Transcript Language Learning Strategies

Language Learning
Strategies
Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, and
practicing to improve what you can
Adapted from Lessons From Good Language Learners (Griffiths, 2008).
Learner Variables
Things you cannot control
(easily)
(This is what good language
learners ARE)
Motivation!
Do you...
● have a sincere interest in the language,
people, and culture?
● see a practical value in learning the
language?
● enjoy a challenge?
● want to please others?
What is your motivation?
Motivation Regulation
Will interacting with other Spanish speakers
keep you motivated? How?
Will you get down when you are
challenged? Be honest, now...
What kind of goals can you set to help you
understand what you need to do? How can
you reflect and truly evaluate yourself?
Age, Personality, Gender
Adults learn faster, but children learn
better.
Introverts and intuitive people learn
languages well because they reflect
internally and trust what they learn.
Motivated people learn best.
Males need explicit and concrete examples,
Higher aptitude (IQ)
Better at:
● interpreting sounds and forming words
● quick recall
● recognizing grammatical differences
● understanding using previous examples
and input
Strategies for Learner Variables
Actions that you consciously utilize that
facilitates your learning. You decide which
strategies help you best!
➢Limit: games, study alone, music while
studying
➢Do: dictionary usage, complete
homework, questions teacher, converse
with peers, maintain a learning
notebook, listen to native speakers
(store, movies, radio)
More strategies for “the self”
➢recognize when you do not understand
and decide what to do about it
➢talk to others about how they learned
something
➢share what you don’t know
➢be healthily critical and determine what
you grade might be for an assignment
Learning Variables
Things you CAN control and
change over time
(This is what good language
learners DO)
Vocabulary
Ask why you are learning a vocab list and
later how were you successful in learning
it. Reflect on what worked for you and
what didn’t.
Guess meaning from context and key
words, use flashcards, break down the
word’s meaning, use mnemonic devices,
use dictionaries to look up words. The more
you do what works, the quicker you get.
Grammar
● recognize your mistakes; why did you
miss something? why did you get a
different question right?
● accept advice and feedback from
teacher and peers
● set goals and remember that learning is
an active and ongoing process
Pronunciation
● speech is more common than writing
● learning good pronunciation is
comparable to learning a new physical
activity
● record yourself for listening and critique;
listen to others (native speakers AND
classmates)
Listening
● predict what might be said based on the
topic
● concentrate and clear your mind
● listen to pauses, intonation, and words
that you understand
● visualize what you hear to form meaning
● may be difficult, but remember why it is
important to practice listening
Speaking
Good pronunciation is necessary, but not
sufficient:
★ Take full advantage of speaking
activities by applying vocabulary and
grammar that you are currently
learning with vocabulary and grammar
that you have already learned.
Reading
● determine the specific goal of reading an
excerpt, paragraph, etc.
● reconstruct the author’s goal and
purpose
● monitor your comprehension in order to
secure your comprehension of the entire
text
Writing
to write well, you must read more (in
Spanish) and look up any new vocabulary
➢ newspapers, web sites, books,
instruction manuals, etc.
What can you do to be a
good language learner?
Find your motivation.
Reflect on what you learn and do.
Ask questions and trust what you learn.
Dedicate yourself to good pronunciation and
speaking opportunities.
Set personal goals and talk to your peers.
Everyone can learn another language! Become
something more. Put forth an effort to better
understand the world.