EFS 689E: Week 1

EFS 689E - STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Learning English on Your Own

Notes

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EFS 689E: Learning English on Your Own

Week 1: Introduction

O. Opening discussion--why are you here?

A. Keys to success and failure in working on your own:

Reach for the stars! vs. Set realistic goals

It's the journey that counts vs. Set concrete, measurable objectives

Do it when it feels right vs. Set aside specific times

Just do it! vs. Reflect at the beginning and end of each session

Be spontaneous vs. Plan materials and activities

Wait for the desire to work come to you vs. Understand and nourish your motivation

Do what you enjoy vs. Do what you enjoy

B. Commitment: statistics* for learning English on your own

2 hours week for maintenance

5 hours/week for slow, limited growth

10 hours/week for moderate growth

20 hours/week for rapid growth

30 hours/week for dramatic growth

Note: consider "English contact" to be about 1/4 as useful as focused, deliberate activity

*Statistics courtesy of Phil's experience and imagination

I. Introductions - opening exercise: abc.jpg

A. The course

B. Me: See my website at www.stanford.edu/~efs/phil.

C. You - handout "Common European Framework - Common Reference Levels" from www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Framework_EN.pdf. Which description fits you best? Where do you want to be next July?

II. Your language learning profile:

A. Fill out the language learning profile (see below)

B. Discuss your responses briefly in groups

III. What is language proficiency? Here are some general areas that represent elements in English language proficiency and issues in achieving it

A. Communicative competence: ability to use language to communicate (produce and comprehend) intended meanings in speech and writing

1. Linguistic competence: grammar, vocabulary, and phonology knowledge and skill

2. Discourse competence: ability to link sentences to create larger units of meaning, in both monologue and dialogue

3. Socio-cultural competence: ability to use language appropriately, depending on the participants and the situation

4. Strategic competence: ability to use strategies to improve communication or make up for deficiencies in other areas

B. Relationship of fluency and accuracy

1. Fluency is the ability to speak, comprehend, and interact with language with ease in real time;

Accuracy is the use of correct forms (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation...)

2. Many learn mostly grammar and vocabulary, often through translation, with a primary focus on accurate form over meaning

3. Relative importance: vocabularyàpronunciationàgrammar

C. Cognitive resource limitations: your brain cannot focus on too many things simultaneously. Some ways to overcome these limitations:

1. Extracting and interpreting meaning more effectively

2. Increasing speed of processing for comprehension and production

3. Learning new forms, reviewing old ones

4. Preparing to speak or listen in a conversational/discussion setting

D. Some findings from second language learning research

1. Importance of learning by understanding (comprehensible input)

2. The limits of that: fossilization

3. Difference between incidental and intentional learning: Value of attention and awareness

4. Value of production: you need to speak and write (even if just to yourself)

5. Overcoming cognitive resource limitations: work toward building automaticity; familiar content is usually best for learning language

IV. Using the web: free materials. Example: English, baby!: www.englishbaby.com

V. Some key elements of effective motivation (revised version of concepts from Oxford and Shearin, 1994)
Oxford, R.L. & Shearin, J. (1994). Language learning motivation: expanding the theoretical framework. Modern Language Journal, 78: 12-28

Your attitude: toward the English language and its speakers and toward the importance of learning it

Beliefs about yourself: confidence in success, ability to see your actions as leading to your objectives, and your level of anxiety about the process

Your goals: the ability to see your goals as concrete, relevant and achievable

Your involvement in the learning process: the intensity with which you engage in the language learning process and find it rewarding

Support: from teachers, friends, family, colleagues and others

Your personal attributes: language learning aptitude, age, first language, previous language learning experiences

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Homework

1) Bring your learning profile notes--and questions--to the first individual meeting. Be prepared to discuss what specific elements of English you would like to concentrate on.

2) Spend at least 60 minutes this week reviewing www.elllo.org and http://ecorner.stanford.edu. Try to do more if you are not taking our intensive English course. See the specific assignment below.

Remember, for the next few weeks at least, treat English learning as an important task, not just a recreational activity. Schedule it first, not last. Don't try, do.

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EFS 689E - English Learning Profile

1. Please rate yourself in the following areas. Be honest, not humble. Consider 10 to be a typical educated native speaker

Listening: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10