tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22680600105209858302024-02-19T09:36:18.974+03:00Using Learner-Centered Activities in English Language Teaching ClassesWhat is learner-centered activity? Why should we use them in ELT classes? What are the advantages of these activities? What are the types of these activities?Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268060010520985830.post-45459583350880268122012-04-12T17:20:00.001+03:002012-04-12T17:21:36.258+03:00 <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>4. Pair Work</b></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pair work is a classroom activity in which the whole class is divided into pairs. Because the point of pair work is to get students speaking and listening, the content of a pair work session should be mainly oral. </b></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> <span class="apple-style-span">It is difficult to give instructions once a pair-work session is underway, so the activity should be well planned and carefully explained. Otherwise it is likely to be unproductive.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">The idea of pair work is to improve listening and speaking skills by requiring students to exchange information with each other. Pair work should always be accompanied by some sort of ‘test’ to ascertain whether or not information really has been exchanged.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"> In some kinds of pair work, split dictations for example, the test is built in to the activity itself. In other cases, it will be a follow-up activity of some sort. </span><span class="text">Like classroom work with larger groups, pair work has two important advantages: it offers intensive, realistic practice in speaking and listening; and it promotes a friendly classroom ambiance that is conducive to learning. But beyond that, pair work has another important advantage that activities done with larger groups do not have.</span> <span class="text">Pair work is a way of getting everyone in a classroom speaking and listening at the same time.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In other words, it is an efficient, productive way of spending precious classroom time. </b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="text"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: inherit;"><b>Pair Work Example</b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXnJ2manIdI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></div>Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268060010520985830.post-8505527480061438342012-04-12T17:10:00.001+03:002012-04-12T17:23:11.810+03:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;">3. Playing Games</span></span></b></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US">Using games is one of the most important ways to teach efficiently in a language class. Games mean the world to children. Nothing is more fun than playing games for them because they feel happy and free while playing. Remember when you were children, you will remember the games you played and the happiest moments of your life.</span></span><span lang="EN-US"> <span class="apple-style-span">It does not matter indoor or outdoor; we cannot deny the importance of games. If students learn with games, have fun, feel happy and free, it means that you have reached your goals. Games strengthen language skills, besides; learners develop social skills and good relationships while they interact with each others.</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Do not only get learners to play indoors games. It is useful to try outdoor games whenever the weather is nice. For example even we know board games as indoor games; you can use them in the open air. If there are garden seats outside in the playground, you can use them as desks. Even the idea of going out will make the students excited. They have already got tired and bored of sitting and being in the same class and desks. As soon as you say ’’Let’s go to the playground, it is game time’’ they will go down the stairs two by two.</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Whatever your goal is (speaking, grammar points, vocabulary) you must believe that every game you have students play, is much more useful than tons of exercises and worksheets and you get more positive results than anything else. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tv8DlPnWVuw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></b></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></div>Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268060010520985830.post-77104228516949430872012-03-22T19:27:00.002+02:002012-04-12T17:22:18.739+03:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cc0000; line-height: 150%;"> 2. Information gaps</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Information gap activities require students to communicate with each other in order to find all the necessary information to complete the activity. Each partner has information that the other does not. It is very important that students have the appropriate level of language in order to complete the activity. There is sometimes a lot of repetition in the communication as students try to narrow down the information. This can be very useful when you want the students to focus on a particular structure.</span></span> <span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">For genuine communication to occur in the language </span><span style="line-height: 150%;">classroom, teacher-student (and student-student) exchanges must go beyond display questions and should be based on the gap that occurs between <a href="http://tureng.com/search/interlocutors" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">interlocutors</span></a> when one does not know in advance what the other is going to say. Teachers must thoughtfully prepare so that oral interaction involves a transfer of information from one person to another. Teachers should begin by using appropriate questioning and conversational strategies, particularly, by asking <span style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://tureng.com/search/referential" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">referential</span></a> </span>questions . Most display questions can be avoided by reformulating the question.</span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><br />
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</span></div>Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268060010520985830.post-28554307021576712902012-03-07T15:28:00.008+02:002012-03-07T15:43:29.657+02:00Types of Learner-Centered Activities<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> 1. Role Play </span> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Role-play is any speaking activity when you either put yourself into somebody else's shoes, or when you stay in your own shoes but put yourself into an imaginary situation. It</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> is an effective technique to animate the teaching and learning atmosphere, <a href="http://tureng.com/search/arouse" target="_blank">arouse</a> the interests of learners, and make the language acquisition impressive. So this research will mainly focus on how to apply it successfully and take the most advantage of it in English class. The outcome shows there are four crucial factors for its success: the topic chosen should be real and relevant; the teacher needs 'feed-in' the appropriate language; correct errors in a proper way; some of teachers role are facilitator, spectator or participant. Incorporating role-play into the classroom adds variety, a change of pace and opportunities for a lot of language production and a lot of fun. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Also, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">role play technique is used as </span></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>it is fun and motivating, quieter students get the chance to express themselves.</b></span></span><br />
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/S5hsfNo2JRU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br style="background-color: #ebebeb; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #990000;">Waiter:</span></u><span style="color: #333333;"> Good evening. Are you ready to order?</span></span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #990000;">Customer:</span></u><span style="color: #333333;"> Yes, please. I'd like chicken sandwich.</span></span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #990000;">Waiter:</span></u><span style="color: #333333;"> OK. And what would you like to drink?</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #990000; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u>Customer</u></span></b><b><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #990000;">:</span></u><span style="color: #333333;"> Orange juice, please.</span></span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #990000;">Waiter:</span></u><span style="color: #333333;"> Good choice. Anything else?</span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #990000; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Customer</span></b><b><span style="color: #990000; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">:</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> That's all for now. Thank you.</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><u><span style="color: #990000;">Waiter:</span></u><span style="color: #333333;"> Okay, your order will be ready in ten minutes.</span></span></b></span></span><br />
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</b></div></div>Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268060010520985830.post-27476784989180437842012-03-05T19:02:00.007+02:002012-03-08T01:07:46.919+02:00What is learner-centered activity? Why should we use them?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b> <span style="color: red;">Description of learner-centered activities</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b>Learner-centered activities are some kinds of activities that make students communicate more and better. <span class="apple-style-span"> Learner-centered activities put learners first in contrast to teacher-centered learning. Because, student-centered learning is focused on the student's needs, abilities, interests, and learning styles with the teacher as a facilitator of learning. Student-centered learning requires students to be active, responsible participants in their own learning.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b> <span style="color: red;">Advantages of learner-centered activities</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b>To create a learner-centered classroom, teachers must <a href="http://tureng.com/search/incorporate" target="_blank">incorporate</a> lessons that are relevant to student needs and interests. Connecting life experiences to learning is a critical step in creating an educational experience. Students become skilled at thinking purposefully as they are provided with connections to real-world experiences. Learner-centered activities often include student-produced products that demonstrate the results of their learning. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Feeling confident </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHESv1q2hUV6DMH20QQLHiXhIZe0wMg_ldv0UaB4oJpv_GgwQUDfENe2vdJw4BKjwhrbDxZUkJXFsQmLGRtvDWYkTa0k_07GB0HDoLf8ZfiFRTuk7czpXyb72gSAhGDcNLKkIjay6m5XJ7/s1600/ed-reform-elt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHESv1q2hUV6DMH20QQLHiXhIZe0wMg_ldv0UaB4oJpv_GgwQUDfENe2vdJw4BKjwhrbDxZUkJXFsQmLGRtvDWYkTa0k_07GB0HDoLf8ZfiFRTuk7czpXyb72gSAhGDcNLKkIjay6m5XJ7/s320/ed-reform-elt.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b>Learners feel confident when they are in communication with other learners in target language. Because, they have the feeling that they have accomplished something. When they are charged with a duty in the class by the teacher, they have self reliance. So, they feel confident.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Having fun </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learners have fun when then they are studying with learner-centered activities as these activities make them enthusiastic about the subject. Also, learners comprehend the subject of the lesson better as they have fun.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Improving communication skills </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Learner-centered activities require students’ participation. This participation makes students communicate a lot and have communication skills. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">While acting as an <a href="http://tureng.com/search/advocate" target="_blank">advocate</a> for all students and the school, the teacher demonstrates effective professional and interpersonal communication skills.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"> A teacher seeking learner-centered communication supports the mission of the school and actively collaborates and participates in the sharing of ideas, innovative problem solving, and risk taking. They create strong ties between the school and the community. Additionally, they utilize a variety of approaches (verbal, non-verbal, and media) in a variety of contexts, <a href="http://tureng.com/search/exemplify" target="_blank">exemplifying</a> the importance of expressing views clearly and in a variety of ways.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Active participation</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2FWNZcG0_9MgNPmQ0rpHwcVx7b_DbnbUqMuk9dzcmyxjzx-u6X1AGsS-RK7R5Bd2nnmbzZ8RSen1zt2hYu3UFvb47FkuuV7MuhI2mqbToDAOu1U919GsqBmazx_Ko13f5Zw19vEC6T8x/s1600/practicum011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2FWNZcG0_9MgNPmQ0rpHwcVx7b_DbnbUqMuk9dzcmyxjzx-u6X1AGsS-RK7R5Bd2nnmbzZ8RSen1zt2hYu3UFvb47FkuuV7MuhI2mqbToDAOu1U919GsqBmazx_Ko13f5Zw19vEC6T8x/s320/practicum011.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 150%;"><b>Students work to achieve <a href="http://tureng.com/search/curricular" target="_blank">curricular</a> objectives in order to become critical thinkers and they complete activities designed by the teacher to achieve success so </b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>student-centered learning allows students to actively participate in discovery learning processes from an <a href="http://tureng.com/search/autonomous" target="_blank">autonomous</a> viewpoint. Students consume the entire class time constructing a new understanding of the material being learned without being passive, but rather <a href="http://tureng.com/search/proactive" target="_blank">proactive</a>. A variety of hands-on activities are administered in order to promote successful learning.</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</b></span></span></span></div>Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268060010520985830.post-49861239776523953682012-03-05T18:48:00.007+02:002012-03-06T16:02:04.094+02:00Introduction<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">Usin</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">g learner-centered activities is very important in English Language Teaching classes. This learning</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">focuses on the needs of the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-US">students</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">. Also,</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">learner-centered activities are very useful for learners in language classes as these activities provide the learners with communication skills and better knowledge about the target language. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learner-centered classrooms focus primarily on individual students' learning. The teacher's role is to </span><a href="http://tureng.com/search/facilitate" target="_blank">facilitate</a><span style="font-size: small;"> growth by </span><a href="http://tureng.com/search/utilize" target="_blank">utilizing</a> the interests and unique needs of students as a guide for meaningful instruction. </span></b></span></div>Engin Uğurluoğluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08291650928879999992noreply@blogger.com1