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| Thinking about Theory |
Authenticity in the classroom is important for students to be able to transfer their knowledge and skills to real life situations. Learning slang, gambits, idioms, catchphrases, and social formulas to help discourse competence.
Example of an information-gap activity for speaking/listening: Two handouts of same map but Student A has different locations to describe than student B. Take turns in asking and giving directions.
In task based learning language production starts immediately, students engage in meaningful communication and develop strategic competence. At the end of activity structured elements are addressed and practiced.
Pros & Cons: Balance of form-focused and meaning-focused activities is necessary to develop communicative competence. Authentic language might overwhelm students at beginner level. Teacher must equip students with sufficient skills or revise the task to make it manageable. In communicative classroom management teacher guides students with pair and group work.
Great overview of the communicative classroom, Josanne! I really liked the ideas you contributed on the discussion board relating to communicative tasks for the EAL classroom. You've suggested some great activities that include authentic documents, and relevant tasks. Did you have any particular level in your head as you were brainstorming these ideas?
ReplyDeleteYour posted activities:
reading/writing: An advice column Dear... where you can have problems on a certain topic
important to students ie. school,neighborhood etc. Then have students write their advice.
speaking/listening: Students fill out an opinion survey on a topic (Canada,public vs own
transportation) then discuss opinion in groups.
listening/singing: Students listen to a song, build up of song lyrics written on board after
each listening sequence until song is complete, group sing-a-long
reading: Read flyers in newspapers finding deals and coupons for grocery shopping