This document discusses different contexts for language teaching including EFL, ESL, and ESOL. It describes where teaching takes place such as schools, language schools, one-on-one, and large classes. It also covers learner differences including age, aptitude, learning styles, language levels, methodology, topics, and individual variations based on neuro-linguistic programming and multiple intelligences theory. Finally, it questions what can be done with individual differences in language teaching.

1. Didactics I

2. Different Contexts
How, what it is we teach?
EFL: not specific to a particular time or place,
travelling, communicate with other people
ESL: live in the target-language community, language
variety of that community (Scottish, Australian,
Texan, and the like)
ESOL: global target-language community (EFL, ESL)

3. Cont…
Where?
 Schools and Language Schools – curriculum
-information technology
(Future
Kids, T-bolt)
 One-to-one Teaching
 Large classes: pair work, group work
 In-school and in-company
 Real and virtual learning environments

4. Learner Differences: (age)

5. Learner Differences
Aptitude
Good learner Characteristics: positive task
orientation, ego involvement, high aspiration
perseverance (Tolerance of ambiguity, Naiman et al: 1978)
Good learner Characteristics: students who can find
their own way, creative, make intelligent guesses,
make their own opportunites to practice, make errors
work for them not against them, use contextual clues
(Rubin and Thompson: 1982)

6. Learner Styles
(Willing: 1987)
Convergers: by nature solitary, avoid groups, independent,
confident, analytic
Comformists: emphasize learning about language over
learning to use it, work in non.communicative classrooms,
doing what they are told
Concrete learners: enjoy social aspect of learning, learn
from direct experience, interested in language
use/communication, enjoy games, and groupwork in class.
Communicative learners: language use oriented,
comfortable out of class, degree of confidence, take risks,
social interaction, no guidance of teacher

7. Language Levels

8. Language Levels
The plateau effect: students feel accept the level they
have reached as adequate for their needs and the
limits of their capacity
 Set goals
 Explain what still needs to be done

9. Learner Differences
Methodology
Language (rough- tune)
Topics

10. Individual variations
Neuro-linguistic programming (VAKOG)
(Revell and Norman: 1997)
MI theory (Gardner: 1983, 1993)

11. What can we do with individual
differences?

12. Have a nice evening!!!