Abstract:

The Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines include ways of promoting an actional approach to language learning, just as is preconized in Council of Europe documents. The idea behind it is to have learners become social actors and use the second language extensively. This however is seldom the case in the average second language classroom because of a lack of actual language practice.

We will analyze one of the latest Ministry documents (2016) on experiential learning and establish links to practice through activity centres. Early experiential learning theories emerged from an effort to have students actively engaging in their learning. These theories proposed that students would learn by doing and, by applying knowledge to experience, develop new knowledge and skills. The latest technologies will be included to develop critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

We well analyze how the process of reflecting on an experience, both during and after the experience, extracting meaning from it, and then applying what has been learned, makes the learning truly experiential for students.