1. Giving our students tools to learn David Gray Barcelona, March 2009

2. Task 1 Think of a foreign language you have learned / are learning. Make a list of some techniques you used or are using to do the following: Think of a foreign language you have learned / are learning. Make a list of some techniques you used or are using to do the following: Learn new vocabulary Learn new vocabulary Improve your speaking Improve your speaking Improve your listening Improve your listening Revise for exams Revise for exams

3. Learning styles Auditive Auditive Visual Visual Kinaesthetic/physical Kinaesthetic/physical Analytical/logical Analytical/logical Interpersonal Interpersonal Intrapersonal Intrapersonal

4. Five provocations (?) As teachers, we are good language learners. As teachers, we are good language learners. We have usually learned in an intuitive way. We have usually learned in an intuitive way. We often assume that our learners can do the same. We often assume that our learners can do the same. This is not necessarily true! This is not necessarily true! We can help by focussing explicitly on techniques and strategies for learning, communicating (and doing exams). We can help by focussing explicitly on techniques and strategies for learning, communicating (and doing exams).

5. Areas of awareness Study habits Study habits My expectations My expectations English and me English and me Learning to speak Learning to speak Learning to listen Learning to listen Learning to read Learning to read Learning to write Learning to write Exam techniques Exam techniques

6. (1) Study habits Ways to record vocabulary Ways to remember vocabulary Ways to record grammar Ways to revise

7. (2) My expectations Mark the statements. 1 = Agree totally 2 = More or less agree 3 = Don’t agree I will be able to speak English fluently when I leave school. I expect to do exams. I expect English classes to be fun. It’s the teacher’s fault if I don’t learn. ………………

8. (3) English and me English words in my everyday life English words in my everyday life English-speaking people I like / don’t like English-speaking people I like / don’t like Interesting jobs and English Interesting jobs and English English and my language English and my language - Words with different / multiple meanings (eg constipado, hole) - Similarities and differences

9. Skills development Learning techniques, yes Learning techniques, yes Awareness-raising exercises, yes Awareness-raising exercises, yes But also… Communication strategies Communication strategies

13. Speaking (interaction) Speaking (production) ListeningWriting Saying you don’t understand Asking a person to repeat Showing interest Interrupting politely Checking if another person understands Apologising for feeling nervous Saying what you are going to talk about Using linkers Stressing content words Predicting Listening for gist Listening for specific information Identifying a speaker’s mood Brainstorming ideas Organising ideas into paragraphs Checking the first draft Writing a final draft

16. So, where have we been? It’s easy to make overly optimistic assumptions about our students It’s easy to make overly optimistic assumptions about our students We can give them tools to help them learn We can give them tools to help them learn Some areas we can usefully help Some areas we can usefully help Some ways to do this Some ways to do this Techniques, awareness, communication strategies Techniques, awareness, communication strategies Exam strategies Exam strategies

17. Thank you very much!!