Learning Strategy Training, Cooperative Learning, Multiple Intelligences.

Learning

Strategy

Training,

Cooperative

Learning,

Multiple

Intelligences.

Foreign or second language (L2) learning

strategies are specific actions, behaviors,

steps or techniques which a learner can use to

acquire the language.

Strategies are the tools for active, self-directed

involvement needed for developing L2

communicative ability (O'Malley & Chamot,

1990).

Learning strategy training - training

students in the use of learning strategies in

order to improve their learning effectiveness.

Observations

Prior to the lesson the
teacher has been reading
the students’ learning
journals, where the
students regularly write
about what and how they
are learning. The teacher
has also been interviewing
the students.

The teacher decides to
have the students work on
the strategy of advance
organization.

The teacher models the
use of the strategy using a
think-aloud demonstration.

Principles

The students’ prior
knowledge and
learning experiences
should be valued and
built upon.

Studying certain
learning strategies
will contribute to
academic success.

The teacher’s job is
not only to teach
language, but to
teach learning.

Observations

The students practice the
new learning strategy.

The students evaluate
their own success in
learning the strategy.
They modify the strategy
to meet their own
learning needs. They
share their innovations
with their classmates.

The teachers asks the
students to try out the
new strategy on a
different reading they
choose for homework hat
night.

Principles

For many students,
strategies have to be
learned. The best way to
do this is with „hands-on”
experience.

Students need to become
independent, self-
regulated learners. Self-
assessment contributes to
learner autonomy.

An important part of
learning a strategy is
being able to transfer it,
i.e. use it in a different
situation.

According to CHAMOT AND O’MALLEY, we

can distinguish 3 main learning

strategies:

Metacognitive strategies:
- used to plan, monitor and evaluate a learning task.

- arranging the conditions that help one learn

- setting long and short-term goals

- checking one’s comprehension during listening or reading.

Cognitive strategies:
- involve learners interacting and manipulating what is to be

learned (replying a word or phrase mentally to „listen” to it
again, outlining and summarizing what has been learned from
reading or listening, using keywords (remembering a new target
language word by associating it with a familiar word or by
creating a visual image of it ).

Social/ Affective strategies:
- learners interact with other people, creating situations to practice

the target learning with others, using self-talk, cooperating or
working with others to share information, obtain feedback and
complete a task.

Observations

The vocabulary
lesson will be done
in cooperative
groups. Each student
is to help the other
students learn the
new vocabulary
words.

The students ask
which groups they
should form. The
teacher tells them to
stay in the same
groups they have
been in this week.

Principles

Students are encouraged to think in
terms of „positive interdependence”,
which means that the students are not
thinking competitively and
individualistically, but rather
cooperatively and in terms of the group.

In cooperative learning, students often
stay together in the same groups for a
period of time so they can learn how to
work together better. The teacher
usually assigns students to the groups
so that the groups are mixed- males and
females, different ethnic groups,
different proficiency levels and so on.
This allows students to learn from each
other and also gives them practice in
how to get along with people who are
different from themselves.

Observations

The teacher gives the
students the criteria for
judging how well they
have performed the task
they have been given.
There are consequences
for the group and the
whole class.

The students are to work
on the social skill of
encouraging others.

The students appear to
be busy working in their
groups. There is much
talking in the groups.

Students take the test
individually.

Principles

The efforts of an individual
help not only the individual
to be rewarded, but also
others in the class.

Social skills such as
acknowledging another’s
contribution, asking others
to contribute, and keeping
the conversation calm need
to be explicitly taught.

Language acquisiton is
facilitated by students
interacting in the target
language.

Although students work
together, each student is
individually accountable.

Observations

Groups move back
together to compare
and combine scores.
The students put their
group’s scores on each
of their papers.

The groups discuss how
the target social skill
has been practiced.
Each student is given a
role.

The teacher gives
feedback on how
students did on the
target social skill.

Principles

Responsibility and accountability
for each other’s learning is
shared.

Each group member should be
encouraged to feel responsible
for participating and for learning.
Leadership is „distributed”.

Teachers not only teach language,
but cooperation as well. Of
course, since social skills involve
the use of language, cooperative
learning teaches language for
both academic and social
purposes.