ACTIVE LEARNING

1. ACTIVE LEARNING FOR EFLACTIVE LEARNING FOR EFL
STUDENTSSTUDENTS
 Christine BademiChristine Bademi
 English Teacher-Master in EducationEnglish Teacher-Master in Education
 11stst
and 4and 4thth
Technical and VocationalTechnical and Vocational
Schools and 3Schools and 3rdrd
Senior High School ofSenior High School of
Kavala, GreeceKavala, Greece

2. Tell me,
I forget.
Show me,
I remember.
Involve me,
I
understand.

3. Complete this sentence:Complete this sentence:
Three things I’d like to know aboutThree things I’d like to know about
active learning areactive learning are __________________________________..

4. Structure of This LectureStructure of This Lecture
 Critiquing lecturingCritiquing lecturing
 Defining active learningDefining active learning
 Implementing active learningImplementing active learning

5. II
How come the more I talkHow come the more I talk
the less my students learn?the less my students learn?

6. Advantages of LecturingAdvantages of Lecturing
 Spark interestSpark interest
 Provide unavailable informationProvide unavailable information
 Convey large amounts of informationConvey large amounts of information
 Reach large audiencesReach large audiences
 Model ways of thinkingModel ways of thinking
 Maintain controlMaintain control
 Protect studentsProtect students
 Help auditory learnersHelp auditory learners
Source: Sutherland and Bonwell

7. Disadvantages of LecturingDisadvantages of Lecturing
 Passive studentsPassive students
 Inadequate feedbackInadequate feedback
 Flagging attentionFlagging attention
 Poor retentionPoor retention
 Burden on lecturerBurden on lecturer
 Non-auditory learnersNon-auditory learners
Source: Sutherland and Bonwell

8. Students Tune OutStudents Tune Out
Source: Pollio

9. As lecture continues,As lecture continues,
retention of new materialretention of new material
declines.declines.
Source: Johnson, Johnson, and Smith

10. Retention of New MaterialRetention of New Material
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
First 10 Minutes Last 10 Minutes
Source: McKeachie

11. Lectures Assume HomogeneityLectures Assume Homogeneity

12. IIII
Active learningActive learning
to the rescue!to the rescue!

13. FundamentalsFundamentals
1.1. Learning is an active process.Learning is an active process.
2.2. Different people learn inDifferent people learn in
different ways.different ways.
3.3. We often don’t know what weWe often don’t know what we
think until we try to say it orthink until we try to say it or
write it.write it.
4.4. Just because you’ve said itJust because you’ve said it
doesn’t mean they’ve learned it.doesn’t mean they’ve learned it.

14. Genuine LearningGenuine Learning
Reception
Test
Recap
Explain

15. Engage More Parts of BrainEngage More Parts of Brain
 Talking and listeningTalking and listening
 ReadingReading
 WritingWriting
 ReflectingReflecting

16. ““When learning is active,When learning is active,
students do most of the work”students do most of the work”
[Silberman].[Silberman].

17. Counter the ObjectionsCounter the Objections
 ““That’s not how I learned theThat’s not how I learned the
material.”material.”
 ““Active learning is great for children,Active learning is great for children,
but college students don’t need it.”but college students don’t need it.”
 ““It’s too slow pacedIt’s too slow paced— I’ll spend a lot— I’ll spend a lot
of time watching instead of talking.of time watching instead of talking.””
 ““I won’t be able to cover all theI won’t be able to cover all the
material.”material.”

18. IIIIII
Fit active learning to yourFit active learning to your
needs and personal style.needs and personal style.

19. Ask Students to...Ask Students to...
 Restate informationRestate information
 Give examplesGive examples
 Recognize instancesRecognize instances
 Make connectionsMake connections
 Apply conceptsApply concepts
 Predict consequencesPredict consequences
 State converseState converse

20. In-class Writing AssignmentsIn-class Writing Assignments
 Be specificBe specific — ask students to— ask students to
 analyzeanalyze – compare– compare
 contrastcontrast – define– define
 describedescribe – evaluate– evaluate
 justifyjustify – prove– prove
 summarizesummarize – synthesize– synthesize
Source: Fulwiler

21. Learning PartnersLearning Partners
 Compare class notesCompare class notes
 Discuss an exampleDiscuss an example
 Solve a problemSolve a problem
 Critique each other’s writingCritique each other’s writing
 Question partner about readingQuestion partner about reading
 Recap lectureRecap lecture
 Develop questions for teacherDevelop questions for teacher
 Test each otherTest each other

22. What is Active Engagement?What is Active Engagement?
Active engagement refers to the jointActive engagement refers to the joint
functioning of motivation, conceptualfunctioning of motivation, conceptual
knowledge, cognitive strategies, and socialknowledge, cognitive strategies, and social
interactions in literacy activities.interactions in literacy activities.
(Guthrie & Anderson, 1999)(Guthrie & Anderson, 1999)
Active learning involves providingActive learning involves providing
opportunities for students to meaningfullyopportunities for students to meaningfully
talk and listen, write, read, and reflect ontalk and listen, write, read, and reflect on
the content, ideas, issues and concerns ofthe content, ideas, issues and concerns of
an academic subject.an academic subject.
(Meyers & Jones, 1993)(Meyers & Jones, 1993)

23. Characteristics of EffectiveCharacteristics of Effective
ClassroomsClassrooms
High levels of:High levels of:
 student cooperationstudent cooperation
 Task involvementTask involvement
 SuccessSuccess

24. Characteristics of EffectiveCharacteristics of Effective
TeachersTeachers
 Awareness of purposeAwareness of purpose
 Task orientationTask orientation
 High expectations for studentsHigh expectations for students
 Enthusiastic, clear, and directEnthusiastic, clear, and direct
 Lessons consistently well preparedLessons consistently well prepared
 Students on taskStudents on task
 Strong classroom management skillsStrong classroom management skills
 Predictable routinesPredictable routines
 Systematic curriculum-based assessment toSystematic curriculum-based assessment to
monitor student progressmonitor student progress

25. Focus on InstructionalFocus on Instructional
ObjectivesObjectives
 1.1. What should students know and be able to doWhat should students know and be able to do
(objective) ?(objective) ?
 2. How does this lesson objective fit into the “big2. How does this lesson objective fit into the “big
picture” of instruction this year?picture” of instruction this year?
 3. How will I, and they, know when they are3. How will I, and they, know when they are
successful?successful?
 4. What learning experiences will facilitate their4. What learning experiences will facilitate their
success?success?
 5. What resources will I use?5. What resources will I use?
 6. Based on data, how do I refine the learning6. Based on data, how do I refine the learning
experiences?experiences?

26. Anticipating InstructionalAnticipating Instructional
DifficultiesDifficulties
PreventionPrevention vs.vs. InterventionIntervention
 Who may have difficulty with thisWho may have difficulty with this
objective?objective?
 How will I monitor learning?How will I monitor learning?
 What steps will I take to insure allWhat steps will I take to insure all
students learn this objective?students learn this objective?

27. Zone of Proximal Development:Zone of Proximal Development:
Teacher’s RoleTeacher’s Role
 The teacher’s role is to assist theThe teacher’s role is to assist the
students in moving through thestudents in moving through the
zone to become expert users ofzone to become expert users of
their new knowledge and skills.their new knowledge and skills.

28. Corrective Feedback is CrucialCorrective Feedback is Crucial
One of the chief benefits of active engagement is thatOne of the chief benefits of active engagement is that
it allows us to give corrective feedback.it allows us to give corrective feedback.
Characteristics of effective feedback:Characteristics of effective feedback:
 Highly specificHighly specific
 DescriptiveDescriptive
 TimelyTimely
 OngoingOngoing
Feedback is not praise, blame, approval, orFeedback is not praise, blame, approval, or
disapproval. That is what evaluation is – placingdisapproval. That is what evaluation is – placing
value.value. Feedback is value neutral.Feedback is value neutral. It describes whatIt describes what
you did and did not do in terms of your goal.you did and did not do in terms of your goal.
(intent vs. effect)(intent vs. effect)

29. Thank YouThank You
for your attentionfor your attention!!