What the book says |
Implications & Questions |
Skills:
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What skills am I ALREADY using?
How fast AM I going? When I get observed/ recorded, I'd be interested to count this.
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What the book says |
Implications & QUESTIONS |
1. Communication is the expression, interpretation, and sometimes negotiation of meaning in a given context (how & what we communicate - in my case, the classroom). It is also purposeful, i.e. psychosocial (to establish, maintain and effect relationships) and cognitive-informational (express, obtain information, to learn something).
2. Language is too abstract and complex to teach and learn explicitly. Language is something internal, not external.
3. Acquisition in severely constrained by internal (motivation, mental mapping, baggage) and external (purpose of communication) factors. It is slow, piecemeal, stage-like and leads to be the best non-native they can be. It cannot be forced. Universal Grammar (Chomsky) and quantity of input explain this. 4. Instructors and materials should provide student learners with level-appropriate input and interaction (quality of input). Use short sentences, lots of repetition, pausing, inflections, rephrasing, coaxing/ delving, delivery, content is clear - especially with Novices.
5. Tasks (not exercises or activities) should form the backbone of the curriculum. What is a task?
6. A focus on form should be input-oriented and meaning-based. Instruction should focus on things that foster acquisition. Learners need lots of input and have lots of interactions. ** Need to educate students, parents, colleagues and admin about the nature of acquisition, language, and communication. |
Am I just practicing language or actually communicating with students? How much time do we spend on expression and interpretation of meaning? Is there a PURPOSE to this expression and interpretation?
Explicit rules (and paradigm lists) cannot become the abstract and complex system because they are completely different - like water and fatty acid (one can't become the other). How does this fit into our program goals? Given the nature of SLA, students don't learn a "particular thing" or tense all at once. All aspects of language work together in small bits. That said, is it appropriate to have a "present tense" unit? Given the nature of Universal Grammar, the normal developmental sequence of ser and estar are as follows: 1. no verb; 2. emergence and use of ser for most contexts; 3. emergence and use of estar as an auxiliary for progressive tenses; 4. estar as copular verb with location and adjective. Instruction DOESN'T override these! This should shape our expectations of students - and of ourselves. How can I have students be more actively engaged with the input? What does that look like? How do we get them more involved with presentation and communication?
What is a task? How can I better structure tasks?
Structured Input - pp. 105-109 Focus on form OUTSIDE of class; in class focus on input and communication. Lesson idea (what we did last night) - pp.120-125 |
What the book says |
Implications |
This has a TON of strategies!
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This is where I'm getting most of the ideas for the strategies that I want to try!
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