Language Acquisition

How do we learn?

How do we learn?

Repetition Desire

How did you learn English?

How did I learn English?

Two categories of learning

Explicit We know that

Explict:
Active Intentional Deductive Rational Formal Intellectual Conscious Abstract Metacognitive Inferencing Systemic study Problem Solving Monitoring

Implicit We know how

Implicit:
Passive Behaviorism Unintentional Mimicry and memory Inductive Exposure to language Intuitive Automatic Unreflective Subconscious acquisition

90% of what we learn is unconscious acquisition

What do students need?

Students choose relevant meaningful learning.

Students need to hear the teacher above other random classroom noise.

Students need to get enough sleep.

(50% of teenagers are sleep deprived.)

What does the brain need?

Glucose levels

The threat response

The process of making meaning

What should the teacher do?

Be brief.

Time for Direct Instruction

K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 Adult learners 5-8 minutes 8-12 minutes 12-15 minutes 12-15 minutes 15-18 minutes

Provide compelling relevant tasks.

Use different attentional devices

The brain operates on an analog, not a digital, system.

Short term memory: the brain can hold onto something for seconds or minutes.

Working memory: extension of immediate memory through rehearsal.

Activity

candy, sour, sugar, tooth, heart, taste, dessert, salt, snack, syrup, eat, flavor

Stages of Second Language Acquisition

Preproduction Early Production Speech Emergence Intermediate Fluency Advanced Fluency

Preproduction (0-6 Months)

Has minimal comprehension Does not verbalize Nods yes and no Draws and points Show me Circle the Where is? Who has?

Early Production (6 months - 1 year)

Has

limited comprehension Produces one or two words responses Participates using key words and familiar phrases Uses present-tense verbs

Yes/no questions Either/or questions One or two word answers Lists Labels

Speech Emergence (1-3 years)

Has good comprehension Can produce simple sentences Makes grammar and pronunciation errors Frequently misunderstands jokes Why? How? Explain? Phrase or short sentence answers

Intermediate Fluency (3-5 years)

Has excellent comprehension Makes few grammatical errors What would happen if? Why do you think?

Degrees of Vocabulary Knowledge

Don't know it Heard it Recognize it Know it

Degrees of Knowing Vocabulary

Use it Be precise with it Expand it Apply it Define it

Thunderstorm
Rub palms together (wind) Snap fingers (rain) Clap hands (rain falling harder) Stamp feet (thunder) Stamp feet and clap hard Reverse sequence Storm is over

The Learning Systems

Emotional
Determines personal passion, dreams and desires

Social
Thrives on acceptance, love, and belonging

Cognitive
Interprets, stores, and retrieves information

Physical
Gathers information through the senses

Reflective
Acts as an ongoing monitoring mechanism for the individual

How to employ the learning systems?

Emotional Tap into personal goals, lessons are relevant

SocialProvide opportunities for pairs, small groups, teacher/student learning that promote a sense of belonging

Cognitive-

Facilitate intentional learning for skill and knowledge construction through problem solving challenges

PhysicalCreate active involvement through meaningful projects

Reflective-

Teach students to analyze their progress, consider ways to enhance it, and develop plans for continued growth

Students needs:
I need to be (emotional) I need to belong (social) I need to know (cognitive) I need to do (physical) I need to experience and explore (reflective)

Synonym Sense
Objective: to quickly brainstorm synonyms for common words. Students work in pairs to find and write as many synonyms as possible for common words. They have 20 seconds for each word.

look

happy

run

big

What should schools do?

We must move from memorizing to meaningful learning.

We must allow for relaxed alertness that provides challenge with low threat.

We must provide opportunities for active processing through questioning, reflection, and a consolidation of learning.

We must use patterns not rules to drive understanding.

We must recognize various stages of readiness.

We must update our teaching through regular professional development.

Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire. William Butler Yeats

ricardo.hernandez@pearson.com