EN BITCHES JANA UND VINC

Interlanguage

Definition:

An interlanguage is a type of speech or writing developed by people during the process of learning a new language, when the learner is starting to gain knowledge in the new, or “target,” language but has not mastered it. It is a version of the target language that contains errors caused by inappropriately using aspects of the learner's native language while trying to speak the target language, incorrectly applying the target language's grammar or pronunciation rules or trying to express concepts in the target language by using more basic words the learner already knows.

A language or form of language that has features of two others (L1 and L2) typically a version produced by a foreign learner.

1)  some characteristics influenced by the learner ‘s previous learned language(s)

2)  some characteristics of the L2

Language contains a large number of “errors”. It’s considered to be the basis of all L2 production.

Difficulties:

Some learners develop a fairly fixed repertoire of L2 expressions, containing forms that do not match the target language and don’t seem to be progressing any further. This is called Fossilization. These learners can also overgeneralize some L2 writing and speaking rules.

Example:

Grammar: This can produce mistakes like saying “goed” instead of “went” or “you am” instead of “you are,” for example.

Word order: a green fish “un vert poisson,” when “un poisson vert” is actually correct.

Develop Interlanguage:

• plenty of exposure to interesting language at the right level
• using language with other people
• focusing their attention on the form of language

Connection to: 

• Plurilingual Methodology (different language skills)
• Error Correction
• Mixed Ability 

Definition:

Form means the language correctness. This includes the correct use of the spoken and written language (Grammatical Correctness and correct spelling).

Focus L2 learner on grammatical rules 
and constructs of the language

If you focus on teaching form, it should be 
included in a content based topic.

If You have to teach the form of a language, pupils will not learn the linguistic features without looking at it explicitly (with a lot of patterns). But it has to happen content based. Don’t teach form in an isolated way.

Form =

         -   grammar

• spelling
• structure
• punctuation
• pronunciation

Never interrupt a primarily communicative task because of form matters! (meaning before form)

Difficulties:

The emphasis on the meaning of the language is priority and a shift towards a focus on formal aspects, occurs only when meaning is not accurately conveyed or when the teacher suspects the shift is necessary for comprehension

Example:

Presentation, Practice, Production

Focus on Form comes before learners engage in communicative activities.

F. ex. : Roleplays à Questions and Answers.

F. ex. : Story telling à Past form

Connection to:

• TBL: content based teaching of Form (Interesting topic, meaningful content)
• Implicit/ explicit: depends on the rules and the class which way you want to teach Form
• Inductive/ deductive teaching
• Meaning
• Error Correction
• Language acquisition vs. learning: you learn Form rules by using the language implicitly but sometimes you need explicit input.

Definition:

Errors are part of learners ‘interlanguage i.e. the learners ‘own version of the second language which they speak as they learn. Error Correction means the way you correct Errors (lack of knowledge) not mistakes (confusion). Errors can indicate progress or the state of interlanguage.

How should error correction happen?

• As a teacher you respect and analyse students‘ errors – they are part of the learning process.
• Only treat those errors that students are capable of correcting, according to the state of their interlanguage at the time of the error.
• Written scripts should not be returned with simply everything underlined in red ink.
• Self-repair is preferable to other-repair: Being corrected by the teacher, or by other students, may be humiliating. Plus: self-correction reinforces active thinking processes. Therefore, also motivate for peer-correction.
• The student needs to be put in situations where he or she is forced to use specific structure and to think about the problems.

1.     Language Transfer

The learner uses her/his own L1 (L2, L3…) as a resource.

• Positive transfer – inference (F.ex.: Braun – brown)
• False Friends: Sensibel ßà sensibel
• Negative transfer – interference (F.ex : Gestern habe ich Ball gespielt.

Incorrect Learner English: *I have played ball yesterday.

Correct Received Pronunciation: I played ball yesterday.)

2. Overgeneralization

The learner uses a L2 rule in situations in which a native speaker would not.

·       at the grammatical level, for example ‘I goed’ (I went).

3. Simplification
The learner uses speech that resembles that of very young children, i.e. verb in infinitive form. F. ex : I going, I sleeping, I eating

4. Avoidance
Absence of errors because learners avoid using certain features of language that they perceive to be difficult for them

Connection to: 

• Interlanguage
• Focus on Meaning
• Form
• Mixed Ability
• Plurilingual Methodology
• Assessment
• Natural Order Hypothesis

Language Acquisiton: (krashen)

Definition:

This term is used to refer to the gradual development of ability in a language by using it naturally in communicative situations with others who know the language.

The process of language acquisition has some basic requirements. A child requires interaction with other language-users in order to bring the general language capacity into contact with a particular language. The child must also be physically capable of sending and receiving sound signals in a language.

Language acquisition:

Children acquire language through an unconscious process during which they are unaware of grammatical rules. This is similar to the way they acquire their first language. They get a feel for what is and what is not correct. In order to acquire language, the learner needs a source of natural communication. The emphasis is on the text of the communication and not on the form.

Example:

This process occurs through language use in ordinary conversation and is the typical progression by which infants and young children first learn to talk.

Trying and testing à The child’s linguistic production appears to be mostly a matter of trying out constructions and testing whether they work or not.

Connection to:

• Language Learning
• Natural order Hypothesis
• Error Correction
• Interactionism
• Implicit 

Definition:

This term applies to a more conscious process of accumulating knowledge of the features, such as vocabulary and grammar, of a language, typically in an institutional setting.

Language learning:

Language Learning is not communicative. It is the result of direct instruction in the rules of language. It is certainly not an age-appropriate activity for your young learners. In language learning, students have conscious knowledge of the new language and can talk about that knowledge. They can fill in the blanks on a grammar page. Research has shown, however, that knowing grammar rules does not necessarily result in good speaking or writing. A student who has memorized the rules of the language may be able to succeed on a standardized test of English language but may not be able to speak or write correctly.

Example:

Accumulating knowledge of the features, such as vocabulary and grammar, of a language, typically in an institutional setting.

Connection to:

• Language acq.
• Natural order Hypothesis
• Error Correction
• strategies
• explicit 

Definition:

In an interaction, the learner experiences the benefits of both receiving input (hearing the second language) and producing output (speaking the second language).

An important element in the learner’s development of L2 ability is to produce a comprehensible output in a meaningful interaction.

In large L2 classes, it is quite difficult to provide enough situations in which the learners can interact with each other.

Therefore, it is important to create tasks and activities (task-based learning) in which learners have to interact with each other, usually in small groups or pairs, to exchange information or solve problems (meaning before form).

The goal of such activities is that the learners will develop communicative competence in L2.

Next to the communicative competence are three other important ones: grammatical, linguistic and strategic competence.

Example:

Talking about their favorite food, sports, favorite activities…

Connection to: 

• TBL
• (Receptive) and productive Skills
• Interactionism
• Meaning

Definition:

Under normal circumstances, infants are certainly helped in their language acquisition by the typical behaviour of older children and adults in their home environment who provide language samples (inputs) for the child.

The term input is used to describe the language that the learner is exposed to. To be beneficial for L2 learning, the input has to be comprehensible by being simple in structure and vocabulary (= basic structure of the L2) → we can`t process an input we can`t understand.

As the learner`s interlanguage develops, there is need for more interaction based on their current state of interlanguage to move further.

Language learners need to be exposed to comprehensible input (= understandable in a particular context of use but slightly more advanced than the learner`s current language).

Example:

• Input can be made comprehensible by being simpler in structure and vocabulary (e.g., when a mother talks to her child). à caregiver speech
• Classroom language, Environmental language

Connection to:

• TBL
• Receptive and (productive) Skills
• Interactionism
• Meaning
• Communicative Competences
• Interlanguage (input needed to improve)

Definition:

Speaking and writing, because learners doing these need to produce / construct language.

Example:

Speaking:

• give opportunities to speak English as soon and as much as possible
• initial stages: basic concepts, rhymes and songs, not spontaneous, repeat regularly
• with practice pupils will gradually build up their confidence and spoken language à need a wide variety of activities, different patterns of interaction and opportunities to maximize talk in the classroom in order to sustain speaking
• Conversations / Problem solving à give Chunks and important vocabulary

F. ex: - articulary organs, Pronunciation, Phoneme / Grapheme correspondence, context, can be spontaneous in some cases

Writing:

• participant processes: thinking and having ideas, choosing the right language (vocabulary, grammar, sentence patterns, spelling and layout) and pencil control and hand-eye coordination (like in the L1)
• Why do we write?
• teachers need to be sensitive to the different demands and purposes of written tasks they impose and to be aware of a variety of ways of supporting their writings
• very important principle: children should not be asked to write something that they cannot say in English

F. ex: - Copy words, vocabulary, phoneme / grapheme correspondence…

Learners have already spent time practising receptive skills with a shape poem, by listening to it and reading it. They now move on to productive skills by group writing their own, based on the example.

In the classroom

Connection to: 

• Output, Strategies, Communicative Competence, Scaffolding, mixed ability and Curriculum

Definition:

Listening and reading are receptive Skills, because learners do not need to produce language to do these, they receive and understand it.

Example:

Listening:

• someone is giving you a message or opinion à you have to be able to understand it in order to respond)
• we support the children’s understanding more effectively if we direct their attention to specific points that have to be listened to
  • gesture, tone of voice and visual aids will help children
  • main point or purpose of the activity
  • help children develop specific strategies for listening
  • set a specific listening task (pre-listening activity à pre-task as a preparation, while-listening activity à remain active, post-listening activity à after the listening)

F. ex: Talk about different food, listen to a boy talk about his favourite food, discuss what you heard and then talk about your favourite food. à Give chunks / Sentences to fill out to give pupils structure. (Support with visualisation)

Reading:

• young learners are still learning to read in the L1 à not have too many reading demands
• recommended methods: focus on sounds, letters and words but also activities that promote word recognition associated with meaning (look and say = Sichtwortschatz) à find a balance
• make labels for the equipment in the classroom (e.g. scissors, glue) and also written questions or routines (classroom language)
• support pupils’ association of letters, words and pictures through songs, visual aids and games (visual support)
• the readings should be purposeful and enjoyable à well illustrated and interesting stories
• Strategies!

 F. ex: - highlight words you don’t understand, look at the text (title, pictures, topic... What is it about?)

Connection to: 

• Input, Strategies, Communicative Competence, Scaffolding, mixed ability and Curriculum

Definition:

The learner discovers new grammar on his own, through observations, experiences. Developing rules out of observations, comparisons,…

Learner centered. learners tend to understand and remember more when grammar is taught inductively because they are more actively involved. 

Example:

F. ex: Songs with the third person ‘s.

Connection to:

• CLIL
• Constructivism

Definition:

The teacher provides/ presents a rule or a structure and lets the learner practice it on exercises. (from general to an example). Lot of input and explicit teaching.

Teacher centered. Can be used when there's little time. Teacher need to provide a meaningful content and needs to take the preknowledge into account. 

Example:

F. ex: irregular Verbs / third person ‘s. (if it’s needed because many don’t understand it)

Connection to: 

• Opposite of Constructivism
• Behaviourism

Definition:

Teacher provides the needed form with chunks and language support without naming the grammatical form. Students learn the structure by using it.

Example:

F. ex: First language acquisition à awareness of environmental language use. à learn by it.

Connection to: 

• Language acquisition
• Natural order Hypothesis
• TBL
• Inductive / deductive 
• Interactionism
• Error Correction (recast (umformulieren/ richtig wiederholen))

Definition:

Precisely and clearly expressed grammatical form; leaving nothing to implication

Being unconscious of the grammatical form. The teacher provides a lot of input and explicit teaching

Example:

F. ex: Second or third languages can be acquired within an explicit approach.

à imitation, practice, habit formation.

Pointing out a grammar rule à Error: pointing out the error and correcting it right away instead of recasting it (rephrase it correctly)

Connection to: 

• Language learning
• Form
• TBL (language Focus in the end of TBL)
• Behaviourism
• Input
• Error Correction

Definition:

Interactionsm (Stephen Krashen): Interaction is the most important factor in language learning. Communication in the classroom. Child needs to react to a person’s speech (needs to understand message).

Important:

Learners must be exposed to comprehensible input – Real life situation! If children are to talk meaningfully, they must have something. They want to say & teacher must take on responsibility for adjusting topics so that they relate to pupil’s interest.

• Use mime & gestures
• Give language support (chunks)
• Do not correct them all the time: demotivation                                             

Example:

• Talk about favourite food/ sport in class / groups. Talk about an Image…
• For reading: Reciprocal teaching (predict, clarify, visualize, summarize)
• Writing: write letters / invitations

Connection to:

• Error Correction
• Scaffolding
• Interactionism
• TBL

Definition:

The aim of Classroom research is that teachers reflect their role and try to include these results of reflection in their lessons. Children’s feedback and their under-standing of what a teacher wants to teach, should have a big influence on the teacher's reflection. You only can act professional when you know the thoughts and thinking steps of the children in your classroom. It helps teachers to develop their teaching practice by reflecting their lessons on interesting and problematic areas.

Important:

Furthermore, one problem is that researchers, who come into classrooms get their knowledge from formal trainings and their perspectives derives from academic disciplines. That’s why teachers need to do their own researches. As a teacher, you need to make the right decision in critical situations. You are only able to do that when you have made your own experiences in a classroom. Classroom research is reflecting the teaching but it is difficult to apply its finding to the practice.

Example:

• How can I motivate my class the most? (Images, Songs, Rhymes…)
• Which Rule system works the best?
• Random Partner/ group work or hetero- / homogeneous groups?

Connection to:

• Grammar teaching (how should I teach -> implicit / explicit….?)
• Error Correction (which is the best method to teach?)
• Plurilinguism (which languages do I find in my Classroom and what influence do they have? Possibilities / difficulties?)

Definition:

The teacher builds scaffolds and supports the learning process while giving inputs, help through interaction with the students. When the pupil is ready to do the task alone by him- or herself, the teacher removes the scaffold gradually. The students need the opportunity to interact with others. The teacher needs to support (scaffolding) the students in order to have successful lessons!

Important:

This support which is called scaffolding is done inside the zone of proximal development (Zone der nächsten Entwicklung). The person is only able to progress inside the zone of proximal development in order to achieve the next goal.

1. Understand
2. Produce
3. Construct Knowledge

Example:

• Giving language support (with young world, wordlist, dictionary, speaking frame, substitution table)
• Sounds, spelling
• Teacher-talk (choice of vocabulary, visual support)
• Task design (the way an activity is presented)
• Reciprocal teaching:
  • Prediction (vorhersage): die leitende Person fordert Teilnehmende auf, Vorhersagen zu machen, wie der Text weitergehen könnte)
  • Clarification (klarstellen): gemeinsam wird versucht, einzelne Begriffe, Sätze oder Zusammenhänge zu klären
  • Questioning (Fragen stellen): die leitende Person stellt Fragen, die sich aus dem Text selber beantworten lassen
  • Summarizing (zusammenfassen): die leitende Person fasst den Textabschnitt zusammen
  • Auch wenn die Lehrerrolle nicht mehr von der Lehrkraft selbst übernommen wird, bietet die Lehrkraft weiterhin Hilfestellung an, kritisiert und greift bei Problemen ein. Verbessert sich der Leistungsgrad der Schüler, sollte die Unterstützung immer weiter zurückgefahren werden (Fading). Die Lehrkraft sollte ebenfalls dergestalt eingreifen, dass eine Metakognition bei den Schülern entsteht. Konkret könnte er zum Beispiel fragen, warum eine Zusammenfassung besser oder schlechter als eine andere Zusammenfassung ist.

Connection to:

• Grammar teaching (how should I teach -> implicit / explicit….?)
• Error Correction (which is the best method to teach?)
• Classroom Interaction
• Classroom Research

Definition:

General ability to use language accurately, appropriately and flexibly. à Convey a meaningful message. (Written or spoken form)

Important:

There are three components of which all are important (it's not enough to concentrate on grammatical competence only because the learners will not be able to interpret or produce L2 expressions appropriately!):

1. Grammatical componence: accurate use of words + structures
2. Sociolinguistic competence: the ability to use appropriate language, to know when to say the right thing according to the social context (Can I have some water? Vs. Give me some water!)
3. Strategic competence: the ability to organize a message effectively (via strategies, for any difficulties)
   1. learners experience moments when there is a gap between communicative intent and their ability to express that intent --> reaction: stop talking / try to express themselves using a communication strategy)
   2. Strategic competence is the ability to overcome potential communication problems in interaction!

Example:

• Ability to ask for things (Can I have some water? / Give me my book back!)
• Ability to hold a conversation with someone else and explain my own thoughts.

Connection to:

• Strategies
• Grammar
• Meaning before Form
• Curriculum
• TBL à Communicative Tasks
• Error Correction

Definition:

Assessment means, the way you want to find out what the students are capable of and where they’re at in their language learning process. There are different ways to assess. (Evaluation)

Important:

All four skills should be tested not only reading and writing. The focus should be on the learning process and not on the outcome/ product. Every mark has to be explained and there should be recommendations for further steps in the learning process. Criteria for a good exam:

• Transparency: Pupils should know what they have to know, the aims should be discussed before the exam and also be written on the exam and the achievable points should be written on the exam as well. Pupils have to know, why they reached a certain amount of points.

• Taxonomy of Bloom: An exam should contain Activities with different degrees of complexities. (Reproduce, Produce, understand …)

• All four skills should be tested and weighed the same. You don’t have to test every skill after every unit. If 
the activity is about comprehension of the text, the questions can be formulated in German as well (so comprehension of the question is not a problem)  

• There should be a possibility for self- evaluation. 
learning to the test -> pupils just learn things, that are tested!

• www.lingualevel.ch provides scales and activities which can be used for assessments. A1.1 and A1.2 are the tar-get stages which have to be reached at the end of the 6. Grade. Lingualevel provides formulated aims and helps to create assessments for the pupils.

Example:

• Assessment of Oral Competences: have a Dialog/ Monologue about the last holidays /Favourite food/ Favourite person
• Assessment of Written Competences: Write a letter to a special person and explain why they are special to you.
• Combine oral and written!
• Listening: Listen to a boy talk about his favourite food and tell someone why it’s his favourite food / Write down why it’s his favourite food. à Same with reading. (Reproduction)

Connection to:

• Lingualevel (CEF)
• Curriculum
• TBL à Communicative Tasks
• Error Correction

Definition:

Gives the Frame what needs to be learned, taught and assessed (Listening, speaking, writing, Culture/ language in focus, strategies). The Curriculum tells which are the minimum requirements. (Communicative Competences)

1. Existential competence (“lebendiges Verhältnis zur Sprache”)
2. Skills and Know-How („mit Sprache handeln)
3. Ability to learn (“wie lernen”)
4. Declarative knowledge (“Sachwissen und Kenntnisse”

Important:

What are the main goals?

1. Linguistic goals
   1. Get in touch with native and non-native speakers
   2. Cf. ELP (different levels of competences: A1-C2)
2. Intercultural goals
   1. Get an insight in the Anglophone cultures and lifestyles
   2. Expand the understanding for the own language and culture
   3. Interest and tolerance for other cultures
   4. Interpersonal relationships
3. Goals in terms of content
   1. The content needs to be challenging and relevant for the education (bildungsrelevant).
   2. General education; support the cognitive development
   3. Authentic materials
4. Instrumentally goals (Instrumentelle Ziele)
   1. Develop communication and learning strategies
   2. Linguistic flexibility
   3. Communication

Example:

• Aims of English Lessons. The way you teach and what you teach is based on the Curriculum.
• The Pupils need to be able to use language appropriately, accurately and flexibly. (Ability to express what they want to say in different situations)

Connection to:

• TBL
• Communicative Competences
• (re) Productive skills
• Assessment
• Course books
• CERF 

Definition:

Primary Teaching Instrument (young world, explorers…) We think it’s totally based on the aims of the Curriculum. Course book should provide methodically-didactical support for teacher: training aims, evaluation advices, overview of topics.

Important:

• Take what you need: check goals and activities – Source book rather than a course book: a lot of teacher focuses too much on the course book than on the curriculum.
• There is a need that course book should help to achieve the goals from the Curriculum (Lehrplan).
• CERF is the basis for teaching languages (common European framework)
• Task-based learning (handlungsorientiert)
• Communicative competence (functional plurilingualism)
• Negotiation of meaning & scaffolding: relevant inputs, differentiation, learn training, support

Pro / Contra:

+ Orientation, pictures, provide a variety of learning resources (CDs, videos, comprehensive teaching guides, logically structured activities, allow student to study at home, vocabulary to content, sensible progression of language input (zunehmend), a lot of different exercises, relieve teacher from searching material, BUT: LP should adapt/extend it to pupils needs!

-childish, too much distraction, show an idealized view of the world or fail to represent real issues, expensive feeling of I have to do it like this! (deskilling teachers), Young world don’t have a lot TBL-activities (a lot of reproductive exercises)

Example:

• Food / Jobs / Inventions à Good topics
• Go back in time (6^th grade) à Listening about the titanic/ and the Fire in 18xx: not a good topic. It’s not at all connected to the child’s life and experiences.

Connection to:

• TBL
• Communicative Competences
• (re) Productive skills
• Assessment
• Curriculum
• CERF
• Mixed ability

Definition:

All “normal” children develop language at roughly the same time, along much the “same” schedule, which is tied to the maturation of the infant`s brain.

Long before children begin to talk, they have been actively processing what they hear. The acquisition schedule has different stages.

à Language is acquired in a predictable order. (but not the same speed = mixed ability)

Important:

Keep the stage in mind where the pupils are at and try to teach regarding those stages. (Are they ready to acquire the next rule?)

• The child works out how to use the linguistic system while focused on communication and interaction rather than correctness.

Example:

• Third person ‘s
• Negation forms

Connection to:

• Error Correction
• Input / Output (When is it time for this kind of Input?)
• Mixed ability
• Grammar
• Meaning before Form 

Definition:

The plurilingual methodology says, that it would be useful, that all languages should be introduced in the same way. The psychologie of learning thinks that it is more effective to use the same concepts and models (strategies) for all the languages. One can profit from the already learned strategies (Crosslinguistig strategies = code switching).  Profit from the languages you already know. (Include knowledge of other languages in Classroom).

Important:

Furthermore, the processes that we need to learn a language (Sprachverarbeitungsprozess) can be transferred from one language to another.

Example:

• Transfer of ling. Knowledge (Vocab, inferences = brown / braun)
• Strategy Knowledge (How to learn new vocab. / How to understand what the other person is saying or a text = key words)

Connection to:

• Error Correction
• Mixed ability (not everyone can profit from different languages)
• Grammar
• Communicative Competences
• Strategies
• Vocabulary

Definition:

Heterogeneous means the same as mixed ability: pupils differ from each other in sociocultural, biological, personal, cognitive and linguistic background. A heterogeneous class should be seen as a class of individuals.

Lessons should be differentiated by interests, type of learner, prior linguistic knowledge, and cultural experiences as well as others

Important:

-        call to problem-based learning

-        cognitive activating

-        encourage productive learning activities

-        accessible for all students

-        enable individual output

-        allow different solutions

-        imply work on certain skills and knowledge

-        including meaningful processes of feedback

-        limit learner-failing and to create a supportive environment

Example:

•        Auditory learners – listening and reading as predominate channels

•        Visual learner – predominant need to see and visualise

•        Kinaesthetic learners – learning from direct experience and activities

•        Social and emotional learners – strongly influenced by affective environment

•        Meta-cognitive – reflecting and evaluative learners

= Explain step by step, simplify the language, more spoken than written inputs, sup-porting gestures / pictures, link the Audio and visual inputs, cater for a variety of activities, differentiation in quality, quantity and time.

Connection to:

• Error Correction (everyone is different)
• Communicative Competences (everyone is better/ has difficulties with something else)
• Strategies (Different strategies)
• TBL (self-differentiating task; Task- and process oriented à use own linguistic resources)
• Course books (not really much Differentiation)

Definition:

The idea of the constructivism is that learners construct knowledge for themselves – each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning as she/he learns. It`s based on personal experiences (e.g. pre-knowledge), the motivation and the continual testing of (own) hypotheses about the world. So, everyone creates his/her own subjective representation of objective reality.  (Vygotsky / Piaget)

Important:

By reflecting on our experiences, we create our own understanding of the world consciously we live in.

Construction of language by using inborn equipment and information by environment. (new Info linked to prior knowledge)

The teacher has the role of the facilitator (“Prozessbegleiter”) and needs to create an interesting, challenging and stimulating learning environment in which the learner can act individually and autonomous.

Example:

• Meaningful learning through prior knowledge (problem solving).
• Presentation about a chosen topic (Teacher provides instruments and different literature and language support)

Connection to:

• Scaffolding
• Input / Output
• Mixed ability (pre-knowledge)
• TBL
• Behaviourism 

Definition:

The interactionist model (negotiation of meaning) is influenced by sociolinguistic views (e.g. Vygotsky, Bruner) and it says that language is a mean of communication. Language learning involves real communication processes =negotiation of meaning in which the environment and innate capacity play important roles (→language development is both biological and social and is influenced by communicating with others in a social context). Children are born with a brain which has a language capacity (innatism) and with interaction you nurture this capacity.

Important:

We need to be in a social context to learn a language!

Consist of Input (environment) and Output (Communication) = everything that affects the child from outside

Example:

• Talk and communicate about a topic (Sport / Food…) on same Level. = help & support each other à negotiating for meaning and correct language.

Connection to:

• Scaffolding (zone of proximal Development = support each other and negotiate for meaning)
• Input / Output
• Constructivism
• Behaviourism (is the opposite)
• Implicit
• Classroom Interaction

Definition:

Learning how to learn: reflecting strategies

Metacognition, different learning types. Pupils have to find their own strategy/develop how to learn – Teacher shows different possibilities. Introduces a wide range of possibilities.

Important:

>metalinguistic & metacognitive awareness: important for development of language learning strategies. Success because of strategies, active learning approach, realization of language as a system & means of communication, handling of affective demands and monitoring of progress.

>productive & receptive strategies depending on formerly acquired lexical competences in other foreign languages. Increase in language experience reflected by numbers of strategies.

Example:

Communication strategies = strategies to overcome a lack of linguistic resources

• Meaning over form
• Paraphrasing
• Non-verbal (mime & gestures)
• Avoid difficult words – speak in children L.
• Help: sentences on the wall / give support
• Error correction focus on meaning: recast (Umformung), clarification (zurückfragen), Self-repair (auto correction)
•  

Connection to:

• Scaffolding (zone of proximal Development = support each other and negotiate for meaning)
• Input
• Constructivism
• Behaviourism (Imitate strategies)
• Explicit teaching
• Mixed ability
• Plurilingual methodology
• Curriculum

Definition:

Never separate form from meaning! Content (has to be meaningful) based learning!

When children focus on meaning, at the same time, children unconsciously pick up a lot of grammar! (Message / Content is more important than form). Language is a tool to understand and interact with others (Communicative Competence).

How to Support it:

• Interessting subjects
• Attractive presentation
• Different texttypes
• Teaching materials: electronic media (CD, DVD, CD-ROMS, Internet)
• Task-based subject
• CLIL

Problem: not enough time to deal with tasked-based content!

Important:

“Meaning must come first: If children do not understand the spoken language, they cannot learn it.”

Example:

• Talk about favourite Food/ Sport
• Give chunks
• Don’t focus on Errors
• If conversation is understood don’t interrupt
• Discussions / Conversation

Connection to:

• CLIL/ TBL: The teacher needs to provide meaningful content (like CLIL suggests anyway), in which new forms can be used and also discovered (inductive learning)
• Grammar: Always teach new structures in their natural context (e.g. third-person-s in a whole text instead of an isolated exercise)
• Constructivism: Give the students a chance to discover new structures and train their language awareness that way (similar to learning L1)
• Implicit grammar teaching
• Error Correction
• Communicative Competence

Clil

Definition:

CLIL = Content and language integrated learning

Get to for one! You teach and learn a subject through a foreign language and vice versa.

-        Soft CLIL: teaching topics in English

-        Hard CLIL: teaching a subject in English

Dimensions of CLIL

• Culture: awareness of own and other Cultures (acceptance)
• Communication: more STT (meaningful)
• Content: most important (meaningful and close to everyday life)
• Cognitive demanding: challenging, pupils need to really think!

+ preparation for international society

+ tolerance/ respect towards other cultures

+ use language as a tool

+ natural way of learning a language (language acquisition)

+ accessible for weaker learners (motivation/ interesting topic = forget the difficulties)  

+ remembering is more likely; brain works harder/ very interesting = forget that they learn

+ real interaction

BICS: conventional/ social situations (everyday language)

CALPS: school language (more abstract/ formal)

Difficulties:

Combining interesting Topics and language level. Takes a lot of time and preparation.

Example:

Connection to:

• Mixed ability (Differenziert = interesting for everyone)
• Language acquisition (implicitly)
• Curriculum (subject are integrated)
• Scaffolding
• Course books (It’s CLIL = topics to teach in English)

Definition:

Words of a language. Building up a useful vocabulary is central to the learning of a foreign language at primary level. While focusing on meaning you pick up a lot of voc. (conversations). The number of words children can learn is restricted based on:

• Frequency: how often you get in contact with it
• Accessibility: Complexity/ length (Zugang)
• Age-appropriateness (everyday Life)

Meaningful context and making connections to this context. And repeat regularly!!!!!!

Important:

five essential steps in vocabulary learning

1. having sources for encountering new words
2. getting a clear image, whether visual or auditory or both, for the forms of the new words
3. learning the meanings of the words
4. making a strong memory connection between the forms and meanings of the words
5. using the words

Wordlist:

• no context
• no knowledge of usage

Example:

• teach words in lexical association (experience with all senses = holistic: visual, auditory, smell, taste, touch) à tell stories with words = context (emotions)
• Introduce Strategies how to learn vocabulary: Connect to experiences, connect to other languages (similar words) …  àTeacher can be model how to use. (F. ex: clang associations (ball / wall); synonym antonym; Word family)

Connection to:

• Strategies
• Classroom Interaction / Interactionism
• Meaning before form (know what it means but not how to write)
• Mixed ability (different ways to learn)
• Language acquisition/ learning  = implicit / explicit

Definition:

Task Based Learning: learning by doing à encourage communication

Task= the target language is used by the pupils to communicate in order to achieve an outcome (product). 

Important:

Criteria for a good task:

• Outcome / presentation of the task
• Contains a problem (not everything is clear from the beginning) = constructivism
• Meaningful / everyday life
• Cognitively demanding
• Explicit cooperation (mixed ability: hetero- /homogeneous groups)
• Teacher = tutor who provides advices and Feedback
• Reflection of learning process

+ engagement of learner

+ focus on meaning

+ Success judged in terms of outcome

+ different levels working on the same thing

+ Teacher can observe learning process

Example:

• Discussion/ debate: pro/ contra list
• presentation: poster with information
• mind- map/ sorting / Comparing/ Problem solving / creative task (project)

healthy food

1. Pre - task: - pre - knowledge/ language support / explain the task (examples) / transparency of aims / give different Material à scaffolding
2. Task cycle: - planning, doing, presenting / teacher is in the background (monitor from the distance = language support)
3. Post task: analysing / reflecting: Teacher is moderating (discuss problems)

Connection to:

• Interactionism (Group work)
• Mixed Ability (Open for every Level)
• Constructivism (construct new knowledge for themselves
• Course books (good for Ideas but no TBL tasks)
• Input / output Hypothesis (teacher gives Input and Pupisl produce Output) 

Definition:

Common European Framework: Provides a common base for the curriculum guidelines, examinations and textbooks across Europe.

Description of:

• What has to be learned?
• What knowledge skills they have to develop to use the language for communication.
• Defines Levels of Proficiency à progress is measured
• Different levels (A1 – C2) à Cambridge Exam

ELP: European language portfolio. Collection of different documents which show the linguistic development (all Languages and progress à also outside of school)

1. Language Passport: Overview of individual proficiency in dif. Languages
2. Lang. Biography: what students can do and Intercultural experiences
3. Dossier: document, successful works, certificates, achievements

à Teacher gives instructions and Inputs what has to be collected

+ reflection on language learning and cultural experiences = language awareness (See own progress)

Important:

Example:

• CERF: A1 – C2 Levels (fluency, vocabulary, content, accuracy…)
• ELP: successful works, certificates…

Connection to:

• Mixed ability
• Curriculum
• Course Books
• Assessment