Focus on This Learner
First Essay: “Focus on this Learner”
Rita Karen Law
Trainer: Mr. Meza
August 6, 2013
First Essay: “Focus on the Learner”
A unique human ability is to be able to create and use language to communicate to each other. Humans learn their culture through communication using their linguistic competence and performance. In an article written by Elwyn C. Lapoint, “Cultural Content in Introductory Linguistics” he states that “This holistic view of linguistic and cultural signing is communicated to students most effectively by means of examples.” (Lapoint, 153). As I approached Javier Ivan Murillo, a level 2C IMAC student, after observing his reading class, he seemed enthusiastic to speak to me in English. Although he stuttered some words and at times failed to understand my instructions for the needs analysis survey, after repetition and using different vocabulary, he was happy to help. As defined in an article from the textbook, intrinsic motivations “may be defined as motivations that stem from previous attitudes of the learner before attending a given learning experience. Learners are motivated from within.”(Harmer, 52).Through Javier’s survey, I believe he is an intrinsically motivated learner. His motivation to learn English stems from his desire to be able to travel around the world and be able to communicate with others. I believe I could help Javier improve his English speaking skills by guiding a conversation course with topics he is interested in.
I was born in Calgary, Alberta in Canada where the dominant language is English and the second official language is French. Growing up in a traditional Chinese family, I learned Cantonese and English at the same time. My parents made an effort to speak both Cantonese and English to me as a young child for me to have an extended vocabulary and avoid language barriers at a young age. During university, I was inspired to learn Spanish during an exchange
Rita Karen Law
Trainer: Mr. Meza
August 6, 2013
First Essay: “Focus on the Learner”
A unique human ability is to be able to create and use language to communicate to each other. Humans learn their culture through communication using their linguistic competence and performance. In an article written by Elwyn C. Lapoint, “Cultural Content in Introductory Linguistics” he states that “This holistic view of linguistic and cultural signing is communicated to students most effectively by means of examples.” (Lapoint, 153). As I approached Javier Ivan Murillo, a level 2C IMAC student, after observing his reading class, he seemed enthusiastic to speak to me in English. Although he stuttered some words and at times failed to understand my instructions for the needs analysis survey, after repetition and using different vocabulary, he was happy to help. As defined in an article from the textbook, intrinsic motivations “may be defined as motivations that stem from previous attitudes of the learner before attending a given learning experience. Learners are motivated from within.”(Harmer, 52).Through Javier’s survey, I believe he is an intrinsically motivated learner. His motivation to learn English stems from his desire to be able to travel around the world and be able to communicate with others. I believe I could help Javier improve his English speaking skills by guiding a conversation course with topics he is interested in.
I was born in Calgary, Alberta in Canada where the dominant language is English and the second official language is French. Growing up in a traditional Chinese family, I learned Cantonese and English at the same time. My parents made an effort to speak both Cantonese and English to me as a young child for me to have an extended vocabulary and avoid language barriers at a young age. During university, I was inspired to learn Spanish during an exchange
References: Covington, Martin V. (2000). Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivation in Schools: A Reconciliation. Current Directions in Psychological Science. Vol. 9, No. 1. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20182612 . Harmer, Jeremy, The Practice of English Language Teaching, fourth edition Longman 2007, p. 98-104. Lapoint, Elwyn C. (1990). Cultural Content in Introductory Linguistics. Anthropology &Education Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 2. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3195801.