How to Be a Successful Language Learner

Before you read (pair-work): Compare and contrast the ways in which your partner learns English at primary school, secondary school and university. What’s the most obvious difference? Which way of learning English do you like most? The way at primary school, secondary school or university? Why? (The following questions may be helpful for you to answer the above questions. What kinds of activities did you do in class and out of class? How often did you use English? Did you practice the skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening equally or only some of these skills? )

Understanding the text (Be ready before you come to the class) : 1. What’s the main idea of this essay? 2. In which way is it developed? (Or what is the paragraph sequence? ) How many parts you’d like to divide it into? What’s the main idea of each part? 3. How are the parts connected? (Or what act as bridges to connect them?)

Chat: Who is the best English and Chinese learner in your class? In your opinion, what’s the key to your success in language learning/ acquisition? Do you think the five strategies for language learning in the text fit you neatly? (ask the successful language learner)

Open questions I (group work): Are the six learning styles related to culture? For example, do Chinese have preference for certain learning styles? What about Japanese and Americans? YES NO

Open questions II (group work): Are the six learning styles related to the probability of success? For example, are independent/ collaborative/ participant learners more likely to succeed than their contrasting pairs? YES NO