Language learning in education

Computers in Language Learning

2014/11/18

Contents

• Why learn language?

Systems:• Denmark

• Sweden

• North America

• Japan

• Comparing the systems

Introduction

Benefits of foreign languages● Communication● Culture● new ways of thinking

The Danish System

Language Learning in the USA

Michael Kibbe

5

American School System

• Pre-K & Kindergarten

• Elementary School• 1st -> 5th Grade

• Middle School• 6th -> 8th Grade

• High School• 9th -> 12th Grade

• University 6

When Do We Learn Languages?

• Optional: Middle School

• Required: High School

7

What Languages Do We Learn?

• Spanish (51.4%)

• French (12.9%)

• German (5.7%)

8

My Language Learning Journey

9

Early Beginnings…

• Awty International School

• Started Spanish at age 3

10

Studied Some French…

• Middle School, allowed to take a 3rd language

• Took French for 3 years

11

High School

• Transferred to High School for the Performing and Visual Arts

• Still took Spanish for another 2 years

• Less intense

12

University

13

• Studied Japanese for 1 year

How Do We Learn?

• Readers

• Workbooks

• Exams with Fill-In-The-Blank, Multiple Choice, and Short Answer questions

14

Yearly Activities

15

Criticisms

• Foreign languages not very important

• Little speaking/conversation

• Focus on tests, not recall

16

The case in Japan

Foreign Language EnglishFrenchGermanChinese…

1. System

• Public and Private School

• Classroom(Japanese teachers & ALT)

• English Lesson

2. Characteristics

• Grammar & Reading

(less communication)

• English-Japanese Translation

• Teach English in Japanese

3. problem

• Less Speaking Chance

• Study as a Subject

• Too many Students in a Classroom

4. Debate

• The earlier, the better?

• Is English Education System really

useful?

• Is it necessary to learn English?

Sweden - Foreign Language Education

Johannes Wennberg

Sweden

Sweden

Sweden

Sweden

General Format

● The format of the lessons is up to the teacher/school

(National Agency for Education having veto)

● Some guidelines● National exams at:

3rd grade6th grade9th gradeHigh school

● Few lessons● Mostly games

● (Mother tongue)

Preschool - First Grade (6 - 7 years old)

2nd grade - 5th grade (8 - 11 years old)

● English

● (Mother tongue)

2nd grade - 5th grade (8 - 11 years old)

● Weakly vocabulary tests● 3-4 hours a week● Reading texts

discussing themanswering questions

● some games and movies

6th grade (12 years old)

● Select a “modern language”● French, German or Spanish

nowadays also chinese● Can be exchanged for lessons

in your mother tongue +

6th grade (12 years old)

● Select a “modern language”● French, German or Spanish

nowadays also chinese● Can be exchanged for lessons

in your mother tongue +

6th grade - 9th grade (12-15 years old)

● For me it was a mess“Kunskapsskolan” “The knowledge school”

● A huge amount of assignments● Free planning● Teachers for help and examination

● National exam at 6th and 9th grade

High school - English

● Depending on what programme English A, B, C

● “A” is obligatory

● More of the same● My teacher liked songs and shakespeare

High school - “modern language”

● Steps 1-5● One step is semi-obligatory● Not all schools offer steps 4-5

● Can be exchanged English/Swedish/mother tongue

High school - “modern language”

● 1.5 + 1 hour● focus on vocabulary tests● later on mostly reading

● The last semester I was the only one in the class

High school - Extra

● In theory, any language

● I asked for Japanese● 1 hour every other week

Me

● 10 years English

● 7 years French

● ½ year Japanese

Comparing / Conclusion

• Depends on region

• Size of the country

• What language is really needed?– English - Language of the World

• Sweden and Denmark - more languages

• U.S. and Japan - more written work