Learning Theories and Language Teaching
Word list Look at the list of words and try to memorise as many of the items as possible. Do not write any of them down.
Behaviourism 1.Learning as habit formation Stimulus-Response-Reinforcement repetition 2.Pattern practice (drills, etc.) 3.Learner as passive receiver of information
Mentalism 1.Behaviourism unable to account for creativity of language learning: novel utterances system-building 2. Learning as rule-governed activity (Chomsky) habit formation vs. acquiring rules stimulus triggers search for underlying pattern hypothesis-testing
The cognitive theory 1.Learning as a thinking process. 2.Learner as an active processor of information. 3.Problem-solving tasks, learning strategies, etc.
Affective theory 1.Learning as an emotional process 2.The cognitive-affective interconnection 3.Motivation Language, learner and learning situation levels framework (Dornyei 2001: 18) Process model (ibid: ) 4.Authentic texts/tasks, small group- work, etc.
Learning vs. acquisition (Krashen) 1.Learning as an unconscious process 2.i + 1 (comprehensible input)
SEMINAR What theory/theories of learning underlie each of the language teaching activities provided?
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