Sessions

Making classes 'SMART' to boost motivation and achievement

Self-Determination Theory states that all humans possess the motivation to improve and feel a resultant sense of achievement (Reeve, Deci & Ryan, 2004). One problem which can hinder such motivation and progress for students studying English is a lack of clarity of the expectations for their oral performance. Research shows that students will make greater efforts if they are shown where their performance 'is', where it should 'go' and 'how' to get it there (Atkin, Black, & Coffey, 2001). In addition, clarifying the purpose of the learning for real-world use beyond the classroom will further motivate students to improve. This presentation explains how such theories of learning and human psychology can be applied to language learning classrooms by using original 'SMART' checklists, designed specifically for second language oral tasks. These checklists better define and direct students’ efforts so that classes demonstrate higher levels of motivation and resultant achievement in learning English speaking skills. By clarifying oral task Skills, Measures, Actions, Reasons and Time, students become more focused on and confident at improving their speaking skills over time. The presenter will give clear examples of how to create and apply these SMART checklists to existing oral tasks to motivate and engage students.

Generating interactive classrooms with a scaffolded three-stage model

Oral interaction between students is an essential part of the learning process for developing English speaking skills. However, issues with student language levels, confidence, anxiety and task difficulty can lead to a hesitancy to 'speak up' and participate. Classroom-based studies show that students who can plan their speech for oral interactions during pre-task, online and post-task stages are better prepared and supported to interact with others, and demonstrate better fluency. In addition, students will participate more actively and become more fluent with their language use if they are allowed to repeat the same task several times. The presenter will demonstrate how such research findings can be combined to create a powerful task design model which helps students become more confident and fluent at speaking with others in English. The model scaffolds the learning with three stages of oral interaction with increasing difficulty for preparing, checking and reviewing task plans. By doing so, students (especially those of a low-level) can become increasingly confident and fluent within second language oral interactions at a comfortable and realistic pace. The presentation will conclude with simple instructions for teachers to apply the model to their own classes to improve confidence, participation and oral fluency.