theory and practice in ancient language teaching in uk universitites
DESCRIPTION
Mair Lloyd The Open UniversityTRANSCRIPT
Theory and Practice in
Ancient Language Teachingin
UK Universities
@MairLloyd
#CA14
Theory and Practice
1. How things are
2. How things might be
3. Deciding what we want
Theory and Practice
1. How things are
– Tangible
– Intangible
The Council of University Classics Departments Ab initio Ancient Languages Survey
2013/14– Interim Report– 25 of 27 returns for Latin, 22 of 27 for Greek
What do we test?
GrammarTranslation (L-E)Translation (E-L)
Based on Open University speci-men Latin examination paper.
How do we teach?10
8
7
9
SLL Theories Supporting Current Practice
Method Key Features1 Theory
Grammar-Translation Method
Students learn declensions and conjugation, paradigms
and syntax and apply that knowledge toward the
translation of Latin texts into the English language
‘It is a method for which there is no
theory’.
(Richards and Rogers, 2006)
Input (text based)Students learn Latin by
reading carefully written stories that gradually build in
complexity.
Krashen Input Hypothesis
(Comprehensible Input)
1 Latinteach website (2006), How to Teach Latinhttp://latinteach.blogspot.co.uk/2006/11/how-to-teach-latin-over-years-study-of.html
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 180%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Greek Failure / Withdrawal Rates (%)18 universities
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 230%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Latin Failure / Withdrawal Rates (%)23 universities
Oh, you know all the wordsand you sung all the notes,But you never quite learned the song she sung.I can tell by the sadness in your eyes,That you never quite learned the song.
Incredible String Band – The Hedgehog's Song
Theory and Practice
2. How things might be
– intangible
– Modern LL Theories
Theories on the Nature of LanguageTheory View of Language
Structural(1920s-)
… language is a system of structurally related elements for the coding of meaning …
Functional(1950s-)
… language is a vehicle for the expression of functional meaning …
Interactional(1980-)
… language as a vehicle for the realization of interpersonal relations and for the performance of social transactions between individuals ...
Richards, J. C. and Rogers, T.S. (2001, 2nd edition) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, Kindle Edition (2006).
Learning TheoriesTheory Learning is viewed as:
Behaviorism(1920s-)
… conditioning … ‘stimulus-response’ …
Cognitivism(1950s-)
… mental processing: information comes in, is processed, and leads to certain outcomes
Constructivism(1980s-)
… an active, contextualized process of constructing knowledge …
Social Constructivism (1990s-)
… a mediated social process rather than individual …
TheoryNature of Language
Structuralist Functional Interactional
Learning
BehaviouristGrammar-translation
CognitiveGrammar-translation
Constructivist Graded Reading
Sociocultural
Communicative
Language is Interactional
Learningis Social-
Constructivist
Conversation in Latin
Language
Forums / Skype / Google Hangouts
Theory and Practice
3. Deciding what we want
(and what is possible)
Ancient v Modern
• Requirements– Examine– Translate – Connect?
• Constraints– Fixed body of written
material– No native speakers
• Requirements– Speak– Listen– Read– Write
• Context– Expanding body of literature
in a variety of media– Native speakers /
community /culture
}
communicate
Communicative
Language is Interactional
Learningis Social-
Constructivist
Conversation in Latin
Language
Forums / Skype / Google Hangouts
Participant / Observer Research
• Online conversations in Latin– as student– as facilitator
• Face to face Latin immersion
Favourite Resources
What next?
• Reconsider which theories of language/language learning are appropriate
• Reconsider what implications are for approaches and methods
• Encourage further research into application of a wider variety of approaches/methods
• Engage with and contribute to language learning theories
References
• Mitchell, R., Myles, F. & Marsden, E. Second Language Learning Theories
• Richards, J.C. & Rogers, T.S. Approaches and Methods in Language Learning
