Maximising realistically: Strategies for maximising target

language usein our classes

Miles Turnbull, Ph.D.

mturnbull@upei.caAFMLTA in Sydney – July 11, 2009

My Philosophy

• MAXIMIZE TL use! (teachers and students)

• The teacher is the model!• L1 can be useful sometimes!And natural!

• Maximized L2 use is not easy for teachers or students

More on my philosophy

• Language is an important thinking tool

• To learn language you have to use it

• L1 for L2 learners is a powerful tool to figure things out and to think through difficult content/tasks

• Bilinguals codeswitch naturally!

I am NOT talking about passing out a license to

use the L1!

Focus on Teachers: What Does Research Say?

• Studies show that the more students hear and read the TL, the better their TL skills

• When teachers use the TL more, students report being more motivated to continue learning the TL

• When teachers overuse the L1, students report being demotivated

More Research Findings

• Observation studies have shown that teachers vary in terms of the quantity and quality of TL used

• Context, teachers’ personalities, confidence levels seem to be the factors that influence teachers’ TL use the most

Why Do Teachers Tend to Use the L1?

• Translation

• Comparing L1 and TL

• Grammar teaching

• Social interactions with students

• Discipline

• Clarifying instructions

Teachers’ Beliefs About TL and L1 Use

• Teachers agree that TL use is important

• It is tough to use TL all the time

• Past experiences seem to affect teachers’ TL use…especially new teachers

Focus on Students: What Does the Research Say?

• “Kids’ speak”

• Understand the demands

• Make sense of activity

• Sustain interaction

• Natural phenomenon; however,...

• L1 may diminish in tasks over time

• A necessary evil?

Maximising TL Use: Teachers

• Start firm and stick to your guns!

• Use examples that relate to students' life experiences and interests….personalize

• Point to or show real objects

• Show or draw pictures

Sources for Pictures

• Picture files…..students can help!

• Clip art - “www.caslt.org”

• Illustrated vocabulary books

More Practical Ideas

• Use gestures, mime, facial expressions, demonstrations, models

• Speak clearly and a bit slowly at first, increasing speed gradually to normal

• Use intonation to emphasize key words

More Ideas

• Repeat more than once...vary repetitions

• Use synonyms, antonyms, paraphrasing and simplification when repeating

Other Important Strategies

• Help your students understand that it’s ok if they don’t understand EVERY word they hear or read

• Encourage guessing

When and How to Use the L1 Effectively: For teachers

• Use your students’ voices

• Ask your students' permission to speak the L1 and ask them to ask your permission to do so as well

• Point out cognates

When Teachers Feel They MUST Switch to the L1

• Do not translate word for word

• Do not switch to L1 immediately

• Wait for at least 30 seconds

• Translate only key words at first….

More on L1 Use

• Use the L1 when you can see that a student is truly frustrated

• Use the L1 after trying every strategy in the book - Be brief then switch back to the TL

• Use the L1 to make a comparison between L1 and TL

Other Uses for L1

• Use the L1 for serious or exceptional discipline situations

• Use the L1 in emergencies

Maximizing TL Use: Students

• Let’s not dream in technicolor! • Provide and practice common

classroom phrases

• Allow multiple opportunities

• Start short, quick, and then build

• Use clear models, especially for pair and group work

Maximizing Student TL Use

• Provide needed vocabulary and structures for a given task

• Provide clear TASK with an outcome

• Model for students--use video!

• Listen and understand

Students’ Use of L1

• Acknowledge effort and success!

• Advanced students should be expected to speak TL more, if not always

Strategies for Maximizing Student L2 Use In Groups

• Concrete and structured activities

• Pre-activity and models

• Give explicit time frame for task, but...

• not too much time!

• Distribution of specific roles

• Recognize and reward use of TL

Notes and questions

Notes and questions