Foreign Language Teaching Methods: The Language Learner

Responding to Beliefs

If learner beliefs are an integral part of language learning, what stance should teachers adopt vis-a-vis their students' beliefs? For instance, should teachers attempt to replace their students "erroneous" beliefs with their own, more enlightened set of beliefs?

Rather than ignoring learner beliefs, teachers should productively respond to beliefs in the following ways:

• Use conversation activities/class discussions to talk about language learning (e.g., a debate whether children are better language learners than adults).
• Make sure your instruction reflects what you tell students about the nature of language learning (e.g., don't tell students that language learning is much more than grammatical study and then spend all of your class time explaining grammar).
• Help students develop realistic goals for language learning.
• Encourage students to examine their own beliefs about language learning throughout the course they are teaching.