FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES (See page 240 for answers)

1 Look at these brief profiles of three learners of English. How might their learner characteristics
influence how they like to learn and how successful they are at learning English?

2 Look at the classroom activities and at the list of learning styles on page 72. Match the activities
with the learning styles they are most suitable for.
A Giving learners lots of thinking time to answer questions analytic/reflective
B Touching objects with your eyes closed to describe them kinaesthetic
C. Solving problems with others group
D Looking at sentences containing the second conditional, and working out how to form this tense.
analytic
E Listening to songs and stories auditory
F Asking learners to decide on their own homework impulsive
G Asking learners to brainstorm answers in one minute reflective
H Doing a role play activity kinaestehetic/group/impulsive
I Asking learners to imagine a scene and describe it to you visual
J Asking learners to label a picture visual/reflective
Which of these activities are suitable for both adults and young children?

REFLECTION
Think about these teachers' comments. Which do you agree with and why?
1 My learning style is auditory and I think most of my teaching is auditory, too.
2 I spent two lessons explaining learning strategics to my students when they started secondary
school. They just weren't interested, so I haven't tried it again.
3 Some of my students are really good at learning things by heart, but I think that's old-fashioned.

DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES
1 Observe two of your learners next week and work out which learning style(s) they have. Write a
description of their learning style(s) and put it in your Teacher Portfolio.
2 What is your learning style? Find out at:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
3 Read more about learning styles at:
http://www.learning-styles-online.com/
4 Read more about learning strategies at:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/section.asp?docid=155562

TKT practice task 13 (See page 245 for answers)

For questions 1- 5, look at the learners' characteristics and the three possible activities listed A, B
and C.

Choose the activity (A, B or C) which matches the characteristic.

1 These learners are mainly kinaesthetic.
A The learners in groups tell a story based on a series of pictures they look at.
B The learners go round the class reading posters made by the other groups.
C The learners listen to a recording about an athlete and fill in a table.

2 These learners have a short attention span.

A The learners spend the lesson doing lots of different choral drills.
B The learners spend the lesson reading an article on the computer about a favourite topic.
C The learners read a story, then discuss it, then draw pictures describing it.

3 These learners have not yet developed their abstract thinking skills.
A The learner s read a story, then underline all the verbs ending in -ed.
B The learners watch a DVD about healthy eating then discuss their opinions of it.
C The learners describe their house to one another.

4 These learners don't like taking risks.

A The learners write stories, practise reading first silently then aloud, and then tell them to their
partners.
B The learners look at pictures of a story and then tell their partner their story.
C The learners each make up a story then tell it to their partner.

5 These learners are age 7-8.

A The learners explain the difference between guessing and deducing meaning.
B The learners give one another their homework for proofreading.
C The learners use pictures to talk about their favourite sport.