The Librarian’s Role in Motivating Language Learners

1. The Librarian’s Role in Motivating Language Learners Tales from an Eastern Washington College Town

2. Three Events • Confronting the attitude of “what would you need to order those books for?” (2006) • Receiving an instructor’s invitation to talk to a class about children’s books, in particular (2007) • Coming across the LINGO Study online (2008)

3. LINGO Study • European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture study on “Motivating Europeans to Learn Languages” • Highlights 50 examples of “good practices” for language promotion in informal language learning environments, or to promote language learning activities outside the classroom in the case of formal educational institutions • Examines intrinsic, rather than extrinsic motivation

4. Then Practice in a campus language lab Grammar drills Rote learning Repetition Motivation as a product Little role for the librarian Now Virtual Language lab: anytime and anywhere Interactive, collaborative, and student directed learning incorporated into traditional (grammar, rule based) instruction Ability to reach “beyond the classroom” through online target language opportunities Motivation as a process Opportunities for librarian involvement Language Learning: Then and Now

5. Librarian as Language Learner • What is it like to be a first year language student? – my experience in Chinese 101 • Implications for collection development • Ideas for librarian involvement

6. Four important Language LearningVariables according to Gardner (Gardner, 1985) Intelligence Language Aptitude Personality Attitude Motivation Situational anxiety

7. Integrative versus Instrumental Motivation Integrative Motivation Instrumental Motivation The learner is motivated to learn the language in order to increase their employment prospects, or to do something concrete. In today’s language, it even includes the “ability to compete on the global scene” (Guilloteaux, 2007, p. 18) The learner is motivated through social interaction and the desire to become bilingual and bicultural through a genuine interest in the target culture or language

8. Linguistic and nonlinguistic outcomes of the learning experience Linguistic Outcomes Vocabulary Grammar Pronunciation Fluency Related to course grades and test scores Nonlinguistic outcomes Attitudes toward the cultural values and beliefs of the target language community

9. Setting or context in which language learning takes place Formal context (instruction) Class assignments Tests Explanations, lectures Language lab recordings, drills Informal context (exposure) Internet radio Movies in the target language Audiobooks Conversation Chatting online Emailing A variety of reading materials

10. The product of any language learning context is the result of a dynamic interplay of the experiences and the prior cognitive and affective characteristics. (Gardner, 1985, p. 149)

11. Language Learning Theory and Research A complex and intoxicating mix of social, societal, personal, psychological, financial, global, instrumental, cross-cultural, geo-political factors involving motivation, effort, desire, apprehension, fear, anxiety, self-doubt, goals, environment, stereotypes, linguistic self-confidence, extraversion, and introversion…..

12. Role of the Teacher…Role of the Librarian? • A skilled teacher can have a great influence on “awakening positive attitudes” toward the target language • If this is true of a teacher, what role can the librarian play, as part of the student’s linguistic and academic community? Research on the role of the school librarian by Keith Curry Lance.

13. Implications for the Language Librarian Language learning is a lifelong activity, as such it should not only take place in the classroom or lecture hall Extension of the student’s campus network of support Inspiring a language-friendly environment to motivate learners Promotion of creative language learning materials

14. Spanish 101 • Two classroom visits per semester • First visit to introduce the library resources, visit book collections, and to discuss supplemental motivational supports • Wiki (librarian created, student enhanced--is becoming a community site) • Facebook • email • chatting etc.

15. Spanish 101: Second Session • Second visit to reinforce the theme of immersion through library and Internet resources, and to introduce a cultural lesson through library resources. • Flamenco music, DVDs, dual language versions of books by Garcia Lorca, YouTube videos

16. Target language resources and opportunities to enhance social interactions Emailing classmates or friends in Spanish Finding a Spanish pen pal or tandem partner Texting a friend in Spanish Converting Facebook language settings to Spanish Online language exchange and language learning communities, livemocha and italki

17. Target Language Opportunities Through Texts Comic books and graphic novels Children’s books Young adult literature Familiar series titles High interest and popular titles Collection Development Issues! Collaboration with Acquisitions

18. Target Language Opportunities through Media DVD collection, feature films, travel videos YouTube for children’s songs, popular music, television shows, etc. Spanish subtitles and Spanish language options Turning on Spanish captions, when available Identifying online resources

19. Outcomes Discussions with students about challenges that first year language learners face, including feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety in speaking the language, fear that they will never learn the language, lack of motivation, lack of support This initial contact with students can lead to further communication, familiarity with the library, its resources and with the language librarian Feedback from students regarding material requests; opportunity to strengthen the collection Future collaborative opportunities between the International Students Center and campus language learning communities

20. Other Benefits Raises the profile of the library and of the librarian for the language student Librarian involvement provides information on library resources, but also increases the language student’s circle of support and encouragement Contact with first year students who will now know who you are if they decide to enroll in upper level courses

21. Selected References • Cary, Stepehen. (2004), Going Graphic: comics at work in the multilingual classroom. Portsmouth, NH, Heinemann. • Coleman, J. and Baumann U. (2005), “The World as a Classroom”, in eds. Hurd, S. and Murphy, L. (Eds), Success with Languages, Routledge, New York, pp. 140-160. • European Commission (2004), LINGO: 50 Ways to Motivate Language Learners, Retreived from http://www.eurointeractions.com/projectlingo.htm# • Guilloteaux, M. (2007), “Motivating language learners: a Classroom-Oriented Investigation of Teachers’ Motivational Practices and Students’ Motivation, PhD Thesis, University of Nottingham. • Koenig, F. and Emgarth, A.(1951), “The Modern Language Teacher and the Community”, The Modern Language Journal, Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 481-484. • Lance, K.C. (2002), “What Research Tells Us About the Importance of School Libraries”, Knowledge Quest, Vol. 31, No.1, pp.17-22. • Lance, K.C. (2002), Information Empowered : the School Librarian as an Agent of Academic Achievement in Alaska schools, Alaska State Library, Juneau. • Norris-Holt, J. (2001). “Motivation as a Contributing Factor in Second Language Acquisition”. The Internet TESL Journal.Vol. 7 No. 6, available at: http://teslj.org • Stannett, Annette (1992), “School Librarians and Foreign Language Teachers”, The School Librarian, Vol. 40, No.2, pp.8-11. • Warwick, B. (1991), “Acquiring Literacy in a Second Language: the Effect of Book Based Programs”, Language Learning, Vol. 41, No.3, pp.375-411.