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IDENTIFYING THE TYPE OF BEGINNER

To simply label an EFL student with little or no knowledge of English as a “beginner”, then mentally group them together as a homogeneous entity, would be both naive and foolish. There most certainly will be important distinctions worth drawing, both related and unrelated to the amount of English that they know. It is difficult to deny that grouping students together according to the measurable amount of knowledge of the English language is a solid practice. However, in my opinion, it is just as beneficial to try to understand a little of the history – the “backstory” – of the students. An EFL teacher that has both learned and considered the “level” and “type” of students in their course is a teacher that is better-equipped to approach that course is most effective manner possible. Below is a brief list of some of the different types of beginners that an EFL teacher may encounter, along with some of the implications that are likely to come along with each type:

Absolute beginners: Students with no knowledge of written or spoken English. There is no knowledge to elicit from the students. The most basic knowledge must be taught to the first, before the students can be asked simple questions or to complete simple requests.

False beginners: Students that have previously studied or been exposed to English, but have learned or remembered very little. Generally, they will have some knowledge (familiarity with the alphabet/sounds, common polite and introduction phrases) to elicit responses to simple questions and requests. They will need a review and/or clarification of basic language points, more often than needing to be taught.

Beginners without knowledge of Roman Alphabet: Students that have 1) not learned written English, and 2) been raised in a country where the language is not written with the Roman Alphabet. While this does not necessarily mean the student will be an absolute beginner (they may have some knowledge of spoken English), it does mean that the teacher will have to afford extra attention to basic literacy skills in the earliest stages of the course. (…)

Monolingual beginners: Students who only speak one language, a native language with which they were raised. This type of student will either have, 1) no experience in foreign language learning, or, 2) no success in past attempts in foreign language learning. Either way, it is more likely that they will be nervous and reluctant early on. It is also more likely that they will try to compare and match their own L1 to English. They will need tips and guidance on how to study foreign languages.

Multiplingual beginners: Students who already speak two or more languages. This type of student will probably be more confident, as well as more fundamentally and conceptually prepared to learn English. They possess an awareness of some “do”s and “don´t”s of language learning, and they´ll have had past success. However, this can come along with unrealistic expectations (i.e, “my progress should be fast and easy”) and rigidly-defined thoughts/beliefs as to the best way to approach teaching/learning a foreign language.

It is worth noting that the types of beginners listed above are no more of an all-inclusive, rigid definition than the term “beginner” itself. Very often, beginner students will have characteristics from more than one category. That is to say, they are not to be used categorically. They are general descriptions of a stereotype: psychological sketches of a sort. However, they may provide an EFL teacher with some insight on what to look for and how to prepare for such students, after they have been identified as having characteristics belong to one of the above types. It is also worth noting here that cultural awareness takes on even more importance than usual with beginners. The reason for this is two-fold: 1) Beginners are far-more likely to be reluctant and nervous about their EFL course because, quite simply, it will be difficult for them to communicate, to understand and to be understood. A teacher that utilizes that which is culturally comfortable for them, while avoiding that which is culturally uncomfortable for them, has gone a long-way towards reducing these impediments to learning, 2) Language is a gateway (or at least, “a view”) into a culture. To understand some or much of the English language would give foreign language students an idea of why their teacher speaks/behaves in a particular manner, or their activities/tasks are designed and carried out as such. However, beginners will not have any such insight into English-speaking culture, due to the language barrier, and a teacher cannot overlook this. Misunderstanding could reign supreme if the teacher does not slowly assimilate the students into both the language and the culture of English. (…)

Adaptado de: <https://www.teflcorp.com/articles/86-tefl-teaching-beginner-students/269-teaching-efl-to-beginners-initial-approaches-a-techniques/>. Acesso em 5 de jul. 2024.