1 Taiwan Teachers’ Professional Development Series: Oral & Written Communication in your FL Classroom

2 Communication  At the Core of second language learning  Personal expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning where information, feelings, and ideas are conveyed and exchanged

3 Two Essential Questions How do we embrace COMMUNICATION as a core element in our classrooms? How do we LIVE this commitment?

4 Consider our FL Standards  Communication is Student Standard 1  1.1 S’s engage in conversations, provide & obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions  1.2 S’s understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics  1.3 S’s present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

5 Consider our Three Modes of Communication Interpretive Interpersonal Presentational Integration of the modes is key

6 Interpersonal Mode Interpretive Mode Presentational Mode Proficiency Oriented Classroom

7 Facilitating Grammar Learning Interactively  Using Stories to tap into students’ schema  Our Goal: Create learning situations in which students perceive how grammar is used to make meanings & understand the need to make use of the grammar to comprehend and communicate in the TL.

8 Meaningful Learning  Focus on Form depends on what learners need for communication purposes rather than on a predetermined grammar syllabus  Students need to reflect on aspects of the language when it is relevant to authentic communication  Focus on Form – focusing on grammar for meaningful use – can be beneficial to learners and critical to making progress in language acquisition and promotes oral proficiency

9 Considerations  If learners are placed in interactional learning situations that call for 2-way negotiation of meaning, grammar knowledge is placed in context and is more meaningful  Meaningfully incorporating grammar instruction taps into learner knowledge at the learner’s level –different expectations and approaches for elementary, middle, and high school levels  REMEMBER – detailed grammar instruction for its own sake that is apart from real use, application, or function can be rather pointless (unless, of course, that someone wants to be a linguist!)

10 Consider also...  What are some of the ways we can create learning situations in which our students –perceive how grammar is used to make meaning –Use the language realistically and authentically –Need to USE the grammar to comprehend and communicate in the TL?

11 Consider...  The Explicit vs. Implicit Grammar Instruction Controversy = polarized view  Issue SLA researchers grapple with –Explicit instruction can be authoritative in nature, often does not involve authentic communication but mechanical practice –Implicit grammar approach –Krashen, Dulay & Burt, Terrell – also does not result in learners “inducing” the grammatical element being “taught”

12 Response  Theme-based Whole Language Approach to Language Teaching –Placed in sociocultural theory –Collaborative interaction of teacher, student –Allows for meaningful learning context –ZPD employed –The whole approach rendered by a story backdrop can give meaning to the parts of the language (the grammatical elements and the vocabulary used to communicate)

13 Theme-Based Approach  The challenge to us is not if we should focus on form, but on how, when, where  Contextual, thematic, meaningful instruction  Authentic stories, folktales, understandable  Repetition is naturally occurring within the story  Allows multiple opportunities for the three modes of communication

14 Interpersonal Mode Interpretive Mode Presentationa l Mode Proficiency Oriented Classroom with a focus on authentic learning in all three modes Theme based approach to language teaching

15 PACE Model  Presentation of story or theme for meaningful context  Attention to some aspect of the language to be used (or already used) in the presentation – this focuses learners  Co-Construct, dialogically explain, the meaning for the grammatical structure that is the focus of the lesson –Participatory for both teacher and learners  Extension activities – need to be both interactive and interesting –Must allow for creativity, meaningful language use –Many possibilities

16 Today you can combine multiple strategies in your classroom to promote authentic, active learning in a Standards-based classroom that also has the goal of oral proficiency at its core.