Job Discussion Forums

[ChinaMovieMagic]

RE: Topic
<<Lightbown and Spada (1993: 25) note that:

�� there is little doubt that a learner�s first language influences the acquisition of second language. [But] � the influence is not simply a matter of habits, but rather a systematic attempt by the learner to use knowledge already acquired in learning a new language.�>>
LIGHTBOWN, P. and N. SPADA. 1993. How Languages are Learned. Oxford: Oxford Univesrity Press.
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http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/cll.shtml

How it works in the classroom
In a typical Community Language Learning lesson I have five stages:

Stage 1- Reflection
I start with students sitting in a circle around a tape recorder to create a community atmosphere.
The students think in silence about what they'd like to talk about, while I remain outside the circle.
To avoid a lack of ideas students can brainstorm their ideas on the board before recording.


Stage 2 - Recorded conversation
Once they have chosen a subject the students tell me in their L1 what they'd like to say and I discreetly come up behind them and translate the language chunks into English. With higher levels if the students feel comfortable enough they can say some of it directly in English and I give the full English sentence. When they feel ready to speak the students take the microphone and record their sentence.
It's best if you can use a microphone as the sound quality is better and it's easier to pick up and put down.
Here they're working on pace and fluency. They immediately stop recording and then wait until another student wants to respond. This continues until a whole conversation has been recorded.
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RE: Deja Vu Flaming Responses

http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/duelists.htm

http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/issues.htm

http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/howlers.htm

http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/kungfumaster.htm

[AsiaTraveller]

Roger will find this very hard to believe, but I do agree with him more than I agree with the other posters.

For classes in "oral English", it is my belief that learners learn best by speaking (and hearing) English only. A dedicated and well-trained instructor can pull it off successfully. Roger evidently does so. What about you others?

This is a well-established pedagogical strategy in TEFL. It has nothing to do with respect (or lack thereof) for the Chinese culture or language.

[william wallace]

Nothing to say.

[druidhills404]

Alex_P wrote:

[ChinaMovieMagic]

AsiaTraveler:

[AsiaTraveller]

[ChinaMovieMagic]

Yes, there are many IMMERSION programs.
BUT...a key element, I feel, is that the effectiveness of such radical/intensive programs strongly depends on whether the participants CHOOSE to be part of such a special approach. If they're aware of what is involved, and they choose to do so, then a "learning culture" can develop.
BUT...if a teacher tries to "strong-arm" the students into speaking only the target language, then this is as enjoyable as mind-rape. Certainly it will NOT result in lowering the affective filter (Krashen).

Au contraire...
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RE: Can you supply some quotes/URLS?

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/mother_tongue.shtml

From mother tongue to other tongue
Luke Prodromou - teacher, teacher trainer, writer
British Council, Greece

The issue of whether or not to use the mother-tongue (L1) in the English language (L2) classroom is complex. This article presents the results of a survey into student attitudes towards the use of L1 in class and some suggestions for using the L1 and its culture as a learning resource.

Reinstating the mother tongue
In Teaching Monolingual Classes (1993). Atkinson suggests 'a careful, limited use of L1' to help students get the maximum benefit from activities which in other respects will be carried out in the target language. The mother tongue may be useful in the procedural stages of a class, for example:-

setting up pair and group work
sorting out an activity which is clearly not working
checking comprehension
Beyond these basically managerial functions of L1, Atkinson also suggests using the L1 for translation as a teaching technique.

From my research with teachers, the overall rationale for this procedural use of L1 is that it is necessary to keep the lesson from slowing down or because things just can't be done any other way.

Beyond monolingualism
...In response to the survey and in the light of my own feelings that the L1 language and culture are a valuable resource, I now make some suggestions for activities which use L1 in some way. I assume mono-lingual classes.

Awareness-raising activities
A questionnaire such as the one I used opens up the debate concerning the use of L1 and so may help deal with some of the students' scepticism.

Contrasting L1 and L2
Useful areas for study in this way are collocations, proverbs and idioms. Comparing verb-noun collocations across the two languages helps students understand how L1 interference can often give them problems. Comparing proverbs gives an insight into cultural as well as linguistic differences.
Research in L1, Presentation in L2
For example, following textbook work on famous English writers, I asked the students to research famous people from their country (using L1 and L2) and to make a presentation in a later class, in L2. An alternative is a local history project, in which grandparents are interviewed in the L1, and a report is made in L2.
In these examples, the foreign language is a medium through which the students explore their own culture, using the mother-tongue as a bridge towards English. The English language can help you learn things about your own community.

Conclusion
In general, students seem sceptical about the use of L1 in the classroom, particularly at higher levels. However, the bilingual / bicultural teachers are in a position to enrich the process of learning by using the mother tongue as a resource, and then, by using the L1 culture, they can facilitate the progress of their students towards the other tongue, the other culture.


References
Atkinson, D. 1987. 'The mother-tongue in the classroom : a neglected resource ?' (ELT Journal, 44/1 : 3-10)
Atkinson, D. 1993. Teaching Monolingual Classes (Longman)
Baynham, M. 1983. 'Mother Tongue Materials and Second Language Literacy' (ELT Journal, 37/4 : 312-318)
Brumfit, C. 1980. Problems and principles in English Teaching. (Pergamon)
Duff. A. 1989. Translation (Oxford University Press)
Kramsch, C. 1993. Context and Culture in Language Teaching (Oxford University Press)
Kramsch, C. 1998. Culture (Oxford University Press)
Krashen, S. 1988. Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning (Prentice Hall)
Medgyes, P. 1994. The Non-Native Teacher ( Macmillan)
Phillipson, R. 1992. Linguistic Imperialism (Oxford University Press)
Richards, J.C. and T. S. Rogers. 1986. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. (Cambridge University Press)
Widdowson, H 1996. 'Comment : authenticity and autonomy' E L T Journal, 50/1: 67-6)

[AsiaTraveller]

Again: WHAT is your specific point?

I don't post URLs or paste from them unless I want to draw the reader's attention to something specific. If I do so, I first tell the reader why I'm doing so and what the point of the paste is. At least, I try do that. (And that was the "point" of my Internet pastings on the "social malaise" thread.)

You don't even try. What a poor instructor you must be in the classroom!

[ChinaMovieMagic]

[rwillmsen]

Given that pretty much any class here is at least twice the size of the largest TEFL class, I have no compunction whatsoever about saying to one of them 'How do you say that in Chinese?'. You just can't take the time to carefully explain complex concepts to 30 or more students, and then check that each of them has understood. Outside China, I'd never do this.

[ChinaMovieMagic]

There's also a subtle dynamic regarding Chinese students hearing their own language, compared to their hearing the English language. For too many of them, just hearing English can raise the "affective filter" (Krashen).

Chinese language--Chinese food...there's a cultural identity/affinity/resonance element which is missing in English-speaking (but not French) cultures. For example, when I humorously use Chinese proverbs in English class--such as "mang ren mo xiang" "Blind men and the elephant"--there's a wave of good vibes (neuro-peptides) which sweeps over the class. Would this happen in a Chinese-language class for English-speakers...if the Chinese teacher of Chinese used an English proverb? IF...it were all a class of 20-somethings, and the lyrics of a song were used...perhaps. But...there still wouldn't be the same shared resonance...it could be less shared joy and more like shared world-weariness or cynicism. (Which leads me to wonder...is there an element in Anglo-cultural dynamics that it's "unmanly" for a man to be enthusiastic and joyful? That cynicism w/3-day beard stubble and a fondness for beer...is more manly...? )

There's a theory I read about years ago...that the SELECTIVE use of the Mother Tongue in class can help slip the Target Language into the same part of the memory as the Mother Language. It's an Art...not a Technique.

[rickinbeijing]

ChinaMovieMagic,

Finally, you come out from behind your encyclopediac response pattern and say something insightful. I agree wholeheartedly with your two most recent posts on this thread in response to AsiaTraveller.

The research of Krashen et al does indeed caution against pedagogical practice that increases the "affective filter."

While I don't know if it's true in AsiaTraveller particular case, I do sense that a lot of posters on this forum are not themselves bilingual and therefore I have scant personal knowledge of how this filter impedes L2 learning.

Roger, as usual, is draconian and neo-colonialist by insisting that only English be used (and I say this as one who advocates immersion programs). But, then, I suspect I am far more concerned about what students think of my thinking about them than Roger will ever be.

[ChinaMovieMagic]

RE: FTs and Chinese vocabulary...a great way for a FT to experience Chinese learning-progress, and for the students to get a sense that the FT respects their culture/language, is to have the FT use key Chinese vocabulary words in class. For example, with kids, I've taught the initial scene of Disney's MULAN many times and, even when the students can SEE the visual, I often say the Chinese word and point at the screen and ask them for the English...or vice versa...or I say both...or they say both...

A key element is to have the FT Model the process of foreign language learning...and promote 'good language learner" skills/practices.

Actually, it's my plan to develop such a project w/Buckland in Yangshuo. Unlike the public schools, the folks--both FTs and learners--will be aware of/committed to the process...and they will be selected according to their level of commitment to such a process.

[rickinbeijing]

ChinaMovieMagic,

Again, I concur. What the (perhaps unwitting) neo-colonialist posters (re: esp. those who have over 5,000 posts) on this thread fail to realize is that reaching students in their affective domain is at least as important as connecting with them in the cognitive domain. This premise is part and parcel of the social constructivist theory of pedagogy, as you probably know. For those who doubt, let me refer you to Arnold (2000) Affect in Language Learning and Williams and Burden (1999) Psychology for Language Teachers, both from Cambridge Univ. Press and reprinted in China by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP). Incidentally, for those who might not know, FLTRP is affiliated with Beiwai, China's preeminent English language and literature faculty.

I've wondered how well-received Mulan and Mulan 2 would be with, say, Chinese junior middle school students. Regardless, can you elaborate on your audiovisual teaching experience with it, CMM?

And while you're at it, can you describe what you regard as appropriate language modeling and language learner skills?

[ChinaMovieMagic]

RE: Mulan for Middle School...It should be quite suitable. Many of these kids have been so busy doing homework, their movie-viewing experience is limited. Most kids in my classes had never seen Mulan..and...it an "old" movie.

If folks are interested in a collection of Mulan materials downloaded from the Internet, send me a PM.

Many ideas are available on-line via articles:

http://www.njcu.edu/cill/journal-index.html

BELOW is posted on the "Promoting Change" thread in this China Job-Related...pg.1
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Over the years, L2 teachers have developed a wide range of communicative techniques based upon the creative use of movie segments, such as:

VIEWING COMPREHENSION (with sound off)
DIALOGUE BUILDING (with sound off)
AURAL ONLY PREDICTION (with sound only)
PREDICTIVE VIEWING--What will happen?
REVERSE PREDICTION--What happened before the sequence seen?
JIGSAW VIEWING (Only half the viewers see the sequence, and they relate it to those who haven't. Replay it to compare.)

Such approaches can create an enhanced learning environment, in harmony with Krashen's principles:
*A RICH VARIETY OF COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT
*A LOW-ANXIETY SITUATION
*REAL MESSAGES OF REAL INTEREST

A short (1 to 3 minutes) close-captioned movie segment offers the learner a synergistic schemata of opportunities for comprehensible INPUT. The visual images themselves are comprehensible and are stored
in the students' memories as EXPERIENCES, rather than as a language lesson that must be "studied/learned" because the teacher will test the students for their ability to "remember" the lesson.

A schematic tapestry of English words becomes associated with the movie's images and emotions. Plot, character, emotion--these are the 'hooks' by which the language becomes comprehensible input and stored intake. This dynamic is quite different from the artificial approaches typically used--vocabulary lists, linear progressions in grammar complexity etc.)

To use another metaphor, the memories of the movie segment can be seen as gravitational schemata which can attract and retain words associated with the images. As the learner thinks of a scene, an
ever-expanding constellation of words and sentences can become linked in the memory with a pleasant (LOW-ANXIETY) experience, rich with REAL MESSAGES OF REAL INTEREST. As the learner thinks of one character,
a tremendous variety of adjectives and actions can become part of the schemata.

This is in harmony with the episode hypothesis, which states that "text (i.e. discourse in any form) will be easier to produce, understand, and recall to the extent that it is motivated and structured episodically...these ideas lead to the supposition that perhaps second language teaching would be more successful if it incorporated principles of good story
writing along with the benefits of sound linguistic analysis." (Oller)
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Some examples from Journal of Imagination in Language Learning. My article will be published in the next Journal:
China's English Corners: Learning Revolution?

http://www.njcu.edu/cill/journal-index.html

Autonomous Learning through Cinema:One Learner 's Memories

Connecting the Powers of Music to the Learning of Languages

The Creative Connection in Movies and TV: What '"Degrassi High" Teaches Teachers

Creating Theater in the ESL Classroom

The Deep Water Had Deeper Fishes: On Creating a Language of the Imagination with Children

Imagination and Memory: Friends or Enemies

Imagination in Second Language Acquisition

Imagination Really Means Freedom

The Imagination:Where Roles and Images Reside

The Influence of Affective Variables on EFL/ESL Learning and Teaching

L 2 Learning:Restructuring the Inner World

Language Learning through Lies and Fantasies

Mental Holography:The Power of Imagery in Communication

Multiple Intelligences and Second Language Acquisition

On Creating Theatrical Collages with ESL Students

Organic Learning:Crossing the Threshold from Conscious and Unconscious

The Role of Emotions in Language Teaching

Storytelling: A Way of Freeing the Imagination.

Teaching English Through Broadway Musicals

Telling Tales in School: Using Myths in the ESL Classroom

Who am I in English? Developmenting a Language Ego

Whole Brain Learning and Relaxation Techniques