Using Guided Discovery

Table of Contents [Show]

Read Also:

A brief introduction to Guided Discovery was given in the article on concept checking included in the ELT Glossary. If you haven't read it or aren't fully sure what GD involves, click on the link to see that article before you go on. You'll also need to have a clear understanding of the differences between deductive and inductive approaches to teaching language items - again, if you're not sure what the terms mean, click on the links before you go on with this article.

This article looks at:

• the principles behind GD
• its advantages over deductive approaches
• its advantages over other T-led inductive techniques
• situations in which a GD approach might not be appropriate

a) What are the principles behind GD?

 

• It is a cognitive
  approach which assumes that learners (Ls) need to “notice”
  (Schmidt) the language– ie they need to pay conscious and cognitively "deep"
  attention to the form and meaning of the language items in order to acquire and retain it. The active involvement needed
  for GD means that the rules are more likely to be “noticed”.

• It is a constructivist approach (Piaget,
  Vygotsky et al) which assumes that Ls do not just passively take in
  information, but work on it to assimilate or accommodate it with
  previous knowledge. In the case of language learning, the examples and concept
  check questions which usually make up the GD materials push the learners into
  hypothesising rules of form and use based on what they already know plus the
  new information that is a logical interpretation of the examples.

• It is a problem
  solving approach which helps the development of higher
  order thinking skills (Bloom). This is particularly
  important in situations where the T must be an educator as well as “just”
  a language teacher – eg with YLs or learners with a low level of general
  education who need to develop effective learning strategies if they are to
  succeed on the course.

• It is a Humanistic
  technique in as the sense that it helps develop autonomous
  learning skills. If learners develop the ability to
  analyse language in the classroom, and then check their hypotheses with
  reference materials (textbooks often refer Ls to a Grammar Summary at the
  end of the activity) they are more likely to be able to do it outside with
  other new items they come across.

 

b) What are the advantages of GD over deductive approaches?

• Guided Discovery encourages an active approach to
  learning – learners realise they have to participate and “do the work”
  themselves and that the teacher/coursebook can’t do everything for them by
  giving them the rules (as in a deductive presentation).

• Guided
  discovery gives Ls confidence that they can understand the language
  themselves and is thus motivating. 
  Deductive explanations leave the ls feeling they only have to
  “absorb” explanations they are given and that language learning is a matter of memorising rules.

• Deductive
  approaches appeal to a limited number of learning preferences – mainly
  theorist (Honey and Mumford) and intrapersonal (Gardner). Guided Discovery
  can cater for various learning preferences– theorist/analytic
  learners; logical-mathematical intelligence; intrapersonal intelligence (if done at least initially
  individually) or interpersonal intelligence (if Ls then compare answers or
  work collaboratively from the beginning); etc.

• If (as is
  usually done) Guided Discovery is done in PW or GW, it can help improve
  rapport within the class as Ls are working collaboratively, helping
  each other understand, and generally “getting to know each other” better,.
  Deductive explanations are, on the other hand, inevitably processed
  individually.  

 

c)  What are the advantages of GD over ii)
T-led inductive  presentations.    

• T-led presentations, as in a “traditional” PPP
  approach, are done in T/full class mode with the T. asking the concept check
  questions. If these are left open, it is usually the stronger Ls who answer and
  the weaker Ls are either just being “told” the answer or, may still not
  understand. If the T nominates specific Ls this may “put them on the spot”
  causing negative affect. In either case, only a limited number of Ls are fully
  involved and engaged. GD activities, being materials based, mean that all Ls
  must work on them to decide the answers.

• The
  learners are fully engaged (whether working individually or collaboratively)
  in Guided Discovery rather than just listening to the teacher (with the
  possibility of attention lapsing). 
  Especially if working collaboratively, the  pace of the lesson is higher preventing
  boredom, drifting attention etc.

• Guided
  discovery activities prepared by the T allow the T to facilitate learning
  as necessary for individual learners and differentiate the amount of help
  given in the materials rather than having to gear the presentation to
  the class as a whole. Stronger learners may need no help other than that
  provided by the concept questions in the activity. Weaker learners may
  need the materials to point them towards relevant features in the
  examples.

d)
with what learner types and in what learning contexts might a GD approach not be appropriate? 

• With young primary age learners who not analytic and are still developing lower order thinking skills, and who are still able to acquire the language through simple exposure rather than needing to learn it formally.

• With some learners from educational
  cultures where a deductive approach to learning is normal, and the Ls
  expect the T. to  “tell” them the
  information they need – eg traditional learning contexts in Vietnam (though the
  government is currently trying to introduce more constructivist approaches to
  education). At the beginning of a long course, it might be best not to break ls
  expectations in a way that might be detrimental to their faith in the T’s
  competence. Once this had been established, more inductive methods could be
  gradually introduced, possibly starting with T-led concept checking before moving on to a "full" GD approach. 

•  With learners with a low educational level (eg some migrant ESOL learners) who do not have the higher order thinking skills necessay for GD. There is a strong argument for gradually developing these over time (as in the point above) but this would take considerable time, which might not be available on shorter courses.

Acknowledgement

Photo by brookesb via flickr