Changing Perspectives on Good Language Learners

Norton, Bonny; Toohey, Kelleen

doi:10.2307/3587650

Cited by 386 publications

(252 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…The learner could then be excluded from those practices, or choose not to participate in classroom activities. In time, the learner could be positioned as a 'poor' or unmotivated language learner by others (Norton & Toohey 2001).…”

Section: Investment Motivation and Slamentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity, language learning, and social change

Norton¹,

Toohey²

2011

Lang. Teach.

Self Cite

800

466

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In this review article on identity, language learning, and social change, we argue that contemporary poststructuralist theories of language, identity, and power offer new perspectives on language learning and teaching, and have been of considerable interest in our field. We first review poststructuralist theories of language, subjectivity, and positioning and explain sociocultural theories of language learning. We then discuss constructs of INVESTMENT and IMAGINED COMMUNITIES/IMAGINED IDENTITIES (Norton Peirce 1995;Norton 1997Norton , 2000Norton , 2001, showing how these have been used by diverse identity researchers. Illustrative examples of studies that investigate how identity categories like race, gender, and sexuality interact with language learning are discussed. Common qualitative research methods used in studies of identity and language learning are presented, and we review the research on identity and language teaching in different regions of the world. We examine how digital technologies may be affecting language learners' identities, and how learner resistance impacts language learning. Recent critiques of research on identity and language learning are explored, and we consider directions for research in an era of increasing globalization. We anticipate that the identities and investments of language learners, as well as their teachers, will continue to generate exciting and innovative research in the future.

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Section: Investment Motivation and Slamentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity, language learning, and social change

Norton¹,

Toohey²

2011

Lang. Teach.

Self Cite

800

466

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“…The last part included 14 attributes of good language learners placed again on a five-point Likert scale and with additional open-ended fomat. The 14 attributes were adapted from the studies on how to be good language learners (Norton and Toohey, 2001;Reid, 1987;Rubin and Thompson cited in Nunan 1999;Ushida, 2005) and on the interviews with three native Thai teachers that had taught English for at least 5 years, with the option to rate each item on a scale from 1 (not important at all) to 5 (very important). The teachers were asked to share their positive and negative experiences in teaching in an open-ended format as well.…”

Section: Questionnaire On the Quality Of Effective English Teachers Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Teacher and Learner Views on Effective English Teaching in the Thai Context: The Case of Engineering Students

Meksophawannagul¹

2015

ELT

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This study aimed at investigating the characteristics of effective English teachers and students as perceived by 35 teachers and 613 students, as well as according to the surveys regarding the English-teaching problems in Thailand. The instruments included two questionnaires on the characteristics of effective teachers and students as perceived by teachers and students, based on five categories: rapport, delivery, fairness, knowledge and creditability, organization and preparation. The questionnaire responses were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively.The quantitative data revealed that for the teachers the most important attribute was organization and preparation attributes such as teaching preparation and the use of effective teaching methodology. The qualitative data revealed that the rapport items were important, especially that the teacher should be patient, not insult the students, and give clear advice. However, the students gave more weight to such rapport items as, for example, the teacher having a positive attitude toward to the students and being helpful, generous and caring about them. The qualitative data also revealed that well-prepared lessons and providing fun activities were mostly required for effective teachers. English teaching problems involve four aspects: teachers, learners, English learning content, and other factors. Discussion and the recommendations of the study are included.

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“…• Social and situated perspectives on LTE and teacher learning (Johnson 2001, Johnson and Golombek 2003 • Identity construction in teacher-learning and teacher education (Danielewicz 2001) • Learning in a community (Lantolf 2000, Rogoff 1990, Lave and Wenger 1998 • The classroom as a site where learners exercise their agency in identity formation (Norton and Toohey 2001) • Classrooms as an ecology (Breen 1985), having a life to be managed (Wright 2005), and…”

Section: A Critical Sociocultural Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%