Motivation, Listening, Reading, and Cultural Insights in Language Learning

Posted on Jan 15, 2025 in Primary Education

Motivation in Language Learning

An abstract concept we use to refer to the reasons why people act as they do. Attitude towards the language is, in some cases, even more important than aptitude. Jigsaw (expert groups) involves scaffolding.

Creating the Basic Motivational Conditions

Tips: Tolerance is essential, humor should not be left out, and decorate the classroom according to the students’ tastes – English’s corner.

Generating Initial Motivation

  • Intrinsic
  • Integrative and instrumental values

Maintaining and Protecting Motivation

Protect the learner’s self-esteem and increase their self-confidence.

Encouraging Positive Self-Evaluation

Critical thinking, motivational feedback.

Unit 4: Listening Models

Model 1: Rigid Lesson Format (Unnatural)

  1. Pre-listening: Presentation of new vocabulary.
  2. Listening:
    • Extensive: Teacher plays recording and asks general questions.
    • Intensive: Specific questions.
  3. Post-listening: Answers and language. Paused play (listen and repeat).

Model 2: The Comprehension Approach

  • Based on theories of first language acquisition
  • Opposed to the Communicative Approach (output)
  • Total Physical Response usually associated with this approach (Not authentic)

Model 3: Current Practice (Should Be Used)

Pre-listening

  • Only critical vocabulary.
  • Provide context.
  • Create motivation and expectations.
  • Activate prior knowledge.

During Listening

  • Pre-set questions: The students know the questions beforehand, so they know where to direct their attention.
  • Checking answers: Students think their answers and share them.

Post-listening (Optional)

  • Functional language: Recorded conversations provide us with examples of language functions in context.
  • Inferring vocabulary: Introduce some controlled practice to know the meaning of new vocabulary.
  • Final play: Students are given the transcript, and the recording is played again.

Unit 5: Reading Approaches

Analytic

  • Uses sounds in words.
  • Sounds are not taught explicitly in isolation.
  • Uses repetition of sounds.
  • Drawback: Children become word dependent.

Synthetic

  • Uses sounds in general.
  • Explicitly teaches to convert letters into sounds (phonemes).
  • Uses groups of sounds.
  • Sounds are blended together to form words.
  • Advantage: Children can read any word.

Jolly Phonics

Jolly Phonics is a method for teaching reading but also teaches writing and spelling:

  • Letter sounds.
  • Letter formation.
  • Blending (reading words).
  • Identification of sounds in words.
  • Tricky words.
  • It does not follow the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
  • Each sound is introduced with a story and an action. Helps learners remember.

Unit 6: Reading Strategies

  1. Skimming
    • Headings in bold
    • Read first and last paragraphs
    • Z reading
  2. Scanning
    • Only what you need
    • Key words
    • Focus
    • Searching rather than reading.

The five qualities of interactive oral grammar exercises are communicative, meaningful, limited choice, expressive, and integrated.

Unit 8: The Global Spread of English

  • It was the language of the leading colonial nation during the 17th and 18th centuries.
  • It was the language of the leading industrial nation during the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • It was the language of the leading economic power during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • It was the language of the electronic revolution in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Intercultural Communicative Competence

Linguistic competence, sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, and intercultural competence.

Interculturalism

  • Ethnocentric Stages: Denial, defense, and minimization.
  • Ethnorelative Stages: Acceptance, adaptation, and integration.

Unit 9: Cultural Celebrations and History

Most Important Celtic Celebrations

  • Samhain, October 31st/ November 1st
  • Imbolc, February 1st
  • Beltane, May 1st

Celts / Roman invasion / Anglo-Saxon Britain / Vikings / Normans.

United Kingdom

Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales.

Britain: Christmas

  • Winter solstice (Father Christmas ≠ Santa Claus).
  • Oranges as presents.
  • A mince pie for him.
  • Christmas pudding, crackers.
  • Christmas day, not Eve.

St Patrick’s Day

  • Patron of Ireland, 17th March
  • Celebrated in Irish communities (USA, Canada, Australia…).

USA: Thanksgiving

  • 1621
  • Craft sticks
  • Pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce.
  • 4th of July: Independence Day.

The Commonwealth of Nations

Canada, The Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South Asia, China.

  • Canadian Thanksgiving (Celebrated on the second Monday in October)
  • Diwali: India festival of lights
  • Pirates Week: Cayman Islands
  • Junkanoo festival: Bahamas
  • Haka: Māori war dance
  • Chinese New Year (A festive celebration with fireworks, lanterns as widely known objects, but also special rituals).