Teaching English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages

ALECC Module # 5

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Welcome to TESOL!

The fastest growing population in adult literacy education

today!

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Today’s Agenda

[Insert Time] Registration + Coffee

[Insert Time] Workshop Start-Up

[Insert Time] Mid-Workshop Break

[Insert Time] Workshop End Time

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The Ten K’s of the Professional Adult Educator

1. Knowledge of self as a learner2. Knowledge of how adults learn3. Knowledge of adult learning

theories4. Knowledge of Literacy +

Numeracy5. Knowledge of Language +

Communication

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The Ten K’s of the Professional Adult Educator

6. Knowledge of standards: content, performance, program

7. Knowledge of science-based research + evidence-based practice

8. Knowledge of diversity9. Knowledge of standardized

assessment10. Knowledge of NYSED’s P-16

Action Plan

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The Four Themes for Today

1. Science-Based Research in + Theories of Teaching English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages

2. Communicative Language teaching (CLT), Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and Contextualized Language (CL)

3. The Importance of Vocabulary (Lexical Approach) and Strategies Based Instruction (SBI) in TESOL

4. Resources for Balanced Science + Evidence-Based Reading Practice

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Today’s Activities

• A Look at ESOL theories, approaches, methods

• A Review of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Precepts

• Understanding Contextualized Language• The Importance of Content-Based

Instruction (CBI)• The Importance of Vocabulary

Development (Lexical Approach)• The Importance of Strategies-Based

Instruction (SBI) • Deciding Your Practice + Philosophy

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Pre-Workshop Assignments

• Learning Vocabulary in Another Language - Vocabulary Quiz

• CAELA FAQ’s

Any Surprises?

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Log onto these TESOL “Toolboxes” …

CAELA

http://www.cal.org/caela/tools/

TESOL

http://www.tesol.org

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Recent government statistics say…

Over 50% of our adult education classes nationwide are ESOL classes

• This number is set to rise significantly, trends say

• The passage of a comprehensive immigration bill would make these numbers “skyrocket”

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Approach…Method…Syllabus

• Approach = an integrated set of theoretical principles and practical beliefs about the nature of language and the nature of learning itself.

• Method = how the individual teacher implements the approach.

• Syllabus = the daily schedule, the curriculum, the actual lesson plans and learning content

• The WHY, The HOW, The WHAT

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The APPROACH

Today’s Workshop is about

the Approach

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What Language are we Teaching?

Is it BICS or CALPS?

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BICS =

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills

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CALPS =

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Skills

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Your Theory of TESOL

• Do you have a preferred theory or approach to TESOL?

• What is it?• Which approach resonates most

with you? Why?• Which approach resonates

least? Why?• Discuss Your Reflections in Your

Group

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Remember!

Educators can usually discuss HOW they teach ESOL, but they are often unable to identify the theories on which their instruction is based. Let’s change that.

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Also Remember, Our Theories Usually Reflect….

• Our belief systems• Our values• Our metaphors for language,

learning, acquisition + teaching• Our implicit understanding about the

nature of language + teaching• So, analyzing what you believe is

very important.

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And, once again, The BIG Question is …

Are our beliefs and values, and thus our instructional; approaches and methods, grounded in science-based research and evidence-based practice?

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And ….

Are our instructional methods and practices appropriate for the group of learners we are teaching?

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Determining Second Language Acquisition Schools of Thought

Answer the 4 BIG “Assumption” Questions The Approach

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The BIG 4 “Assumption” Questions

1. What do you believe to be the nature of language?

2. How is language best learned or acquired?

3. How should language be taught (best practices)?

4. How should language proficiency be measured?

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The 4 Assumption Q’s

• How do you answer these 4 Q’s?

• How does your preferred approach answer these 4 questions? Do they match?

• Refer to the SLA History + Approaches Chart

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What do we mean by….

• Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

• Contextualized Language (CL)

• Content-Based Instruction (CBI)

• Communicative Competence (CC)

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Communicative Competence includes …

1. Grammatical Competence - mastering the linguistic code including vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, spelling and word formation

2. Sociolinguistic Competence - extent to which utterances can be used or understood appropriately in various social contexts; speech acts such as persuading, apologizing, describing…

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Communicative Competence includes …

3. Discourse Competence - the ability to combine ideas to achieve cohesion in form and coherence in thought above the level of the single sentence

4. Strategic Competence - the ability to use strategies like gestures or “talking around” an unknown word in order to overcome limitations in language knowledge

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Communicative Competence

The ability to use the language for meaningful communication

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Communicative Competence…

• Knowing how to use language for a range of different purposes and functions

• Knowing how to vary our use of language according to the setting and the participants (formal vs. informal; written vs. spoken)

• Knowing how to produce and understand different types of texts (narrative, reports, interviews, conversations)

• Knowing how to maintain communication despite having limitations in one’s language knowledge (using different communication strategies)

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Communicative Language Teaching

• What is it?

• What are its assumptions?

• Does this mean teaching conversation?

• Does it mean and absence of grammar?

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Which statements characterize CLT?

1. People learn a language best when using it to do things rather than through studying how language works and practicing rules?

2. Grammar is no longer important in language teaching.

3. People learn a language through communicating in it.

4. Errors are not important in speaking a language.

5. CLT is only concerned with teaching speaking.

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Which statements characterize CLT?

6. Classroom activities should be meaningful and involve real communication.

7. Dialogues are not used in CLT.8. Both accuracy and fluency are

goals in CLT.9. CLT is usually described as a

method of teaching.

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Reflect on ….

• Core Assumptions of CLT

+

• Major Changes of CLT

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Strategies Based Instruction (SBI)

• Offers a learner-focused approach• Makes students consciously aware of

the strategies and skills needed to effectively learn an L2

• Gives students specific behaviors, steps and actions to enhance second language learning and acquisition

• Provides a process that is goal-directed and personalized

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Reflect on ….

• Do you know your own second language learning strategies?

• Have you studied another language?

• Take the SILL Survey

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Other Names for Learning Strategies

Learning skills Learning-to-learn skills Thinking skills Problem-solving skills

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Stephen Krashen’s Monitor Theory of L2 Learning

The

Learning-Acquisition

Continuum

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The Learning-Acquisition Continuum

Both Are Necessary for Communicative

Competence

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Stephen Krashen’s Monitor Theory of L2 Learning

Learning = conscious knowledge of language rules, does not typically lead to conversational fluency and is derived from formal instruction

Acquisition = occurs unconsciously and spontaneously, does lead to conversational fluency and arises from naturalistic language

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Some L2 Learning Strategies….

Direct Strategies1. Memory Strategies2. Cognitive Strategies3. Compensation Strategies

Indirect Strategies1. Social Strategies2. Affective Strategies3. Metacognitive Strategies

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Do you know these terms …

• The Lexical Approach

• Comprehensible Input

• Corpus Linguistics

• Collocations

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In the Lexical Approch …

• Language is seen as a system for conveying meaning and performing tasks, rather than just a string of grammar rules

• Emphasis is on giving students effective strategies for being able to function, perform and communicate in the English language

• Emphasis is on helping students to gain a large functional vocabulary using the same strategies that native speakers use

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Precepts of the Lexical Approach

• The goal of the Lexical Approach is to get students to become aware of, use and to eventually master these meaning-filled, multi-word “chunks”, collocations and fixed utterances

• Instructional emphasis is on helping students to gain a large functional vocabulary using the same strategies that native speakers use

• Modern research into language learning theory suggests that these “chunks” are the basis for inductive learning of language which produces mastery of the grammatical system

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Krashen’s “Comprehensible Input”

The quality of the language input in the reading texts and on audio and video presentations is seen as central to the ultimate success of student learning. Therefore, selection of appropriate texts + materials is made only after detailed analysis of the lexical items and “chunks” that appear in them is made.

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The Central Function of Vocabulary

Students must be taught a system for collecting, learning and retaining functional words, expressions, and utterances

Students must be taught how to develop a natural, “native-speaker-like” intuition about standard American English words, expressions, and utterances

Lexis + functional meaning take precedence over grammar + form

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Summary of the Lexical Approach

• A communicative methodology, syllabus + approach

• Part of the Communicative Competence School of Thought

• Focuses on:– Sociolinguistic Competence– Discourse Competence– Strategic Competence– Grammatical Competence

• It emphasizes both fluency and accuracy

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Corpus Linguistics

• COBUILD

• Concordances

• Chunks

• Collocations

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How Long Does It Take To Learn English as an Adult?

• Depends on age, educational background, level of literacy in the native language, opportunities to use English

• 5 to 7 years for children• 500 - 1000 hours of instruction

This is the problem that is ours to solve for our adult learners

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How Long Does It Take To Learn English as an Adult?

This is the most important problem that is ours to solve for our adult ESOL learners!

How can we help them shorten the language acquisition

time?

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Post Workshop Assignments

• Readings

• Reflection Activities

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For more information on ALECC, contact …

Marilyn J. RymniakProject Leader

Statewide Professional Development System + ALECC

Literacy Assistance Center32 Broadway, 10th Floor

New York, NY 10004212-803-3322, marilynr@lacnyc.org