UNIT 13

Learners characteristics

I’m going to talk about what I learned in this unit. Learner characteristics are differences between learners which influence their attitude to learning a language and how they learn it, such as motivation, personality, language levels, learning styles, learning strategies, age and past learning experiences.

Talking about learning strategies I can say that they are the ways chosen and used by learners to learn language; they are ways to help learners identify what they need to learn, process new language and work with other people to learn. Here are some of the most important learning styles like Visual (learner learns best through watching and looking), Auditory (learner learns best through listening and hearing), Kinesthetic (learner learns best through being physical, while moving or touching things), Autonomous (learner likes to decide what he/she learns and how to learn).Moreover, this unit talks about maturity which involves becoming grown up physically, mentally and emotionally. This means that depending on the age level you are standing on the way of learning will change. Children (They need to move and cannot concentrate to long. They learn through experience and they are not afraid of making mistakes).Teenagers (They are developing their concentration so they also need to move a little and they have more control of themselves but they are still afraid of what other may say about them). Adults (They can concentrate and keep still for longer periods and they may not be so willing to make mistakes or take risks).

In conclusion, Teachers need to be aware of how teenagers and adults have learned previously and how they want to learn now by considering whether a new method is suitable or not, and discuss with learners their teaching to make learners more comfortable and confident in their learning.

Here you have extra information:

http://yesyhd.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/unit-13-learner-characteristics/

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest190-90449-learning-characteristics-styles-education-ppt-powerpoint/