The Important Of Mindset And Links To Mindset Resources

How we see the world and ourselves plays an extremely important role in how we live and learn. If we have a pessimistic and negative view of ourselves, it can greatly hurt our wellbeing and ability to learn. The term, mindset, means how we view ourselves and the world. Research on mindset shows that people tend to have two types of mindsets, a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, and which one you have can have a big impact on your life. Those with fixed mindsets see their abilities as fixed, they can’t be changed, and therefore, they don’t try to do better. Whatever intelligence and abilities they have, whether at math or languages, they think that these abilities are fixed, and they can’t get better at them. On the other hand, those with growth mindsets tend to see their abilities as something they can improve. If a person with a fixed mindset does poorly on test, they will usually not try harder and believe that there is nothing to do to improve their score. A person with a growth mindset will be more likely to try to think that they can improve their score, if they make more of an effort. People with growth mindsets are more likely to see challenges and mistakes in life as things that help them to improve.

The good news is people who have fixed mindsets can be taught to develop a growth mindset. These discoveries are very important for learning. Think about whether you have more of a fixed or growth mindset. Do you see challenges as an opportunity for growth or do you often avoid these challenges? Do you think your abilities to learn are fixed or do you think you can improve, if you work hard and put in the effort? These are important questions to ask oneself. I’ve had students who had difficulties learning English mainly because their fixed mindsets made learning much harder for them. They didn’t believe that with the right kind of effort they could improve.

Often, for students who struggle with a fixed mindset, simply explaining the idea of mindset to students and encouraging them to develop a growth mindset enough to help them. However, often life circumstances make altering our fixed mindset more difficult. My students who found it very difficult to change their mindset usually had other issues in their life, such as stress, anxiety or depression, which kept their mindset (and their lives) limited. Dealing with these issues can be are important first steps to improve health and learning potential.


"In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that's that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don't necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it." -Carol Dweck


Links about mindset:

This is post of a TED talk by Carol Dweck, one of the main reseachers on mindset.

This TED Talk discusses mindset in more detail, especially the ideas of learning zone and performance zone.

Khan academy has excellent resources about mindset for teachers, students, and parents.

Mindset works: An organization co-founded by Carol Dweck that, according to it's website, is "the global leader in growth mindset development leveraging the pioneering research of Carol Dweck and Lisa Blackwell. The company's mission is to enable a world in which all people realize continual learning and growth. "

Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives: An explanation of mindset from the site Brainpickings.org.

Explanation and articles about mindset at Psychology Today website.

TED Talk: The Power of Believing You Can Improve

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Transcript

Audio Time: 10 min 20 sec

Level: Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

To pass: to complete a test or class successfully.

Not yet: not now; not at this time.

Fantastic: extremely good.

To fail: no to succeed.

Learning curve: the rate at which someone learns something new: the course of progress made in learning something.

Insight: deep and clear understanding.

Mindset: a particular way of thinking: a person's attitude or view about something.

Fixed: used to describe something that does not change.

Grip: to grab or hold something; to understand something.

Tyranny:  cruel and unfair treatment by people or one person with power over others.

To cheat: to break a rule or law usually to gain an advantage at something.

Study (noun): an organized experiment in which many things are looked at, measured, recorded, etc., in order to learn more about something.

To engage with: to give serious attention to (someone or something).

To praise: to say or write good things about (someone or something) : to express approval of (someone or something).

Resilient: able to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens.

Reward: to give money or another kind of payment to (someone or something) for something good that has been done.

Persistence: the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people.

Comfort zone: a place, situation, or level where someone feels confident and comfortable.

Rebound: the act of bouncing back after hitting something.

Chronic: continuing or occurring again and again for a long time.

Discussion questions:

1. Do you have more of a growth mindset or fixed mindset?

2. What can we do to have a growth mindset?

3. Has your mindset changed over time?

4. How can a growth mindset help you in your life?

Exercise Helps Students in the Classroom

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Transcript

Audio Time: 4 min  1 sec

Level: Intermediate

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including  Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Endurance: the ability to do something difficult for a long time.

To go for it: to try to achieve or get something.

Racket: a piece of sports equipment that is used to hit a ball or other objects in games like tennis or badminton.

To shuffle: to slide your feet along the ground or back and forth without lifting them completely.

To backpedal: to move backward with quick steps.

Pursuit: the act of following or chasing someone or something.

To eliminate: to remove (something that is not wanted or needed) : to get rid of (something).

Disparities: a noticeable and often unfair difference between people or things.

Background: the experiences, knowledge, education, etc., in a person's past.

Fit: physically healthy and strong.

To fidget: to make a lot of small movements because you are nervous, bored, etc.: to move or act in a nervous or restless way.

Disruptive: to cause (something) to be unable to continue in the normal way : to interrupt the normal progress or activity of (something).

Self-esteem: a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities.

Depression: a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way.

Anxiety: fear or nervousness about what might happen.

To impair: to make (something) weaker or worse.

Attentiveness: thinking about or watching something carefully : paying careful attention to something.

Extensively: large in size or amount : very full or complete.

Capacity: the largest amount or number that can be held or contained.

Nutrients: a substance that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow.

To whittle away: to reduce or get rid of (something) slowly.

Sub-set: a group of things, people, etc., that is part of a larger group.

Discussion questions:

1. How can exercise help students in the classroom?

2. Do you exercise? If so, what kind of exercise do you do?

3. Do you find that exercise helps your mental performance?

4. What kind of exercise have you done in school?

5. Do you think exercise can help you improve your English skills?

TED Talk: How to Practice Effectively For Just About Anything

This video from TED-ED gives a nice, short overview of the theoretical and practical parts of effective practice. It focuses on learning physical skills, but it can be applied to any type of learning including language learning. Pay attention to some of the important practical tips for effective practice (also called deliberate practice).

Here's a short list of the tips they mention:

• Effective practice is consistent.
• It is intensely focused.
• It targets on content or weaknesses that are on the edge of one's current abilities.

How to get the most out of practice time:

• Focus on the task at hand (the task you are doing).
• Minimize distractions. For example, the TV  computer, or phone.
• Frequent study with breaks is useful.

Remember that you can access the transcript on Youtube. 

Play Doesn’t End With Childhood Why Adults Need Recess Too

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Transcript

Audio Time: 6 min 51 sec

Level: Upper-Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Recess: US: a short period of time during the school day when children can play.

Indicate: to show (something).

Playground: an outdoor area where children can play that usually includes special equipment (such as swings and slides).

Overload: to put too great a load on or in (something).

Stuffed animal: US: a toy in the shape of an animal that usually has fake fur and is filled with soft material.

Grownup: Someone who is fully grown: an adult.

Nonprofit: A nonprofit organization uses whatever money it earns or raises to run the organization and to do the work of the organization. Nonprofit organizations usually do work that helps people or supports something valued by many people in a society (such as art or education).

Resilient: able to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens.

Deprivation: the state of not having something that people need: the state of being deprived of something.

Competent: having the necessary ability or skills: able to do something well or well enough to meet a standard.

Perseverance: the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult.

Laborious: requiring a lot of time and effort.

Discussion questions:

1. Do you agree with the article that play is important? Why or why not?

2. How do you usually play?

3. How did you play as a child?

4. Do you like to play alone or with others?

5. What can play tell us about ourselves or others?

Lessons from the Language Boot Camp for Mormon Missionaries

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Transcript

Audio Time: 7 min and 17 sec

Level: Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  Vocab probably unknown to intermediate speakers is provided to help with comprehension of the text. Vocab in bold is more useful for the intermediate to upper-intermediate level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the report (in general, most learners should try to study no more than 8-10 words per day for optimal learning)

Definitions are written with the help of Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: (Mormonism) Christian church that was founded by Joseph Smith in the U.S. in 1830.

Missionary: a person who is sent to a foreign country to do religious work (such as to convince people to join a religion or to help people who are sick, poor, etc.).

Institute: an organization created for a particular purpose (such as research or education).

Enthusiastic: strong excitement about something: a strong feeling of active interest in something that you like or enjoy.

Gospel: the teachings of the Christian religion — usually used with the; any one of the first four books of the Christian Bible that tell of the life of Jesus Christ.

Roughly: not exactly but close in number, quality, meaning, etc.

Hymn: a religious song: a song that praises God.

In the context: the situation in which something happens: the group of conditions that exist where and when something happens.

Recite: to read (something) out loud or say (something) from memory usually for an audience.

To have something down: to learn in a complete way.

Pair off: to form pairs: groups of two people.

Role-play: an activity in which people do and say things while pretending to be someone else or while pretending to be in a particular situation.

Potential: a chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future.

Convert: a person who has changed to a different religion, belief, political party, etc.

Flashcards: a card that has words, numbers, or pictures on it and that is used to help students learn about a subject.

Oh, my goodness: (idiom) Used to express surprise, shock, or amazement.

Deer in the headlights: (idiom) Used to refer to a state of fear, panic, or confusion so extreme that it is impossible to act or think normally.

Motto: a short sentence or phrase that expresses a rule guiding the behavior of a particular person or group.

Traction: the force that causes a moving thing to stick against the surface it is moving along.

Act out: to perform (a play, a character in a movie, etc.).

Provost: the head or an official of high rank at a university.

Conjugate: to list the different forms of a verb that show number, person, tense, etc.

Dropout: a person who stops going to a school, college, etc., before finishing: a person who drops out of school.

Efficiency: the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy.

Replicate: to repeat or copy (something) exactly.

Language Tips:

Useful phrases:

 In the context: 1: the words that are used with a certain word or phrase to explain its meaning. 2: the situation in which something happens: the group of conditions that exist where and when something happens.

In the context of this sentence, this idiom can have different meanings.

To have something down: to learn something in a complete or total way.

Wow! You really have your knowledge of verb tenses in English down. You hardly ever make any mistakes.

Whole thing: all of something; everything.

Let’s just forget the whole thing and start again.

Discussion questions:

1. What are some language learning tips you’ve gotten from this story?

2. What’s the best way to learn a language?

3. What is your main goal or motivation to learn English?

4. What the best way for you to learn a language?

5. How important is it to learn grammar when learning a foreign language?

6. How important is the context-based method (trying to learn language by using it in real life situations)?

7. One of the best ways to study a language is to visit a country where it is spoken, but not everyone can do this. What are some alternatives for people that cannot do this?

8. How important is it to have a supportive environment to learn a language?

What It Takes (And Means) To Learn English as an Adult

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Transcript

Audio Time: 5 min 53 sec

Level: Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Adult: a fully grown person or animal. 

To add up:  to be added together and equal the expected or correct total.

Challenge: a difficult task or problem; something that is hard to do.

Immigrant: a person who comes to a country to live there.

Poverty: the state of being poor.

Integrate: to combine (two or more things) to form or create something.

Society: the people of a particular country, area, time, etc., thought of especially as an organized community.

To Make it (somewhere):  to reach or go to (a place).

To break out: to begin happening suddenly.

Desperate: having a strong need or desire for something or to do something.

Off and on: starting, stopping, and starting again; not constant or steady over a period of time.

Gap: a hole or space where something is missing.

Juggle: to do (several things) at the same time.

Child Care: the things that are done to take care of children especially when their parents are away or at work.

Household: of or relating to a house or to the people living in a house.

Principal: the person in charge of a public school.

Incredible: difficult or impossible to believe.

Sacrifice: the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone.

Bartender: a person who serves drinks at a bar or restaurant.

Attendant: assistant;  an employee who serves or helps customers.

Yep: (informal) yes.

To get out (of somewhere): to leave.

To grow up: to become an adult.

To hold back: to stop (someone) from doing something.

Limited:  not high or great in number, amount, etc.

Stepchild: your wife's or husband's child by a past marriage or relationship : a stepson or stepdaughter.

Research: careful study that is done to find and report new knowledge about something.

Acquisition: the act of getting or acquiring something.

Equivalent: having the same value, use, meaning, etc.

To require: to make it necessary for someone to do something.

Competence: the ability to do something well.

To keep at it: to continue doing or trying to do something.

Confused: unable to understand or think clearly.

Obvious: easy to see, notice, or understand.

Road Trip: a long trip in a car, truck, etc.

Longingly: a strong desire for something or someone.

Cohesion: a condition in which people or things are closely united; unity.

Fabric:  woven or knitted material; cloth.

Grammar Tip: Using Make and Do Collocations

One of her classmates says longingly, she'd love to make American friends.

…many of his adult students make incredible sacrifices to come to class.

Using do and make collocations can be a challenge for English learners. The truth is that there often is no way to know whether to use do or make besides memorizing the proper collocation. However, the good news is that there are a few guidelines that can help learners know when to use each word.

Guidelines for using DO:

We often use do for daily activities or jobs that do not produce a physical object.

Do homework, do the dishes, do the laundry, do a job, do the shopping

We also use do when we speak about things in general, but don’t specifically name this activity. Instead the words used are something, nothing anything, everything, etc. 

He has done nothing all day.

She would do anything for her Mom.

Guidelines for using MAKE:

Make is often used for constructing, building and creating something you can touch.

Make food, make a cup of tea, make clothes, make a mess

As already noted, like much of English, there are many make and do collocations that do not follow these guidelines, and must simply be memorized.

Make money, do someone a favor, do business, make a decision, do good, make a plan

Discussion questions:

1. What challenges do you have for learning English?

2. What sacrifices have you made to learn English?

3. What are the rewards for learning English?

4. What are the positive and negatives sides to learning English as a child or as an adult?

5. What are some of the differences between learning English as a child and as an adult?

6.  How can busy people learn English or other languages more easily?

7. What’s the best age to learn a language?

8. Can learning another language make someone have more understanding or patience with someone who tries to speak this person’s native language?