Stress cause 1: Fear of Teachers expectations

Type of problem: Emotive

The student often apologies for mistakes, at each lesson has an excuse for
not fully
Symptoms
participating in the lesson (Today I had a busy day)
Title of activity
1. Use your freedom!
Starting with the first lesson, the trainer explains his/her role in the class: I am NOT a
teacher but a person who will help you to reach your goals as much as possible. I am
Description of
here to help you to find your way in accordance with your skills and character. I am
Activity
only a means that you can use as much as you want, to free all capabilities inside you,
capabilities that have most likely been stunted by traditional teaching methods. You will
be able to follow your own learning pace and you will be free to revise and change the
goals you set for yourself, if something becomes too difficult or you find new interests.
The student receives a copy of his/her own needs analysis filled in advance. Based on
it, the student writes in his/her L1 (or lingua franca) a personal learning path and a
schedule, indicating the starting point and the final destination. The teacher check the
feasibility of the students program and revises it, if necessary, inserting intermediary
goals, if suitable. Example: A student with A2 language level wants to reach B2 level in 1
school year. This is a very difficult goal and the teacher should advise the student to insert
intermediary objectives such as B1 after 4 months and B1+ after 6 -7 months.
See table 1 on Annexes How to prepare a Needs analysis
Aim of activity

It increases students responsibility in their learning process, so that they

less constrained by the teacher's expectations and a pre-set learning path that does not
correspond to the students current skills.
On the contrary, s/he should feel that the teacher is a collaborator and facilitator: it is not
the teacher who sets tasks and learning paths, but the student her/himself.
Notes for teachers Usually it is the teacher who transmits, albeit unconsciously, his/her own expectations to the
student. The teacher's initial presentation of the course (see above) redefines this role.The
students' preconceptions of teachers (and prejudices) tend to vanish.
Montessori
The teacher as an observer not a lecturer. Self directed learning, choosing own learning
principles
times and pace shifts responsibility onto learners.
Application of the
Adults like children fear disappointing a superior's expectations, although reactions are
principle(s) with
different. In any case, Montessori teachers have no expectations and so do not create fear
children in
of disappointment. Moreover, by creating an English room, (in the case of English
Montessori schools lessons), a Montessori school makes language learning an exploration, not a task to
evaluate. When you enter this room, you are in a new, magical place where people speak
English. So curiosity (plus entertaining games) focuses attention on exploring the
resources, with no teacher expectations to deal with.

Stress cause 2: Need of immediate results

Type of problem: Cognitive
The need to learn a language in a short time, due to a request from one's employer or an
Symptoms
imminent exam, a career advancement possibility, a transfer or relocation, etc.
Title of activity
1. The Principles to follow
The teacher should help the student prepare a strategy for attainable goals and
suggested intermediary sub goals, plus the generally required length of time.
Description of
Each student should prepare a personal timetable and list of personal needs,
Activity
successful strategies and techniques for reaching the required/needed goals
according to his/her own learning time and abilities. Needs analysis helps.
The learners in a workgroup share their plans in order to prepare a set of principles
poster: the The principles for the delivery of successful strategies/techniques for
effective learning. All in the target language.
2. Check list
Title of activity
To enable the students to assess their own learning needs, they are asked to
prepare a check list defining language learning goals and (self set) deadlines. This
Description
will enable the teacher to verify what is possible to attain and the progress of the task.
of Activity
See table 2 Annexes An example of Students check list
Aim of activities

This procedure faces stress caused by the uncertainty of reaching required goals in a
specified time. The checklist is therefore an important tool to enable the student to redefine
more attainable goals and thereby reduce causes of stress. The intermediary goals will
enable the students to verify that they are on track and the teacher to verify during the
journey if the student is following the right learning path.
Notes for teachers Above all, the teacher should focus his/her attention on the students reassessed needs, in
order to be able to provide lessons and materials that offer relevant and effective learning
paths. For example, employees about to relocate abroad will need oral communication
skills, while university students will need more emphasis on the written form of the
language, usually the most important part of their exam.
Less stress and better motivation can be achieved by reminding students of the goals they
have defined for themselves (and reassess them when necessary).
Frequent positive feedback and encouragement will boost their self confidence.
Montessori
Self-directed learning. Choosing own learning time and the kind of learning activity to
principles
undertake. Teacher as an observer not a lecturer. Critical learning periods (learning goals
should correspond not only to imposed practical objectives, but also to inner capacities
and inclinations, that change over time).
Application of the
Since children learn a language as the exploration of the world and what it is new for them,
principle(s) with
they are gratified by what they discover and feel no need of any other tangible result. This
children in
means that they are happy to communicate and have no needs to know grammar rules.
Montessori schools But their parents do. So it is useful to invite parents to read Montessori's theory of sensitive
periods. These are the various phases in which children seek out objects in the
environment, able to satisfy specific learning needs. Of course children are not able to
define consciously their learning needs but, in given periods, they want to practice a
specific activity rather than others. Thus, parents must learn to change their expectations
from How many new words in English has my child learned? (in the case of English
lessons) or Has my child's pronunciation improved? to How is my child learning to cope
with the sounds and behaviours encountered in the English Room? How is s/he developing
her/his capacity to explore that world?

Stress cause 3: Difficulties in memorization ( for personal deficiencies and/or psychological blocks)
Type of problem: Cognitive
Expression inability to memorize.
Objective difficulties in memorizing and recalling
Symptoms
necessary information and associating it with already familiar material.
Title of activity
1. Lets play dominoes
Pair or team work. Make cards with pictures of the vocabulary to consolidate and
cards with the corresponding words. Put all cards on the table. Each pair or team
Description of
has to create a domino by placing the picture card next to the word card.
Activity
Dominoes can be used as an oral exercise. The teacher gives only the first and last
words of a possible chain of words. The students create the chain by linking
dominoes, two by two, that are semantically similar.
This makes the students use their imagination.
For example, the teacher says
From water to Sweden in at least 8 words The students enchain:
water/glass/thirst/drink/beer/Germany/Europe/Sweden.
Finding synonyms or antonyms to practice adjectives (black/white), verbs (run/walk),
and actions (I always eat meat / I am a vegetarian).
2. The chain
Title of activity
Students in group decide on a theme to build on by lexical additions, forming a chain
(dominoes). Example: body parts. 1st student says: leg; 2nd student: leg/arm; 3rd
Description of
student: leg/arm/head and so on...
Activity
3. Lets make a song
Title of activity
Each group chooses a subject to perform in the song, and the vocabulary to use.
Example: times of the day (morning, afternoon, evening, night). According to their level
Description of
they can add rhymes or simply make sentences using the structures they have learnt so far.
Activity
Rhymes are not necessary in a song.
For lower levels: In the morning I wake up at 7 (position of time expression, verb and
preposition of time) - More advanced level: In the morning I wake up at 9/right
on time..
4. Mind maps
Title of activity
The use of mind maps allows students to set up the most suitable personal learning
path, thanks to the schematic concentration required by this technique (with the
Description of
help of the teacher). Also their use help the memorisation and to find students own
activity
memorisation method(s).
Suggestion on the use of mindmaps and example can be found on:
http://www.mindmeister.com/blog/2013/12/13/how-to-learn-a-second-languagewith-mind-maps-part-i/
table 2 Annexes An example of Mind map
Aim of activities

Notes for teachers

Activity 1. to become familiar with the technique of mental associations.

Activity 2. to become familiar with the technique of chaining.
Activity 3. music aids relaxation and memorisation; please note that some adults might
refuse to sing out of shyness and embarrassment. But writing a song helps them to learn
the words and to get over the feeling of awkwardness.
Activity 4. The use of mind maps can help students to organise their knowledge of a
foreign language, knowledge that is sometimes random and can create discomfort to those
adults who have a schematic mind.
Explain to students the four memorization techniques and let them choose the one ideal for
them. Different students will have different preferences.
Activity 1) is also a preparatory activity, to focus on mental associations.
Activity 2) should be done with short chains (very few words) at the beginning, to avoid any
stress. Once familiar with both the technique and vocabulary, students can create longer
chains. Tasks must be proportionate to students abilities.
9

Montessori
principles
Application of the
principle(s) with
children in
Montessori schools

Activity 3) Do not insist on students singing: it will become natural later!

Memorization activities should be short and varied. By doing them regularly, students
get used to them, start to feel the benefits they offer, and gain confidence.
Activity 4) At the beginning of each course, help students to understand how to buildup
their own mindmaps, that can be in written form and also as a mental image.
Choosing own learning path. Self-assessment. Movement analysis. Learning by doing.
Maria Montessori disapproved of the practise of making children memorize poems and
nursery rhymes because it didnt (and, in fact, doesnt) respond to their learning needs.
But she never took into consideration learning a second language, taught only in lyceums
and universities at that time. We can only surmise that she would not deny that some
memorization practices do, in fact, help activate the mental processes related to this kind
of learning. But Montessori language teachers should encourage only those memorization
exercises which help language learners speak the language (not simply pass a grammar
test). While singing a song in the target language, children do not even realize they are
memorizing something. Likewise, using flash cards to carry out commands leads children
indirectly to memorize the vocabulary used, while simply having fun executing the orders.

10

Stress cause 4: Need to know grammar structures before starting speaking the target language
Type of problem: Cognitive
Difficulties in oral communication in the target language, answering target language
Symptoms
questions using L1, expressing the need to know all grammar structures before speaking,
request of more grammar homework than necessary, refusal to communicate
spontaneously in the target language
1. Grammar decomposition
Title of activity
Students practise tenses already learned.
They form groups and name a leader. The teacher puts the names of these tenses written
Description of
on small pieces of paper, inside a box.
Then the teacher writes a sentence
Activity
in the basic form of the verb (Today to be happy) on the blackboard and asks each group
leader to fish out a piece of paper. The teacher starts a timer. Each group
must produce a sentence using the selected tense within the time limit. When time is off,
each group leader reads aloud the sentence produced. The other groups must
say if the sentence is right or, if wrong, correct it and say why, giving the appropriate
grammar rule.
Rearranging word order
Each group copies a sentence from their textbook (or other material) onto a slip of paper,
cut into parts, one for each word.
These are given to another group to
recompose, while discussing the grammar involved. Then each group leader reads aloud a
recomposed sentence and explains the grammar involved (tenses, genders,
etc). The group which decomposed it can intervene to correct any mistakes. The teacher
intervenes only if a mistake has not been detected or properly corrected.
Using their recomposed sentence, each group tells the class, after a brief
brainstorm, which grammatical variations can apply (Today I am happy can be
transformed into the past Yesterday I was happy).
Aim of activity
To show students that grammar can be deduced (and learned) from acts of communication
with less fatigue than with grammar memorisation activities.
Notes for teachers This activity can be adapted for all grammar structures. Examples are very basic and must
be adapted to the features of the target language. These examples are proposed with the
purpose of illustrating the procedure
Montessori
Self (or peer) correction. Learning by doing.
principles
Application of the Children are not conscious of the existence of the grammar structures even in their mother
principle(s) with
tongue. When they start speaking a second language, they are interested in the sound of
children in
their own voices while pronouncing those strange new words. They are curious to discover
Montessori
how these vocal modulations affect people (as infants, they learned that ma'a attracted
schools
their mother's attention). Toddlers learning a second language often babble purposelessly
the new words they've just learned. Before they attempt to say these words for a purpose,
they seem to need time to become familiar with the new sounds. But not with the new
grammar.

11

Stress cause 5: Fear of making mistakes failure feeling of being judged embarrassment

Type of problem: Emotive

The students shirk from class activities out of fear of making mistakes. Often they refuse to
answer in the target language claiming insufficient knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.
Silent, timid, they want to practice only what they know
Title of activity
1. Lets help each other
A written task is given by the teacher who annotates errors (without correcting them),
separately notes all mistakes and correct forms and returns the papers to the
Description of
students who must exchange them with a peer.
Activity
Each student searches out the errors on the paper received and then verbally reports
back aloud the mistakes made and proposes a possible correction.
The teacher remains silent and listens to the students corrections.
Papers are returned to their original author who notes the correction proposed by the
peer
After that, the teacher writes the correct forms of the sentences on the board and
students make a written correction of the errors they have made in their own paper,
comparing them with those proposed by the peer
Aim of activity
This procedure shows students that errors are inevitable, that their peers commit them, too,
so there is no reason to feel ashamed.
Notes for teachers Here the teacher assumes the role of leader and source of truth (whereas in Montessori
teaching, self-correcting materials should substitute the teacher). But the exercise may be
worth doing because it could possibly reduce the feeling of shame and it might create a link
of solidarity among learners.
Montessori
Self and peer correction. Critical learning periods. Learning by doing.
principles
Application of the Fear of failing is something that people have all through their lives, including infancy and
principle(s) with
childhood. Even when small children use Montessorian self-correcting materials on their
children in
own, repeated failure to get an exercise right may provoke tears of frustration or rage. But
Montessori schools except for children traumatized by inhibited parents, infants quickly forget their failures
these do not become fixations and do not prevent them from trying one more time to do the
exercise correctly. In any case, to help children avoid feelings of frustration and rage, a
Montessorian teacher educates them to accept their failures, without tears, as part of the
learning process. The use of Montessorian learning materials helps the teacher in this
educational task, since materials are proportioned to the age-level ability and ergonomics of
a child, i.e., to the sensitive period s/he is in and to the body movements s/he is capable of.
This eliminates the frustration that occurs when children attempt tasks beyond their reach
(for example, climbing a tree at age three) or when they are forced to use overly difficult
materials for their specific capabilities, as in traditional schooling.
Symptoms

12

Stress cause 6: Peer pressure (from class mates)

Type of problem: Emotive
This student is insecure in class, often skips lessons, and is a silent learner, nervous during
Symptoms
the group activities, reluctant to participate in the group tasks
Title of activity
1. Ice-breaker: Whats your name? My name is
Class is divided into groups
The teacher gives a list of words s/he wants students to practice
Description of
Example: Group 1 and Group 2
Activity
Group 1: Student A writes a question for each word such as Whats your name? How
old are you?
Student B might correct both spelling and grammar, if necessary, but it should be clear
to students that correction is not the aim of this activity
Student C writes the answers to each question (My name is)
Student D reads out the same questions to Group 2 in the correct forms
Group 2 gives answers after brain storming among groups members
Group 1 decides if Group 2s answers are right
2. Ice-breaker: 2 truths and 1 lie!
Title of activity
Students work in pairs
Each learner writes on a piece of card 2 true sentences and 1 false
Description of
Cards are exchanged between pairs
Activity
Each student reads the cards aloud in turn and the pairs try to guess which
statements are truths and which are lies
Title of activity
3. Ice-breaker: Lights, camera, action!
The following activity can be done at all levels and for this reason it is not very
detailed
Description of
- writing and video recording a sketch in the target language, outside the classroom
Activity
Activity 1. Avoids possible peer comparisons, relaxes learners and helps them get to know
Aim of activities
each other better and helps fluency using questions and answers, at all levels
Activity 2. Foster reciprocal learning, relaxes learners and helps them get to know them
each other better, promotes interaction
Activity 3. Permits the less confident student to observe the other students for a while,
discovering who might be congenial for this and future collaborative projects
Notes for teachers Activity 1: An effective approach to minimize this type of stress, can be to divide the same
activity into different tasks and assign each task in relation to each students ability, so that
everyone can do well. Students choose the part of the task they want to carry out (example:
in a gap fill, one student chooses the grammar part, another the correct spelling, and the
third the oral presentation)
Activity 2: Encourage working in pairs instead of group work, choosing pairs that
complement each other (example: a student with speaking skills can work with a pair of
students with grammar skills for reciprocal learning/teaching)
Activity 3: Respect even the antisocial behaviour of students, while offering ways out
Montessori
Choose own learning time. Learning by doing. Movement analysis. Self-directed learning.
principles
Teacher is an observer
Application of the
In a Montessori school, children learn to cooperate and to help each other, when doing
principle(s) with
practical activities. But, of course, children suffering from timidity or home-generated
children in
social traumas do exist even in a Montessori school. These children are permitted to be
Montessori schools alone for a while, and to gradually come out of their self-imposed isolation (Montessori
teachers deliberately create activities that entice them out). It is always possible that two or
more children simply dont understand or like each other. This could lead one of them to
persecute the other, perhaps by mocking him/her or flaunting an ability that s/he does not
have.In cases like these, Montessori teachers intervene to establish the right climate of
cooperation. In extremis they can separate the two children and partner them with others.
13

Stress cause 7: Time pressure due to the scheduled activities and programs
Type of problem: Emotive
Some students feel embarrassed when it takes them longer to perform a task. They show
Symptoms
stress when given an activity to be completed within a given time frame. They leave the
classroom if an activity has time restrictions, or may even refuse to do such activities
1. Time to speak
Title of activity
The teacher dedicates 5/10/15 minutes at the beginning of each lesson to ask students
questions about topics studied the previous time. Since students generally know the
Description
answers, they do not feel under pressure and relax. In addition this activity consolidates the
of Activity
previous acquisitions.
The teacher asks students repetitive questions: the time to answer shortens
progressively as the structure becomes acquired, yet, precisely for this reason,
students do not feel under pressure. Example:
The teacher asks student A (who is German): Are you from Germany? Yes, I am,
and then student B (an Italian): Are you from Italy? Yes, I am and then the same
kind of question to every other student. The predictability of the exercise means
that speed can increase without causing anxiety
When the mechanism has been fully acquired, the teacher asks the same question
but requires a different, pre-agreed answer (for example: Now claim you are of
another nationality and answer with a long sentence: Are you from Germany? No,
Im not from Germany, Im from Italy)
Use the same question no more than 3 times to avoid boredom for each lesson, but
use the same question for several lessons
Use closed answers with lower levels (up to A1) and open answers with higher
levels (from + A2)
2. Interview for a new job prepare yourself for it
Title of activity
Students are divided into 2 groups: those who are looking for workers (A) and those who
are looking for a job (B)
Description of
Each student A writes a recruitment announcement (5-10 minutes)
Activity
Each student B chooses one of the job announcements (5 minutes)
Student B has limited time for preparing a CV and for getting ready for a job
interview (10 20 minutes)
Student A has a limited time for studying B's curriculum and for preparing questions
for the interview (10 minutes)
The conversation should last for a limited time (max 10 minutes)
Student A evaluates Student Bs performance
Amount of time depends on the levels
Aim of activities
In activity 1) attention is focused on oral ability: in interacting, students need to speak
relatively fast. The aim of this activity is to permit students, in a safe environment due to
the ease of the task, to learn how to manage time pressure and to use a time constraint to
one's own advantage, instead of trying to avoid it
In activity 2) students have to show their reading comprehension, oral communication and
writing skills, in a limited amount of time. Since one step prepares the way for the next,
once again students are under less pressure and can learn to cope with the time constraint
imposed by the teacher
Notes for teachers Activity 1. requires prior, detailed explanation and practice, before students can benefit from
it
Activity 2. should cover topics, interests and professional skills contained in the students'
needs analysis conducted at the beginning of the course. Many variations are possible and
the teacher can continually propose different topics all appropriate to the students'
background, cultural level, and environment

14

Montessori
principles

Instead of Choose own learning time or self-control of the mistake in didactical materials,
these exercises are in some way based on controlled pacing of imposed materials and

15

to that extent may seem un-Montessorian. But in fact they are a form of therapy to help
students overcome their time-pressure problems. As such the exercises are based on:
respect for each student's individuality; critical learning periods; solicited repetition
Application of the
In a Montessorian school, children do not feel time pressure: they devote all the time they
principle(s) with
want (compatible with school hours) to activities they chose. The inner processes that
children in
children undergo, in given sensitive periods, lead them naturally to seek out the right
Montessori schools learning materials in the environment and dedicate sufficient time to them. Teachers need
only respect and encourage their attempts.Occasionally children may feel frustrated by time
constraints: for example, if they have not finished a drawing and it is time to go home. But
they do not feel ashamed if they fail to finish on time, as might an adult. This is because an
adult, when not meeting a deadline, feels judged as incapable by a superior or by peers.
A Montessori child doesn't, since s/he sets her/his own developmental deadlines (and they
are necessarily very elastic)

16

Stress cause 8: Sense of loyalty towards own L1 and culture

Type of problem: Emotive:
Students show a near-zero interest in the target language and culture. They may mock
Symptoms
fellow students who try to sound too foreign when speaking the target language. They
use the target language facetiously, e.g. making puns with it, and, in any case, for talking
about things that relate to their own culture.
1. 2. A cultural bridge
Title of activity
1. Ask students to prepare a tourist/cultural guide on the most interesting aspects of
the capital or of a well-known city or locality of the country where the target
Description of
language is spoken, in their L1 if known by the teacher or a Lingua Franca.
Activity
2. Ask students to prepare a short note (for lower levels) or a tourist/cultural guide (for
higher levels) on the most interesting aspects of their own country, in the target
language
Title of activity
3. In the eyes of foreign tourists
Students work in groups, preparing the most and the least attractive aspects of
culture they are studying. The activity may be diversified in such a way that some
Description of
students are asked to perform as representatives of the target culture, whereas the
Activity
others play the part of people from the students' culture. Each group defends own culture
(target language and/or students). Students share notes and exchange ideas.
Aim of activities

Cultural comparison. These activities appeal to the students emotions, helping them realise
that a large part of their resistance to learning the target language comes from their
resistance to identifying with the target culture. Interculturally, the activities help students
find those target culture elements which are common to their native culture, thus making
the target culture less foreign.. Cultures are made up of common ingredients, but
combined in different way like a plate of spaghetti for lunch with the family in Italy and a
tomato and cheese sandwich eaten alone in a London pub for lunch: the ingredients are
identical flour, water, salt, tomato, cheese but the usage is quite different.
Comparison of cultural differences, as well as the awareness that there are basic
similarities, can produce a stronger (positive) emotional attitude toward learning the target
language, in all its aspects.
Notes for teachers In activity 3, forming the groups, pay attention to what is mentioned in stress cause no. 6,
activity 1. Notes for teachers
Montessori
Suitable environment.
Critical learning periods. Teacher as an observer, not lecturer.
principles
Learning by doing
Application of the
Children see that different people have different behaviours, but do not associate those
principle(s) with
differences with specific social classes or specific cultures. But children are aware that
children in
bears and bees form communities, each of which eats similar yet different fruit products
Montessori schools (berries versus berry nectar) and that have a similar but different enclosed habitat (caves
versus hives). This means that little children could classify cultures if given the right
stimuli. Thus, in Montessori second language instruction, tiny children learn, through video
exchanges with nurseries in other cultures, that humans, too, form communities that are
both similar and different as to food, language, homes, games, work, discipline and
punishments, school life, etc. Similarities that justify international solidarity. Differences
that stimulate a curiosity to get to know the other cultural communities... and to speak their
language.

17

Stress cause 9: Use of the target language avoid literal translation between own language and target
language
Type of problem: Cognitive
Students speak their L1 rather than using the L2 when replying to the teachers questions.
Symptoms
Difficulty in switching language codes. In monolingual groups they use their L1 instead of
the target language, especially when working in pairs or teams.
1. Say or Pay
Title of activity
The teacher moves to a place of the room and tells the students that it is a free
spot where their L1 (or a lingua franca) is permitted. But when s/he steps out into
Description of
the centre of the room, the room becomes part of the target culture where only the
Activity
target language is permitted. If students want to speak anything else, they must first use the
target language to ask the teacher to move into the free spot (see also Chapter 3: Set
Up a L1 Spot in the classroom)
Students sit in groups and take turns at playing the Monitor for that lesson. The
monitor has a sheet of paper with each student's name on a line. During the lesson,
students must SAY everything in the target language (unless the teacher is in the
Free Spot) or PAY 10 cents for each infraction. At the end of the lesson, the Monitor counts
the infractions, collects the fines and gives the money to the teacher, to buy biscuits or any
other food from the target culture to offer to the students the next time.
Title of activity
Description of
Activity

2. Tell me a Fairy tale

The teacher asks students to name the fairy tale they liked best as a child. The
class chooses three tales representing most students' preferences. Then, for the
next lesson, the teacher finds a video of one of the three fairy tales, made in the target
culture (not a subtitled version). For example, if Polish, Italian and Hungarian
students, taking a course in Greek, choose The Frog Princess, the teacher should NOT
get the Disney version with subtitles in Greek, but one spoken in Greek.

In class, the teacher plays the video again and again, asking students to note
whatever they see that seems different from the childhood tale they remember. The
room should be dark, to favour regression into childhood. Before turning on the
lights, the teacher should get the students to repeat chorally the key utterances
(darkness helps overcome inhibition). For example, from The Three Little Pigs:
Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf? or Then I'll huff and puff and blow the house
down! These should be said with great emphasis, as for a public of children.

Title of activity

Then the discussion can take place, with the teacher standing in the Free Spot, to
get students to see that the target culture is different from theirs but also similar, i.e.,
they have much in common. And also to see that the differences offer intuitions
useful in life. All this should reduce the feeling of distance towards the target culture
society. Intermediate students could then work in groups to prepare their own
version of the fairy tale and choose a leader to read it out loud.
3. Advertising videos (TV spots and commercials)

18

Description of
Activity

Without informing the students, play the sound without video of the commercial and
ask them to make hypothesis about it: message, product advertised, idiomatic
expressions, location and so on.
The students are then asked to see a stop-motion version of it and predict what the
characters are going to do and what the main message is going to be. Lower levels
can simply describe the people, colours, objects.
Students work in pairs: one is sitting in front of the video and the other one is back
turned. Play the video without a sound and the student who can see the screen

19

Aim of activities

Notes for teachers

Montessori
principles
Application of the
principle(s) with
children in
Montessori
schools

describe what (s)he is seeing without mentioning the advertised product; the student
back turned has to guess what product it is about. Higher levels give more detailed
descriptions.
Play the whole video
Students work in group and are required to choose a product and prepare an
advertisement acting as actors. For lower levels a slogan will be enough and the
group leader can report it to the class.
Activity 1. to teach students to promptly translate from a phrase or word given in
their L1 to L2.
Activity 2. the previous knowledge of the story in own language facilitates in
previous analysis the comprehension and consequently the oral production in the
target language, also from the psychological point of view, being a common subject.
Activity 3. advertising language represents the modern use of a language, less
formal, full of idiomatic forms and abbreviations that allow students to be more
integrated with a language. The use of only few words contributes to build up
students self-confidence and improves communication (ex: ASAP POS, etc). Also this
activity facilitates comparison with own language and culture, helping to remove stress
cause n. 8
Learners have a natural fear to abandon their language code and cultural habits
Activity 1: forces them to take the leap into the target language
Activity 2. and 3: show them that their native cultural habits are partly shared and partly
relative, and so the target culture is different but not alien
The length of the video should match students level: the lower levels need shorter videos (3
min max), but higher levels can cope with a 10 minute video. For Activity 3. with lower level
students, the teacher should choose TV spots that are mostly visual, with little dialogue
Choose own learning time. Critical learning periods. Self control of mistake of didactical
material
Reluctant second language students exist in Montessori schools as well, but this is not
seen as a problem. Montessorian teachers do not force children to answer a question in
the target language, if they dont feel up to it. Each child needs a specific period of time in
which to internalize the input received, before producing some output. However, while they
are in the target language room, the children cannot use their L1; if they don't want to
speak in the target language, they can keep quiet and just observe the others

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Stress cause 10: Lack of self-confidence

Type of problem: Cognitive
Students are unwilling or even refuse to speak the target language, claiming inability to do
Symptoms
so correctly
Title of activity
1. Interviewing a target-language native speaker
Using the target language, students must interview a tourist or a native speaker of
the target language and video record the interview
Description of
Students work in groups to prepare the questionnaire
Activity
A sample beginner level questionnaire: Hello, we are studying your language. Whats your
name? Where are you from?
A sample A2 level questionnaire: Excuse me, we have three questions for a school
project. OK? Do you like our city? Is it very different from your cities? What is, for you, the
most interesting site here? Thank you very much. Goodbye.
One student asks the questions, one video records, one holds the microphone.
Nervous students can simply read the questions from the questionnaire. The students
upload their videos to a class YouTube channel (see Chapter 3) for the
whole class to see. A few videos can be downloaded, shown in class, and analysed by the
teacher
Aim of activity
Lack of self-confidence is at the bottom of all the causes of stress mentioned before. This
activity shows students that they can communicate in the target language and make
contact and, even if they make mistakes, they are understood. Moreover, the tourist
interviewee usually compliments them on their knowledge of his/her language. So all this is
not only learning by doing, this is conquering your fear by doing
In addition, this activity constitutes task-based collaborative learning which, in itself, is a
therapy for lack of self-confidence. Group work for a research goal (not a mark) breaks the
link between performance and value judgement, which, in traditional teaching, contributes to
the fear of making mistakes, prevents students from using a new language spontaneously
and leads them to underestimate their abilities. In addition, the research task assigned,
since it refers to real life, is intrinsically motivating and focuses mainly on content (not
form) It requires a communicative solution to a specific question
Notes for teachers This is one of the most effective exercises possible to get students over their reluctance to
speak the target language, their fear of making mistakes and their lack of confidence in
themselves. It is so effective that the European Commission financed a Socrates project
(Picture)
to promote it in EU schools. http://www.worldenough.net/picture/
http://www.worldenough.net/picture/sample1/How_to_Interview/How_to_Interview.htm
In his/her analysis of the videos, the teacher gives students positive feedback for every
single successful communicative act; this increases their self-confidence
Lack of self-confidence shows an intimate fear, a psychological need of acceptance and
recognition, not relevant with teacher or peers. Non-competitive activities should be used,
thus the teacher should not rate videos comparatively
Teacher is an observer not a lecturer. Self-directed learning. Choose own learning time .
Montessori
Critical learning periods. Learning by doing
principles
Application of the Shy or insecure children need to be encouraged by pointing out what they are able to do
principle(s) with well and watching them do it. In a Montessori school children are free to move in the
children in Mon- environment, searching for the learning materials they need and feel they can manage. This
makes them constantly aware of what they are able to do.
tessori schools

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