Exploratory talk and task-based learning: a case study of a student’s learning journey on the MA English Language Teaching Dr Paul Booth Department of Linguistics and Languages School of Humanities Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Kingston University

Background Case study of a student’s learning journey in two modules; Oracy and pedagogy module (semester one) and Educational Technology module (semester two); Prior knowledge and experience; Exploratory talk and task-based language learning and teaching. What had Florence learnt about ELT pedagogy?

Exploratory Talk: Key features Teachers need to use the social situation effectively ( Barnes, 2008) The task has to ‘require not just invite talk’ (Gibbons, 2009) to have a clear outcome Teachers require high degree of pedagogical knowledge to execute well e.g. ground rules/sustained group projects/ discovering knowledge (Coultas, 2012) Small group allows for ‘thinking aloud’, authentic conversations, using prior knowledge

Task-based language teaching: Key features What is a task (Skehan,1998: 268)? Meaning is primary; There is goal which needs to be worked towards; The activity is outcome-evaluated; There is a real world relationship. Paul: There are other definitions but central to all definitions are that tasks activity have a particular goal and it contains communicative language use in the process.

Florence’s talk autobiography: previous learning experiences Frustration Teacher centred, accuracy focussed language learning (English) classes; not able to have conversations with Czech friend about girls, films and music. Real world activities (procedural knowledge) Sporting activities, focus, responsibility Home literacy (Brice-Heath, 1982) Story telling and performance, going beyond the curricula, translation

The Educational Technologies module Kingston MA Students to facilitate online language learning for this similar group of students in France. London based students had to design and upload language learning tasks onto the university’s VLE.

Online learners: Lyon, France

On-line language learning tasks Scaffolding: Students in pairs constructed tasks build around a provocative photograph

Florence’s Task topic

Task focus Language focus: ways of expressing the future Meaning focus: “For this last activity, I want you to talk about your future. What are your expectations, the dreams you have and the goals you want to achieve in life and with your teaching career? Don't forget to tell me also about your fears about the future: what are you afraid of, for the years after the end of your studies?”

Florence’s evaluation of tasks Authentic activity congruent with ordinary activity (Brown Collins and Duguid 1989, p13) Negotiation of meaning (Pica 1988) “ [I] aimed…towards a negotiation of meaning, which should facilitate the interaction with students and the eventual correction of errors.” [Florence’s diary] Facilitation of interaction Learners are encouraged to express their hopes and desires for the future;

Florence's reflection on both modules Reflection: causes ‘feeling of discrepancy or difficulty’ (Dewey, 1910: 68-78, cited in Roberts 1998, p48) Moving beyond I+R+F (Mercer & Dawes 2014) The need for ‘pushed output’ (Swain 1995) Engagement through problem solving (Biggs & Tang 2011) Authenticity (Waring and Evans 2015, p6)

What has he learnt? Open-ended tasks: move beyond ‘correct answers’ and towards expression of meaning e.g. everyday language c/f ‘school English’; Scaffolding: feedback through negotiation of meaning Allow the development of student autonomy e.g. peer to peer interaction; Justification of tasks, clear instructions.

Conclusions Prior learning provides a bridge to new learning. Critical insights into his own language learning informed his own thinking and pedagogy. Connections between social and cultural experiences informed his understanding of how a teacher can facilitate knowledge and understanding. Problem solving to reshape old knowledge.

References Barnes, D (2008) Exploratory Talk for Learning in Mercer, N and Hodkinson, E (Eds) Exploratory Talk in School London: Sage pp 1-17 Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2011) Teaching for quality learning at university (4th edition). Open University Press: Berkshire. Brice Heath, S (1983) Ways with Words: Language, Life and Work in Communities and Classrooms Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Brown, J. S. Collins, A. & Duguid, P. (1989) Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18 (1), 32–42. Coultas, V (2012) Classroom Talk: Are we listening to Teachers’ Voices? English in Education 46 (2 summer) pp 175-190 Evans, C. (2014) ‘Exploring the use of a deep approach to learning with students in the process of learning to teach’. In Gijbels, D., Donche, V., Richardson, J. T. E, and Vermunt, J. D. (2014) Learning patterns in higher education: Dimensions and research perspectives, Routledge: London, pp.187-213. Gibbons, P (2009) English Learners Academic Literacy and Thinking- Learning in the Challenge Zone New Hampshire USA: Heinemann pp 118-130 Mercer, N. & Dawes, L. (2014) The study of talk between teachers and students, from the 1970s until the 2010s. Oxford Review of Education, 40 (4), pp430-445. Pica, T. (1988) ’Interlanguage adjustments as an outcome of NS-NNS negotiated interaction’. Language Learning 38: 45-73 Roberts, J. (1998) Language teacher education. London: Arnold Skehan, P. (1998). Task-based instruction. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 18, 268-286. Swain, M. (1995) ‘Three functions of output in second language learning’. In G. Cook and B. Seidlhofer (eds.). Principle and practice in applied linguistics: Studies in honour of H. G. Widdowson. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.125-144. Waring, M. and Evans, C. (2015) Understanding pedagogy: developing a critical approach to teaching and learning. London: Routledge