Learning to Learn

1
Learning to Learn

• EL441 Introduction to Teaching Young Learners
• Session 4
• Dr Nilüfer Demirkan-Jones and Liz Austin

2
Learning Strategies

• Cognitive strategies
• Socio-affective strategies
• Meta-cognitive strategies

3
Learning Strategies

• Being aware of others needs
• Being open to new ideas
• Concentrating
• Embracing difference
• Hypothesising
• Reviewing to remember
• Perceiving patterns
• Classifying

• Persevering
• Plan learning
• Self-assessing/self-correction
• Working with others
• Taking risks
• Problem solving
• Predicting

4
Cognitive strategies

• Perceiving patterns
• Reviewing (memory)
• Problem solving
• Concentrating
• Predicting

5
Socio-affective strategies

• Adapting to new ideas
• Embracing difference
• Persevering
• Taking risks
• Working with others
• Pair and / or group work
• Being aware of others needs
• Being open to new ideas

6
Meta-cognitive strategies

• Knowing about knowing
• Being in control of your own learning
• Learning how to learn effectively
• Knowing how and when to apply your knowledge

7
Meta-cognitive strategiesdefinition

• beyond, beside, or with the cognitive
  meta-cognitive strategies are actions which go
  beyond purely cognitive devices and which provide
  a way for learners to co-ordinate their own
  learning process
• (Oxford, 1990136)

8
Meta-cognitive strategies
Rebecca Oxford, 1990 137
9
Questions teacher should consider

• Does the child see the purpose of what he/ she is
  doing?
• Does the child feel in control of the process of
  learning?
• What strategies does the child adopt when he/she
  does not understand the meaning of something?

10
Training children1/2

• Have I thought it through?
• Stop and think! Think before you ink!
• Have I made a plan?
• PLAN Prepare Learning Actions Now
• Do I know what to do?
• Re-read, re-think the instructions. Check,
  double- check
• Fisher, R. (1990121)

11
Training children2/2

• Is there anything more I need before I begin a
  language task?
• What do I know which will help me?
• Everything is like something. What problem is
  this like?
  
• Fisher, R. (1990121)

12
Suggested reading

• Brewster, J, Ellis, G and Girard, D. (1992). The
  Primary Teachers Guide. Harlow Pearson
  Education Ltd. 2002, New Edition. Part 2 Chapter
  5.
• Chou Hare, V. and Smith, D. C. (1982). Reading
  to Remember Studies of Metacognitive Reading
  Skills in Elementary School-Aged Children
  Journal of Educational Research, 753 pp
  157-164. (1982Jan./Feb.)
• Fisher, R. (1990). Teaching Children to Think.
  Cheltenham Nelson Thornes Publishers Ltd.
  Reprint 2001.
• Goh, C. and Taib, Y. (2006). "Metacognitive
  instruction in listening for young learners" ELT
  Journal. 60/3 p.p. 222-232.
• Kyriacou, C. (1997). Effective Teaching in
  Schools Theory and Practice. Cheltenham Stanley
  Thornes Ltd. Part I p.p. 5-38
• OMallet, J.M. and Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning
  Strategies in Second Language Acquisition.
  Cambridge CUP.
• Oxford, R.L. (1990). Language Learning
  Strategies. USA Heinle and Heinle Publishers.