Transcript Lecture_4_Oral_Language

Oral Language Development
Education 388
Lecture 4
February 1, 2007
Kenji Hakuta
Function words
is
the
from
with
Common content words
box
walk
place
flower
Academic words
Disciplinary words
consist
identify
analyze
imply
diagonal
salinity
verb
monarchy
Coxhead’s Advice
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Learners should read academic texts and listen to
academic lectures and discussions. Where possible,
the written and spoken texts should not be too difficult
for learners, with no more than about 5% of the
running words in the texts being new words for the
learners.
Learners should have the chance to speak in
academic discussion and write academic texts using
academic vocabulary.
Learners should directly study words from the list using
word cards and doing intensive study of short
academic texts.
Source: Averil Coxhead: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/lals/research/awl/awlinfo.html
Coxhead’s Advice
• Focus on retrieving the words rather than
recognising them. Every time you retrieve
a word the connection between the form of
the word and its meaning is made
stronger. Using word cards with the word
to be learned on one side and the
translations on the other forces you to
retrieve the word.
Source: Averil Coxhead: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/lals/research/awl/awlinfo.html
Coxhead’s Advice
• Space the number of repetitions of the
words you are learning because spacing
repetitions results in longer lasting
memory. The best spacing is to review the
words a few minutes after first looking at
them, then an hour or so later, then the
next day, then a week later and then a
couple of weeks after that.
Source: Averil Coxhead: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/lals/research/awl/awlinfo.html
Coxhead’s Advice
• Process the words thoughtfully so that the
depth of learning is better. Use techniques
which encourage you to make a lot of
associations with the words you are
learning. For example, think of language
contexts and situational contexts in which
you could use the words.
Source: Averil Coxhead: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/lals/research/awl/awlinfo.html
Coxhead’s Advice
• Avoid interference between the words you
are learning by choosing words which are
spelled differently and start with different
letters. Don't learn words with similar
meanings at the same time. Words which
look the same or share similar meanings
are easy to confuse and make your
learning less effective.
Source: Averil Coxhead: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/lals/research/awl/awlinfo.html
Other advice
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Paraphrase when you can, but not to excess.
Notice, and clarify, idiomatic expressions.
Native language is OK,
Point out cognates when you can.
Maintain vocabulary lists for the class, and each
student for his/herself.
• Be aware of cognitive and background
knowledge constraints on vocabulary reference.
Get me the silox.
Get me the silox.
Draw a circle around the silox.
Draw a circle around Spot.
Some Ellis Observations
• Direct grammar instruction has limited
impact on oral language production.
• Functional grammar teaching is helpful.
• Test-like performance can be different from
spontaneous oral language production.
• Groupwork can be helpful – quality of
groupwork is very important.
Ellis Principles
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Mix of formulaic expressions and rule-based
competence.
Predominance of meaning, but form is also important.
Implicit knowledge of L2 is important, but explicit
knowledge is also important.
Learners have a built-in syllabus
Extensive L2 input is important.
Opportunities for output and interaction are important.
Opportunities to interact in L2 is important.
Individual differences of learners matters.
Linguistic knowledge occurs in different levels.
Some Potential Advantages of
Groupwork
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The quantity of learner speech can increase.
The variety of speech acts can increase.
There can be more individualization of instruction.
Anxiety can be reduced.
Motivation can increase.
Enjoyment can increase.
Independence can increase.
Social integration can increase.
Students can learn how to work together with others.
Learning can increase.
(Source: Ellis, based on Jacobs 1998)
Things to Pay Attention to:
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Students’ orientation to the task
Individual accountability
Group composition
Distribution of information
Physical arrangement of students
Collaborative skills
Group permanence and cohension
Teacher’s role
Groupwork: Things to Pay Attention to
Student’s orientation to the task.
Task is meaningful and engaging.
Individual accountability
Each individual has specific role and
responsibilities.
Group composition
Optimal size (4?) plus heterogeneity of group.
Distribution of information
If possible put lower proficiency student in
charge of information.
Physical arrangement of students
Student seating arrangement especially for
eye contact and audibility
Collaborative skills.
Provide and monitor use of collaboration
language – e.g., how to disagree, negotiate
meaning.
Group permanence and cohesion
Give group opportunity to establish working
style.
Teacher’s role
Teacher can model collaboration, observe and
monitor student performance, intervene as
necessary, participate in groups
Source: Ellis, 2005
Things to Observe in Groups:
Possible Characteristics of Collaborative Interaction
• Predominance of first person plural pronouns.
• Few, or absence, of directives.
• Text co-constructed (i.e., each student adding to
or extending his/her partner’s contributions.
• Language-related episodes initiated by means of
a request.
• Interactive responses lead to group consensus.
• Evidence of scaffolding.
(Ellis, based on Storch, 2001)