1. Teachingenglish-TKT Essentials
Learner characteristics
Moscow-2009

2. Learning Outcomes Distinguish learning styles
By the end of this session participants will be able to:
Distinguish learning styles
Explain vocabulary learning strategies
Relate age differences to learning preferences

3. Content: 1 Learner differences 2 Learning styles 3 Learning strategies
4 Age-related learner differences
5 Planning lessons for learners’ preferred learning styles

4. Learner differences
Task: complete the table with the correct example and check your answers with a partner
Learner difference
Example
Age
d) How old is learner?
Level
f) e.g. Beginner, elementary, intermediate, advanced
Personality
b) e.g. quiet, shy, sociable
Learning style
e) How the learner likes to learn
Learning strategies
a) The ways a learner uses to learn
Motivation
g) How interested is s/he in learning
Past learning experience
c) Has s/he learned English before?

5. Kinaesthetic (moving) Tactile ( touching)*
Types of learning styles The four modalities* (originates from the work of Dr’s Bandler, R.and Grinder, J. in the Field of Neuro-Linguistic programming)
Visual ( seeing)
Auditory ( hearing)
Kinaesthetic (moving)
Tactile ( touching)*

6. Learning styles* Kinaesthetic Auditory Visual
Put each characteristic into one of the circles.
Visual
Kinaesthetic
Auditory

7. Learning styles Likes looking at pictures
Visual
Likes looking at pictures
Remembers things by how they appeared on the page
Likes organising things into lists
Looks at the teacher’s face intently*
Recognizes words by sight*

8. Learning styles Auditory Likes dialogues (discussions, plays etc.)
Uses sounds and rhythm* to help remember
Likes to talk about things
Likes the teacher to provide verbal instructions

9. Learning styles Kinaesthetic Can’t sit still for long
Needs to be active ( as a memory aid*)
Likes activities where they move around

10. Learning styles* Field-independent vs. Field- dependent
Left-brain dominated vs. right-brain dominated
McCarthy’s four learning styles
- Innovative
- Analytic
- Common
- Dynamic
for more info:

11. Learning Strategies What are learning strategies?
Techniques which are used by good language learners,
e.g., to help them understand new input,
remember vocabulary,
communicate effectively etc.

12. Learning Strategies Metacognitive Cognitive ( knowing about knowing)
are used to shape and control learning
Planning learning
Reviewing work
Assessing one’s own performance
Forming hypotheses
Cognitive
(are task specific)
Classifying
Matching
Predicting
Sequencing

13. Learning Strategies
Brainstorm all the ways you can think for learning vocabulary. Think about the way you learn new words – how do you learn them? Write your ideas into the thought bubbles.

14. Learning Strategies
Read words aloud and associate the sounds with words which have similar sounds
Look at the word on context to understand the meaning and see what kinds words it s used with
Define parts of speech and see if this is changeable
Keep a vocabulary notebook with sound ,context, synonyms, antonyms etc.
Organising the entries in the vocabulary notebook according to a system e.g. alphabetical, according to topic, coursebook unit etc
Use dictionaries to find out as much as you can about the word
Draw illustrations
Write dialogues or stories
Write examples of how the word can be used in different contexts
Travel with the vocabulary notebook, review on the way to school etc.
Record words onto mp3\ cassette and listen
Test yourself regularly

15. Age-related learner differences
Discuss the following statements. Do you associate them with children, teenagers, adults, with two of groups or all groups?
Sometimes have short attention spans
Motivated to learn for career reasons
Need to have routines
Cognitive skills are usually well developed
Discipline problems usually not an issue
Like to do activities involving movement
May be shyer\ more reluctant to speak
Able to concentrate for long periods
Respond well to project work related to personal inerests
Motor skills not fully developed
May find it hard to keep still
May be subject to mood changes

16. Previous language learning experience
Group discussion
What things did your teachers do that you found helpful helpful \ unhelpful?
How do the effects of past experience influence learners( their styles, motivation and attitudes)?

17. Planning lessons for learners’ preferred learning styles
Look at the activities and say which learning style they would suit. Remember that some activities can suit more than one learning style.
Choose from these learning styles
visual auditory kinaesthetic

18. Questionnaires on learning styles

19. Reflection Talk to each other about your own learning preferences
Can you identify learning styles and learning strategies your colleagues use?
How could you adapt this for finding out about the learning styles your classrooms?

20. Thank you!