Learner-Centered Approach to Foreign Language Teaching: Motivating Students and Fostering Communicative Competence

Posted on Jun 26, 2024 in Teaching & Education

1. Introduction

Traditionally, the central issue in Foreign Language teaching was the teaching itself. It was considered a matter of methodological techniques, and if teaching was efficient, learning would automatically follow. Therefore, learning was seen as a passive process.

Since the 1970s, however, the emphasis has gradually shifted to the process of learning, changing from teacher-centeredness to learner-centeredness. Our current educational system, ruled by LOE and modified by LOMLOE, has been specified in practical terms by RD 157/2022 (March 1st) and Decree 61/2022 (July 13th) for the Madrid Autonomous Community. These regulations incorporate Communicative Language Teaching principles, which aim at developing students’ Communicative Competence. According to Royal Decree 157/2022, “the teacher should be able to design learning tasks that allow pupils to apply their knowledge in the resolution of problems of their daily life.”

Throughout this topic, I will argue the importance of adopting a student-centered teaching and learning process. I will define this concept and provide reasons, principles, advantages, methodological and assessment/evaluation aspects within it. The second part of the topic will identify different attitudes and motivations towards English and its applications. Finally, I will compile the main ideas in a brief conclusion and list the main bibliography used for developing this topic.

2. Learner-Centered Approach in Foreign Language Teaching/Learning

Student-centered learning focuses on students’ needs rather than the educational process (teacher). This approach centers on students’ needs and characteristics, while the teacher facilitates learning. Therefore, the student-centered approach requires students to be active and responsible participants in their learning.

2.a. Foundations

What are the main principles of the student-centered approach?

In general terms, pupils learn better when the syllabus is relevant to their experiences. Additionally, students who develop learning strategies are the most proficient learners.

Having examined the theoretical part of the learner-centered approach, let’s address the main elements to consider for its application.

2.b. Applications

We will now explore concrete possibilities to make learners aware of how they learn and improve their learning methods. This will encourage them to take more responsibility for their learning.

2.b.a. Methodology

Regarding methodology, we must aim to develop communicative competence in our students. Some applicable strategies are:

  • Syllabus negotiation
  • Projects and tasks
  • Pair and group work
  • Learning strategies

Teachers should encourage students to develop learning strategies to become better learners. These learning strategies can be:

  • Meta-cognitive: Students think about their thinking, planning, monitoring, and evaluating their efforts.
  • Cognitive: Students manipulate the information and skills to be learned.
  • Social and affective: Students interact with others to learn.
  • Communicative: Students use phrases that enable them to participate in and maintain communication in English.

2.b.b. Materials

Another important element is the material used. We can utilize a wide range: audio-visual materials, authentic or non-authentic materials, etc.

However, in a student-centered approach, the teacher must involve students in designing materials. This can be done in many ways: asking students to elaborate activities following a given model, giving students the outline of the activity and having them design a worksheet with visual aids, etc.

The materials used in this approach have three important characteristics:

  • Authenticity: Nunan defines these materials as those not created for teaching purposes but related to students’ knowledge, interests, and experiences.
  • Foster independent learning: They help students develop learning strategies that contribute to developing the language system.
  • Heterogeneity: Materials should be used in different ways and at different proficiency levels since we work with mixed-ability groups.

2.b.c. Assessment and Evaluation

To conclude the first part of this topic, I will focus on evaluation and assessment in a learner-centered curriculum and the teacher and students’ roles throughout the process. Weimer (2002) points out that evaluation changes when teaching is learner-centered since we must provide students with feedback to redirect their efforts.

Before explaining how evaluation should be done in a student-centered approach, I would like to distinguish between assessment and evaluation.

Assessment is the set of techniques used to judge students’ learning processes. Evaluation is a more general term that involves assessment and other processes (assessing our teaching practice, remedial procedures, etc.).

In a learner-centered approach, self-assessment takes place. Students learn to assess their work and actively participate in their peers’ work through self and co-evaluation processes.

We must also evaluate our teaching practice to improve it, as stated in Order 130/2022 (January 23rd), Article 8. To do this appropriately, we must clearly understand WHAT, WHEN, and HOW to evaluate.

Four elements of evaluation promote learning:

  • Focus on learning processes
  • Reduce the stress and anxiety of evaluation experiences
  • Incorporate more formative feedback mechanisms
  • Evaluation among equals

2.b.d. Teacher’s Role

Throughout the process, the teacher will adapt to students’ characteristics, tailoring the curriculum elements to them. Moreover, teachers will be participants (providing students with ideas or telling personal experiences), a resource (answering students’ questions), helpers, and assessors (judging students’ performance).

2.c. Advantages

Considering these aspects, Campbell (1992) pointed out nine main advantages of using learner-centered teaching:

  1. Potential of the learner: The teacher must know and consider students’ ideas, beliefs, attitudes, and interests to increase their motivation and use language for effective communication.
  2. Constant needs analysis: Teachers modify problems for subsequent lessons.
  3. Topicality: Teachers select topics that interest their students.
  4. Previous learning experience: Teachers provide students with information according to their interests, needs, and previous learning experiences.
  5. Learners as authors: Students are involved in using and designing materials.
  6. Pace: Material designing takes longer in this approach, but the pace increases as the activity progresses.
  7. The element of surprise: As students do not have the materials in advance, the lesson always has an element of surprise.
  8. Peer teaching and correction: Students are encouraged to learn from each other.
  9. Group solidarity: As students work together on activities based on their interests and needs, a spirit of solidarity tends to be creative.

2.d. Potential Problems

The learner-centered approach is a good way to motivate students and promote their active participation in the teaching/learning process. However, Campbell (1992) pointed out two main drawbacks:

  • Learner resistance: Students may feel they learn through repetitive activities.
  • Demands on the teacher: This approach implies careful lesson planning where the teacher does not always follow the course-book.

3. Identification of Motivations and Attitudes Towards English and its Applications

Having analyzed the learner-centered approach and its elements, I will move on to identifying motivations and attitudes towards the English language.

Today, communicating in a foreign language is a necessity (traveling abroad or cultural exchanges). For this reason, there is a great social demand for the Official Educational System to provide students with adequate communicative competence in a foreign language. But how can we identify their motivations and attitudes towards the foreign language?

Weimer (2002) suggests that teachers can identify students’ motivations and attitudes by observing how they make connections, actively seek meaning, and respond to the educational environment.

With these principles in mind, we must start by describing our students. After analyzing their needs, we must carry out two important steps:

  1. Develop the objectives and content we want to achieve and teach.
  2. Provide the data for changing and evaluating programs.

Furthermore, we must establish students’ objective needs, which determine the content to be taught, and students’ subjective needs, which determine how this content should be taught.

Jeremy Harmer defines motivation as the driving force that encourages someone to do something. If students perceive a goal to be sufficiently attractive, they will be strongly motivated to do whatever is necessary to reach it. Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic:

  • Extrinsic motivation: Concerned with factors outside the classroom, such as getting good results or a certificate.
  • Intrinsic motivation: Refers to factors related to what takes place inside the classroom, such as its appearance, the methods used, the teacher, and the psychological characteristics of students.

To identify motivations and attitudes towards English, we can use formal and informal techniques. Formal techniques consist of interviews and tests, while informal techniques involve classroom observation and questionnaires.

Let’s look at two practical applications, according to Julie Tice, that affect motivation:

  • Planning activities that raise awareness of English: Activities like finding English-speaking countries, brainstorming English words, and using English in eTwinning projects can help students realize how prevalent the language is.
  • Creating an English environment: Introducing English culture-based gamification and projects about Commonwealth countries can motivate students.

4. Conclusion

Motivation is an essential factor in language learning. This motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic on the part of students. However, many other factors can make or break any learning experience.

If teachers can motivate students towards learning a foreign language, meaningful learning will be promoted, leading them to reach adequate communicative competence when using the foreign language, as established in Royal Decree 157/2022 nationwide and, more specifically, in Decree 61/2022 for the Autonomous Community of Madrid.

5. Bibliography

The main bibliography used for developing this topic is:

  • Brewster, J., Ellis, G., & Girard, D. (2002). The Primary English Teacher’s Guide. Penguin.
  • Campbell, C., & Kryszewska, H. (1992). Learner-Based Teaching. OUP.
  • Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. Jossey-Bass.