Styles- and Strategies-Based Language Instruction

1. Styles- and Strategies-Based Language Instruction Andrew D. Cohen University of Minnesota & Martha Nyikos Indiana University

2. What is Styles- and Strategies-Based Language Instruction? • Learner-focused. • Explicit highlighting learners’ styles and strategies in performing instructional activities. • Learners understand both what to learn and how to learn it. • Making sure learners are true partners with their teachers in the instructional effort.

3. 1960's – Psychology of Learning Learning to learn, Cognitive theory based on the information processing model (declarative knowledge – facts & procedural knowledge – procedures for using declarative knowledge), Away from behaviorist (stimulus-response), Towards a more reasoned learning of rules + automatic rule learning/acquisition. Evolution of Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction

4. 1970's - Good Language Learner■ Prescriptive approach to language learner strategies (Rubin’s “Good Language Learner,” 1975).E.g. “Good Guesser”

5. 1980’s • Classifications of Strategies, Descriptions of Learners (by O’Malley & Chamot, Oxford, and others).

6. 1990's – Strategies-Based Instruction (SBI) ■ Experimenting with different kinds of interventions. ■ University of Minnesota experiment with intermediate learners of French and Norwegian.■ Initiation of SBI summer institutes.

7. 2000's – SSBI■ Sorting out the strategy classification systems, ■ The intersection of styles, strategies, and motivation on the accomplishment of language learning and language use tasks.

8. Self-Directed Learning Components of SSBI: • Strategy Preparation • Strategy Awareness-Raising • Strategy Instruction • Strategy Practice • Personalization of Strategies Options for Teachers: • Insert strategies in established materials. • Start with strategies and design materials. • Insert strategies spontaneously when appropriate.