Talkin' L2
10/26/2019
Today second and fifth-graders participated in a podcast that is meant to help teachers understand how research in applied linguistics can direct their methods in language classes.
Students were interested in calling in after we had a discussion about the way that our classes work to help them acquire language. I was somewhat dismayed that they didn’t immediately answer a question I asked them: what are the two ways we acquire language? With some guidance, students eventually replied that we acquire language when we understand spoken and written messages. (Songs also count as “spoken” language.) Linguists like Bill VanPatten have helped me understand that when we hear or read language that we understand, we start creating an implicit system for that language in our brains. The opposite is also true: if we listen to or read language that we don’t understand, we don’t process anything and don’t develop any fluency, even if we can talk about the language or conjugate verbs. Ideally the activities in Lower School Spanish classes provide input that all the children understand. They have a signal (the "Whoosh") to tell me if I am not being clear, and they are mostly confident about using it. Meanwhile, we learn songs, and discuss their meaning. We tell stories and read novels, making sure that what we read is comprehensible so as to lay down grammatical and syntactical forms in our brains. We interview class members to get to know one another, and as we do, we continue the process of absorbing critical phrases and verb conjugations. It’s important to reflect occasionally not only on how, but on why we offer Spanish classes, so today we called into the podcast, Talkin’ L2 with BVP. The moderator enjoyed the questions our children asked, and answered the children seriously. Take the opportunity to listen to the section with the PNA students, if not the entire podcast. There is always some fluff in this particular podcast, mostly because it shakes language teachers’ deeply-held beliefs and pushes us to work harder and more efficiently. A little humor helps that medicine go down smoothly. Our students’ interest, their questions, and their deportment make me proud to be part of PNA. Here is the link to the podcast. Start at 26:38 to hear PNA questions. Comments are closed.
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