Unit 14

LEARNER NEEDS

As teachers we can face many needs from students as personal, learning, or professional needs, and depends on us to help learners to overcome all these needs;  it could be by using methods and approaches  to let them feel more comfortable , or just applying the language, skills, materials they prefer to work with, but we have to be careful  and be aware about the age genre, interest, personality and motivation from learners because is not the same teaching children that adults we have to vary activities and tasks to make language more meaningful.

In class with children we have to build confidence, but the most important thing is to motivate them with dynamic activities, songs, stories, something that allows students remember and acquire the language without worried about the structure the grammar, role plays, a show theater, conversation, games activities with puppets could be some good ideas to practice in class if we notice that in that ways learning turns easy we have to be the clowns of our children. 

Here you have some links to find more relevant information:

• Ascd.org, (2014). Teacher Response to Student Needs: A Starting Point for Differentiation. [online] Available at: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103107/chapters/Teacher-Response-to-Student-Needs@-A-Starting-Point-for-Differentiation.aspx [Accessed 5 Dec. 2014].
• Yates, B. (2014). Learning Needs Analysis. [online] Assetproject.info. Available at: http://www.assetproject.info/learner_methodologies/before/learning_analysis.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2014].