Nature of Learning and Learning Environments

This study material explores the nature of learning and learning environments, focusing on the teaching methods and their impact on students' development. It discusses the use of autonomy and controlling approaches in creating a supportive learning environment. The material also suggests future actions to improve the teaching approach.

Running head: NATURE OF LEARNING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Nature of Learning and Learning Environments
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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NATURE OF LEARNING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Description.................................................................................................................................2
Analysis......................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion and future actions....................................................................................................4
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................6

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NATURE OF LEARNING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Introduction
The institute that is taken into consideration is the Wall Street English Khobar. It
provides spoken English classes to the children residing in Saudi Arabia so that they can be a
part of the world that is well acquainted with the language. The responsibilities as a teacher
are to impart good quality English to the children that has the urge to learn English and with
it ensure a good career in the future. The method of teaching the language is either via online
for the children having trouble to attend the school as well as via classroom method.
Exercises related to framing sentences are used as activities that can help in the development
of the children. It is important to reflect upon teaching methods so that the environment and
focus of the children in the classrooms can be understood and with it new methods for a new
badge of students can be formed.
Description
The teaching method adopted is more autonomy rather than controlling. This is
mainly done to ensure that the children gain enough support and encouragement to learn the
language and implement it in the future. Mistakes made by the children are guided in a
manner that can help them to understand the reasons for committing the mistakes and rectify
it in the future. The autonomy method provides a learning environment in which children can
be free to approach with their problems and be guided with the required knowledge necessary
for the learning of the language (Biggs, 1999). In this regard an example can be provided that
helps in understanding the type of autonomy approach that is undertaken.
The experience can be accounted for an incident that occurred while trying to make a
child learn about poems and the manner in which it can be interpreted. While trying to learn
the poem, it was seen that the child had not been able to understand the phrases that seemed

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to be formed using more than 4 letters. This provided a problem for the child and in order to
cope up with the situation, instead of controlling or dominating the mentality of the child the
words were broken into syllables. This helped in shortening of the words and at the same
time made the children learn a new thing that is the syllables and its application while
speaking or learning phrases.
However, there remains occasions in which controlling approach is needed to be
adopted. The controlling method is usually adopted to avoid similar mistakes that are done by
a child. This can help in understanding the problems of the child and gain the attention of the
parents about the manner in which the child can be taught. This can help in earning respect
from the children as the fear of understanding the lessons taught at the very first attempt can
help in the development of the children (Biggs, 1999). Despite this, the controlling method
does not seem to be the ideal method as it may lead to harassment and frustration of the
children.
While applying the controlling method, there was one instance in which a child was
unable to identify the adjectives used in a sentence. The application of the controlling method
made the child nervous and the confidence that he had prior to the failure of the test been lost.
Therefore, application of the controlling method may lead to damaging the encouraging
nature of the child. Hence, overall it is necessary to ensure that the use of a more supportive
approach towards learning is made so that the children can learn peacefully in an
environment that provides encouragement instead of fear. This can help in the fast
development of the children.
Analysis
The current approach that is adopted for providing education to the children can have
a positive effect on the minds of the students. This is mainly because with English as a

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language to be learned it is necessary that the students remain aware of the use of phrases and
terms in a free manner. According to Núñez and León (2015), providing them with limited
ability to speak can hamper their growth and the development of their vocabulary. At the
same time it is also necessary that the educational climate that is set up at the schools be
supportive. The reason for doing this is to encourage more children to be part of the
institution.
The educational climate generated from the approach is usually flexible and
welcomes the thoughts of the children. The adoption of a supportive approach provides the
students with the ability to approach the concerned teachers and learn about any type of query
that they may have. Furthermore, it can encourage the children to be involved in group
activities wherein they can discuss among themselves about the subject and engage in
conversation with the colleagues and teachers (Biggs, 1999). It can also teach them the ability
to speak in different manner in different scenario by considering the words and phrases to be
used. For example, while speaking with the teachers’ children need to use terms like “please”
to make them understand things that is on their minds. This can help in motivating the
children to be able to speak in public in a free manner (Reeve, 2009).
The level of motivation of the children can increase with the adoption of a supportive
approach. The children can speak to the teachers on a free basis and get the encouragement to
be able to ask them about help. Furthermore, a sense of smartness can be developed that can
help the children to develop activities in the future (Ten et al., 2011). However, the adoption
of a controlling approach may provide children with de-motivation in terms of being
encouraged as well as hamper the level of confidence that they have while approaching a
particular subject.

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Conclusion and future actions
On the light of this a reflection can be about the teaching approach that has been
adopted. The satisfactory level of the teaching approach can be state as high mainly because
it provides with an idea of encouraging the children for further development in the future. It
helps in increasing the relationship between teachers and children and any form of doubts that
children may have can be solved. It also helps in reducing the pressure from the children in
terms of studying in a forced manner. This also helps in understanding the capabilities that
they children possess.
It can also work as a motivating factor for the children as they can be encouraged to
continue with the activities that suit them provided the path is correct. However, one change
method can be adopted while trying to improve the method of teaching in the classroom. This
can be associated with the fact that children can be made to show the work to the teacher
before the final submission. In this manner, any errors can be made to be rectified without
any further problems on behalf of the children. This can ease the burden of providing
negative comments on the notebooks of the children.
The importance of the change is that it can help in making the children realise their
mistakes before it has been committed. Once notebooks are submitted the children does not
have an option to make changes if they are wrong. The adoption of this particular approach
can help in the development of the cautiousness among the children and make them cross
check their assignments before being submitted. However, the implementation of the change
need to be done so that children can follow the method while at the same time remaining
encouraged about the way to approach the teachers in case of doubts.
The implementation of the change can be made by making it compulsory for the
children to make a preliminary submission before the final date. Penalty can be imposed on

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the children that may fail to do so. This can provide a sense of fear as well as responsibility
for the children in terms of completing an assignment with fewer mistakes as possible. This
change can be an appropriate improvement as it can help the children to understand the area
of weakness and with it make plans for its development in the future.

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Bibliography
Biggs (1999). What the student does: Teaching for enhanced learning. Higher Education
Research & Development, 18, 57-75. doi: 10.1080/0729436990180105
Núñez, J. L., & León, J. (2015). Autonomy support in the classroom: A review from
selfdetermination theory. European Psychologist, 20, 275-283. doi: 10.1027/1016-
9040/a000234
Reeve, J. (2009). Why teachers adopt a controlling motivating style toward students and
how they can become more autonomy supportive. Educational Psychologist, 44,
159–175. doi: 10.1080/00461520903028990
TEDx Talks. (2012, August 13). Promoting motivation, health and excellence: Ed Deci at
TEDxFlourCity [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGrcets0E6I.
Ten Cate, O., Th., J., Kusurkar, R. A., & Williams, G. C. (2011). How self-determination
theory can assist our understanding of the teaching and learning processes in
medical education. AMEE Guide No., 59. Medical Teacher, 33, 961-973. doi:
10.3109/0142159X.2011.595435