1. Learning outside the classroom
Richard Watson Todd
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

2. Why learning outside the classroom is important
Time
Differences between language inside and outside the classroom
Promoting lifelong learning
Lack of evidence for effectiveness of classroom learning
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

3. Some relevant issues Motivation for learning Resources for learning
Tasks for learning
Focus of learning
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

4. Motivation for learning
Is the learner studying an English course?
If no, autonomous learning
If yes, does the teacher assign work outside class?
Is the learner free to choose what work to do?
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

5. Resources for learning
Is the situation EFL or ESL?
If ESL, can the learner use the community or the family?
Are learning resources (e.g. self-access) available?
What media can the learner access?
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

6. Tasks for learning What skill does the learner want to improve?
If speaking or writing, how can the learner gain feedback?
If reading or listening, should the learner engage in open-ended or closed-ended tasks?
Students prefer to focus on receptive skills in outside-class learning (Hyland, 2004)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

7. Focus of learning Does the learner intend to practise English?
Does the learner want to engage in meaningful use of English?
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

8. 2 examples
Homework
Autonomous CALL
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

9. Homework Motivation: teacher assigns work
Resource: usually paper-based exercises
Task: usually to complete closed-ended practice exercises
Focus: specific language points
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

10. Summary of research into homework
4 main types of homework (Freiberg and Driscoll, 2000)
rehearsal (repetitive practice)
preparation (e.g. pre-reading)
review (transfer of skills to new situations)
integration (e.g. project work)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

11. Summary of research into homework
Actual use of homework (North and Pillay, 2000)
Teachers perceive main purpose of homework as practice
Teachers most commonly assign grammar practice exercises
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

12. Summary of research into homework
Consequences of standard homework practices (Calzoni, 2003; Warwick and Jeffrey, 2003)
Students find homework one of the least enjoyable aspects of courses
Students especially dislike practice exercises
Students believe homework does not help their learning much
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

13. Summary of research into homework
Directions to improve homework (Cole and Chan, 1987; Stern, 1997)
Homework should encourage reflection
Teachers need to plan homework carefully
Teachers must give feedback on homework
Students should be involved in deciding on homework
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

14. Summary of research into homework
Homework, parents and the community (North and Pillay, 2002; Lazear, 2000; Stern, 1997)
Teachers rank involving parents with homework as a low priority
However, parents should be involved, especially in applying school learning to real situations
Parents can help with space and time for homework
Parents should be supportive, not competitive
Where possible, homework should be integrated with the community (e.g. NGOs, visits to museums, factories etc.)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

15. Summary of research into homework
Innovative homework practices (Stern, 1997)
Integrating homework with what students want to do
Analysing camera angles while watching a TV concert
Comparing TV soap operas with real life
(e.g. no-one goes to the toilet, no swearing)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

16. Conclusions about homework
Reduce reliance on grammar practice
Assign innovative tasks
Involve students and parents in homework
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

17. Autonomous CALL Motivation: learner works voluntarily
Resource: CALL resources
Task: Internet, CMC
Focus: meaningful English use
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

18. Types of CALL Multimedia CALL software
Language exercises on the Internet
Knowledge resources on the Internet
Computer-mediated communication (CMC)
(cf. Linder, 2004)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

19. Characteristics of CALL
Multimedia software and Internet exercises
closed-ended
meaningless
language-focused
Internet resources and CMC
open-ended
meaningful
content-focused
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

20. Teachers’ assignments of CALL
Teachers want learners to focus on English
Teachers want learners to acquire specific language points
Teachers assign multimedia software and Internet exercises
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

21. Learners’ autonomous use of CALL
Learners want to fulfill real-world tasks
Learners want to focus on content
Learners use Internet resources and CMC
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

22. Conclusions about autonomous CALL
If learners are learning autonomously, they will focus on meaningful content-oriented CALL
Will learners learn any English from this?
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

23. How to learn outside the classroom
If homework consists of innovative tasks not focused on language practice,
and if autonomous CALL is content-focused,
then how can we be sure that learners will learn anything?
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

24. Types of autonomous learning
Self-instruction: learning is deliberately planned
Naturalistic learning: unintentional engagement with English and incidental learning
Self-directed naturalistic learning: learners seek naturalistic situations that can help English learning
(Benson, 2001)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

25. Types of autonomous learning
If self-instruction, learners may engage in language-focused tasks
For all types of autonomous learning, learners are more likely to engage in content-focused tasks
Still need to consider how to promote language learning in content-focused tasks
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

26. Theories of learning Child development theories (e.g. Piaget)
Not relevant to older students
Classroom-oriented theories (e.g. scaffolding, data-driven learning)
Not relevant to autonomous learning
Traditional broad theories (e.g. behaviourism, constructivism)
Learners need feedback (problem with open-ended tasks)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

27. Learning orientations
Attention, noticing, awareness
Language learners need to:
pay attention to input
pay particular attention to whatever aspect of the input is of special concern
look for clues to why English speakers say what they say
if a generalised principle cannot be identified, focus on specific instances in specific contexts
(Schmidt, 1995)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

28. Applicability to autonomous learning
Exposure to language is not sufficient
Attention and noticing can help learning
Noticing is possible without a teacher
BUT is noticing innate or is it learnt?
If it is learnt, do teachers need to train learners in noticing to promote lifelong learning?
How can such training be conducted?
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

29. Guidelines for noticing
Use checklist of questions to guide noticing of new language
Where did you see/hear the new language?
Who wrote/said it to whom?
What happened before it was shown/said?
What happened afterwards?
What do you think the new language means?
(Adams, 2001)
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

30. Conclusions about learning outside class
Need to consider learners’ motivations, available resources and tasks, and learning focuses
Teacher-assigned learning should lead towards autonomous learning
Tasks should be open-ended, meaningful and content-focused
©2006 Richard Watson Todd

31. Conclusions about learning outside class
Parents should be involved
Teachers can help students prepare for autonomous learning by promoting attention and noticing
©2006 Richard Watson Todd