Contextualizing Language Learning in a Multilingual Classroom Setting

1. MANTHAN 5th July, 2012 Azim Premji University, Bangalore Presentation by: Kinnari Pandya Contextualizing Language Learning in a Multilingual Classroom Setting

2. ‘No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality. The worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds, not merely the same worlds with different labels attached.’ (Daniel Everett, From Sapir’s The Status of Linguistics as a Science (1929), p. 209)

3. Section 1: Background, Methodology and Working Definitions 1.1. Background 1.2. Objectives 1.3. Methodology 1.4. Language Profile of the Children 1.5. By Multilingual Classroom I mean 1.6. Contextualizing Language Learning

4. 1.1. Background • Teach in a formal set-up • Use my language competency – English, Hindi, Gujarati • Enter into a school that would permit me to experiment with a different pedagogy for a 15 day period • Respond to the school’s need for a Hindi teacher

5. 1.2. Objectives • To gauge the challenges of language teaching in a multilingual setting • To explore the various activities/practices that could be used in a multilingual, multilevel classroom setting

6. 1.3. Methodology • Purposive Sampling • An Exploratory study Period: July-August, 2011

7. 1.4. Language Profile Of Hindi Class Students

8. 1.5. By Multi-lingual Classroom I mean: A classroom with: • Children from multiple language backgrounds including non-standard Hindi speakers • Children with differential language competence in each of the languages known

9. 1.6. Contextualizing Language learning • Individual experiences inside and outside school • Building on the existing language ability of children • Eliciting words, sentences, and narratives from children • Responding and building on the multi-lingual situation • Exposure to the language e.g. giving instructions in target language • Use of physical surroundings to extend vocabulary • Use of different forms of language activities – structured language games, role play, rhymes, sentence formations, story telling and story making, reading aloud, writing Children’s (foreign) language learning depends on what they experience. (Lyne Cameron, 2001)

10. Section 2: Gathering and Interpretation of Data: Observation and Participation in Regular Approach to Teaching Hindi Instances of Regular Practice: 2.1. Specific focus on Grammatical Sentence Structure and Phonetic aspects 2.2. Oral activities followed by written work 2. 3 Structure of Sentence without meaning and context

11. 2.1. Specific focus on Grammatical Sentence Structure Day 3, 4 Yah (This), Wah (That), Hamara (Our), Tumhara(Your), Mein (I), Tum (You), Mera (Mine)

12. 2.2. Oral Activities followed by Writing – included children from 4 to 12 year olds

13. 2. 3. Sentence Formation lacking context and meaning 1. Our stick (is) . 2. Our grandfather (is). 1. My study (it). 2. My playing (it). Day 3, 4

14. Section 3: Action based on data - Contextualizing Language Learning 3.1. Use of Objects in the surrounding to make structured sentences 3.2. Inviting contextual sentences from child’s own experiences 3.3. Use of familiar words to form own sentences 3.4. Use of available objects to construct Stories 3.5. Designing appropriate tasks for varied needs 3.6. Assessment of learning of Sentence structure and Vocabulary 3.7. Using Children as a Resource 3.8. Children’s Previous Knowledge

15. 3.1. Use of Available Objects in the Surroundings to make Structured Sentences • That is (a) train. • That is (a) spider-man. • That is (a) house. • That is (a) phone. • That is (a) hand. • This is (a) cap. • This is (a) doll. • This is (a) train. • This is (a) duck. Day 3

16. 3.2. Sentences by Children and based on their Own Experiences • I am nine years old. • I sleep. • I sing (a) song. • I sit on (a) tree. • I bring water. Day 3

17. 3.3. Use of familiar Words to form Own Sentences • C1 (8yrs): There was a queen in a village. She went to fetch water. The queen used to play (damru) • C2(8yrs): There was a grandfather in a village. Grandfather used to take a stick and catch fish everyday. • C3(5 yrs): There was a duck in a river. Duck used to eat fish. Day 4

18. 3.4. Use of available Objects to Construct Stories There was an old woman. She stayed in her house. One day a spider-man came. Old woman told him she has not done anything. She fed the spider-man. She then went to catch fish. All the fishes surrounded her. She couldn’t go home. Spider-man saved her. Old woman became very happy. Day 7

19. 3.5. Designing Appropriate Tasks for Varied Needs Multiple forms of engaging with the story: Reading aloud, writing, enacting Day 8, 9

20. 3.6. Assessment of Learning of Sentence Structure and Vocabulary • A car/vehicle is going on the road. • (It is) my house. • (A) crow drinks water. • There is a tiger in the jungle. • I am nine years old. • This is (a) queen. • The crow is thirsty. • This is (a) queen. • I sing (a) song. • This is a boy. • I am feeling sleepy. Day 12

21. 3.7 Children’s Language Abilities as a Resource

22. 3.8. Use of Children’s Previous Knowledge We young children of Bharat, Live in harmony, Do sweet talks, Are not afraid of anyone. (We) wake up every morning Go to study every day…. Other poems: Mummy kirotigol-gol, papa ka paisa gol-gol, sutbabua haste-haste, oothbabua haste-haste, papa kokarlonamaste, mummy meranaamlikha do, baar-baarskuljayenge, laltamatarkhayenge, lal-tamatarkayenge Day 3 onwards

23. Section 4: Summary, Findings and Reflection 4.1. Contextualizing Language learning – A Journey 4. 2. Insights from teaching first language Hindi to the 2 Bihari children in Kannada medium school 4.3. Challenges of a Multilingual Classroom teaching 4.4. Reflections as a Teacher – A Journey 4.5. Insights 4.6. Insights contd…

24. 4.1. Contextualizing Language Learning – A Journey of my Engagement

25. 4.2. Insights from teaching First Language Hindi to 2 Bihari children in a Kannada Medium School • Age an important factor in engaging with a new language • Children’s school knowledge acted as rich resource for Hindi 2nd language class • Circumstances make drop-outs: • For instance, here, medium of instruction different from the children’s home language and if not engaged meaningfully in the class, the children would chose to drop out • Their learning of Hindi would have stagnated if nobody had intervened • Multilingual context demands a balance between meeting children’s needs and responding school’s demands (curriculum, testing, textbooks, teaching) • Teacher’s own competency (language and organizational skills) to deal with individual child’s needs.

26. 4.3. Key Findings: Challenges in a Multilingual Classroom • Diversity of children’s language background and competence – 3 words to complex stories • Children who do not know the medium of instruction may completely get neglected • Children who do have multilingual abilities that may not utilized • Constraints of preparation for state syllabus – mainstreaming and its requirement • Implicit hierarchy in the importance given to language in a particular setting • Teachers (in)competence to deal with children’s language at an appropriate level • Classroom management – organizing and developing appropriate activities that cater to every child’s needs becomes a challenge

27. 4.4. Reflections – My Journey as a Teacher Greater Awareness of the complexity of teaching-learning process

28. 4.5. Insights • Language learning happens in context – immersion of all possible forms needed • (Target) language approaches have their own space • Management of classroom – designing, managing material, recording as important as content competence • Difficult to imagine such flexibility in a formal school set up • Inclusion is desirable but highly challenging

29. 4.6. Insights cont… • Teacher requires to be sensitive to varying needs of the children and respond appropriately • A teacher’s language competence in multiple languages is crucial – a rarity in reality, but not an impossibility • Empathy towards the teacher. Her role assumes high responsibility and the education system has high expectations, but we don’t consider the teacher as a ‘person’ and the infinite practical difficulties she observes in achieving the language goals

30. Thank You!

31. Lynne Cameron, 2001, Teaching Language to Young Learners, Cambridge Language Teaching Library, Cambridge University Press • Painter, C., 1999, Learning through Language in Early Childhood, Continuum, London, New York • Agnihotri, R.K., „Multilinguality and a new world order‟, pp. 270-279 • Agnihotri, R. K., „Towards a pedagogical paradigm rooted in multilinguality‟. International Multilingual Research Journal, pp 1-10, 2007 • Aitchison, J., „What is language?‟ In Teach Yourself Linguistics. Mc Graw Hill-NTC, pp 12-23, 1995 • Cummins, J. and Swain, M.,‟ Language proficiency and academic achievement‟, in Bilingualism in Education, Longman: London and New York, pp 138-161,1986 • Jackendoff, R. 1993, „How children learn language‟. In Patterns in the Mind: Language and Human Nature, New York: Harvester