Content and Cognitive Issues in ELT

Irina TitarenkoKrasnoyarsk 2013

English Today

English is no longer a language, it’s aCore Skill

“Using English …. in order to do something else” David Graddol “English Next”, 2006

Focus on Content & Cognition

Make real sense for English learning

Bring real meaning & purpose

Link teaching & learning with the big world outside the classroom

Prepare students to USE 21st century skill

Implications for Planning

Backward syllabus design process

What do we want our students to know?

What do we want our students to do? Process syllabus design in focus

How Does it Work?

Interpersonal Communication Skills Language Proficiency Integration of Content & Language TA TBL LCA

Integration of Core Components (4Cs in CLIL)

Cognition Content

CommunicationCulture

Implications to Content Input

Mix of familiar and new concepts Relevant authentic sources of

information Well-structured and representing an

overview of mainstream trends Inspiring and motivating for individual

research Thought provoking, challenging Enabling involvement & creativity

Implications to Cognitive Input

Bangalore Project (Prabhu)Vigotsky’s principle of zone of proximate development ZPD(+1)

TBL Cognitive challenge Searching rather than getting

Cognition & Content

Go together ensuring growth of personal confidence and sense of self and belonging

Go through facilitated learner environment inside and outside classroom

Go through virtual & mobile learning Promote natural learning of natural

language

Question for Poll

What type of academic involvementis most efficient for learners? Vote.

WritingHearingReading

Role of Cognition in Learning

“Tell me and I forget, show me and Iremember, involve me and I understand”

Al Kuebler, 1993, The Quest for Excellence

Bloom’s Taxonomy in English

90% of what they DO

70% of what they SAY & WRITE

10% of what they READ or HEAR

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is breaking tasks down, making them manageable for students, enabling them to cope with the challenge

If I tell my students “Go and be ready for

public debates on Post-Modern Communication” by Thursday, I will leave them stressed and blowing in the wind – no parachute, no safety net, no scaffolding…

Scaffolding in practice

The final destination is public debates on mass media with students of journalism

What is needed? Language of debates Media content Passion, involvement & motivation HO communicative interaction strategies

Show expected outcomes and models

Don’t start with samples of BP debating political or economic issues!

Show samples of debates on video where other students do similar things in the classroom

Give time to ask questions Discuss small details (wording, clarity, time-

management, facial expression, etc.) Tell where students can find more examples Give links that you have visited Give clear guidance

Tap into Prior Knowledge

Ask students to brainstorm what they already know about Postmodern Communication

Provide relevant content input

Guide for more research

Time to think

Make research Verify evidences Shape ideas Think of key

reasons & arguments

Make individual and choice

Time to talk

Process ideas Test assumptions Verify evidences Negotiate &

evaluate Build sense of

group share Grow confidence

Pre-teach Vocabulary, Collocations, Chunks

Brainstorm language needed for effective turn taking, supporting or exemplifying points, etc.

Use mapping, tables, charts Ask students to pick up relevant

language bits while watching sample debates and extend their notes.

Practice short mock debates: Give pro and counter arguments to the statement ‘Winter is a great season!’

Use authentic materials supported by quality visuals

ессе общения.

Pause - Ask Questions Pause - Review

Content & Cognition

Language

Skills & competences Effective debates

Content

Benefits for Students

Cognitive Social Cultural Personal

Benefits for Teachers

Cognitive Social Cultural Personal Economic

Thank you!Thank you!

Any Questions?!