Part 2 Background to language learning

Unit 13 Learner characteristics

In this unit I learn about Learner characteristics that include a learner's motivation, learning style, learning strategies, maturity and past language learning experience these factors are influenced when someone learns a second language. Firstly, learning styles, that means the ways in which a learner naturally prefers to take in, process and remember information and skills.  There are nine kind of learning styles; however the most commons are three: Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic. Some examples of learning strategies are:  repeating words, feedback, memorize and paraphrasing. These strategies help students to identify what they need.

Secondly, Maturity involves becoming grown up physically, mentally, and emotionally. Children, teenagers and adults have different levels of maturity, which means they learn in a different ways. Some of the main differences in maturity are: Children: Need to move; Teenagers: Starting to keep still for longer periods but still need to move; Adults, Able to keep still for longer periods.

Finally, Past language learning experience, teenagers and adults learners may have learnt English before.  They may be used to learning in a particular way and have definite ideas about to learn best.  For example, if there is an adult, who has been learning during many years only by listening, then when he comes back to school and now the learning has changed, it is by writing, he may or not may like this change. Other learner characteristics which can vary from learner to learner are their level o language, their motivation.

In conclusion, Teachers can find out their learner’s characteristics by Asking, Observing, Giving questionnaires, asking at the end of a lesson if the liked the activities done in class and why, what different ways they might like to work; We can also train learners to become aware of and use different learning strategies, which is called learner training.

Key words: motivation, learning style, learning strategies, maturity, factors, learning styles, process, skills, visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, maturity.

Brownie, M. (2008, February 4) TKT Unit 13

http://es.slideshare.net/Brownie/tkt-unit-13

Nuvia, Y. (2012, May 11) TKT Unit 13: Learner characteristics

http://yunuenth86.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/tkt-unit-13-learner-characteristics-4/