Collaborative and Affect-directed Learning in the Language Class at University

Congreso; Quinto Foro de Lenguas ANEP; 2012

Collaborative learning (Dillenbourg 1999) motivation (Littlewood, 1984; Gardner and McIntire, 1993; Nunan and Lamb, 1996) and affect (Arnold 1999) are the cornerstone in the teaching of language at the first stages of the formal and systematised training in language at university, since these factors can have an extremely positive impact on the development of effective learning and teaching strategies. Given the fact that students are embarking on their university studies to become future linguists, the role of a supportive environment and team work becomes an essential element in the process of language learning and teaching, especially in a class in which not only one but several agents take the role of instructors. Along the same line, in order to be able to cater for students? individual differences and learning styles (Kolb, 1984) this kind of work is considerably efficient, since several linguistic models and teaching styles are present in the same class. Relatedly, action research (Wallace, 1998) entails systematically collecting data on everyday practice and analysing it in order to come to some decision about what future practice should be like, mainly by discussing with colleagues on classroom experiences in order to be able to address problems effectively. This session will aim at raising awareness on the need to consider, analyse and provide an account on how action research and care for affective factors can be articulated in order to address and solve problems in the English language classroom. This will be developed from our perspective as teachers at the introductory course of English at Facultad de Lenguas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.