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Fresh Eye-deas YOUNG LEARNER TEACHER COGNITION AND TEACHER TRAINING

YOUNG LEARNER CONFERENCE IH ROME MANZONI, 2013. Fresh Eye-deas YOUNG LEARNER TEACHER COGNITION AND TEACHER TRAINING. A MESSY CONSTRUCT…why bother?.

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Fresh Eye-deas YOUNG LEARNER TEACHER COGNITION AND TEACHER TRAINING

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  1. YOUNG LEARNER CONFERENCE IH ROME MANZONI, 2013 Fresh Eye-deas YOUNG LEARNER TEACHER COGNITION AND TEACHER TRAINING

  2. A MESSY CONSTRUCT…why bother? “... a wide range of concepts including teachers’ beliefs, theories, assumptions, attitudes, knowledge, understandings, and pedagogical principles ... which are implicit, tacit, practical, systematic, dynamic and contextually grounded” Andon & Eckerth, 2009. “... understanding teachers’ beliefs is essential to improving teaching practices and professional teacher preparation progammes” Johnson, 1994.

  3. WHO? WHAT? WHEN? I had to unlearn everything I was taught on my course You just need to do what they tell you on the course

  4. ROOTS OF COGNITION APPRENTICESHIP OF OBSERVATION INITIAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE TEACHER TRAINING

  5. TEACHER TRAINING DIFFICULTIES APPRENTICESHIP OF OBSERVATION 13,000 hrs 4 weeks ASSUMPTIONS BELIEFS KNOWLEDGE

  6. TEACHER TRAINING DIFFICULTIES TEACHER TRAINING & INITIAL EXPERIENCE • TRAINEES’ POINT OF VIEW • Beliefs suddenly called into question • Encounter theories which run counter to beliefs • Expected to adoptnewtheories • Colleagues have adopted new theories • School adopts a different approach to course

  7. TEACHER TRAINING DIFFICULTIES TEACHER TRAINING & INITIAL EXPERIENCE • TRAINERS’ POINT OF VIEW • Use information to validate rather than re-evaluate (Kagan, 1992) • “Survive” the course without changes to beliefs (Peacock, 2001) • Reluctant to adopt practices they disagree with (Urmston, 2003) • “Teach to observation” (Almarza, 1996; Senior, 2006) • Interpretation may differ from tutors’ intention (DaSilva, 2005)

  8. EXTENT OF INFLUENCE • USE OFL1 • ASPECTS OF PLANNING • EXPECTATIONS OF YOUNG LEARNERS • UNDERSTANDING OF LEARNING STYLES • INSTRUCTIONS • USE OF MATERIALS • SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE • ROLE OF ACCURACY AND FLUENCY

  9. THEORY VS. PRACTICE • Previous findings based on adults • Revealed cognitions of YL teachers • Uncovering of tensions

  10. RESEARCH BACKGROUND LOCATION OF STUDY International House Sabadell (Spain)

  11. RESEARCH BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION OF YOUNG LEARNERS

  12. RESEARCH BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION OF TEACHERS

  13. WHO? WHAT? WHEN? I had to unlearn everything I was taught on my course You just need to do what they tell you on the course Teacher 2 Teacher 4

  14. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE • ACKNOWLEDGED INFLUENCES • All four teachers confirmed cognitions rooted in experience, training and context • Some cognitions were challenged during initial training course • All four teachers cited IHCYLT as being useful for the classroom situation • Common belief adopted was awareness of learning styles in the EFL YL classroom.

  15. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE • COGNITIONS OF YL TEACHERS • REPETITION • LEARNING STYLES • USE OF L1 IN THE CLASS • AFFECTIVE DOMAIN • INCIDENTAL LEARNING • SCAFFOLDING • SPEAKING PRACTICE • MEANING CLARIFICATION

  16. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE What is the easiest thing for young learners to learn in another language?

  17. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE • YL TEACHERS’ VOCABULARY BELIEFS • Young learners need plenty of repetition of lexis. • Young learners should be introducedto lexis inavariety of waysto cater for learning styles. • Young learners should practise vocabulary in a variety of waysin order to cater for their different learning styles.

  18. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE PRACTICE VS. BELIEFS - 1

  19. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE PRACTICE VS. BELIEFS – 2

  20. CASE STUDY – WORKING EXAMPLE PRACTICE VS. BELIEFS – 3

  21. WHEN TO DEAL WITH TEACHER COGNITION • BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING • - IHCYLT • - CELTA • CONTINUE THROUGHOUT CAREER • - In all EFL / ESL / EAP environments • - With all levels of experience • - When there is change in working life of teacher • - When there is enforced changes to curriculum

  22. EXPERTISE VS. EXPERIENCE 20 years vs. 1 year repeated x 20 ABSENCE OF AWARENESS-RAISING MEANS… no change in practice despite training courses no benefit from proven research results YLs not catered for in terms of best practice no development of reflective skills

  23. HOW TO DEAL WITH TEACHER COGNITION • AT THE BEGINNING • - First module on initial training courses • - Overt linking of approaches to cognitions • - Detailed information provided for trainer/tutor • - Open sharing of experiences • - Recognition and acceptance of root and origin • - Reflection at end of course • 2. ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS • - Techniques given for reflective practice • - Time allocated for open support for problems • - Regular check-in throughout academic year

  24. SUMMARY YOUNG LEARNER TEACHING & TRAINING AWARENESS OF TEACHER COGNITIONS YL TEACHER TRAINERS TRAINEES ON YL COURSES YL CLASSROOM PRACTICE INCREASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

  25. Thank you for your time and attention. Lou McLaughlin lniclochlainn@gmail.com @McLaughlinLou

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