What is one thing that stood out in the episode Why We Argue About The Role Of 'grammar' In L2 Teaching TALKIN' L2 WITH BVP?
What most called your attention? Did you think favorably or negatively about it?
Words to Get Rid Of (Talkin L2 with BVP)
Susan mentioned the word foreign among words that we should get rid of in the world of Language learning and reiterated that " BVP also notes that millions of people in the US speak two languages at home, so there is nothing “foreign” about the 2nd language they already speak at home." Did that part resonate with you as well? What else stood out to you?
This is always such a tricky debate and I think I realize now that it is largely because we're not all talking about the same thing. When we engage in this debate we don't even really have a well-defined definition/understanding of what grammar is and what its role is in acquisition. Here are the things that stood out most to me:
ReplyDelete1) No rules get internalized!! Rather a system evolves over time...and that system is abstract and doesn’t look at all like grammar rules. I have erroneously thought that if given enough quality input, students' brains would internalize the grammar rules (e.g., -an ending for ellos/ustedes, etc.). The system doesn't work that way because language is so abstract.
2) I really loved the way he addressed using English in the classroom. It doesn't have to be this taboo thing! It is perfectly fine to use English to establish meaning, but you want to immediately go back to the target language and use it in a variety of different ways to re-focus their attention on the target language. I loved how he framed it that, "English is a tool you use every now and then to keep things moving along.""
3) Finally, as an AP teacher, the discussion about explicit grammar teaching for success on the AP exam interested me. Basically, he confirmed that for the purpose of preparing students to be successful on the exam, we may need to explicitly teach grammar for AP because they have to display their knowledge of grammar in their writing. Students can apply those text book rules when they write because they have the time to monitor what they're producing. However, it did make me wish that I could teach at this level and not have to worry about preparing them for the exam...that it really could all just be about communication and fostering increased proficiency. It really resonated with me when Bill said that language acquisition is really much more egalitarian than the whole standardized testing system that really showcases only a certain "type" of student.
I second that to all of these! The part about the AP exam had me feeling like that as well. But at least in a communicative context, we can minimize the explicit instruction.
DeleteAs for your number 2, from what I've read of BVP's the key is to use English as an opportunity to make input comprehensible, but not to make students rely on it, like he said in this episode.
Thanks for commenting!
Heavens. So cu stood out. I took notes on everything. I want to make this a poster for myself to look at when designing the scope and sequence. My issue is...
ReplyDelete1. How do we do The Irrefutables" BUT get the kids to AP on the freaking 4x4???????
Any help from the group would be lovely.
Super interesting, that part...We do a lot of brainwashing over here so they get all the "good" grammar as input, and force it only sometimes. The whole "to teach to the test" or "don't teach to the test" piece is the tough part.
ReplyDeleteYour AP is a year long, right?
The podcast on Why We Argue About the Role of "grammar" in L2 Teaching with Talkin L2 with BVP was helpful and thought provoking. The host first addressed why so many educators argue about the role of grammar in world language education. Based on the podcast, the host believes many educators differ on this topic because they do not understand what grammar is or they think they know what it is and they do not understand the research on the requirements of communication and language. The definition of grammar is complex and many educators have formed their own implicit definition over their years of teaching. The host from the podcast has developed 6 facts that can also be argue points as you collaborate with other world language educators. The 6 facts are the following:
ReplyDelete1. Data for acquisition resides in communication embedded and comprehensible input. This is not a teaching strategy but a way all students need to construct linguistic systems.
2. Students do not internalize grammar based on rules or conjugations from input but they create abstract complex and implicit mental replications that does not represent grammar.
3. Students are in control of acquisition and posses powerful mechanisms that select input data in powerful ways. The system evolves over time.
4. Communication does not develop from practice but from participation and communicative events.
5. Effects of implicit teaching on mental replication and communicative abilities are constrained by the nature of acquisition and can not override itself.
6. Second language learners tend to be non native in both mental replication and communicative ability.
These are very interesting talking points in world language education and as a Spanish teacher, I plan to continue to reflect and discuss these 6 facts with my other colleagues and other educators at different teaching sites. Thank you for your time.
Preston Hill