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Enhancing students’ language proficiency & thinking skills through integrative language use at KS2. LLSS 12 December 2013. Programme run-down. Part I. Do we use different language skills in our daily lives?. Do you …?. Listening Writing. Reading Writing.
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Enhancing students’ language proficiency & thinking skills through integrative language use at KS2 LLSS 12 December 2013
Do you …? Listening Writing Reading Writing Listening Speaking Writing Listening Speaking Listening Speaking Reading Writing Speaking Write down notes of what the presenters say in a lecture or a workshop Make summaries or jot down some quotes when reading a reference book Help take phone messages Chat about weather Do a presentation on a particular topic
In reality, it is rare for language skills to be used in isolation. Hinkel (2010) There are many situations in which we use more than one language skill in an authentic environment.
Listening Reading Skills cannot be taught isolated Integrative language use Writing Speaking • in a coherent way with language skills practiced together.
Why should we teach in ways that promote the integrative use of language?
DSE (Paper 3) Integrated listening/reading and writing tasks of different levels of difficulty based on the same theme Why should we teach in ways that promote the integrative use of language?
Why should we teach in ways that promote the integrative use of language?
active, engaging and meaningful learning activities opportunities to practise the integrative use of language English Language Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 – Secondary 3)
What is integrative language use?
Receptive skills: Reading & Listening Productive skills: Speaking & Writing • Language forms • Communicative functions • Three strands: • Interpersonal • Knowledge • Experience • Language Development strategies • thinking skills • reference skills • library skills • information skills… Integrative language use Integrative language use is more than integrating four language skills Source: ELCG 2004, p.96
Integrated skills = all four language skills? • ‘(the teaching of integrated skills) involves the teaching of the language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking in conjunction with each other...’ (Richards, Platt and Weber,1985)
Involve skills in the same language medium input and modelling Integrated skills spoken medium Input Output Listening (receptive skill) speaking (productive skill)
input and modelling Integrated skills written medium Output Input Reading (receptive skill) writing (productive skill)
Integrated skills WRITTEN READING WRITING SPOKEN LISTENING SPEAKING OR From 1 receptive skill to 1 productive skill + SPOKEN LISTENING SPEAKING WRITTEN READING WRITING All 4 language skills
Critical thinking Problem solving Provide, use, interpret and present simple information Examples of expected achievements of learners Recognise and and solve problems Express freely ideas, views or feelings Make predictions, inferences and evaluative comments Exercise their creative imagination and independent judgement Find out, organise and classify information Creativity 20 20 Source: ELCG 2002, p.46, 49, 59
Why is integrative language use important?
Major principles in curriculum planning Why is integrative language use important? learner-centred Balanced coverage Fundamental intertwining ways of learning and using language Communicative purposes Integrative use of English Source: ELCG 2004, p.93
Why is integrative language use important? Integrative use of English ‘Language use in real life situations is integrative and creative.’ ‘… to use English to respond and give expression to real and imaginative experience.’ Source: ELCG 2002, p.96-97
Activity: Analysing a unit with reference to how it promotes theintegrative use of language Source: Primary Longman Elect 6B • Main reading text (P.28-29) • story of Noah of the future • text type: play • 2. Post-reading (P.30) • text features of a play: setting, characters & events Topic: Animals in danger (Unit 4)
Activity: Analysing a unit with reference to how it promotes theintegrative use of language • 3. Target vocabulary (P.31) • names of endangered animals • actions that harm animals • effects on endangered animals 4. Language focus (P.31) - use of connectives to express the cause-and-effect relationship • Appropriate vocabulary & language structures to help students give responses and express in the context
Activity: Analysing a unit with reference to how it promotes theintegrative use of language • 5. Practice 1 & 2 (p.32-33) • use the target language structures for classroom language practice • (speaking and writing tasks) 6. Main task (p.34-35) - an article asking people to be more dolphin-friendly for the school newsletter
Activity 1:Does this unit involve integrative language use? • Read the task and discuss the following • questions: • What language skills does this unit involve? (p.28-35) • Does the main reading text (p.28-29) providemodellingfor studentsto produce an article as the writing output (p.34-35)? How? Group discussion
Read the task and discuss the following questions: 3. Does the practice part (p.32-33) provideinput for students to write about the problems of dolphinsin the main task (p.34-35)? How? 4. Does the practice part (p.32-33) provide modelling for students to use the language structures in the main task (p.34-35)? How? 5. What skills and knowledge learnt in the unit can be applied in real-life situations? Group discussion
Q1. Whatlanguage skills does this unit involve? reading All four language skills reading reading & speaking (listening?) Integrative language use? reading & writing reading & writing
Q2. Does the main reading text provide modelling for students to produce an article as the writing output? Text type of reading text (P.28-29): play Main task (P.34-35):Write an article asking people to be more dolphin-friendly for the school newsletter. Text type: article Q2. No modellingon text type Q2. Teacher’s support required (e.g. text features & style)
Q3. Does the practice part provide input for students to write about the problems of the dolphins in the main task? Input given in Practice 1 and 2 (P.32-33): problems faced by different kinds of endangered animals, e.g. reef fish, whales, sharks… (no input on problems faced by dolphins) However, the main task (P.34-35) students need to write aboutthe problems dolphins are facing Vocabulary input used for writing is only found in main task; but not in other parts such as reading passage (P.28-29) and practices (P.32-33) Q3. No contextually linked- vocabulary input; teacher’s support required
input and modelling ? Writing task: -Write an article about problems faced by dolphins Input (P.28-29, 32-33) -Story, poster, information sheets -Problems faced by other endangered animals Output Input writing (productive skill) Reading (receptive skill) Q1. Reading and writing skills are involved butteacher’s support required
Q4. Does the practice part provide modelling for students to use the language structures in the main task? Practice on expressing the cause-and-effect relationship (using ‘unless’ and ‘therefore’) can be found in the speaking and writing tasks in Practice 1 & 2 (P.32-33). Students are able to write about the problems dolphins are facing using the language structures describing thecause-and-effect relationship. Q4. Languagestructures are provided as modelling to prepare students for the writing task
Q5. What skills and knowledge learnt in the unit can beapplied in real-life situations? • Vocabulary • names of endangered animals • actions that harm animals • effects on endangered animals Language structures - to express the cause-and-effect relationship • Thinking skills • presenting and organising information • expressing views
Does this unit involve integrative language use? No contextually linked- vocabulary input Opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills in real-life situations No modellingon text type Input to equip students with language structures required tocommunicate in the context • Skills developed: • Language skills: reading, listening, speaking & writing (from receptive skills productive skills?) • Critical thinking: Provide, use, interpret and present simple information • Problem solving: Find out, organise and classify information Creativity:? teacher’s support required
Some principles for integrative langauge use Fromclassroom language practice to real-world uses (e.g. knowledge and skills) Nunan (1989) Language input materialsare organisedthematically, with consistency and cohesiveness (e.g. design and arrangements of tasks under the context) Providing input and modelling for productive skills (e.g. vocabulary & language structures input for writing task) Hinkel (2010) Source: Hinkel, E. (2010). Integrating the four skills: Current and historical perspectives. In R.B. Kaplan (Ed.), Oxford Handbook in Applied Linguistics, (pp. 110-126). 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.
Part II School Case 1
Theme: Christmas Party Level: P4
Arrangement of the tasks The tasks designed are adapted from New Magic 4A Unit 6 Christmas Party.
1. Introduce the context Christmas is coming. We are going to plan for a class party to celebrate Christmas and then write a letter to a friend to tell him/her about the party. 2. Prepare a Christmasparty planner 3. Design party games 4. Choose party food 5. Write a letter to a friend to tell him/her about the party.
1. Introduce the context and explain the main task Situation Christmas is coming. We are going to plan for a class party to celebrate Christmas and then write a letter to a friend to tell him/her about the party. Language skills: Reading Thinking skills: Problem solving
2. Prepare a Christmas party planner Read an email about how Harry and his friends prepare for their Christmas party. (New Magic 4A p.54)
2. Prepare a Christmas party planner Introduce vocabulary related to Christmas celebration (New Magic 4A p.55)
2. Prepare a Christmas party planner Listen to what Harry did at his Christmas party. (New Magic 4A p.57)
2. Prepare a Christmas party planner Listen to what Harry did at his Christmas party and fill in the blanks with the correct adverbs. (New Magic 4A p.57)
2. Prepare a Christmas party planner Read Harry’s planner for his Christmas party. (New Magic 4A p.58)
2. Prepare a Christmas party planner • Brainstorm the activities that people do at a Christmas party.
ChristmasPartyPlanner 2. Prepare a Christmas party planner
2. Design a Christmas party planner • Read Harry’s email about the preparation for a Christmas party • Listen to Harry’s online diary about what he did at the Christmas party • Read Harry’s plan for the Christmas party • Discuss and design a Christmas party planner Language skills: reading, listening, speaking Thinking skills: Problem solving, critical thinking
1. Introduce the context Christmas is coming. We are going to plan for a class party to celebrate Christmas and then write a letter to a friend to tell him/her about the party. 2. Prepare a Christmasparty planner 3. Design party games 4. Choose party food 5. Write a letter to a friend to tell him/her about the party.