What strategies do we use when we encounter a language we don’t know? What strategies do we use to help other people understand a language that can be difficult for them? European Centre for Modern Languages and European Commission cooperation on Innovative Methodologies and Assessment In Language Learning
Strategies to understand Use the languages they knew for the skeleton Use the idea of the fable to make sense of the „barking“ Use familiar words from other subjects e.g. subito Use of international word One language was simiilar to their language Common experience – collaborative work Make connections between languages
Strategies to understand Compare with own languages Compare with other languages we know Does it look like something I know? Does it sound like something I know? Use the context What kind of word is it? Category? Verb – action? What kind of word is it? Meaning? Animal – place in a house?
Strategies to understand Use non-linguistic clues Gestures Facial expressions Voice - intonation Pictures Lay-out Anticipation – World knowledge
Strategies to help others understand Point at some elements (identify key elements beforehand) Guided task Anticipation Use of world knowledge Linguistic clues Repetitions Choice of words List of words belonging to the same group Non-linguistic clues