Learning is not
pleasurable
Language learning is
perfectible
Many students arrive in Australia with the false belief that
after what seems to them a ‘reasonable’ period of time in Australia taking a
number of courses they will be able to speak with almost 100 percent performance
like a native speaker-all they need to do is study hard , take courses with a
good teacher. This unrealistic view
includes the perception that they will be to achieve a perfect accent and perfect
dominion of the prosodic features of communication, perfect grammar, perfect reading, listening comprehension and writing
skills!
The teachers job here is to let them down gently. After the
teacher has gained the confidence of the student they should be able to replace
their disappointment at not being perfect with a more realistic acceptance of
what they will be able to achieve linguistically. Only a caring teacher who is
committed to the personal growth and development of his students will be able
to do this. If the issue is not addressed the student will feel let down and discouraged and may even give up
on the language ‘project’ altogether. Such students will end up mixing with
their own nationality. ( which is not one of the KPIS of the language programs
or of the Australian government)
Again the problem here is indoctrination by the school
system in the country of origin. Students internalize the mistaken idea that
everything of value must be taught to them in a formal school setting.
Students who are let down gently by a caring teacher can
still have a vigorous and productive language and cultural experience in Australia
without expecting to have perfect language performance.
Because of the lifeless pedagogy and rigid didactic pedagogies
employed in many educational institutions in their countries of origin students
may often arrive in Australia with the idea that Learning is not pleasurable
This is a problem for the teacher because many of the
activities in language teaching–even academic English language teaching are
interactive and pleasurable for the learner . Games can be used for vocabulary development
and speaking activities often involve pleasurable interchange with both teacher
and fellow students. There is a danger that the student will undervalue these activities
and see them as a waste of time.
The teacher must persist here and eventually the reluctant
learner should learn to ‘let this belief
go’ enjoy themselves in class. I
personally felt towards the end of my career that if the students hadn’t enjoyed
themselves in my class that particular class as a failure. To connect learning with
pleasure is to simply do the obvious. Children love learning but somehow learning
in schools has become so politicised and manipulative that there is often little or no pleasure in it at
all-especially in the countries the learners come from.
Although I was adequate academically, I myself rarely enjoyed
a class as a child or teenager. I became determined as a teacher that my classes
would be enjoyable. In fact, this is one of the main reasons I changed from
Science to English teaching half-way through my career. The methodology of
language teaching is so much more enjoyable for me than that of science
teaching ever was. Real world issues can be discussed. Videos can be watched,
debates and discussions can be had. Games and interactive activities can be
employed. This is very different from teaching science!
The content of science may be interesting but the
methodology is much less flexible. Vive la difference!
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