I particularly liked the way Egbert breaks down the “conditions for optimal language learning environments” in his article. These eight conditions do not currently exist in my classroom, but they will. Without going into too much detail, at present, I am able to consistently provide my students with four of these conditions.
Seeing these conditions spelled out is going to help me bring better opportunities for my students to learn their target language. While I have been doing/providing some of these conditions, in some cases it was really just dumb luck that I was doing the right thing. For example, I have had students create their own restaurant menus when we were working on a food unit.
I also appreciate the acknowledgement that “it is not yet know for certain whether nature (cognition) or nurture (the classroom environment) is more important” (Egbert) in the ability to acquire a second language. I am often pleasantly surprised by one of my special education students who completely gets and understands a complex grammatical concept the first time I explain it. Then sometimes there is the straight-A student who cannot (at least not quickly) understand a simple grammatical concept, no matter how many different ways I explain or model it.
Egbert speaks to the fact that many educators complain that CALL research does not tell them which are the best CALL methods for teaching/learning. I agree with Egbert that there is probably not just one, or even a few, best method(s) for second language acquisition. Rather, there needs to be several methods available in order to reach all learners. I know I have seen in my classroom students who do better and learn more by acting out scenes in front of the class. Others do not do well with approach at all and would prefer to read about the material. I try to oblige both (or any) learning style that is not disruptive to my classroom.
Overall, I found the Egbert article very informative and I plan to begin implementation of the eight conditions immediately.
5 comments:
I would like to see the "conditions" that you say exist in your class that you are quoting from Egbert. I like to see the work in action to better understand the concept. Can you give us an example of these four conditions that exist currently in your own class and maybe some more ideas about how you see yourselves reaching to his eight this school year? I a curious as to how to create these conditions effectively? I am also curious about your students reactions and participation.
Victoria has a good question, which ones do exist in your classroom?
Dan
To be clear, I doubt that even on a good day I use any given four of Egbert's condition. However, I recognized that four of these conditions exist on a regular basis in my classroom.
1. I try to keep "learners involved in authentic tasks." For instance, when we are doing a unit on clothing, I have the students get in pairs. Each pair will put on a fashion show. While one is the "MC", the other parades up and down a makeshift runway modeling their clothing. As the MC describes each article of clothing, his/her partner must point out that particular item that he/she is wearing. The majority of the students really get into to it too. I used this lesson for my Praxis III observation. I got a 55 out of 57 (Arkansas uses a 3-point system for the 19 citeria.) Coming up with authentic lesson plans will be easier after taking this CALL class.
2. "Learners have enough time and feedback." Well, at least those who are serious about learning. I may be looking at this condition incorrectly, but if it means what I think it means, I allow my students nearly all the time they ask for in completing assignments. As long as they are showing progess and not obviously stalling, I don't mind if they need more time. But they have to have completed stages and receive my feedback. I tell them on the first day of school that my goal is for them to speak Spanish, not to give them an F.
3. "Learners are guided to tend mindfully to the learning process." I can't think of a specific strategy that I do for this one, other than the fact that I try to keep all my students (25 at a time, 150 total) focused on the task at hand. I also encourage the other students to be my helpers when one student is not staying focused.
4. "Learner autonomy is supported." I believe this is a must in an inner-city public school classroom. By our curriculum, I am required to teach a particular set of concepts and vocabulary. That minimum is about all that many of the students can handle. However, several want more. With these students, I let them do minimum and encourage them to take that as a seed and grow it. One example that comes to mind is when we were doing a unit on family. It had basic immediate family vocabulary. The students had to make a family tree with labels in Spanish. One student asked if she could do more. She had great-great-grandparents, great-aunts and uncles, etc.
So again, I may not get all four of these in every class. Until now, I didn't even know I was trying for eight!:) But now that I now, that is what I'll strive for.
I don't think that anyone (at least not many) covers all eight conditions in a single class. I see it as conditions that you employ in your general approach to teaching.
Anyone who could incorporate all on a daily basic (not just a demo class) would be impressive indeed.
Dan
Thanks Dan. I was getting worried thinking about how I could do all eight every day. Maybe just keeping them in the back of my mind will remind me to try incorporate at least one in a lesson.
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