The presentation explores the pedagogical skills used to support language learning. I'll revisit the way we teach by exploring how we learn; Investigate teaching as a “Design Science”, and explore pedagogical models of learning associated with practice. Finally I will question how we can promote non-formal learning through communities of practice

1. Pedagogy skills in supporting
language learning
Robin Trangmar
Pennaeth Raglen - Addysg a Hyfforddiant
Head of Education and Training

2. Smartphone / Tablet users
Look for the Wifi:
Go to the following website:
m.socrative.com
 In Room Number type 546546
 Click ‘join room’

3. Socrative Quiz
Demographics
• Q 1, 2, 3 – answer alone

4. Aims and Outcomes
Learning Intentions
 To explore the pedagogical skills used to support language
learning
Success Criteria
 Revisit the way we teach by exploring how we learn
 Investigate teaching as a “Design Science”
 Explore pedagogical models of learning associated with
practice
 Question how we can promote non-formal learning

5. "Teaching is more like a design science because it
uses what is known about teaching to
attain the goal of student learning , and
uses the implementation of its designs to keep
improving them”
(Laurillard 2012; 1) (my emphasis)

6. Socrative Quiz
Internet use
• Turn around to the person sat behind
you and discuss Q4, Q5 and Q6 before
you answer

7. Active mobile broadband subscriptions by region in 2010 and 2011
(2011 figures are estimates)
The
Developed Developing Arab Asia &
Global Africa CIS Europe Americ
nations nations States Pacific
as
Active mobile
broadband
subscriptions 1,093 635 458 27 42 422 87 226 279
2011 (millions)
Per 100 people 15.7
2011 51.3% 8.0% 3.3% 11.7% 10.7% 31.3% 36.5% 29.7%
%
Active mobile
broadband
subscriptions 773 516 256 14 26 281 63 174 206
2010 (millions)
Per 100 people
2010 11.2% 41.8% 4.5% 1.8% 7.4% 7.3% 22.5% 28.2% 22.1%
via:
Source: International Telecommunication Union (June 2012)
mobiThinking

8. What it takes to learn
Associative Conceptual
Learning Learning
Experiential Collaborative
Behaviourism
Learning Learning
Cognitive Construction
Learning -ism
Social
Constructivism

9. A comprehensive account of
what it takes to learn?
 Teaching  Self – directed Learning
 Behaviourism  Experiential learning
 Associative learning  Social constructivism
 Cognitive learning  Conceptual learning
 Constructionism
 Collaborative learning

10. The Teacher – Learner partnership
Behaviourism
 Learner learns to exhibit certain behaviours
 “operant conditioning”
 Reinforcement after a behaviour is demonstrated
Associative learning
 “Connectionism” (ie connecting events) – more useful than
“operant conditioning”
 Important that teacher optimally sequences tasks required
for learning (eg) literacy (Frith 2007)
Cognitive Learning
 Importance of meaningfulness of learning activities to the
learner

11. Technology + Learning Teaching
Teaching is supported through ‘technology’
Historically
 Books, blackboard, chalk
Currently
 Internet supported, computer mediated

12. A comprehensive account of
what it takes to learn?
 Teaching  Self – directed Learning
 Behaviourism  Experiential learning
 Associative learning  Social constructivism
 Cognitive learning  Conceptual learning
 Constructionism
 Collaborative learning

13. Experiential Learning
Dewey (1938) – learning through experience
 Learner’s own organisation of the problem situation is
what enables them to develop new knowledge within a
curriculum, just as they do in their untaught, informal
learning
 Learner will continually develop their knowledge through
attempting to work through realistic, experiential
problems
 Ideas are formed, the resulting conditions observed, facts
and ideas created for future use

14. Collaborative Learning
Experiential learning that requires the learner to
produce an output by acting on the world in some way
 More than discussion, argument, question or answer
 Demands group consensus on producing an output
 Output may be represented in different ways – essay,
report, presentation, performance, proposal …
 Group collaboration creates output as a ‘shared
understanding’ (agreed output) and requires each learner
to reflect on the others’ ideas in order to critique of extend
them

15. Social Constructivism
 Learning happens automatically in the brain for our evolved
capabilities
 Skills and knowledge developed by other individuals must be
learned through imitation, discovery or communication
 Communication is enhanced through the use of language which can
express complex ideas
 Dewey & Vygotsky emphasised the role of language and social
interaction
 Through discussion between learner, teacher & each other,
they develop ideas in ways that are different from the
learning they do through practice & experience
 See also Frith 2007, 2011

16. Conceptual Learning
 Deep and Surface level processing (Marton & Säljö, 1976)
 Deep approach
 Seek meaning
 Looking at the broad picture
 Relating ideas to previous knowledge & experience
 Looking for patterns & underlying principles
 Checking evidence & relating it to conclusions
 Examining logic & argument cautiously & critically
 Monitoring understanding as a learning process
 Engaging with ideas & enjoying intellectual challenge
 (Entwhistle & Peterson, 2004)

17. “teaching is about moving minds”
(Laurillard 2012; 5)

18. Non-formal learning

19. Subject – specialist pedagogy
[It is] ‘a fact that different ways of knowing
and understanding demand different ways of
learning and teaching. Mathematical,
linguistic, literary, historical, scientific, artistic,
technological, economic, religious and civic
understanding are not all the same. Some demand
much more than others by way of a grounding in
skill and propositional knowledge, and all advance
the faster on the basis of engagement with existing
knowledge, understanding and insight’.
(Alexander (2000, 561) in Coffield et al, 2004, 144)
Slide 19

20. Non-formal language learning
“People are constantly learning everywhere and
at all times. Not a single day goes by that does not
lead to additional skills, knowledge and/or competences
for all individuals. For people outside the initial
education and training system, adults in particular, it is
very likely that this learning, taking place at
home, at the workplace or elsewhere, is a lot
more important, relevant and significant than the
kind of learning that occurs in formal settings”
(OECD)

21. Socrative Quiz
Language
• Q 7, 8 – answer alone

22. Technology + Teaching Learning
“Knowledge technology” shapes what is learned by
changing how it is learned

23. Constructionism
Laurillard (2012; 54) summarises this as:
 Learning through experience
 Learning through practice
 Learning by doing
 Learning by constructing
 Situated learning
Learning through a practice environment (Papert 1980)
 learners learn more deeply because the actions they take to
produce something elicits results that feed back
information about how to produce their next action
(similar to situated learning)

24. How could we use the
internet to support non-
formal second language
learning?

25. Disruptive Technologies
Smartphones and Tablets
 Apps
Engage with authentic language speakers
 Networking, Video conferencing
Hear authentic language spoken
 Podcasting
 YouTube
We can customise information to come to us
 Widgets
 RSS feeds
 News aggregators

26. Networking Services
Google +
Social Networking
Small group communications
Skype
1:1 conferencing

27. Socrative Quiz
Demographics
• Q 9, 10 – discuss with the person sat
next to you

28. Translation Apps
Google Translate
 Example

29. Online Services
The BBC
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/tae
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

30. Minds on Fire …
 “The places that are globally competitive are those that
have robust local ecosystems of resources
supporting innovation and productiveness … these
ecosystems must … provide support for
continuous learning … Nor is it likely that the
current methods of teaching and learning will suffice to
prepare students for the lives that they will lead in the
twenty-first century”
(Seeley Brown & Adler, 2008; 16)

31. Contact details
Robin Trangmar FHEA, FIfL, FRGS, M.Ed., CharteredMCIPD
@yrathro
http://yrathro.wordpress.com
Head of Education and Training, Coleg Llandrillo ,
Colwyn Bay LL28 4HZ
01492-546666 x427
r.trangmar@gllm.ac.uk
Presentation at http://goo.gl/nOsqy

32. References
Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E., & Ecclestone, K.,
(2004) Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning:
A systematic and critical review. LSDA, London
DeJong, T., & Ferguson-Hessler, M., 1996. Types and
Qualities of Knowledge. Educational Psychologist, 31(2),
105-113.
Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and Education, New York:
Collier Books (see http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-
dewey.htm)

33. References
 Entwistle, N. and Peterson, E. (2004). Conceptions of learning
and knowledge in higher education: relationships with study
behaviour and influences of learning environments.
International Journal of Educational Research. 41 (6), p.407-
428
 Frith, C., (2007) Making up the mind: How the brain creates
our mental world. Oxford, Blackwell Publishing
 Frith, U., (2011) Brain Waves 2: Neuroscience: implications for
education and lifelong learning, London, The Royal Society
available at http://royalsociety.org/policy/projects/brain-
waves/education-lifelong-learning/ accessed 15 October 2012

34. References
Laurillard, D., (2012) Teaching as a Design Science:
Building Pedagogical Patterns for Learning and
Technology. London, Routledge
Marton, F & Säljö, (1976) On Qualitative Differences in
Learning: I—Outcome and Process British Journal of
Educational Psychology, Volume 46, Issue 1, pages 4–11,
February 1976

35. References
OECD. Recognition of Non-formal and Informal
Learning. downloaded from
http://www.oecd.org/document/25/0,3343,en_2649_392
63238_37136921_1_1_1_37455,00.html 28 February 2013
Papert, S., (1980) Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and
Powerful Ideas. Brighton, The Harvester Press
Seeley Brown, J., & Adler, R., EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 43,
no. 1 (January/February 2008): 16–32
Wertheimer, M., (1959) Productive Thinking. Michigan,
Harper