One of the things that is fundamental to how we teach is the understanding of how we learn. After all, if you don’t know how we learn and acquire new skills, how can you hope to effectively instill those skills into your students?
As a teacher of any kind (not just TEFL), you’ll encounter various theories and approaches that can enhance your teaching practice. Of course, there are many other theories available and, in my opinion, there is no one right theory; yes, some are better or more useful in different situations, but all of these learning theories have useful methods and tools that you can use to help your students, so it’s worth taking a look at them.
For our purposes here, we’re going give you an overview of four of these: Cognitive Learning Theory, Behaviorism Learning Theory, Constructivism Learning Theory, and Humanism Learning Theory. Each of these theories offers unique insights into how language learners acquire and process information, helping you tailor your teaching methods to your students’ needs. As this is just an introduction to them, we’re going to give you a simple introduction to them, but future articles will get into more depth on them, individually, and we’ll also cover other learning theories as well.
Understanding Learning Theories
Learning theories provide frameworks for effective language instruction. They offer insights into how learners acquire and process information, guiding educators in creating optimal learning environments.
Cognitivism and Language Learning
Cognitivism is perhaps one of the oldest learning theories, and it emphasizes mental processes involved in learning. It explores how memory and cognitive processing impact language acquisition. Think of it as “metacognition”; thinking about how we think, including both the environmental factors around us as well as the internal processes our brain goes through to process information and work through problems. With this focus on the mental processes behind learning, we do things like work out problems by thinking out loud, give the opportunity for students to fail, and just simply ask questions.
When applying cognitivist principles, you’ll focus on:
- Organizing information logically
- Connecting new concepts to existing knowledge
- Developing problem-solving skills
For instance, you might use mind maps to help students visualize vocabulary relationships. This approach recognizes that learners actively process information rather than passively receive it.
Cognitivism encourages you to consider your students’ thought processes and tailor your teaching strategies accordingly.
Behaviorism in Language Teaching
Behaviorism is another older learning theory, and it focuses on observable behaviors and emphasizes repetition and drills. A classic Behaviorism experiment is Pavlov’s dogs. If you are unfamiliar with it, Pavlov rang a bell and then fed some dogs. After doing this enough times, the dogs began to salivate just at the sound of the bell because they were expecting food. The dogs’ behavior had been conditioned. Translating this to language teaching, this approach relies on creating automatic responses through practice, or what we often refer to as “drilling”.
You might use behaviorist techniques when teaching vocabulary or grammar structures. For example, you could employ repetitive drills to help students memorize verb conjugations.
Behaviorism can be effective for:
- Building basic language skills
- Reinforcing correct pronunciation
- Establishing classroom routines
However, one shortcoming is that a Behaviorist-heavy class may not fully address the complexities of language acquisition or promote critical thinking skills. Another issue is that, while drilling and repetition are important for us to remember things, when poorly presented they are boring, and a boring lesson is one that students (and teachers) want to avoid, so care needs to be taken to make sure that drilling, when present, is done in a fun and engaging way.
Constructivism in the Classroom
Constructivism is a newer learning theory, which starts from the idea that students are not blank slates, and have a wealth of experiences and memories to draw on, and that students sort of create their own learning environment. What this means in language education is that emphasizes the learner’s role in building their own understanding. Instead of being a “teacher”, you’ll act more as a facilitator, guiding students to construct knowledge through experience and reflection.
Key aspects of constructivist teaching include:
- Encouraging active participation
- Promoting collaborative learning
- Providing real-world contexts for language use
You might design project-based activities where students use the target language to solve problems or create something tangible. This approach fosters deeper understanding and enhances retention of language concepts.
Constructivism aligns well with communicative language teaching methods, emphasizing authentic language use and meaningful interactions.
Humanism and Language Education
Humanistic creates a “holistic” approach to learning, where the needs of the student are met to approach self-actualization. Here we prioritize the whole person, considering emotional and social aspects of learning. You’ll focus on creating a supportive environment that nurtures intrinsic motivation, making sure that students feel safe and comfortable.
Key principles include:
- Respecting individual differences
- Encouraging self-expression
- Promoting learner autonomy
You might incorporate activities that allow students to share personal experiences or opinions in the target language. This approach recognizes that language learning is deeply connected to identity and self-expression.
Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences often informs humanistic language teaching, encouraging you to address individual student’s needs and provide multiple ways to access information in your lessons.
Leveraging Learning Theories
With a basic understanding of these theories, you can see that ideally, we want to be pulling from all of them to create the best lessons. So let’s look at some ways can you create engaging lessons that resonate with all your students by taking what we’ve learned about learning theories..
Incorporating Multiple Intelligences
Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory is highly misunderstood, with people confusing the idea of multiple intelligences with different learning “styles”. While that was never Gardner’s intent (and the idea of learning styles, while popular, hasn’t been backed up scientifically), he does say (and evidence does suggest) that incorporating different activities that address those multiple intelligences in a lesson benefits learners. You can cater to these by:
- Visual-spatial: Use diagrams, charts, and images
- Linguistic: Incorporate word games and storytelling
- Musical: Include songs and rhythmic activities
- Bodily-kinesthetic: Implement role-play and physical activities
- Interpersonal: Encourage group work and discussions
By varying your activities, you’ll engage more students and boost their motivation to learn English.
Constructivism and Social Learning
Constructivism emphasizes active learning and personal meaning-making. You can apply this theory by:
- Creating problem-solving tasks
- Encouraging creativity in language use
- Facilitating group projects
Social constructivism highlights the importance of interaction. Set up pair work and small group activities to promote language exchange. This approach taps into the zone of proximal development, where students learn from more capable peers.
Adapting to Cognitive Development Stages
It’s also important to recognize that students learn differently at different ages. Tailor your teaching methods accordingly:
- For younger learners: Use concrete examples and hands-on activities
- For adolescents: Introduce abstract concepts and encourage critical thinking
- For adults: Leverage life experiences and practical applications
Implement scaffolding techniques to support learners as they progress. Gradually reduce assistance as students gain confidence and proficiency in English. This approach ensures personalized learning experiences that cater to individual needs and abilities.
The Educator’s Role in TEFL
As a TEFL teacher, you play a crucial part in shaping your students’ language learning journey. Your role extends beyond simply lecturing to actively guiding and supporting learners in their English acquisition process.
Facilitating Student Learning
Your primary responsibility is to create an environment that fosters effective learning. You’ll need to guide students towards their own learning rather than just presenting information. This involves:
- Providing clear instructions and explanations
- Offering timely feedback and encouragement
- Adapting your teaching style to suit different learning preferences
By focusing on facilitation, you’ll help your students develop critical thinking skills and become more independent learners. Remember to use scaffolding techniques to support your students’ progress gradually.
Teacher-Directed vs. Student-Centered Approaches
There is some debate about whether a Teacher-Directed or Student-Centered approach to class works best.
Teacher-directed learning involves:
- Structured lessons with clear objectives
- Direct instruction of grammar and vocabulary
- Controlled practice activities
Student-centered or learner-centered approaches focus on:
- Using small mysteries to drive student curiosity
- Creating an environment where students are exposed to and need to use new language
- Student-directed
In my experience, a student-centered approach is more often than not the best way to approach a class, as engaged students retain more and usually enjoy it more. But for certain students or in certain environments it isn’t always the best fit. As such, your role is to choose the most appropriate approach based on your students’ needs, proficiency levels, and learning goals.
Creating Meaningful Teacher-Student Interactions
Building strong relationships with your students is essential for effective TEFL teaching. To create meaningful interactions:
- Show genuine interest in your students’ progress and well-being
- Use personalized examples and topics that resonate with their experiences
- Encourage questions and open discussions in class
By fostering a supportive classroom atmosphere, you’ll boost student motivation and engagement. Remember that social interactions play a crucial role in language acquisition, so create opportunities for students to practice English in authentic, communicative contexts.
Conclusion
As we mentioned at the top, there are several different learning theories, and we’ve taken a broad look at four of the big ones, and how you can incorporate those theories to improve your classes. We’ll go into greater depth on each of these in future articles, as well as taking a deeper look at ways to use what we learned from those theories to improve your lessons. In the meanwhile, if you have any questions about TEFL teaching, please feel free to get in touch at contact@teflteachinghub.com or get in the comments.