…

Learning is not a spectator sportLearning is an activity – not a supine position

The teacher dominates the classroom

The classroom is student-centred

Teacher-dominated to student-centred

The teacher…

Explains the new languageAsks questionsDecides who answersSets the activitySays what is right and wrong

The students…

Listen to the teacherRead the bookWork aloneAnswer the questionsAre correctedWait for the break

In a teacher-centered lesson

In a student-centered lesson

The teacher…

Elicits the new languageAsks questionsPrompts studentsMonitors the activityChecks what is right and wrong

The students…

Listen to each otherRead the bookWork togetherAnswer the questionsCorrect each otherWait for the break

Teacher-Dominated / Student-Centred

Some things will be different:

Some things stay the same:e.g. syllabus, language content, coursebook, teacher’s aims….

o what the teacher does o what the students doo interactiono focus of attentiono error correctiono feedback

Teacher-dominated

Student-Centred

Knowledge

Use

Grammar-Translation

Task-Based Learning

Communicative approach

The teacher’s role will change

Controller

Assessor

Resource

Facilitator

Tutor

Pairwork

Groups

Class Mingle

Whole class

Individual work

The student’s role will change

Dictation

Running Dictation

Choral Drilling

Group Discussion

Controlled practice

Freer practice

Class Survey

Accuracy

Fluency

The activities will change

Project Work

Student-centred

This means:Students are a resource

Learning links to experienceLanguage is relevant

Peer work takes placeLanguage is used

Skills are integratedIt’s more interesting

Motivation is increased

…learning can take place

Adapting classroom management

Elicit from students before telling themElicit from students before telling themStudents work in pairs before and after activitiesStudents work in pairs before and after activities

Students can nominate who answers questionsStudents can nominate who answers questions

Students work in groups during activitiesStudents work in groups during activities

Students can give feedback as well as the teacherStudents can give feedback as well as the teacher

For example…

Student-Centred Classroom

“I know I cannot teach anyone anything. I can only provide an environment

in which he (or she) can learn.”

Carl Rogers (1965, p. 389) ‘Client-Centred Therapy’ (Houghton Mifflin)

davidq@ipm.edu.mo

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/

Across Down2. man's best friend 1. we get wool from this 4. black and white animal from China 3. tall animal with long neck 6. big animal with a trunk 5. miaow

Real-world English

A long time ago, there was apoor man in a small village.He had an orange tree in hisgarden. One day, he foundone of his oranges was muchbigger than the others. It wasas big as a football. The poorman took the orange to theking.

Students may be too shy to speak English

“In personalized learning, learners are given space to bring their own experiences, attitudes, and feelings into the learning process. Learning is thus made more meaningful and real, and learners are able to make systematic connections between their own lives and the life of the classroom.

When learning is personalized, content is processed more deeply, and learner independence and autonomy are fostered.”

Dr David Nunan

What’s the solution? choice of topic

sport music family their pet food

What’s the solution? preparation time

What’s the solution?

use a model

A: Dzien dobry Jak sie masz?

B: Dobrze

What’s the solution?

group practice first

What’s the solution?

error correction

self-correction peer correction correct individually later praise before criticism ignore

Teenagers respond well to visual stimuli

Teaching Speaking

You’re stuck in a desert. Which piece of equipment would you find most useful?

cosmetic mirrorparachute

torch

water

bottleknife

Teaching Speaking

4 6 2 3hamburger Egypt banana students answer apple weather

6 7 4 9Saturday regular tomorrow results pronounce started remember

6 9Motorola possible Saudi another Tokyo customer Manchester

6 4 7 3 1passenger Microsoft already government photograph teacher luckily

1 2Africa unhappy football monument Toyota Lebanon bicycle

5 5 7 9 4 0relative telephone afterwards Nokia unlucky dictionary Mercedes

7 5 8Arabia remember computer language Egyptian opposite hospital

Travel through the maze using only those words with first syllable stress ()

FIN

ISH

Bringing Variety to your Teaching

4 6 2 3hamburger Egypt banana students answer apple weather

6 7 4 9Saturday regular tomorrow results pronounce started remember

6 9Motorola possible Saudi another Tokyo customer Manchester

6 4 7 3 1passenger Microsoft already government photograph teacher luckily

1 2Africa unhappy football monument Toyota Lebanon bicycle

5 5 7 9 4 0relative telephone afterwards Nokia unlucky dictionary Mercedes

7 5 8Arabia remember computer language Egyptian opposite hospital

Travel through the maze using only those words with first syllable stress ()

FIN

ISH

(00-853) 66 55 77 14

Bringing Variety to your Teaching

Bringing Variety to your Teaching

Using movie clips