Topic:

Learner-centered Approach

Submitted to:
Ma'am Salma Kaleem

Submitted by:
Anam nawaz
Sehla Nawaz
Naila Akram
Anila Mumtaz
Sanam Afsar

M.A English 2nd Semester

Date: 12-03-2010
 Learner-centered
Approach
A learner-centered approach in language instruction is
founded on the concept that the learner is central in the
learning process. Learners learn primarily because of what
they bring, in terms of their perceived needs, motivations, past
experiences, background knowledge, interests and creative
skills to their classroom experience. Teachers, on the other
hand, are seen as "facilitators, helpers, and resources" (Campbell and
Kryszewska 1992) and their role becomes de-centralized.

Definition
Student-centered learning (SCL), or learner-centeredness, is a
learning model that places the student (learner) in the center of the
learning process. In student-centered learning, students are active
participants in their learning; they learn at their own pace and use
their own strategies; they are more intrinsically than extrinsically
motivated; learning is more individualized than standardized.
Student-centered learning develops learning-how-to-learn skills such
as problem solving, critical thinking, and reflective thinking. Student-
centered learning accounts for and adapts to different learning styles
of students (National Center for Research on Teacher Learning.
1999).

Background
The concept of student-centered learning has been credited as
early as 1905 to Hayward and in 1956 to Dewey’s work
(O’Sullivan 2003). Carl Rogers, the father of client-centered
counseling, is associated with expanding this approach into a general
theory of education (Burnard 1999; Rogoff 1999).
Rogers (1983a:25), in his book ‘Freedom to Learn for the 80s’,
describes the shift in power from the expert teacher to the student
learner, driven by a need for a change in the traditional environment
where in this ‘so-called educational atmosphere, students become
passive, apathetic and bored’. In the School system, the concept of
child-centered education has been derived, in particular, from the
work of Froebel and the idea that the teacher should not ‘interfere
with this process of maturation, but act as a guide’ (Simon 1999).
Simon highlighted that this was linked with the process of
development or ‘readiness’, i.e. the child will learn when he/she is
ready (1999).

Role of Learner
Learners are active as opposed to passive recipients of knowledge.
Learners may assume a decision-making role in the classroom.
Learners often decide what is to be learned, through which activities,
and at what pace. Learners can also produce materials and provide
activities for the classroom.

Role of Teacher
To put this approach into practice, teachers need to help
students set achievable goals; they encourage students to assess
themselves and their peers; help them to work co-operatively in
groups and ensure that they know how to make use of all the
available resources for learning. In short we can conclude the role of
teacher in the following verse

As teachers we should always remember the ‘Wise Old Owl’:

The wise old owl lived in an oak

The more he saw, the less he spoke
The less he spoke, the more he heard
Why can’t we all be like that bird?
Objectives
Student-centered learning is about helping students,

1. To discover their own learning styles,

2. To understand their motivation
3. To acquire effective study skills that will be valuable throughout
their lives.

Note: Errors are seen as a constructive part of the learning

process and need not be a source of embarrassment.

Features of learner-centered
learning
When planning more student-centered lessons it is useful to remember
the following:
Ask don’t tell: always try to elicit information, ideas, and answers
from the students. They are not empty vessels waiting to be filled by
the all-knowing teacher. They have knowledge and experiences of
life, as well as language which can contribute greatly to the learning
process. The more they contribute, the more they are likely to
remember. We should never underestimate the ability of our students.
Focus on students’ experience and interests: if the teacher chooses
the topic, or just follows the course book, the students may not be
interested. If, however, teachers use the course book as a base for then
moving on to practice activities relating to the students' personal lives
and areas of interest and experience (personalisation), the students are
more likely to become involved in the lesson, thereby remembering
more.
Communication over accuracy: the main reason for students
learning a language is to be able to communicate with other speakers
of that language. In reality they will probably speak English with
more non-native speakers from the region than with native speakers,
and the ultimate goal is to be able to understand and respond to each
other. Students therefore need opportunities to practise
communicating in English without the constant fear of making
mistakes hanging over them. If you feel the need to correct their
mistakes, don't interrupt their conversations, make notes and give
feedback later.
Learning by doing: the more actively involved students are in their
own learning, the more they are likely to remember what they learn.
Students have choices and make decisions about learning. Group
work requires negotiation and decision making – working together
towards a common goal.
Focus on confidence building for real-world skills. By developing
communicative competence, language again becomes more ‘real’ and
part of the students’ lives.
Encourage interest in English used in the real world. By using
authentic materials familiar to the students (magazines, the internet,
video, television, letters etc.), students are constantly in touch with the
language in an absorbing way.
Tasks are open-ended, i.e. there is more than one possible answer.
Traditional grammar based tasks are either right or wrong and test
only one skill at a time. They are generally unimaginative, often in the
form of multiple choice answers (so the students have a 25% chance
of being right without actually knowing the answer at all) and totally
divorced from ‘real world’ situations. Open-ended tasks are wider in
their focus and involve a variety of language skills.
High exposure to English through the use of authentic materials
again: students may be set homework involving research undertaken
using the internet or other English language reference sources.
Students learn more than language. They are also encouraged to
think critically and develop problem-solving skills through more
creative tasks and group work.

Principles
The main principles of student-centered learning are:
  The learner has full responsibility for her/his
learning
 Involvement and participation are necessary for
learning
 The relationship between learners is more equal,
promoting growth, development
 The teacher becomes a facilitator and resource
person
 The learner experiences confluence in his education
 The learner sees himself/herself differently as a
result of the learning experience.

Here is an example in which learner-centered approach is practiced

Example
Students think of their hobbies.
In groups of 6, students make a script of a conversation where they
talk together about their hobbies.
Students make a tape (6 tapes in total) and a matching exercise.
Students swap tapes between groups, listen and match hobbies with
speaker names.
They listen again and complete a feedback form.
Students receive feedback from peers and the teacher

The effectiveness and

critiques of student-centered
learning
The use of student-centered learning appears to be reflective of
today’s society where choice and democracy are important concepts,
however is it an effective approach to learning? Lea et  al. (2003)
reviewed several studies on student-centered learning and found that
overall it was an effective approach. Students in a UK University
elaborated on the impact of student-centered learning on them, i.e.
they felt there was more respect for the student in this approach, that
it was more interesting, exciting, and it boosted their confidence (Lea
et  al. 2003).

Student-centered learning, despite its popularity, is not without

its critics. The main critique of student-centered learning is its focus
on the individual learner. In addition, there are some difficulties in its
implementation, i.e. the resources needed to implement it, the belief
system of the students and staff, and students’ lack of familiarity with
the term.

Conclusion
In a student-centered classroom, students are involved in the
learning process and become committed to improving their English.
Different learning styles can be accommodated, and students can help
each other to develop their skills. So to conclude the whole discussion
we can say that learner-centered approach is the approach which has
its main emphasis on the learner and teacher plays his role passively
as a guide in the classroom. The concern of this approach is with the
process of language learning.

References.
http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-1/oneill-mcmahon-
Tues_19th_Oct_SCL.html
http://www.abor.asu.edu/4_special_programs/lce/afc-defined_lce.htm

Lesson Plan
Topic:
Vocabulary Enchantment
Class/Level:
Matric

Duration of Class:
45 minutes

Language Skill:
Speaking skill

Method:
Communicative Language Teaching

Material:
Handouts
Charts

Group of Formation:
Class as a whole/ no groups

Objectives:
 To increase the vocabulary of students
 Encourage class-partition of the students
 To improve the pronunciation of the students
Preparation:
 The teacher prepared an activity for the class which could
enhance the vocabulary of the student and could involve the
whole class in discussion as well.
 Teacher prepared a chart on which she wrote the alphabets and
left blank space to write the most suitable word starting with
alphabet.
 Teacher took print out of these alphabets chart to distribute in
the class room.

Practice:
Activity:-
Teacher will distribute handouts in the class and will paste the chart
on the board too.
Then teacher will introduce the students with the topic and the related
activity. Teacher will ask them to ensure full participation in the
class.

Encouraging creativity
When in groups or pairs, students can work together without worrying
about
Losing face in front of the whole class when they say something
unusual or Incorrect. They can experiment with their English and take
risks, rather than
Play it safe. Special activities can help them be more creative.
Of course, students all can recite the alphabet (ABCEFG . . .), but
saying letters in isolation may not be so easy.
A short introduction by teacher's side starting to do the task in a
creative way sets the Scene, and shows students how their
conversation might begin.

It’s an activity where even students with limited English proficiency

can exchange ideas, challenge one another, and have a lot of fun
without feeling their English is inadequate for the task. They can set
themselves the challenge of coming up with unusual or long or
difficult-to-spell words. They may find that conversations like this can
be really satisfying:
Can you think of any words beginning with D?
– Hmm. Let me think. Dog. Day. Date. Dark. No, those are too short.
I know! D as in dangerous!
– That’s good.
Dangerous-ly!
– Even better! Well done! How do you spell that?
Um. D-A-N-J . . . No, G. D-A-N-G-E . . .
Moreover, in such a conversation, students are using English to
communicate in a meaningful way.

Production
Home task
Teacher will ask the students to find more words and their meanings
as home work.