learners'+beliefs+and+attitudes+conference+by+Mackay


 * Course Name: 324 Teaching Learning Skills **

This conference was given by Jessica Mackay about learners’ beliefs and attitudes about learning a foreign/ second language. According to her, learners have different beliefs, attitudes and also prejudices. These beliefs and attitudes have great impact on learning the target language and they can be grouped into three categories and their sub-categories so: 1) Beliefs and attitudes with the target language itself  2) Beliefs and attitudes with the target language community/ culture 3) Beliefs and attitudes the language process **1) Target Language** In the conference, it is emphasized that learners should like the target language; they should not think it is difficult to learn and also they should exactly aware of what is the language for them. In a survey 2010, n= 98 participants were asked these questions such: Question 1: If you could choose, which 3 languages would you most like to study? Answers: 1……………… Italian 2……………..French 3…………….English 4……………….Japanese 5………………German Question 2: Do you think English is an easy language to learn? Answers: Yes 45.8% (2009 n=826) No 54.2 & Question 3: what is the language for you? Grammar→ Speaking Fluency→ Speaking Accurately→ Vocabulary→ Listening → Writing→ Reading→ Pronunciation According to these answers, it is clear that learners’ preferences and their thinking about difficulties/ easiness of the target language and their beliefs’ about the language itself affect their language learning and process. **2) The Target Language Community/ Culture** Mackay also claims that learners are affected by some stereotypes, ingerative motivation versus ideal L2 self (Dörnyei 2005), and individual experiences/ preferences.  Some stereotypes:  Heaven is where  The chefs are…………………………. French  The mechanics are………………………. German  The police are……………………………….British  The lovers are………………………………Italian  And it is all organized by the ………………….Swiss  Hell is where  The chefs are……………….British  The mechanics are……………….French  The police are……………………German  The lovers are ………………………Swiss  And it’s all organized by the …………………..Italian.  It cannot be denied that stereotypes have major roles our beliefs about the target language culture, and they can be negative sometimes.  **The language learning experiences**  They can be sub-categorized like:  In a survey, EIM students were asked their experiences at school, their current situation and their future with English. Easy? ← English at school → Enjoyable? ↙ ↓ ↓ ↘ How many years? Study periods Extra classes? Teachers? Abroad? Why? ← English now → Different from school? ↙ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↘ Friends who speak Homework? Famous Travel? Outside class? English fluently? People who speak English fluently? Level? ← English future → Exams? ↙ ↓ ↘ Things you’d like to do? Role models? How much time? The results are concluded with the survey: 93 % of students found English classes at school repetitive. 57% enjoyed English at school. 29% have done or more study periods abroad before starting university. 89% feel they have to study English. 11% have English- speaking friends. 82% would like to live and work study abroad in the future but NOT permanently. **3) Learning another language is:** Students were asked what the learning language is  50% students said that it is a journey because they say “You learn something with every step.” “It never ends but you see interesting places on the route.” “It is about visiting a new culture, and it makes you a different person.  3% said that it is a holiday because they think “It is a way to escape from daily routines.”  8% said that it is a struggle because they say “I have to study and for me it is not easy.” “I love study for many years, and I do no t notice the progress.” “I didn’t like English but it is necessary to learn it.”  25% said that it is a race because they say “I love an objective but I have to get over obstacles.” “People who have more skills get better things.” “If I don’t learn it, I will lose it.” “Sometimes I feel very tired but I rest and then I continue.”  14% participants cannot give any definition for this question because they think “ A plane taking off. It is scary at first then you start to relax and enjoy it.” “A open door…… because you can enter places you did not know before.” “Moving house, difficult at first but then you discover new things.” “A passport.” “A window.” Lastly it is concluded that learning language is To conclusion, it can be claimed that learning a language can affected by various reasons but mostly these reasons are shaped by our beliefs and prejudices, so we should abolish our prejudices and create new perspectives to be successful and like the language we want to learn.
 *  Elif AKIN **
 *  17344441 **
 *  Getting Inside Their Heads **
 *  In ELT Conferences Barcelona, 4 Feb 2012 **
 * Jessica Mackay **
 * EIM, University of Barcelona **
 * jmackay@ub.ed **
 * Difficulties/ easiness
 * Aesthetics
 * Experiences
 * Stereotypes
 * Success (fear of failure)
 * Teacher
 * Peers
 * Materials
 * Classroom
 * Group dynamics
 * Experiences at schools
 * Success (attribution theory)
 * Motivation
 * Objectives
 * A journey?
 * A holiday?
 * A struggle?
 * A race?
 * Interesting 53%
 * Difficult / hard 47%
 * Fun 22%
 * Gratifying 19%
 * Necessary 17%
 * Challenging 8%
 * Useful 8%