The Goal of all Good Teachers: Maximizing Student Learning

All of these readings focus on how teachers can maximize their students’ learning.  This topic is very practical and displays an abundance of strategies that we can use with our future English-learning students.  In his passage, Kumar establishes that teaching does not directly lead to learning (Kumar 44).  As described in other weeks, language education specialists no longer see teachers as “depositors of knowledge.”  Learning is seen as an interactive process between the teacher and the students, and also the students amongst each other.  Kumar repeatedly pointed out the benefits of answering individual questions in front of the whole class.  This is beneficial because in classes with students of similar proficiency levels, the answer to the question typically benefits more students than simply the individual who asked the question.  Kumar emphasized that these interactions are at the heart of language learning as opposed to rigid lesson plans.  Provocative teacher questioning and then interactive discourse is what maximizes learning opportunities.  

Brown’s readings support Kumar’s points and also expand on how teachers can create more autonomous learners.  Chapter 4 describes the 12 principles that guide language teaching.   According to Brown, a teacher that follows these principles will have an “enlightened” teaching strategy, which is an approach that accurately connects theory and practice (Brown 63).  The 12 principles are divided into 3 categories: cognitive principles, socioaffective principles, and linguistic principles.  Many of these principles focus on making students more independent learners, particularly principle 6 (autonomy).  This chapter, particularly the part about creating autonomous learners, reminded me of the old proverb, “Give a man a fish and he has food for a day.  Teach a man to fish and he has food for a lifetime.”  I agree with this philosophy and believe that perhaps the best teachers are the ones that create the most independent learners.  Isn’t it ironic that perhaps the best teachers are the least needed amongst their students?  

In Chapter 16, Brown further elaborates on ways to encourage students to use sound language learning strategies.  Four ways to introduce students to these research-tested language learning strategies are: interactive techniques, compensatory techniques, administering strategy inventories, and impromptu teach-initiated advice.  I like the idea of administering a strategy inventory and having students select which strategies appeal to them and could be regularly used to further enhance their learning.   While I wholeheartedly believe that it is essential that students are exposed to as many strategies as possible, I do not believe the use of certain strategies should be required or even pushed.  Students should be exposed to a variety of helpful language learning strategies and then incorporate the strategies that best help them learn.  If we want to respect learners’ individual differences, can we really force all learners to use the same strategies?