MODULE 1
Fundamentals of Language
Teaching
Trainer: Lam Hoang Thuy Anh
Learning
theories
What are learning theories?
In your opinions, what are learning theories?
Please write down a short answer
What are learning theories?
A. a branch of philosophy that describes how
knowledge is acquired
B. instructions on effective learning
C. explanations/descriptions of how human learning
takes place
D. strategies that a good learner should employ
BEHAVIORISM
What is behaviorism?
Let’s watch the video below and tell me:’ What happens with the guy with glasses?’
Let’s break this word down.
behaviorism
behavior- -ism
BEHAVIOURISM:
+ Definition: all behaviors are acquired through
conditioning
Conditioning occurs through interaction with the
environment
This theory is the foundation for three teaching methods:
+ Grammar-Translation (GTM)
+ Audio-Lingual (ALM)
+ Direct Method (DM)
Ivan Pavlov
(1849-1936)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU0zEGWp56Y
+ Classical conditioning:
What can we learn from Pavlov’s experiment?
Model: Stimulus (S) elicits => Response (R)
Classical Conditioning Theory
• All animals (including humans) can be trained to expect a consequence
on the results of previous experience.
• In learning, classical conditioning is seen as the conditioning of
emotional behaviors.
• The school, classroom, teacher, or subject matter are neutral stimuli.
+ Operant conditioning:
John B.Watson
(1878-1958)
• All human behavior is a result
of conditioning or a result of
past experiences and
environmental influences.
• Any child could be trained to
become any type of specialist.
+ Operant conditioning:
+ Operant conditioning:
+ A behavior in learning process is modified by
reinforcement or punishment.
+ Stimuli present when a behavior is rewarded or
punished.
+ Operant conditioning (Skinner, 1937):
B.F. Skinner
(1904-1990)
+ changing behavior through conditioning and
discovering natural laws of behavior in the
process.
+ A behavior in learning process is modified by
reinforcement or punishment.
+ Operant conditioning (Skinner, 1937):
Positive reinforcement: Add an award to increase behavior.
Positive punishment: Add aversive stimulus to decrease behavior.
Negative reinforcement: Remove aversive stimulus to increase behavior.
Negative punishment: Remove an award to decrease behavior.
Positive reinforcement is more effective at changing and establishing behaviors than
punishment. (Watson & Skinner)
+ Operant conditioning (Skinner, 1937):
• Operant conditioning is the study of the impact of
consequences on behavior.
• If you want someone to work harder, do not punish them
when they do not work - reward them when they do.
Please give a situation which Behaviorism
is applied into
It could be a situation when you:
- Study a new language
- Study a new thing
- Do a task
In class
behavior: increase - do homework everyday
purpose: increase the behavior - do HW everyday
While we are waiting for our classmates,
--> reinforcement
pleasant things to students: (students will be happy) please think of two methods that you
+ finish the class early
+ give candies usually use in your classroom(s) or your
+ have less assignments
+ give stickers
+ praise
teachers usually use to encourage good
Positive reinforcement: I want my studens to do HW everyday, so I will
- give candies whenever my students complete their HW on time
behaviors orWhat
limitcan
badwebehaviors
learn from Skinner’s
- allow my students to go home early if they comple HW on time
unpleasant things (aversive stimulus) to students (students will be unhappy)
experiment?
+ giving D merits
Like Watson, Skinner asserts that our experience of
+ publicly criticised
+ study extra class/ finish the class late
+Positive reinforcement is more effective at changing
be taken gifts/candies
Negative reinforcement: remove unpleasant things to increase behavior
andstudens
I want my establishing behaviors
to do HW everyday, than punishment.
so I will
unpleasant stimulus
+ not give D merits if they complete HW on time
+ not publicly criticised if they complete HW on time
+ not finish the class late/not ask Ss to study extra class
Model: Stimulus (S) elicits => Response (R)
While we are waiting for our classmates, please think of two
methods that you usually use in your classroom or your
teachers usually use to encourage good behaviors or limit bad
behaviors
Provide your suggestions
to solve these problems from these teachers’ comments.
• My class is full of teenagers who don’t really care about learning at all. They just want to
play games all the time and I want to limit this and focus more on the lesson.
• I want to communicate more with my students as they are very shy and hardly respond to my
questions. I wish them could talk more.
• There are times that my class was full of kids running around. It’s not a good idea to shout at
them but I don’t to know how to deal with this.
• I agree that putting much of homework is not really important but it’s a need to assign them
with some practice and I want the students to feel comfortable and supportive of this.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-aversion-therapy-
2796001
Implications in teaching
Discuss in groups of 3-4 and find some examples of behaviorism in
education.
IMPLICATIONS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING
+ Learners receive either instant positive or negative “reinforcement” in the shape of either
correction or praise from the teacher.
+ Teachers should provide feedback on learners’ performance.
+ Teachers should associate linguistic stimuli such as objects, realia, or photographs with a
target vocabulary.
+ Clearly define the desired behavior to your students. For example, let your students know
that you want them to turn in assignments on time. Be as specific as possible when defining
your expectations.
+ Present the reinforcement immediately upon seeing the desired behavior. For example, if
the class has turned in all assignments on time, immediately give them praise or other
motivators, like special privileges.
DEMO
TEACHING
Ivan Pavlov
(1849-1936)
What is the change in the dog’s behavior?
REVIEW
B.F. Skinner
OPERANT (1904-1990)
REINFORCEMENT
PUNISHMENT
CLASSICAL or OPERANT
1. This was introduced by Ivan Pavlov.
2. This was introduced by B. F. Skinner.
3. Involves reward and punishment.
4. Involves external factor.
5. The dog experiment.
6. The rat experiment.
Discuss in group, list some drawbacks of behaviorism
Criticisms of Behaviorism
• It only considers what is observable and measurable, while there are various unseen
aspects that are very important to learning capabilities.
• Behaviorism does not account for other types of learning.
• People and animals are able to adapt their behavior when new information is
introduced
• Suggested activities:
Pronunciation practice
Sound recognition
Exam preparation
COGNITIVSM
Warm up
CREDITS: This presentation template was created by
Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and infographics &
images by Freepik
Following are the illustrations:
Randal had a little burn on his hand and his mother decided
to take him to the doctor.
The mother: Randal, I will take you to the doctor
Randal: Why? So he can doc my little burn?
? Why does Randal say “doc’’?
Randal forms the verb ‘doc’ from the noun ‘doctor’, by
analogy with farmers who farm, swimmers who swim, and
actors who act.
How do you understand this?
Following are the illustrations:
Mother: I love you to pieces.
David: I love you three pieces
? Why does David say “three pieces’’?
What does ‘to pieces’ mean anyway. At least two pieces
would give some indication of how much she loves me! So
David increases the quantity of love ‘three pieces’.
Cognitive model of learning
Cognitive
Stimulus Response
Processes
Noam Chomsky
(1928)
• Human evolution language acquisition and the
capacity for language analysis.
• Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that allows any
child to acquire any language, even with minimal help
and no formal teaching.
• Chomsky highlights the importance of deep structure, or
what a speaker subconsciously knows about the
grammatical rules of his native language.
Chomsky referred to this as innate knowledge of the
principles of Universal Grammar (UG).
• A child/learner is an active learner accomplishing developmental
milestones along a predictable continuum
• The child conduct experiments on the environment (Piaget,
1970; Brainerd, 1978).
4 stages of cognitive development
Jean Piaget
(1896-1980)
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
• A child constructs their knowledge through interactions
with people around them.
• They learn by talking while playing, reading stories, and
asking questions.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
"A gap between what a learner can do by themselves without
support and what they can do with support." (Vygotsky, 1978,
p. 86).
• help get students interested in the task
• simplify tasks, breaking them into smaller steps
• keep students on tasks by reminding them the goal
• The importance of “scaffolding” and routines. Adults use
language to mediate the world for children, and to support
them in solving problems.
Jerome Bruner
(1915-2016)
Scaffolding consists of the activities provided by the
educator, or more competent peer, to support the student as
he or she is led through the zone of proximal development.
+ Scaffolding (Jerome Bruner):
controlled practice giving advice modeling a task
supplementary materials coaching and guidance
Three essential features:
+ teacher-learner interaction
+ students’ current level
+ scaffolding is gradually removed
+ Scaffolding (Jerome Bruner):
controlled practice giving advice modeling a task
supplementary materials coaching and guidance
Imagine you taught a lesson on how to write in a diary, to demonstrate your last
tour, what can we design for your students:
(controlled less controlled free practice)
Implications to
language learning
Deliberate use of learning strategies
Processing information that enhance comprehension, learning or retention of information.
Long-term memory
Vocabulary use & retention
Automaticity in speaking and emergence of creative linguistic competence
The use of schemas
Mental structures that an individual uses to organize knowledge and guide cognitive
processes and behavior.
Key points to take home
+ What is the most rooted principle of
Behaviorism?
+ Learners learn by forming habits
+ What is the most rooted principle of
Cognitivism?
+ Learners have a chance to use the rule to
create their own meaning
