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Language Patterns and Embedded Suggestions for Motivating Learners

Brian Cullen and Sarah Mulvey, Japan

Dr. Brian Cullen is an associate professor at Nagoya Institute of Technology. He has authored and

edited many EFL textoo!s and research articles. His current research interests include learnerautonomy" neuro#linguistic programming $NL%&" materials design" and L' creati(ity. He is a master

practitioner and trainer of NL%. )ore information is a(ailale at***.riancullen.net

E#mail+ cullen.rian,gmail.com

-arah )ul(ey is an instructor at Nanan /ni(ersity in Nagoya" 0apan. Her current research interests

include learner de(elopment" creati(e *riting" and gender issues. E#mail+ sarahmul(ey,yahoo.ca

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Introduction

Bac!ground to the Language %atterns)ilton )odel of Language %atterns

/sing the )ilton )odel %atterns

Learning more and going deeper1eferences

Introduction

2ou proaly rememer a teacher *ho moti(ated you *hen you *ere in elementary school" highschool" or uni(ersity. 3hen you thin! aout that teacher again no*" you may also e ale to rememer

some of the po*erful *ords that teacher used" *ords that moti(ated you to learn much faster and more

easily than in other classes. 4s teachers" *e are a*are that students may e moti(ated or demoti(ated

depending on *hich *ords and phrases *e choose to use in the classroom. 4n effecti(e teachercarefully uses *ords and language patterns that influence students positi(ely in their learning. In this

paper" *e *ill pro(ide some examples of language patterns that you can use in your o*n classroom to

moti(ate students. %erhaps in many years" those *ords *ill still e resounding in the minds of yourstudents as they continue to moti(ate themsel(es in learning and other important s!ills.

Bacground to the Language Patterns

The language patterns in this paper are dra*n from the field of neuro#linguistic programming $NL%&"

and in particular theMilton Model. NL% postulates that the most effecti(e *ay to learn ho* to do a

s!ill or to teach it to others is to model excellent performers of that particular s!ill. In the 5678s" the

founders of NL%" 1ichard Bandler and 0ohn 9rinder $567:&" egan to model excellent communicators.;ne of the people they chose to model closely *as the highly reno*ned hypnotherapist" )ilton

Eric!son" generally regarded as an excellent communicator. Eric!son used his !no*ledge of linguistics!ills as a means to moti(ate people to learn or to change in positi(e *ays y using selecti(e language.

4s users and teachers of language" there is much that *e can learn from this modelling of excellence in

communication. The )ilton )odel language patterns presented in this paper are dra*n directly fromhis use of language in promoting learning and positi(e change.

http://www.briancullen.net/http://www.briancullen.net/http://www.briancullen.net/

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Milton Model of Language Patterns

Belo*" *e introduce the main language patterns of the )ilton )odel and gi(e examples that are

suitale for the language classroom. ;f course" the actual moti(ational language that you use *ith yourstudents *ill depend on their le(el and the type of course you are teaching and you *ill proaly *ant

to experiment until you find the language that *ill really moti(ate the students in your o*n classroom.

1. Presuppositions

The sentence that the teacher says presupposessomething else. Belo* are some examples *ith the

main presupposition sho*n in rac!ets.

2ou *ill

learn the (ocaulary at some time.?

4t least one section of the reading *asinteresting?.

2ou learned it already at unior highschool" so you !no* it.?

3hen *e spea!" e(ery phrase includes its o*n presuppositions. -omething as simple as" The all is onthe floor" presupposes on some le(el that it must ha(e got there someho*. 4t a more existential le(el"

it also presupposes that a all exists and that a floor exists. 3e cannot not use presuppositions" and in

the classroom" e(ery sentence *e say also has presuppositions. It is useful to consider *hether thesepresuppositions are moti(ating or demoti(ating your learners. For example" thin! of the different

presuppositions in the follo*ing+

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&. Modal operator

/sing modal (ers li!e can or dont ha(e to or could or might rather than direct commands can e

(ery po*erful. E(en though the examples elo* are not direct commands" they all contain emeddedsuggestions *hich the students are li!ely to act upon.

2ou could study this (ocaulary y using flashcards" or you might record and listen to them manytimes" or of course you could post them on your edroom *all *here you can loo! at them often.=

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a(ailale including the (ery readale ;Connor $'885" '855&.

%eferences

Bandler" 1. 9rinder" 0. $567:&. %atterns of the Hypnotic TechniAues of )ilton H. Eric!son Golume 5

'. )eta %ulications+ Capitola.

;Connor" 0. $'885&. NL% 3or!oo!+ 4 practical guide to achie(ing the results you *ant . Thorsons+

Toronto.

;Connor" 0. -eymore" 0. $'855&. Introducing NL%+ %sychological -!ills for /nderstanding and

Influencing %eople. Thorsons+ Toronto.

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Please chec the )o# the Motivate your Students course at Pilgrims #ebsite(

Please chec the Building Positive *roup +ynamics course at Pilgrims #ebsite(

Please chec the )o# to be a 'eacher 'rainer course at Pilgrims #ebsite(