Foundational Concepts in English Learning

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Motivation

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Definition: The internal drive that encourages learners to study and improve their English skills. Example: A student wants to learn English because she dreams of studying abroad. Visual idea: A person climbing stairs labeled “Goals”.

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Input & Output

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Definition: Input refers to the language learners hear or read; output refers to the language they produce. Example: Listening to English podcasts (input) → speaking in class (output). Visual idea: Two arrows: one going in, one going out.

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Rapport

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Definition: A positive and trusting relationship between teacher and student. Example: A teacher remembers a student’s hobby and uses it in class examples. Visual idea: Two hands forming a heart.

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Scaffolding

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Definition: Support provided by the teacher to help learners perform tasks they cannot do alone. Example: Giving sentence starters before asking students to write a paragraph. Visual idea: A building scaffold with a student climbing.

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Chunking

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Definition: Breaking language into meaningful pieces to make it easier to learn. Example: Teaching “Would you like…” as a chunk instead of separate words. Visual idea: Puzzle pieces forming a sentence.

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Multisensory Learning

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Definition: Learning through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic materials at the same time. Example: Flashcards + audio + acting out verbs. Visual idea: Ear + eye + hand icons together.

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Active Listening

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Definition: Paying full attention to the speaker, showing interest, and responding appropriately. Example: The teacher nods and paraphrases: “So you mean…”. Visual idea: An ear with sparkles.

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Error Correction

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Definition: Helping students improve by addressing mistakes in a supportive way. Example: Instead of saying “Wrong!”, the teacher asks: “Try one more time—something sounds off.” Visual idea: A pencil erasing gently.

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Code Switching

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Definition: Switching between two languages in the classroom when needed for clarity. Example: The teacher explains a complex grammar rule briefly in Turkish, then returns to English. Visual idea: TR → EN arrows.

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Confidentiality

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Definition: Protecting students’ personal information and not sharing it with others. Example: Not telling the class why a student was absent due to a personal issue. Visual idea: A lock symbol.