Session 1A
Title: Collocating to Promote Functional Language Use and Learner Autonomy

Abstract:
Different forms of materials, especially outside the classroom, readily available to students, can promote learner autonomy and increase their motivation in learning a language. The use of these types of materials and the incorporation of students' communicative language skills are a progressive step in assisting students to master their target language. This workshop looks at a content-based-learning activity that uses collocations to build students functional use of the language. It involves a weekly news activity completed outside of the classroom that encourages students'' communicative language use as well as their autonomous learning. First, this workshop will outline the activity using audience participation and show an example video, then the results of a questionnaire on students' perception of this activity will be discussed, and finally participants will brainstorm how the activity can be adapted to their classrooms and teaching practices.

Biodata:
Garth Brennan is currently working at the Centre for English Teaching (CET) at The University of Sydney where he teaches on direct entry courses for international students. He has been teaching English, mainly EAP, for over 14 years in China, Japan and Australia and through these experiences, being a language learner himself and his studies in applied linguistics (TESOL) he has an interest in L2 motivation, especially autonomous learning. As a teacher he tries to encourage independent and life-long learning practices to his students.