Module 1: Teaching and learning

Learning a new language can be difficult, so teaching a new language inherently comes with great obstacles. To
effectively teach English to someone new to the language, you have a lot to understand, including the basics of
the English language, how speakers acquire a new language, and how to motivate students to succeed when
they are struggling. In this module, we will discuss the basics of how to get started, including taking a hard look
at how to access the motivations of new students, how to use their previous language and cultural background to
your advantage, and how to get them started on the path to English fluency.

1.1 Motivation

Teaching any subject involves knowing how motivation affects a student. Without proper motivation, it will be
difficult for students to accept what they are learning and commit to the process. Since learning a new
language can be especially hard it is even more important that you, as the teacher, understand the motivation
behind your students' commitment to learning, and use it to your advantage. We will start discussing motivation
by breaking it down into its two smaller parts: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.

1.1.1 Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation is the best stepping stone to success, but you can't teach it. Intrinsic motivation
characterizes someone who is compelled to do something for internal rewards. This type of motivation is
powerful because extrinsic rewards can be fleeting or disappointing, but an internal drive to succeed will
almost always motivate an individual. While you cannot teach someone to be intrinsically motivated, you
can help your students access intrinsic motivation that they may not know is already there or that they may
have lost for the moment. If you know your students are intrinsically motivated, you can help them succeed.
Here are some tips you can follow:

 Get to the root of what is driving the individual. While they may only acknowledge an extrinsic
motivation for learning English, you may be able to help them tie that to a grander internal drive. For
example, if students come to you wanting to learn English because they are moving to an English
speaking country and it will be helpful to know, the superficial part of their reasoning points toward
extrinsic motivation. However, this extrinsic motivator points to something internal: the desire to fit in
and not feel like an outsider.

 Understand the basis for most forms of intrinsic motivation. William Glasser, an American psychiatrist,
published a theory in 1998 that proposed that humans have essential needs that dictate our emotional
health. These needs are the need to belong or connect, the need for power or competence, the need
for freedom, and the need to have fun. Having these needs in mind could help you when designing your
lessons. Which of these needs is this lesson satisfying? This is a way to get away from the punishment
and reward system that is meant to access an individual’s extrinsic motivation.

 Be aware that intrinsic motivation cannot be forced and does not abide by the classic reward and
punishment system that many follow. For example, if someone is not reacting to your lessons, it will not
be helpful to intentionally make them feel that they don’t belong. For intrinsic motivation to succeed, the
individual needs to feel that they are in control of the situation, so try to access your students’ internal
drive, but don’t try to force one on them.

1.1.2 Extrinsic motivation

While extrinsic motivation is not nearly as strong as intrinsic motivation, it is much easier as the teacher for you
to control. Extrinsic motivation refers to when an individual is compelled to do something because of an outside
reward. Because of the ease at which it can be used to teach someone, extrinsic motivators are often the basis
for educational programs. The most common extrinsic motivator is grading, with which teachers can very
simply reward good behaviour and punish bad behaviour (behaviour here refers to whatever the student is
expected to do). A student who hands in his or her project, follows directions, and effectively addresses the
prompt or purpose of the project is rewarded with an A, and a student who does not is punished with an F.

Why it works

Even though the drive caused by extrinsic motivation pales in comparison to the drive that is caused by
intrinsic motivation, that does mean that you cannot find success with extrinsic motivation. These motivators
access an individual’s innate desire to find success even if someone else defines that success. Here are some
examples of extrinsic motivators that work in the classroom:

 Grades: This is the most obvious extrinsic motivator. Individuals want to be successful and feel better
when they receive a high score as opposed to a low score. If you teach in a high school setting, grades
can mean the difference as to whether or not the student gets into college (or a good college), so
grades can be a good motivator for students. Even when there is no next level, however, many
students will be motivated to succeed by grades.
  Competition: Many individuals have an innate desire to be winners, and putting your students in
competition with each other can be a good way to motivate them to succeed, especially if the ongoing
results are available to all students. This approach is often used by teachers of younger students with
such things as performance charts, where teachers give students who do well some sort of visible
reward, such as a gold star. Conversely, teachers can punish negative behaviors by posting the name
of the student in question on the board as someone who is not behaving. This can sometimes help
motivate students to succeed because they would like to do better than their classmates.

 Extra rewards and punishments: Besides grades, some teachers will offer extra incentive to succeed,
perhaps in the form of prizes. A teacher might, for example, make an agreement with a student that if
he or she improves, then he or she can go on the class trip. Conversely, punishments, such as
detentions or phone calls home, can be a consequence that motivates a student.

1.1.3 Which type of motivation is better?

While intrinsic motivation is stronger than extrinsic motivation, it is not very immediate and therefore can lose
effectiveness in the short term. Extrinsic motivation can be very helpful in the short term, but it is often only
temporary. For that reason, the best type of motivation is a combination of the two. Even students with intrinsic
motivation sometimes need to be motivated by extrinsic rewards and punishments to keep them on track. Here
are some examples of how you can use both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation to help your students:

 We’ll start with an example we have previously used: an individual would like to learn English because
she is moving to an English-speaking country. Whether or not she realizes it, this can be an example of
intrinsic motivation and her need to fit in and be successful. You can help her access this by asking her
to write down the reasons why she thinks it would be helpful to learn English and then look deeply into
those reasons. While this desire can be a strong motivator, you may find that this student begins
slacking off during your lessons. She may be having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Using extrinsic motivators, such as grades or rewards, can help her get over the hurdle and back on
track. The lasting motivation that will drive her to succeed is the need to fit in, but the temporary
motivation of grades or a reward will help her succeed when she is having trouble seeing the finish line.

 A man comes to you and tells you he wants to learn English so he can get a promotion and make more
money in his corporate career. While money and prestige are both extrinsic motivators, the need for
approval and competence is intrinsic. This is an individual who is driven by the desire to succeed, so
extrinsic motivators will be very effective on him. If he wants to use this as a way of advancing his
career, then he will likely want to learn English while attaining the highest grades or scores possible so
he can flaunt his success. This is the extrinsic carrot that you can use to help him succeed.

 A woman feels stuck in a job that is stifling and wants to pursue a career that requires her to know
English and comes to you for help. This individual is intrinsically motivated by her need for control and
freedom. She is less likely to be motivated by outside influences, and more likely to be motivated by a
less overbearing and prescribed teaching style. However, she may still require some extrinsic
motivators to continue striving for success, so you may need to let her frame her own definition of
success and then grade her on the framework she created. This will give her the freedom she wants
while still holding her personally accountable for her actions.

1.2 Understanding cultural backgrounds

One of the first steps you need to take as an educator when you are trying to help someone learn a new
language is to take their cultural background into account. You cannot help someone get somewhere new
without first understanding where they are coming from. Instead of trying to present to you all of the potential
cultural backgrounds that your students could be bringing to the table (which could be an entire course in
itself), we are instead going to focus on why it is important to consider your students’ backgrounds and why it
can be useful to adjust your instruction to better address the varying backgrounds of your students.

1.2.1 Why is it important to understand your students’ cultural backgrounds?

Language is directly related to culture because language is fluid and changes over time as the culture of a
region changes. This is why such languages as Italian and French can both originate from Latin but still be
fundamentally different. Latin was taken to these regions, and it developed as the culture of the regions
developed, taking two very different paths in Italian and French. So, as much as it is important to teach cultural
elements as you teach English, it is important to take into account the importance of an individual’s cultural
origins. These cultural backgrounds can not only affect the way they learn a new language but also the way
they learn in general. Here are some ways that an individual’s cultural background can affect his or her
learning a new language:

 A student’s environment can have an enormous effect on the way they learn. Studies have shown that
language acquisition is considerably affected by an individual’s background, and while learning a new
language isn’t the same as learning your first language, environment can still be important in an
 individual learning a second language. A student who comes from a home that values education comes
from a home that nurtures what he or she is learning. A student who comes from a home that values
life experience over formal education might have more difficulty with traditional lessons.

 Students from various cultural backgrounds will react to different styles of teaching in different ways.
Some of your students may be coming from a background of very strict, teacher-led instruction. Others
may be coming from a background of more free, student-led instruction. While both styles have merit,
you will find yourself needing to use differentiation to properly reach both of these students. You can
determine how to best meet the needs of your students by simply asking them either through an
informal conversation or a more standard pretest. Let your students tell you how they learn best, and try
to adjust your teaching to appeal to their needs.

 An individual’s cultural background can affect the way they think, which can greatly affect the student’s
performance in your classroom. Taking your students’ cultural backgrounds into account when you are
designing and implementing your instruction will help you account for the potentially different ways that
your students think.

1.3 The importance of a first language

More important than understanding your students’ cultural background is understanding how their first
language will affect the speed and ease with which they learn English as a new language. While a student’s
cultural background can affect the way they learn, a student’s native language can affect the way they view
language to begin with. What are some of the obstacles that students may face when trying to learn English as
a second language?

1.3.1 Language barriers

Every language has its own rules, and while many languages share similarities that make new language
acquisition simpler, some students will be trying to transition to a new set of rules and language structure. Here
are some examples of how language is structured differently in different languages:

 Some languages have been created based on symbols or pictures that represent ideas rather than
words made up of letters. The transition to English from languages that follow such a structure can be
very difficult.

 Some languages are read from right to left rather than left to right, which is how English is read. This
does not necessarily affect a student’s ability to gain proficiency in speaking the language, but it
certainly presents a hurdle for students who are trying to learn to read English.

 Many languages require a different sentence structure than English does. One of the most common
examples of this is when languages place adjectives differently in a sentence than they are placed in
English. While in English someone might say “go get the blue car,” that same sentence in some
languages would translate back to English as “go get the car blue.” This can make fluency difficult.  

 Many students will be confused by the way verbs are conjugated in English. Many languages besides
English have fairly set rules that apply to the conjugation of most verbs, while English can seem like a
free-for-all at times.

1.3.2 How can we use our students’ native languages to our advantage?

While a new language like English will certainly present obstacles for your students to overcome, there are
ways you can take those obstacles and turn them into advantages. If your students are coming to the class
already understanding a language other than English, why not use that to help them learn better? Here are
some ways that teachers can use a student’s native language to help them learn a new language:

 It is important that you understand cognates and how to use them. A cognate is a word or root word
that is used in different languages and has a similar etymological background. In other words, you can
provide a link for your students between their native language and English. These cognates can be little
pockets of comfort for your students as they tread into the unknown territory of a new language. 

 Developing further on the above point, emphasize breaking words down to their roots as you are
teaching them. This helps students have a better understanding of the patterns of the English
language, which will help them succeed more quickly. This makes it easier for the students to link the
two languages through cognates, but it also makes it easier for students to make connections between
new words they are learning.

 Using different texts is a good way to help students ease into the new language. Providing a translated
version of the text may change the structure, connotation, and intent, but it will give them a frame of
reference for when they get stuck. Translated texts can be a crutch for new language learners, but if
they are used properly, they can simply work as a guide to help students feel more comfortable with a
new language.
  Try asking questions in the student’s native language, but ask them to answer in English. Or switch it
around and ask them questions in English that they need to answer in their native language. This may
be more work for you, depending on the diversity of your classroom, but it can help students ease into
understanding English.

 Use your students’ native language to help scaffold and model in English. This can be as simple as
having your students write in their native language and then showing them how it would look in English.
You could then ask them to do the same thing following your model. Unfortunately, this may require you
to be fluent in many languages, but you can work through it with the student if you don’t speak their
native language.

 Have your students help each other. Even if the students do not speak the same native language, they
are going through the same process and can bond in their desire to learn English and really help each
other learn.

1.4 Getting started

It is no mystery that teaching students a new language is a very difficult task, but it can be infinitely rewarding.
So, how do you actually get started on your career? The first step, of course, you have already taken, which is
to seek training. Let’s take a look at some other important aspects of successfully helping your students.

1.4.1 Ensuring your success

Here are some basic tips to ensure you are successful and able to help your students learn English as a
second language:

 Make sure that you are well versed in the structure and makeup of the English language. We will
discuss many things you need to know, but it couldn’t hurt to supplement this course with further study
of the language. The English language is incredibly complex and full of rules that are not necessarily
logical, so it will always help you to study up.

 While we will give you many of the tools you need to become an effective teacher of English as a
second language, it is important that you continually seek out research and professional journal articles
to keep up with current educational trends. We are constantly finding out more and more about how we
attain language and how we learn, so teaching English as a second language is a lifelong educational
commitment.

 Make sure you understand how learners acquire new knowledge. As we have discussed earlier in this
module, that does not just refer to language acquisition but to knowledge acquisition as a whole. Learn
everything you need to know about differentiation (which we will discuss at length in a future model) to
give your students the best chance to succeed in learning their new language.

 Be prepared to be patient. If you do not come from a teaching background, you may not be aware of
the patience it takes to help someone learn something new. If you do come from a teaching
background, then understand that this may be the most difficult thing to teach someone, and that you
will need to be even more patient than you may have expected. 

 Continually use your experiences to build a wealth of knowledge of strategies and concepts that work
for your students. All of the training in the world will help you, but the true answers to your questions of
“how?” will come from experience. Make sure that you don’t forget any of the lessons you learn along
the way.

1.4.2 Understanding the basics

There is a basic framework you will need to follow to be successful in helping students learn a new language.
While we will discuss most of these concepts in detail in future modules, here is an overview to help get you
started on your path to success:

 Linguistics:

Helping your students understand the basics of linguistics will help ensure that they understand the
basics of how the English language is structured, how we break down and diagram the components of
a sentence, and how we communicate in English. This concept will give the students a structure on
which to build their true understanding of the language.

 Reading:

Reading is one of the first skills you will try to develop with your students. It is typically where most
teachers of English as a second language begin because having the words in front of the student can
make him or her feel more comfortable trying to decipher them. Students can learn to see the words
and sound them out with the guidance of the word in front of them.
  Writing:

The next step is usually to work on your students’ skills in writing in English. They will still have the
guidance of the words in front of them as they do when they learn to read, but it requires them to take
the next step because they will be the ones producing the words. This is a great time for students to
really work on some of the linguistic principles they have already studied and practice sentence
structure, syntax, and other basic concepts of English.

 Speaking:

Speaking can be the most difficult part of learning a new language. Having to sound the words out loud
can add an extra level of anxiety because everyone in the class will hear the student if he or she makes a
mistake. Creating a classroom of respect and support can go a long way to assuage your students’
anxiety. If the student feels comfortable enough that he or she is not afraid to make mistakes in front of
the class, he or she will be more willing to take risks.

 Listening:

While listening is arguably a more difficult skill than speaking concerning a new language, students often
feel more comfortable with it because they are not required to put themselves out there as much.
However, listening is the next step after the students begin learning to speak the language. If a student
can listen to something in English, comprehend it, and respond properly, he or she is exhibiting a complex
understanding of the language and is usually doing it without a visual reference (besides body language).