Teaching English to the 21st Century Learners
Evis Kolani, University of Tirana (Albania)
Abstract
The primary goal of education is to foster creativity by encouraging individuals to use ideas, theories, and concepts to develop new things rather than simply learning mechanically and repeating what previous generations have done. Cognition refers to the mental processes of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. This process is interactive, involving both the learner and their environment.
Students learn best when actively engaging with language and interacting with their surroundings. This interactive learning, more effective than mere memorization, encompasses knowledge, judgment, reasoning, memory, and analysis. Children, in particular, utilize schemas, the fundamental building blocks of knowledge that enable them to create mental representations of the world. This learning process is closely tied to a person's biological maturation and interactions with the environment.
To ensure a better future, we must reshape students' thinking from an early age. This requires the design of modern school curricula and educators' implementation of contemporary teaching techniques. The urgency of this task cannot be overstated, as it directly impacts the quality of learning outcomes.