Slideshow used for my workshop at THT 2018 in Kyrgyzstan.

1. Engaging Ideas for the
L2 Classroom
Brent A. Jones
Konan University, Hirao School of Management
Presented at THT in Kyrgyzstan 2018
Engaged L2 Learning – Theory to Practice

2. Where are we going?
Defining Engagement
Dimensions of Engagement
My Study
So what?

4. Recognizing Engagement
How many examples of engagement were there?

6. Defining Engagement
Go ahead . . .
Write down your definition and share with a
partner

7. Defining Engagement
Russell, Ainley and Frydenberg (2005) are often
cited for their distinction of motivation as why we
do what we do (reasons for behavior) and
engagement as energy in action (the connection
between person and activity).
Reeve (2012) borrows from Wellborn (1991) to
describe engagement as, ‘the extent of a student’s
active involvement in a learning activity.’

8. Dimensions of
Engagement
The three most-commonly cited dimensions of
engagement are behavioural, emotional and cognitive
engagement.
Reeve (2012) proposes adding agentic engagement (i.e.
the extent to which a learner tries to enrich a learning
experience rather than passively receiving it as is).
Conceptually, this type of engagement is a process where
learners, ‘proactively try to create, enhance, and
personalize the conditions and circumstances under
which they learn.’

9. Types of Engagement
Nystrand and Gamoran (1991) distinguish
Procedural engagement (roughly corresponding to
behavioral) from Substantive engagement
(including both psychological and cognitive), the
later describing students committed to academic
study.

10. Types Engagement
Behaving (participating in classroom activities and following
school rules),
Enjoying (being interested in and enjoying participation in what
happens at school),
Being Motivated (being motivated and confident in participation in
what happens at school),
Thinking (being involved in thinking),
Seeing Purpose (purposefully learning to reach life goals), and
Owning (owning and valuing learning).
Harris, 2008

11. Framework for my investigation
Reeve, 2012 (extension of Ryan & Deci)

12. Classroom Observations

17. Interviews

18. Questionnaires
Learning Climate Questionnaire
(www.selfdeterminationtheory.org)
Task Engagement Questionnaire (Joy Egbert,
2003)

21. Instructional Strategies
strategic use of pair and group work
patterns or rhythms of instruction (pulling learners in
with quizzes or tests, mixing it up, well-timed shifts, )
questioning style
scaffolding techniques
* passive forms of learning and tasks/materials that
are too easy, difficult or predictable

22. Teacher Characteristics
teacher professionalism and preparedness
teacher investment in students, classes, program
approachability
supportive attitudes (autonomy support, use of
praise, expressions of encouragement, meaningful
feedback, sensitivity to student needs)

23. Contextual Features
physical features
psychological classroom climate (make-up of the
class, the power of one or two individuals, the
reciprocal nature of investment and engagement)
interlocutors
instructional content (topic/issue, type of
experience, linear context, difficulty level)

25. RQ - Learner engagement in
these classes is
experienced:
through the interactions with peers and the
instructor,
through instructional activities that are
appropriately challenging,
at a variety of levels (individual, small group, and
whole-class),

26. RQ - Learner engagement in
these classes is
experienced:
dialogically between the individual and the context
(i.e., individuals are influenced by the context and
exert influence on the context),
differently by each individual, and
when individuals are involved in personally
meaningful activities.

28. So what?
Go ahead . . .
Write down why you think learner engagement is
important and share with a partner

29. So what?
Learner engagement is now recognized as being
closely tied to both academic achievement and
overall well-being (e.g., self-esteem & sense of
belonging). Increased or deeper levels of
engagement lead to greater success at school and
can help learners flourish in their various
endeavours.

30. Follow-up
konan-u.academia.edu/BrentJones
www.researchgate.net/profile/Brent_Jones8
www.slideshare.net/bjones_jp