Excellent ideas well put. Although I'm not a language teacher I would add social networking to the list. Last term I tried out think.com a safe social networking environment for schools. Within 10 minutes of logging on my year 7 students were sending off messages to other students (and teachers) across the world in French and German - (I was surprised how they were also expert users of babelfish to help them translate )
Adam
· 1 year ago
Super post José. Your ideas are sensible, straightforward and a lot of them very accessible (although streaming and skyping in my school wouldn't be possible). It is an unbelievable untruth that you have to be amongst the elite to get something out of languages, and we have to get away from the idea that everything has to be ultra perfect, each accent the right way etc etc. I want my students to be able to write to or have a simple conversation with a native speaker...not discuss the joys of Proust or Schiller (well not in first year anyway). At a recent parents evening I had 5 sets of parents say they thought it was a good idea that I had bluetoothed an mp3 file to kids phones to help with an upcoming speaking test, so there are parents out there who would support this.
I stand very strongly for your first idea about tech being a part of the lesson for learnings sake. All too often kids get to go on a computer because they have finished their work, rather than using computers, phones, mp3s as a part of the learning process.
Lidi
· 1 year ago
I do agree that ICT is a great tool and all the suggestions you've given are good and most of all represent what many good language teachers are using at the moment.
My concern is the same as always, you can use the best ICT, the best resources, you can be the best teacher, but if the students aren't motivated it won't work. You can make the class as interesting as you humanly can, but the real learning occurs after hours, when the student goes home to do the homework and revise his/her grammar, vocab, etc. If they are not interested, they will probably not use the podcasts, skype communication, etc.
There are more and more adults who realized they missed out in their education by not working hard at languages, and go back to study languages. It would be great if students in secondary schools felt that way as well. But to be honest I don't think it would help if the government decided to make languages compulsory again, the students would do what they do now in schools where they are made to study languages, they turn up in class, don't do any work, and leave school with a G in French, Spanish or German.
I suppose if they made it really compulsory e.g. you had to sit a SAT exam for a language and then you needed a GCSE in a language the same that you need a GCSE in English and Maths, that would be a different story.
Graham Davies
· 1 year ago
Reasons for using technology:
I list 20 different ways of using technology here in Section 4.2 of Module 1.1 at the ICT4LT site:
Some overlap with José's suggestions - all of which are good.
I must admit, however, that, having worked in the area of language teaching technology since 1976, I have not noticed it making the slightest impact on British citizens' ability to learn foreign languages. We have been well ahead of most of Europe in this area since the launch of the BBC Micro in the early 1980s, but we have never been able to compete with the highly motivated citizens in the rest of Europe - whose English gets better and better.
Being a native English speaker is an enormous advantage and disadvantage at one and the same time. Having said that, I have often been impressed by Brits who have HAD to learn less common languages while working abroad. We can do it when we HAVE to.
Regards Graham Davies
José Picardo
· 1 year ago
Thank you all for your comments.
@Daniel. I think social networking has huge potential cross-culturally and language teachers dismiss them at their peril. I am also very pleased with the results of trailing a Facebook group for my Spanish students at school.
@Adam. I agree entirely. Quite a lot of the rhetoric against language teaching bases itself on the fact that students aren't fluent at the end of their GCSEs (age 16), so why bother? Teachers have themselves partly to blame for this as we always sell languages at parents' evenings and option days saying that fluency in a second (or third) language will be the best thing ever, so when it doesn't materialise there is disappointment all round.
I also, as hinted in the main post, disagree strongly with the way that the British system emphasises core subjects (English, Maths and Science) from early in the primary curriculum. This sends a signal to ordinary parents and students that Geography, History or Languages are not that important. For the past 20 years or so the British education system has been churning out pupils who can do quadratic equations with their eyes closed but think that Michelangelo is a ninja turtle!
@Lindi. You are right, teenagers cannot see the importance of a good, well rounded education. It's an age old problem we continue to struggle with. I also share with you my doubts regarding a return to compulsion in languages. What British society really needs is a change of attitude towards foreign languages: France, Germany or Spain are no longer trying to invade England!
@Graham. I am not suggesting that technology alone will make a difference. In fact what I am suggesting is that we need to make learning more relevant to our students. You and I read books and watched tv when we were students, so our learning focused on a lot of reading and the odd tv documentary. Students nowadays use computers for their work, they use computers to communicate, to pass their free time and to play. They also have increasingly powerful and functional mobile phones and mp3 players. Why not then use them to your advantage? Make the learning process more relevant and suited to their expectations and you will have better motivated students.
Regarding the learning of English abroad. Yes, countries like Sweden, Holland and Germany all learn English to a high standard early on but that is because 1) English is a major world language and 2) their society and therefore education system understand this fact and act accordingly.
Are you really telling me that these same two principles couldn't apply in Britain? Substitute English for French or Spanish in point one. The real problem is that British society does not yet understand the importance of language learning so its education system reflects this fact.
Lynne
· 1 year ago
If I play current French music from a website to a class or have downloaded some from YouTube, some pupils (usually boys) have gone home and listened to it, or listened to it during cover classes in Admin - don't think anything else I have ever done has had that effect. One of these pupils was so impressed with the hotel website we were looking at (think it was the Paris Ritz) that he went home and had a look at that too.
It also opened a few new doors for some - my 14 year olds (mainly boys) enjoyed some vintage Edith Piaf from YouTube (no longer just the Specsavers lady to them!) and were interested enough to want to watch the film. Through a combination of technology (presenting grammar learned) and some old fashioned paper drill exercises they have quite a good grasp of regular verbs.
ICT may not be the only motivating factor, but it must be high on the list.
Andrew Jeppesen
· 1 year ago
Great post again José, I have been slowly trying to implement some of the things you have suggested into my classes this year and some classes have really responded well to them. Sites like quizlet actually have some of my weaker students learning the vocabulary and informing me enthusiastically that they have "actually learnt some words". My response to the class was simply that it is as hard as you want to make it and that there are many resources out there that can help. As you wrote, making it more relevant - without forcing it into the curriculum - is the way to go. The tools you have suggested make it more relevant. My continuing aim this year is to use more of the tools / methods you have suggested. As language teachers here in Australia we are also trying to change attitudes towards learning languages. Thanks again, Andrew J
Graham Davies
· 1 year ago
The situation could be changed overnight if employers and FE and HE colleges insisted on a foreign language qualification as an entry requirement. When I was at school in the 1950s we all studied French as it was impossible to get into any British university without an O-Level in French. We didn't all enjoy learning French, but we didn't all enjoy learning English or Maths either - which were also essential for getting into a university. Many students in Europe don't enjoy learning English but they know that they won't get a job or get a college or university place without a qualification in English.
There was a Eurobarometer survey some years ago, in which citizens across Europe were quizzed about their attitude towards foreign languages. The British came out as having a very positive attitude, with around 70% saying that they thought a knowledge of foreign languages was valuable. The Austrians were near the bottom of the list, with surprisingly few people valuing a knowledge of foreign languages highly. This contradicts what actually happens in that country which relies so heavily on the tourist industry and a large annual influx of English-speaking visitors every year. It's almost impossible to get a decent job in Austria if you don't speak English.
Regards Graham Davies
Graham Davies
· 1 year ago
Whoops! I should have said "... as it was impossible to get into any British university without an O-Level in French or another foreign language".
German and Spanish - and many other languages - were equally acceptable, of course. And my university (London) insisted that all students studying foreign languages had an O-Level in Latin too.
Regards Graham Davies
Chris
· 1 year ago
Not much to add to the comments above apart from to thank you for your continuing inspiration,
All Comments
Although I'm not a language teacher I would add social networking to the list. Last term I tried out think.com a safe social networking environment for schools. Within 10 minutes of logging on my year 7 students were sending off messages to other students (and teachers) across the world in French and German - (I was surprised how they were also expert users of babelfish to help them translate )
I stand very strongly for your first idea about tech being a part of the lesson for learnings sake. All too often kids get to go on a computer because they have finished their work, rather than using computers, phones, mp3s as a part of the learning process.
My concern is the same as always, you can use the best ICT, the best resources, you can be the best teacher, but if the students aren't motivated it won't work. You can make the class as interesting as you humanly can, but the real learning occurs after hours, when the student goes home to do the homework and revise his/her grammar, vocab, etc. If they are not interested, they will probably not use the podcasts, skype communication, etc.
There are more and more adults who realized they missed out in their education by not working hard at languages, and go back to study languages. It would be great if students in secondary schools felt that way as well. But to be honest I don't think it would help if the government decided to make languages compulsory again, the students would do what they do now in schools where they are made to study languages, they turn up in class, don't do any work, and leave school with a G in French, Spanish or German.
I suppose if they made it really compulsory e.g. you had to sit a SAT exam for a language and then you needed a GCSE in a language the same that you need a GCSE in English and Maths, that would be a different story.
I list 20 different ways of using technology here in Section 4.2 of Module 1.1 at the ICT4LT site:
http://www.ict4lt.org/en/en_mod1-1.htm#4.2
Some overlap with José's suggestions - all of which are good.
I must admit, however, that, having worked in the area of language teaching technology since 1976, I have not noticed it making the slightest impact on British citizens' ability to learn foreign languages. We have been well ahead of most of Europe in this area since the launch of the BBC Micro in the early 1980s, but we have never been able to compete with the highly motivated citizens in the rest of Europe - whose English gets better and better.
Being a native English speaker is an enormous advantage and disadvantage at one and the same time. Having said that, I have often been impressed by Brits who have HAD to learn less common languages while working abroad. We can do it when we HAVE to.
Regards
Graham Davies
@Daniel. I think social networking has huge potential cross-culturally and language teachers dismiss them at their peril. I am also very pleased with the results of trailing a Facebook group for my Spanish students at school.
@Adam. I agree entirely. Quite a lot of the rhetoric against language teaching bases itself on the fact that students aren't fluent at the end of their GCSEs (age 16), so why bother? Teachers have themselves partly to blame for this as we always sell languages at parents' evenings and option days saying that fluency in a second (or third) language will be the best thing ever, so when it doesn't materialise there is disappointment all round.
I also, as hinted in the main post, disagree strongly with the way that the British system emphasises core subjects (English, Maths and Science) from early in the primary curriculum. This sends a signal to ordinary parents and students that Geography, History or Languages are not that important. For the past 20 years or so the British education system has been churning out pupils who can do quadratic equations with their eyes closed but think that Michelangelo is a ninja turtle!
@Lindi. You are right, teenagers cannot see the importance of a good, well rounded education. It's an age old problem we continue to struggle with. I also share with you my doubts regarding a return to compulsion in languages. What British society really needs is a change of attitude towards foreign languages: France, Germany or Spain are no longer trying to invade England!
@Graham. I am not suggesting that technology alone will make a difference. In fact what I am suggesting is that we need to make learning more relevant to our students. You and I read books and watched tv when we were students, so our learning focused on a lot of reading and the odd tv documentary. Students nowadays use computers for their work, they use computers to communicate, to pass their free time and to play. They also have increasingly powerful and functional mobile phones and mp3 players. Why not then use them to your advantage? Make the learning process more relevant and suited to their expectations and you will have better motivated students.
Regarding the learning of English abroad. Yes, countries like Sweden, Holland and Germany all learn English to a high standard early on but that is because 1) English is a major world language and 2) their society and therefore education system understand this fact and act accordingly.
Are you really telling me that these same two principles couldn't apply in Britain? Substitute English for French or Spanish in point one. The real problem is that British society does not yet understand the importance of language learning so its education system reflects this fact.
It also opened a few new doors for some - my 14 year olds (mainly boys) enjoyed some vintage Edith Piaf from YouTube (no longer just the Specsavers lady to them!) and were interested enough to want to watch the film. Through a combination of technology (presenting grammar learned) and some old fashioned paper drill exercises they have quite a good grasp of regular verbs.
ICT may not be the only motivating factor, but it must be high on the list.
I have been slowly trying to implement some of the things you have suggested into my classes this year and some classes have really responded well to them. Sites like quizlet actually have some of my weaker students learning the vocabulary and informing me enthusiastically that they have "actually learnt some words". My response to the class was simply that it is as hard as you want to make it and that there are many resources out there that can help. As you wrote, making it more relevant - without forcing it into the curriculum - is the way to go. The tools you have suggested make it more relevant. My continuing aim this year is to use more of the tools / methods you have suggested. As language teachers here in Australia we are also trying to change attitudes towards learning languages.
Thanks again,
Andrew J
There was a Eurobarometer survey some years ago, in which citizens across Europe were quizzed about their attitude towards foreign languages. The British came out as having a very positive attitude, with around 70% saying that they thought a knowledge of foreign languages was valuable. The Austrians were near the bottom of the list, with surprisingly few people valuing a knowledge of foreign languages highly. This contradicts what actually happens in that country which relies so heavily on the tourist industry and a large annual influx of English-speaking visitors every year. It's almost impossible to get a decent job in Austria if you don't speak English.
Regards
Graham Davies
German and Spanish - and many other languages - were equally acceptable, of course. And my university (London) insisted that all students studying foreign languages had an O-Level in Latin too.
Regards
Graham Davies
Chris