Developing Autonomy in Language Learners: Diagnostic Teaching

Developing Autonomy in Language Learners: Diagnostic Teaching

LEARN WorkshopJuly 28 and 29, 2015

Ra’ed F. Qasem

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Goals

o Define diagnostic teaching.o Explore the process of diagnostic

teaching.

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Plan

1. Introduction.2. Define diagnostic teaching.3. The process of diagnostic teaching.4. Questions.

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Autonomy in formal language learning

Autonomy

Confidence

Motivation

Attitude

Knowledge WillingnessSkills

AbilityClassroom

CommunicatorLearner Person

Affective

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Factors affecting development of Autonomy

1. Role of the teacher2. Role of feedback3. Learner independence4. Learner confidence in ability5. Experience of language learning

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Assessment

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Diagnostic Teaching

Diagnostic teaching is a hypothesis driven method that links assessment and instruction to determine student abilities, needs, and objectivesin order to prescribe requisite learning opportunities.

PlanExecuteEvaluatePrescribe

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Diagnostic Teaching

Action Learning Outcome

Diagnostic Assessment

Current State

How to improve

Resources

Feedback

Evaluation

Determining the abilities, needs, and objectives of individual learners.

Prescribing and guiding learning opportunities.

Specifying objectives.

Assisting in evaluation of progress.

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

• Language learning as a developmental process.• Continuous process.• Monitoring the understanding and performance of

learners.• Constant but immediate or delayed data collection.• Feedback to the teacher on the efficacy of

instruction:– New instruction building on the learning that students

demonstrate.

– Effectiveness of lessons.

– Targeted instruction.

Rationale

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Tools

PerformanceProjects

HomeworkRecordings

Written reports

InteractionParticipationInvolvement

CommunicationInterviews

ConferencesGroup discussions

TestingOPI

DLPTUnit Tests

Teacher made testsQuizzes

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Implications• Share learning goals with students.• Involve students in self-assessment.• Provide feedback.• Use the target language.• Encourage quest for good learning activities.• Help learners set their own learning targets

and choose their own learning activities.• Plan for individual goals but collaborative work.• Maintain records of learning.• Evaluate progress: individual learners and

class.

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QUESTIONS?????

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