Theories of Learning
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. (Chinese Proverb)
THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF THE MIND
THE ANALYSIS OF THE NATURE
VS
Developments in learning theory
Relating to language Relating to learning
description of the
language
how learners
learn
The History of Theories
Comenius’ studiesThe Direct MethodNo Coherent theory… till the 20th century
PRINCIPLES
Behaviourism: learning as habit formation
BASED on the work of Pavlov and SkinnerPROVED the Audiolingual Method
Never translate Follow the sequence
hear – speak – read- write
Frequent repetition
Errors – corrected
immediately
Drills
MENTALISM: THINKING AS RULE-GOVERNED ACTIVITY
THE FAILURE OF THE BEHAVIOURISM:
learners insisted on translation
asked for rules of grammar
found repeating boring
FORMING HABITS
ACQUIRING RULES
VS
Cognitive code:
learners as thinking beings
THE LEARNER
a passive receiver of information
(the behaviourist theory)
an active processor of information
(the cognitive theory)
The problem-solving task is the basic teaching technique
Sources
aimed at teaching
reading strategies
are developed
Learners are at the centre of the learning process
THE COGNITIVE THEORY
Learners learn when they
actively think about what
they are learning
Motivation
instrumental
integrative
Learning(a conscious
process)
Acquisition(an unconscious
process)
A MODEL FOR LEARNING
NETWORK CONNECTIONS
A need to acquire knowledge is a
necessary factor but the learner should
enjoy the process of acquisition!
ConclusionECLECTIC APPROACH:Don`t base any approach too narrowly
on one theory;Take useful points in each theory;Trust in the evidence of your own
teaching experience;
Theories of learning and language descriptions are not casually linked;
Thank you for your
Attention!