Taking Advantage of Cognitive Difference of Asians and Westerners in the Teaching of English
Title
Taking Advantage of Cognitive Difference of Asians and Westerners in the Teaching of English
Taking Advantage of Cognitive Difference of Asians and Westerners in the Teaching of English
Keywords: Task-based learning, focus on form, target forms, pre-task language focus
Authors
Todd Vercoe
Inje University, Gimhae, Republic of Korea
theron@noahlc.jp
Todd Vercoe
Inje University, Gimhae, Republic of Korea
theron@noahlc.jp
Bio Data
Todd Vercoe has been standing in front of classrooms for over two decades. He previously taught games and game design for the Toronto Board of Education before coming to Korea over ten years ago. He currently lectures at Inje University and serves as the president of the Busan/Geyongnam Chapter of KOTESOL. He is a Masters candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Abstract
Recent developments in cognitive psychology have suggested definite differences in the way Westerners and North-East Asians perceive and think about the world. This information suggests major reasons for L1 interference in L2 learning and also dictates how some teaching methodology may, in fact, hamper the way a student learns English. This paper will examine some of the findings of Nisbett (2003) and others in a way that can be applied to the EFL classroom demonstrating ways to use this difference in thinking to enhance student understanding of English and eliminate common errors.
Recent developments in cognitive psychology have suggested definite differences in the way Westerners and North-East Asians perceive and think about the world. This information suggests major reasons for L1 interference in L2 learning and also dictates how some teaching methodology may, in fact, hamper the way a student learns English. This paper will examine some of the findings of Nisbett (2003) and others in a way that can be applied to the EFL classroom demonstrating ways to use this difference in thinking to enhance student understanding of English and eliminate common errors.
[private]
See pages 283-293
[/private]Category: Main Editions, Volume 8 Issue 3
