Didáctica de la Lengua Extranjera - Flashcard Review

VOCABULARY flashcards covering characteristics of young learners, acquisition theories, teaching methods, and classroom management strategies for English as a foreign language.

Kinesthetic activities

Activities that incorporate movement and the manipulation of objects to satisfy the needs of young learners who are energetic and physically active.

TPR (Total Physical Response)

A method commonly used for young learners that connects language to movement, such as the game Simon says.

Mystery bag

An activity where children touch and guess objects in a bag to arouse their natural curiosity.

Attention span targets

Typical concentration periods for young learners: $5/7$ years old can act for $5-10 ext{ mins}$, and $8/9$ years old for $10-15 ext{ mins}$.

Egocentric

A characteristic of children where they view the world from their own perspective and personal experience, relating new ideas primarily to themselves.

Acquisition

A natural and subconscious process of "picking up" a language through meaningful interactions and exposure, similar to a child's first language acquisition.

Learning

A conscious process of "knowing about" a language, normally occurring in formal settings with a focus on grammar rules and isolated structures.

Input Hypothesis

Stephen Krashen's theory that people acquire language when they receive comprehensible input, which is language slightly above their current level ($i+1$).

Sponge myth

The assumption that young children learn a foreign language without effort just like their first language, which is not necessarily true as it depends on factors like the "water" (context).

Approach (Enfoque)

Theories about the nature of language and language learning that serve as the source of principles and practices in language teaching.

Method

The practical level of teaching where choices are made about specific skills, content, and the order of presentation.

Accuracy

The ability to produce correct sentences using proper grammar and vocabulary, often practiced through mechanical or controlled activities.

Fluency

The ability to speak or write fluidly and confidently, typically practiced through meaning-focused activities.

Clarification requests

An implicit correction strategy where the teacher asks the student to repeat or reformulate an utterance, indicating it was not understood.

Recasts

An error correction strategy where the teacher repeats the student's phrase but changes the error to the correct form without directly indicating a mistake was made.

Elicitation

A correction technique where the teacher prompts the student to provide the correct word themselves by pausing or asking a question.

Grammar-translation method

A method from the Classical period ($1750-1880$) that uses rote learning and translation as the primary medium of instruction, focusing on reading and writing.

Audiolingual method

Also known as the Army method ($1920-2000$), it views language learning as habit formation through drilling and stimulus-response techniques.

CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)

An approach that integrates content and language teaching based on the $4C’s$ framework: Content, Communication, Cognition, and Culture.

CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference)

An objective framework created by the Council of Europe that describes language skills across six levels, from $A1$ to $C2$.

Spanish Legislative Decrees

The existing legislation for language learning includes Royal Decree $157/2022$ ($1$ March) and Decree $61/2022$ ($13$ July) of the Autonomous Region of Madrid.

Monitor hypothesis

Krashen's idea that conscious learning acts as an internal editor that reminds the learner of grammar rules, which can reduce speech fluency.

Affective Filter hypothesis

The theory that language learning is more effective when the learner has high self-esteem, high motivation, and a low level of anxiety.

Natural Order hypothesis

The claim that grammar elements are acquired in a specific predictable order regardless of simplicity or formal teaching effort.

ADHD (TDAH) strategies

Pedagogical adjustments including reducing task duration, encouraging oral responses, and breaking assignments into smaller sections.

Word keeper

A classroom helper role in charge of keeping the class dictionary and looking up words when necessary.

Paper manager

A student role responsible for passing out and collecting handouts, assignments, and flashcards.

Scaffolding

A technique in lower primary where teachers use simple, repetitive interactions that gradually become more complex to facilitate understanding.

Transitions

The periods between activities that, while potentially stressful, offer unique opportunities for English language teaching and learning.