Creating an optimal environment for learning English: The role of assistant language teachers

Plenary talk at 2017 Hokkaido Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) Skills Development Conference

Transcript

1. Creating an optimal environment
 for learning English: The role of assistant language teachers Ken Urano, Hokkai-Gakuen University urano@hgu.jp December 11, 2017 @ Hokkaido Citizens Activities Promotion Center (Kaderu 2-7)
2. Before we begin... • Please consider this talk as a proposal, rather than a lecture. • Your questions and comments are welcome at any time.
3. About me… • Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. • Grew up in Nagano Prefecture.
5. • Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education @ Shinshu University, Nagano • Master’s degree in English as a second language @ University of Hawai’i
8. • Currently professor 
 @ Faculty of Business Administration, 
 Hokkai-Gakuen University • Teaching mainly English for business purposes
10. • I’m also a visiting professor 
 @ Graduate School of Foreign Languages, Nagoya Gakuin University • Supervising master’s students at its correspondence program
12. About me... • I’m a teacher of English. • I’m a researcher in second language acquisition.
13. About me... • I’m a teacher of English. • I’m a researcher in second language acquisition.
14. Researchers’ roles,
 teachers’ roles • Researcher • Making guidelines • Teacher • Adapting the guidelines
15. What we know from research
16. Second Language Acquisition
17. Second Language Acquisition • is not the sole source of information for foreign language teaching, • but offers some useful insights.
18. • is a field of study which attempts to understand the process of learning a language other than the first. Second Language Acquisition
19. • We know that learning a second language is far more difficult than learning the first. • The goal of second language acquisition (SLA) research is to find the reasons why this is the case. Second Language Acquisition
20. SLA Basics
21. SLA Basics Learner Input Output Listening & reading Speaking &
 writing
22. • We cannot use words or grammar rules that we do not know when we speak/write. • We acquire such knowledge from input. • Input precedes output. SLA Basics Learner Input Output
23. We know... • Importance of input • No input, no language learning
24. Importance of input • Limited input sources • Outside the classroom • Textbook • Teachers’ role as a main source of input
25. What about output? • Output is also important, but • Input is crucial. Input (Listening/Reading) Output ʢSpeaking/Writing)
26. What about output? • Output is also important, but • Input is crucial. Input (Listening/Reading) Output ʢSpeaking/Writing) X
27. But...
28. Not all input is good.
29. It’s Greek to me! http://www.flickr.com/photos/dnevill/2402430135/
30. Comprehensible input
31. By the way...
32. I have two daughters.
33. MSR: ͜ΜͲύϑΣ৯΂ʹ͍ͬͯ͘ʂ We’re gonna eat some parfait! AKR: ύϑΣʁ Parfait? MSR: ͜ΜͲΞΠε৯΂ʹ͍ͬͯ͘ʂ We’re gonna eat some ice cream! AKR: ΞΠεʂ Ice cream! Conversation between 
 a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old
34. Even a 6-year-old knows how to adjust her talk
35. Speech adjustment • Caretaker speech • a.k.a. motherese, baby talk, etc. • Foreigner talk • Teacher talk
36. Question
37. Question How do you adjust your speech?
38. • Language learning takes place • When learners understand the meaning of the input, and • When they pay some attention to the form, • At the same time. We know...
39. Form-meaning mapping
40. Gestures & visual aids
41. Gestures & visual aids Statue of Liberty
42. Gestures & visual aids http://www.flickr.com/photos/philofphotos/249220155/
43. Gestures & visual aids • They are useful, but • They need to be used with caution • Because students may not pay attention to the form.
44. Gestures & visual aids http://www.flickr.com/photos/zigazou76/3593523470/ Statue of Napoleon
45. Gestures & visual aids http://www.flickr.com/photos/irenetong/2570306240/ Statue of King Kamehameha
46. Gestures & visual aids Statue of Liberty
47. Gestures & visual aids Statues
48. To simplify or not to simplify...
49. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent. Suppose your students don’t know this word. To simplify or not to simplify...
50. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent. To simplify or not to simplify... hard-working
51. Simplification • Replacing difficult items with easy ones.
52. Simplification • The girl who is wearing blue jeans is my sister.
53. Simplification • The girl who is wearing blue jeans is my sister. There is a girl over there. She is wearing blue jeans. That’s my sister.
54. Simplification • Generally improves comprehension, but • Takes away the chance to learn a new item.
55. Instead of simplifying...
56. Elaborate!
57. Elaboration • Giving additional information to improve comprehension without removing the difficult item.
58. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent, I mean, hard-working. Elaboration
59. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent, I mean, hard-working. Elaboration kept in the input
60. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent, I mean, hard-working. Elaboration improves comprehension kept in the input
61. Or...
62. You can interact!
63. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent. Do you know what diligent means? (No.) It means hard-working. So, everyone knows Mike is hard-working. Interaction
64. • Everybody knows that Mike is diligent. Do you know what diligent means? (No.) It means hard-working. So, everyone knows Mike is hard-working. Interaction comprehension check
65. We know... • Simplification improves comprehension, but it does not help language learning. • Elaboration does both. • Interaction does both, too.
66. Quick summary • Input is necessary for SLA • Form-meaning mapping • Roles of simplification, elaboration, and interaction to help comprehension Learner Input Output
67. • Roles of output in SLA • Noticing • Hypothesis testing • Metalinguistic knowledge Output
68. • Positive evidence • Information about what is grammatical in the target language • i.e., input • Negative evidence • Information about what is not grammatical in the target language Positive evidence &
 negative evidence
69. • Many scholars argue that positive evidence alone is not sufficient for SLA. • Roles of negative evidence Positive evidence &
 negative evidence
70. 1a. δϣϯ͸Ώͬ͘ΓίʔώʔΛҿΜͩɻ 1b. John slowly drank coffee. 2a. δϣϯ͸ίʔώʔΛΏͬ͘ΓҿΜͩɻ 2b. *John drank slowly coffee. Positive evidence (1b) is not sufficient to learn that 2b is ungrammatical in English. Positive evidence &
 negative evidence
71. Corrective feedback
 to provide negative evidence Positive evidence &
 negative evidence
72. Corrective feedback • Students need to pay some attention to form. • Corrective feedback can help learners shift their attention to form. • It can also provide negative evidence.
73. Feedback options • +/– Explicit • +/– Correction
74. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
75. Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction + Feedback options
76. Clarification request S: I go to the library yesterday. T: Pardon?
77. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
78. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
79. Recast S: I go to the library yesterday. T: Oh, you went to the library
 yesterday. Did you borrow any 
 books?
80. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
81. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
82. Repetition S: I go to the library yesterday. T: “I go to the library yesterday”? S: Oh, I went to the library yesterday.
83. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
84. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
85. Elicitation S: I go to the library yesterday. T: Yesterday, you ... S: ... went to the library.
86. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
87. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
88. Metalinguistic clue S: I go to the library yesterday. T: It’s about yesterday, so what tense 
 do you have to use? S: Past tense. I went to the library 
 yesterday.
89. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
90. Feedback options Feedback type Explicit–Implicit Correction Clarification request Implicit Explicit – Recast + Repetition – Elicitation – Metalinguistic clue – Explicit correction +
91. Explicit correction S: I go to the library yesterday. T: It’s about yesterday, so you have to use the past tense went. S: OK. I went to the library 
 yesterday.
92. Feedback options • Implicit feedback • does not block the flow of communication, but • learners may not notice the negative evidence. • is considered more effective with advanced learners.
93. Feedback options • Explicit feedback • is easier to notice, but • often stops communication.
94. Feedback options It is important that individual teachers decide which feedback options to use for which students on which errors.
95. • Ways to help comprehension • Positive evidence & negative evidence • Roles & types of corrective feedback Learner Input Output Quick summary (2)
96. Researchers’ roles,
 teachers’ roles • Researcher • Making guidelines • Teacher • Adapting the guidelines
97. Researchers’ roles,
 teachers’ roles • Researcher • Making guidelines • Teacher • Adapting the guidelines
98. Guidelines Methodological Principles
99. Methodological Principles Methodological Principles are universally desirable instructional design features, motivated by theory and research findings in SLA, educational psychology, general educational curriculum design, and elsewhere, which show them either to be necessary for SLA or facilitative of it. (Long, 2009, p. 376)
100. Methodological Principles 1 Use task, not text, as the unit of analysis. 2 Promote learning by doing. 3 Elaborate input. 4 Provide rich (not impoverished) input. 5 Encourage inductive (“chunk”) learning. 6 Focus on form. 7 Provide negative feedback. 8 Respect “learner syllabuses.” 9 Promote cooperative/collaborative learning. 10 Individualize instruction.
101. MP1 Use task, not text, as the unit of analysis. • Task-based language teaching (TBLT) • target tasks, pedagogical tasks, task sequencing MP2 Promote learning by doing.
102. MP3 Elaborate input. • Do not simplify. • Do not rely solely on “authentic” texts.
103. MP4 Provide rich (not impoverished) input. • Exposure to varied input sources
104. MP5 Encourage inductive (“chunk”) learning. • Implicit instruction
105. MP6 Focus on form. During an otherwise meaning-focused classroom lessons, focus on form often consists of an occasional shift of attention to linguistic code features— by the teacher and/or one or more students—triggered by perceived problems with comprehension or production. (Long & Robinson, 1998, p. 23)
106. MP6 Focus on form. Instruction types Unobtrusive ɹ㲗ɹ Obtrusive Πϯϓοτߑਫʢinput floodʣ λεΫඞਢݴޠʢtask-essential languageʣ Πϯϓοτิڧʢinput enhancementʣ ҙຯަবʢnegotiationʣ ϦΩϟετʢrecastʣ Ξ΢τϓοτิڧʢoutput enhancementʣ ΠϯλϥΫγϣϯิڧʢinteraction enhancementʣ σΟΫτάϩεʢdictoglossʣ ҙࣝߴ༲ʢconsciousness-raisingʣ Πϯϓοτॲཧʢinput processingʣ Ψʔσϯɾύεʢgarden pathʣ ɹ̭ ɹ̭ ɹɹ̭ ɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹ̭ ɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹɹ̭ FonF procedures (Doughty & Williams, 1998)
107. MP7 Provide negative feedback. • Feedback on error (e.g., recasts) • Error “correction”
108. MP8 Respect “learner syllabuses.” • Timing of pedagogical intervention to developmental readiness • What is taught ≠ what is learned. • Teachers cannot decide when certain items/rules are learned. • The idea of “feeding.”
109. MP9 Promote cooperative/collaborative learning. • Negotiation of meaning • Interactional modification
110. MP10 Individualize instruction. • Needs analysis • Consideration of individual differences (e.g., memory and aptitude) and learning strategies
111. Summary
112. Summary • Importance of comprehensible input • Elaboration and interaction to enhance form-meaning mapping • Corrective feedback to increase awareness • Methodological Principles
113. My last question
114. • How will you incorporate today’s ideas into your teaching? My last question
115. References • Doughty, C. J., & Long, M. H. (2003). Optimal psycholinguistic environments for distance foreign language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 7, 50-80. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/ vol7num3/doughty/ • Doughty, C., & Williams, J. (Eds.) (1998). Focus on form in classroom second language acquisition. Cambridge University Press. • Long, M. H. (1996). The role of the linguistics environment in second language acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie & T. K. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 413-468). New York: Academic Press. • Long, M. H. (2007). Problems in SLA. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. • Long, M. H. (2009). Methodological principles for language teaching. In M. H. Long & C. J. Doughty (Eds.), The handbook of language teaching (pp. 373-394). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. • Long, M. H., & Robinson, P. (1998). Focus on form: Theory, research, and practice. In C. Doughty & J. Williams (1998).