FSGL-Vorlesung 1-3

Learning earlier not equal to learning better

BUT other reasons for starting early…

Older-  more cognitive capacity, can build on pre-knowledge

Younger-

•Affective filter lower

•Positive attitude towards language

•Political reasons (both national and international!!!)

•Amount of time spent learning (well-spent?)

•Possibility for content-based approach (if applied)

Intelligence

Aptitude

Personality

Motivation & attitude

Learner preferences

Learner beliefs

Age of acquisition

1. What 7 theories have influenced foreign/second language teaching?
2. What is Behaviourism based on?
3. What is the Behaviourism’s influence on language learning perspectives (important traits)?
4. What did Lenneberg think of young children learning languages?
5. What means Critical Period Hypothesis?
6. As what did Piaget regard the young child learning languages?
7. What is the difference between Assimilation and Accommodation?
8. What is the ZPD?
9. For what term is Bruner famous for?
10. What is Bruner’s and Vygotsky’s influence on language acquisition perspectives?
11. What four parts does metacognitive awareness consist of (4)?
12. What 5 hypotheses are based on Krashen’s Monitor Model?
13. Due to Krashen’s Monitor Model, why does listening precede speaking?
14. What is the difference between learning and acquisition?
15. Is the statement “the younger the better” true?
16. How could the concept of Multiple Intelligences be used in the primary classroom?
17. Name four individual factors that can influence second language learning/acquisition:
18. How are errors regarded in modern language learning and teaching?
19. What is overgeneralizing?
20. What are the differences between L1 and L2 (give two examples)?
21. What are the reasons for starting language learning at an early age?
22. How should language learning be for young learners?

•Characterize the different methods and approaches and their historical background.

•Describe the most important/influential approaches and methods.

•Systematic set of practices based on a particular theory

•Forms the basis of planning and guides the teacher in deciding what to do in the classroom

•Says which activities to do and in which order

•Prescriptive

A Prescriptive analogy- use THIS car and take THIS road. The path is fixed.

•Theory or philosophy behind a specific method

•Based on theory of language and language learning

•Guides and/or forms the basis for the planning of the lesson

•Different methods may be used

•Not prescriptive

Another analogy: It is easier to navigate by horse in rough terrain. Thus, a horse will more easily take you to where you want to your destination. You can choose the path most suited.

Grammar-translation:

•Method from around end of 18th century

•Goal: read FL literature and benefit from the intellectual development

•1)detailed knowledge of grammar rules,  2)translating in and out of the language

•Mainly reading/writing; almost no listening/speaking

•Word lists; memorisation; sentence level learning

•Focus on accuracy

•All teaching in students‘ L1  

Direct method:

•End of the 19th century

•A ‚natural‘ approach, i.e. only L2 instruction.

•Focus on speaking/listening & on everyday ‚real‘ language.

•Used by Mr. Berlitz! (Berlitz school)

•Use rather than knowledge of language

Audiolingual method

•US army training programme

•Language laboratory and pattern drills

•Based on behaviourism: stimulus-repeat-reinforcement (Pavlovish dog effect)

•Hear a dialogue - repeat in chorus and individually -memorise gradually - adapt or change key words

Total Physical Response (James Asher)

Silent Way (Caleb Gattegno)

Suggestopedia (Georgi Lozanov)

Communicative Language Teaching

•Humanistic approach

•Mistakes are no longer ‚bad‘ but part of learning process

•Focus on the skills

Most of these alternative methods have disappeared.

Silent Way (Caleb Gattegno):

Teacher has background role

Cuisenaire rods and a pronunciation chart- main instruments

Teacher gives examples, learners try to create more sentences

Based on learning by discovering/creating/problem-solving rather than learning by imitating.

Suggestopedia (Georgi Lozanov):

Learner‘s mental state is most important factor for success.

Must overcome learning barriers and feel relaxed to learn.

Barock music puts learner into mental state to absorb new information.

Memory is important.

Roleplaying and question/answer activities are also important.

Also called ‚Superlearning‘.

Communicative Language Teaching:

A move away from situational/structural language learning to functional language.

Creates opportunities to use language for real communicative purposes, e.g. information gap activity.

Focus on meaning and achieving a goal.

Important to be fluent; making mistakes is acceptable because the learner should experiment with the language.

Total Physical Response (James Asher)

•Learn language through physical activity – learners respond physically to commands

•‚Natural‘ acquisition

•The speaker directs all activity

•Good for beginners and young learners

•Low affective filter - reduces learner stress

This method has become central in the teaching of young learners.

P-P-P: Presentation, Practice and Production

•Goal: Accurate communication

•Create a situation, present the new language (which fits the context).

•Practise it in a controlled way.

•Finally use it for yourself/personalise it in a freer way (in theory)

Some teachers still abide by this method, although long-term experience shows that it is not terribly effective. Based on behavioristic assumptions that language can be learned linearly in a logical and chronological form.

TBL – Task-Based Learning

In a task: Meaning is primary.

•Outcome is important.

•Generates interest and motivation

•Connection to the ‚real world‘.

•Also focus on language

•A constructivist approach: learner involvement; process-orientated; product-orientated; holistic

CLIL –Content and Language Integrated Learning

•Learning English through English (acquisition)

•Different degrees of CLIL

•From immersion (100%) to language showers

•Learn subject content through English; e.g. sport, music, history or geography

•Dogma

•Flipped classroom

•Gamification

•Project-based learning

•Self-organised learning

•No longer absolute but integrative!

Mistakes have become accepted as part of the learning process rather than something bad to be avoided or weeded out.

Fluency first, then accuracy  (get your message across, and then get it right)

Geared towards being able to use the language rather than knowledge about language

Aim is no longer to sound like a native user, but to be able to communicate

The approach has changed accordingly so that what you want to do (communication) defines the language taught

•Multilingualism

•Language awareness

•Tasks based on content (TBL-CLIL)

•Immersive and bi-lingual teaching

•Learner autonomy

•Self-assessment (portfolio)

1Traditional methods =  academic and serious

2Alternative methods  aimed to ‚de-intellectualise‘ FL learning

3Communicative approach:   focus on the four skills;  use of strategies;  sociolinguistic competence  + learning grammar and vocabulary

4Most recently, a constructivist approach  – learning-centred and  learner-centred

1. Define the term “method”.
2. Define the term “approach”.
3. What was the main goal of the Grammar Translation method?
4. Which two skills were emphasized in the Grammar Translation method?
5. What was the focus of the Direct Method?
6. Which two skills were emphasized in the Direct Method?
7. On what programme and what learning theory was the Audio Lingual Method (ALM) based on?
8. Name the four alternative methods to language teaching, which were established in the 70’s and 80’s.
9. How are errors regarded in these alternative methods?
10. What does P-P-P stand for?
11. On which theory is Task Based Learning (TBL) based on?
12. What does TBL generate?
13. What is the basic idea of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)?
14. Name two of the new methods.
15. Are these new methods absolute or integrative? Explain:
16. What does the change of paradigm describe?
17. How is Modern Foreign Language Learning characterized?
18. Compare and contrast traditional and alternative methods: What is the main difference?
19. What is the most recent approach to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching?

The qualifications were not always the same between the different cantons. For example, what did a certificate in English in canton Schwyz mean in Thurgau? Was it equivilant or not? This problem was not only for languages but also for other diplomas and certificates.

If there are so many problems within Switzerland, imagine the problems of studying within Europe.

Take, as an example, a Swiss who would like to study at the London University. This person needs to show a certain level of English, but the Swiss certificates are completely different than the ones required by the University. Is the Italian certificate of German the same as the Austrian requirements to study? And so on.

(By the way, this was the same situation with other higher level diplomas, out of which the Bologna concept arose).

And so the countries got together to remedy the situation and define different levels of language general to all languages.

We know these levels now as A1 – C2.

As we say before, Switzerland, whose problem was not just international, but also at a national, and even regional level, was keen to be a part of this project to produce a framework of reference, and thus became one of the driving countries behind the CEFR (and later, the ELP)

•Die Beurteilung und Beschreibung von Sprachkompetenz ist eine zentrale Aufgabe des ESP. Die Deskriptoren in Globalskala, Raster zur Selbstbeurteilung und Checklisten sind dazu vorgesehen. Sie beziehen sich direkt auf die europäischen Referenzniveaus im Referenzrahmen und werden deshalb Kernelemente des ESP genannt.

•Der Europarat gebraucht eine 6-er Skala, um einen sehr grossen Kompetenzbereich abzudecken.

•Diese Niveaus können - je nach Zielgruppe - weiter unterteilt werden.

•Joint venture for defining language norms throughout Europe

•Transparent/comprehensive picture of ability across school systems and borders

•Standard for curricula, exams, coursebooks, portfolios

•Aims: an instrument for plurilingual education (at least two to three languages spoken by all Europeans)

•presented as recommendations and are not in any way mandatory, “as a basis for reflection, discussion and further action...

•The Common European Framework of Reference describes what learners can do.

•It is language-neutral.

•It is skills-based.

•It is very widely used.

•It also focuses on supporting minority languages.

•Many exams are mapped onto the CEFR (e.g. Cambridg exams).

A1:

•I can write a short, simple postcard, for example sending holiday greetings. I can fill in forms with personal details, for example entering my name, nationality and address on a hotel registration form.

C1:

•I can express myself in clear, well- structured text, expressing points of view at some length. I can write about complex subjects in a letter, an essay or a report, underlining what I consider to be the salient issues. I can select style appropriate to the reader in mind.

A1:

•I can recognise familiar words and very basic phrases concerning myself, my family and immediate concrete surroundings when people speak slowly and clearly.

C1:

•I can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly. I can understand television programmes and films without too much effort.  

•Council of Europe joint venture

•Switzerland as one of leading countries

•Documentation of learning progress, makes learning process transparent

•Each country responsible for development of national ELP

Sprachenportfolios ...

... für Jugendliche und Erwachsene ab 15J. // ESP III

... für die Mittel- u. Sekundarstufe I ab 11 J// ESP II

... für die Primarstufe ab 7J. // ESP I

... ab Vorschulalter ab 4 J. Portfolino

•for different age groups

•in four languages (F, D, I, E)

•accredited by the Council of Europe (No 1.2000)

•pan-European Language Passport

•trialled in schools (1996; 1999-2000)

•Should be integrated into language learning at all levels and with all age groups

•Anstösse Rüschlikon

•Entwicklung seit 1994

•Besonderheit: vier Sprachfassungen (daher auch für verschiedene anderen Länder interessant

•die Lernenden sollten, wenn möglich ihr Portfolio in der Muttersprache erhalten oder in einer Sprache, die sie gut beherrschen

Sprachenpass 1 (Rot) = Gibt einen Überblick über Kompetenzen

Sprachbiografie 2 (Blau) = Begleitet den Lernprozess

Dossier 3 (Grün) = Dokumentiert Leistungen mit eignen Arbeiten/ Diplome etc

•Alle ESPs haben obligatorisch die drei Teile Sprachenpass, Sprachbiografie und Dossier mit ihren spezifischen Funktionen

In den Worten der “Principles and Guidelines” des Europarates:

The Language Passport section provides an overview of the individual’s proficiency in different languages at a given point in time; the overview is defined in terms of skills and the Common reference levels in the Common European Framework; it records formal qualifications and describes language competencies and significant language and intercultural learning experiences; it includes information on partial and specific competence; it allows for self-assessment, teacher assessment and assessment by educational institutions and examinations boards; it requires that information entered in the Language Passport states on what basis, when and by whom the assessment was carried out.

The Language Biography facilitates the learner’s involvement in planning, reflecting upon and assessing his or her learning process and progress; it encourages the learner to state what he/she can do in each language and to include information on linguistic and cultural experiences gained in and outside formal educational contexts; it is organised to promote plurilingualism i.e. the development of competencies in a number of languages.

The Dossier offers the learner the opportunity to select materials to document and illustrate achievements or experiences recorded in the Language Biography or Language Passport.

Documentation and presentation

•Results/products of learning

•Summative assessment

•Transparency

•All the learner‘s languages

Pedagogic function

•Learning processes

•Formative assessment

•Incentives and aids

•Learning strategies

Dokumentations- und Vorzeigefunktion - wichtig:

•Zeugnisse, Zertifikate, Diplome und konkrete Lernerprodukte (d.h. z.B. Aufnahme von einem Referat, schriftliche Texte)

•Beurteilungen am Ende eines Lernabschnitts, ev. mit Benotung, Diplom

•Die Ergebnisse werden so mitgeteilt, dass verstanden wird, was Lernende in anderen Sprachen tun können, z.B. durch Angabe des (europäischen) Niveaus oder durch eine Beschreibung der Anforderungen und der Elemente von Prüfungen, Kursen usw.

•Wenn Ergebnisse transparent mitgeteilt werden, werden sie auch vergleichbar

•Pädagogische Funktion

•Lernerfahrungen und -prozesse werden deklariert und reflektiert, um für das weitere Lernen zu profitieren

•Evaluation der Kenntnisse im Dienste des Weiterlernens

•Instrumente wie z.B. die Checklisten zur Selbstbeurteilung zeigen, wo das Lernen schliesslich hinführen kann und beschreiben gleichzeitig die nächsten Schritte

•Aufenthalte, Tandemlernen, verschiedene Kontaktmöglichkeiten usw. werden als Lernmöglichkeiten genannt.

•Based on ‘Can do’ statements from the CEFR

•Self-evaluation instrument

•Belongs to the language learner

NOT a teaching instrument!

•NOT a course book

•NOT a way of exerting pressure

•NOT a way of comparing

  descriptive, not prescriptive

•Diplomas / certificates with reference to the competence levels;

•Linguistic and intercultural experiences (e.g. exchanges);

•Language tuition / language courses;

Self-assessment of language competence

•Die erste Mappe enthält den Sprachenpass.

•Gesamteuropäischer Pass für Erwachsene (befindet sich z.B. auch in russischen ELPs)

•Vielfältige Dokumentation (nicht nur Diplome und Zeugnisse)

•Zeugnisse anderer Art können oft aufschlussreicher sein, als Diplome, z. B. Bestätigung oder Beschreibung eines Praktikums im Ausland oder eines Schüleraustauschs.

•Das Besondere: Im ELP wichtig sind Selbstbeurteilung von Kenntnissen und Selbstdeklaration von Erfahrungen und Kompetenzen. Dies ermöglicht:

•zu sagen, was man nach einer Diplomprüfung dazugelernt (oder wieder verloren) hat;

•Kompetenzen auszuweisen, die nicht geprüft werden (interkulturelle Erfahrung);

•Sprachkenntnisse auszuweisen, für die es keine Prüfungen gibt (Migrantensprachen);

•partielle Kompetenzen auszuweisen.

•Das Dossier als Sammlung von eigenen Arbeiten kann behauptete Kompetenzen illustrieren

Das ESP gehört den Lernenden. Seinen vollen Wert entfaltet es jedoch erst durch Kooperation.

  Während der Grundausbildung

•z.B. durch Kooperation zwischen SchülerInnen und LehrerInnen (z.B. im Rahmen von Selbstevaluation und Fremdevaluation ausgehend vom selben Instrument; beim gemeinsamen Festlegen von Zielen mit Hilfe des ESP)

•z.B. durch Kooperation zwischen SchülerInnen und Eltern (durch transparent, im ESP einsichtig und nachvollziehbar gemachte Sprachlernprozesse)

  In der Arbeitswelt, im Studium, im Rahmen von Weiterbildungen kann das ESP

•z.B. zur Verständigung zwischen ArbeitnehmerInnen und Arbeitgebern beitragen (etwa im Rahmen von Stellenausschreibungen und Stellenbewerbungen)

•Oder das ESP dient der Verständigung zwischen Studierenden und Ausbildungsinstitutionen (etwa beim Beschreiben von geforderten Sprachniveaus einerseits, beim Anstreben und Nachweisen dieser Niveaus andererseits)

  Der Schnittstelle zwischen der Grundausbildung und dem Eintritt in die Arbeitswelt bzw.
  Studienwelt kommt  besondere  Bedeutung zu.

Wenn das ESP (eines Tages) auf beiden Stufen fest verankert ist, wenn also die Sprachkompetenzen hüben und drüben gleichermassen mit demselben Instrument beschrieben werden, wird man eher von einer Nahtstelle denn einer Schnittstelle sprechen können. Die Übergänge werden – im Bereich der Sprachkompetenzen – stark vereinfacht, wenn Abgeberinstitutionen und AbnehmerInnen aus der Arbeits- und Studienwelt ein und dasselbe Instrument verwenden.

·Strengthen the learner‘s motivation,

-to improve their communicative competence in various languages,

-to learn new languages,

-to gather intercultural experiences.

·Instigate and help,

-to reflect on learning goals, processes and success,

-to learn independently,

-to plan their learning.

·Encourage the learner to widen the linguistic and intercultural experiences

-through contacts / meeting people,

-by reading and making use of the media,

-through projects.

•The clearly defined learning aims should serve as a motivating factor for life-long learning in language development

•Any kind of encounter with other languages and cultures can be documented and valued – further motivating factor

•Users are encouraged to reflect on their experiences and how these have helped in their development, but also to help users in their further planning and decision-making

•Ideas are offered for learning and intercultural experiences

•The checklists in the biography can help with setting aims, and prove to be extremely motivating

Quiz ENGLISH

1. How many language levels does the CEFR involve?
2. What is the main aim of the CEFR?
3. Where is the CEFR used?
4. For what is the ELP used?
5. What are the three basic models of the ELP(3) ?
6. Name two examples for each function of the ELP:
7. Name the three parts of the ELP and explain them shortly.
8. Why is cooperation so necessary when using the ELP?
9. Why is the ELP regarded as a learner’s companion? Give three reasons for it.

Language is communication as we see in the first picture. And it can take many forms such as the group of kids trying to use sign to communicate with each other.

How do we acquire language? It is a complex process, and although the processes of first and second language acquisition are not quite the same, they are very similar.

Example of my kids- learned both simultaneously.

•Define the central terms regarding language acquisition

•List the history of theories which have influenced the teaching of language

•Identify important factors which play a role in second language acquisition,

•List the arguments related to the age factor in language learning