Psychology for Language Teachers演示文稿.ppt

At the broadest level, it is clear that national and cultural differences have a profound influence upon the development of a language and the way in which it is used. At another level, a country’s educational system will affect the learning environment. At an even more basic level, the immediate physical environment of the classroom and the nature of the personal interactions which occur within it will have a profound influence upon whether, what and how any individual learns a language. Ecological perspectives Bronfenbrenner (1979) 4 different levels: microsystem, mesosystem, ecosystem, macrosystem Environmental references Learning Style Inventory (Dunn et al 1986) 4 learning conditions: Environmental Emotional Sociological Physiological Classroom structure The emphasis is on the ways in which learning experiences have been organized and whether one form of organization is necessarily any better than another. The main debate is on whether learners learn better in competitive, cooperative or individualistic environments. Teacher behavior as part of the learning environment Instructional-methodological aspect, such as the selection of content and materials, methods, strategies and forms of assessment Interpersonal aspect which is social and emotional, and which concerns the creation and maintenance of a positive and warm classroom atmosphere conducive to learning. Individual perceptions of environments Methods: Learning conversation metaphors A summary The impact of the context on learning a language is considerable, both at the macro level of the culture in which the learning takes place or the educational system, and at the narrower level of the school or classroom ethos. By giving time and thought to providing learners with an environment that enhances motivation, and that considers learners’ emotional, psychological and sociological preferences, teachers can greatly enhance the learning of a language. It is also clear that whether classrooms are organized acc