The More Knowledgeable Peer, Target Language Use, and Group Participation

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Pham Hoai Huong
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Group Participation

scholarly journals Test de Français Laval-Montreal: Does It Measure What It Should Measure?

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Romain Schmitt ◽  
Shahrzad Saif
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Target Language ◽  
French Language ◽  
Task Characteristics ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Formation Initiale ◽  
Teacher Training Programs ◽  
Language Needs

This article reports on a study conducted as part of a larger investigation of the predictive validity of the Test de Français Laval-Montreal (TFLM), a high-stakes French language test used for admission and placement purposes for Teacher- Training Programs (TTPs) in major francophone universities in Canada (Schmitt, 2015). The objective of this study is to examine the validity of TFLM tasks for measuring language abilities required by tasks common to the Target Language Use (TLU; Bachman & Palmer, 2010) domains in which preservice teachers are expected to function. Adopting Messick’s conception of construct validity (1989) and Bachman & Palmer’s Framework of Task Characteristics (2010), the study features a comprehensive task analysis detailing the characteristics of TFLM tasks in contrast to those of three major TLU academic and instructional contexts linked to the test. The results of the study are discussed in terms of the standards of validity (Messick, 1996) and qualities of usefulness (Bachman & Palmer, 1996). Findings suggest that TFLM tasks and constructs do not represent those of the TLU contexts and do not address the language needs of preservice teachers as identified by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS). The implications for the consequential aspect of TFLM validity and the potential nega- tive consequences of TFLM use as an admission test are discussed. Cet article présente une partie d’une étude plus complète sur la validité prédictive du Test de Français Laval-Montréal (TFLM), test de langue française à enjeux critiques utilisé comme test d’admission et de placement dans les programmes de formation initiale en enseignement d’importantes universités francophones au Canada (Schmitt, 2015). Le but de ce e étude est d’analyser la validité des tâches du TFLM à des fins d’évaluation des compétences linguistiques exigées dans les tâches communes aux domaines d’utilisation de la langue cible dans lesquels les enseignants en formation doivent fonctionner (Target Language Use (TLU); Bachman & Palmer, 2010). Basée sur la conception de la validité conceptuelle de Messick (1989) et le cadre d’analyse des caractéristiques des tâches de Bachman & Palmer (2010), l’étude compare de manière détaillée les tâches du TFLM à celles de trois contextes académiques et pédagogiques d’emploi de la langue cible. Les résultats de cette analyse sont évalués en termes de validité (Messick, 1996) et des qualités des tests (Bachman & Palmer, 1996). Les résultats indiquent que les tâches du TFLM et les construits qu’il est sensé évaluer ne correspondent pas à ceux des contextes d’emploi de la langue cible et ne répondent pas aux besoins des ensei- gnants en formation tels qu’identi és par le Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS). La validité du TFLM, les conséquences ainsi que les aspects potentiellement négatifs de son utilisation comme test d’admission sont discutés. 

Pedagogical Descriptions of Language: Grammar

1989 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 187-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Larsen-Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Focus On Form ◽  
Form Versus ◽  
Learner Performance ◽  
Language Form ◽  
Teaching Grammar

For hundreds of years, language educators have alternated between favoring language teaching approaches which focus on language form and those which emphasize language use or which focus on the message (Celce-Murcia 1979). For the greater part of this past decade, it has been the latter which have been fashionable. As a consequence, language teachers have been discouraged from teaching grammar. In fact, during the 1980s explicit grammer instruction has even been proscribed by certain methodologists (Krashen 1982; 1985, Krashen and Terrell 1983, Prabhu 1987). Although this position has been repeatedly assailed (Higgs and Clifford 1982, Long 1983; 1988, Harley and Swain 1984, Pienemann 1984), the proscribers persist. Only as recently as June 1988, Van Patten concluded that “…research evidence to date does not suggest that a focus on form is either necessary or beneficial to early stage learners’ (1988:243). Undeniable is the fact that research has pointed to a difference in learner performance (e.g., type of errors made) depending on whether there is a focus on form or not (Pica 1983, Spada 1987); still to be resolved, and surely an issue which will motivate much research in the next decade, is the extent to which a focus on form versus on a focus on message affects the rate of target language attainment. Such research will hopefully be conducted in a way which disambiguates “focus on form” (Larsen-Freeman and Long 1988, Beretta 1989).

scholarly journals Task Based Learning (TBL) in EFL Classroom: from theory to practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 139-144
Author(s):  
Muhammad Badrus Sholeh ◽  
Sahril Nur ◽  
Kisman Salija
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning Framework ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Efl Teachers

Task-Based Learning (TBL) is one of the contemporary approaches, which has attracted a great deal of study in recent decades. It is a language education approach that offers students the opportunity to use authentic target language use by tasks. Task-Based Learning drives skill-based teaching and learning, engages students in the learning process, motivates and enhances student imagination. This paper focuses on some fundamental aspects of TBL in literature: (1) the task-based learning definition, (2) the task-based learning characteristics, (3) the task-based learning framework, (4) the task-based learning benefits, and (5) a proposed task-based learning practice for EFL learners. The paper gives useful suggestions to EFL teachers who have similar teaching strategies to help students meet such learning goals in their classrooms and continue positive TBL patterns in teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Alternative Techniques for Teaching Writing

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Sihindun Arumi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Writing Class ◽  
Alternative Techniques ◽  
Readable Text

Writing as one of language skill is often considered very difficult. It is due to the fact that writing needs to produce and organize ideas using appropriate vocabulary, language use, paragraph organization, and mechanism. It also needs to turn the ideas into a readable text and for foreign language learners, they should also transfer ideas from their native language into target language (foreign language). It raises any problems for them to create a good text. Moreover, the situation in the class does not always supportthem in which the techniques of the teacher in teaching writing is boring and monotonous, do not give enough attention to help students explore their writing skills. So that they attend the writing class only for procedural formality.Thus, it is considered important to elaborate various techniques to build nice classroom atmosphere as well as to improve students’ writing skills.  

scholarly journals Linguistic Loneliness and Study Abroad

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-58
Author(s):  
Cynthia Slagter ◽  
Marcie J. Pyper
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Before And After

This article considers the conflict between students’ desire to improve their target language skills and their desire for belonging and community . The stud y, conducted over three years, examines student perceptions of barriers to target language gain during semester long study abroad. Participants completed surveys, took the Versant Language Test before and after their study abroad experience, and partici pated in a post program interview . Results suggest that students experience conflicting priorities in decisions governing native language versus target language use during study abroad. Although some persist in speaking the target language with their co national peers, they find it unsatisfying because they are unable to meet their social needs . Valuing relationships over linguistic improvements, students resort to speaking their native language among themselves during study abroad . The research ers suggest strategies for how to best prepare students to reconcile these tensions.

How to Engage Learners in Authentic Target Language Use - Examples from an Autonomy Classroom

10.47908/9/5 ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 96-117
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
The Other ◽  
Autonomous Learning ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Not Given ◽  
German School ◽  
Authentic Language ◽  
Positive Results

‘But how can they say anything in the foreign language if they are not given the words beforehand?’ Language teachers often ask this question when I present examples of target language use in an autonomy classroom. This article explains how from the very beginning it is possible to engage pupils in authentic target language use, including communication that does not involve the teacher. The oral and written examples that I use to support my argument were produced by learners aged between 10 and 16 and ranging in proficiency from beginners to intermediate level. When I introduce each activity I also describe the pre-requisites for its success. In the last section of the article I summarise the positive results achieved in the autonomy classroom, which I illustrate using two sets of peer-to-peer talks collected by the LAALE project (Language Acquisition in an Autonomous Learning Environment), one from a ‘traditional’, communicative classroom in a German school, the other from a Danish autonomy classroom. I conclude by listing the essential features of an autonomous classroom supporting authentic language use.

A contextualised examination of target language use in the primary school foreign language classroom

2004 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Carless
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Classroom Language

Abstract This article discusses an issue which is of longstanding and central importance to foreign language teachers in a variety of contexts, namely teacher use of classroom language. It uses detailed qualitative case study data to explore how and why an expert practitioner uses English in her Hong Kong Primary school language classroom. Through the interplay between teacher beliefs, experiences and classroom transcript data, the paper develops a contextualised picture of classroom language use with young foreign language learners. The paper suggests that it is not necessarily the language proficiency of the learners which plays a major role in the quantity of target language use, but the teachers’ own proficiency, experience and beliefs.

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