Plurilingual STEAM and School Lunches for Learning?

In Japan, where there is a bias toward English-only in foreign language education, there are also grassroots efforts to introduce greater plurality in the classroom. However, introducing diverse languages and cultures into the classroom can lead to folklorization, the delivering of essentialized information in pre-packaged formats, which can potentially delegitimize other languages and cultures. This contribution examines a collaborative integrative plurilingual STEAM practice at an elementary school in Western Japan. In the ‘school lunches project,' the children experience various international cuisine, leading up to which they would engage with related languages and cultures through collaboratively produced plurilingual videos and museum-like exhibits of cultural artifacts. The interdisciplinary, hands-on, experiential learning within this project helped the children to develop an investigative stance toward linguistic and cultural artifacts, nurture a deeper awareness of languages and openness to diversity, foster reflexivity, and encourage interdisciplinary engagement.

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Chapter 4. Documenting Curricular Reform: Innovative Foreign Language Education in Elementary School

Directions in Applied Linguistics ◽

10.21832/9781853598500-007 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 56-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rocío Domínguez ◽

G. Richard Tucker ◽

Richard Donato

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Curricular Reform

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Second Language Strategic Interactions Using Emerging Technologies and Experiential Learning

Cross-Cultural Interaction ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-4979-8.ch040 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 699-723

Author(s):

Jonathan deHaan ◽

Neil H. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Experiential Learning ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Digital Video ◽

Language Education ◽

Oral Communication ◽

Strategic Interaction ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Japanese University ◽

Learner Outcomes ◽

Mediational Means

The affordances provided by technology for increasing efficacy of foreign language education have been a major research area within applied linguistics over the past thirty years or so (see Levy & Stockwell, 2006, for an overview). In a Japanese context, there are culturally-based issues with foreign language education at the tertiary level, such as large class sizes and low student motivation, that present educators with specific challenges where technology may provide effective mediational means to improve practice and learner outcomes. In this chapter, the authors describe an eight-week teaching intervention that was designed, through digital and web technologies readily available to teachers, to improve the communication skills of Japanese university students of English. The strategic interaction framework, developed by Di Pietro (1987), was enhanced by use of digital video and a freely available wiki site. Performances were digitally video recorded and uploaded to a private wiki and participants used this to evaluate, transcribe, and self-correct their performances. The instructor then used the video and text to focus post-performance group debriefing sessions. The results suggest that a wiki, digital video, and strategic interaction-based experiential learning cycles can be effectively integrated to mediate Japanese university EFL students' oral communication development. Technical and pedagogical recommendations are offered.

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Second Language Strategic Interactions Using Emerging Technologies and Experiential Learning

Educational Stages and Interactive Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-0137-6.ch018 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 306-330 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan deHaan ◽

Neil H. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Experiential Learning ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Digital Video ◽

Language Education ◽

Oral Communication ◽

Strategic Interaction ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Japanese University ◽

Learner Outcomes ◽

Mediational Means

The affordances provided by technology for increasing efficacy of foreign language education have been a major research area within applied linguistics over the past thirty years or so (see Levy & Stockwell, 2006, for an overview). In a Japanese context, there are culturally-based issues with foreign language education at the tertiary level, such as large class sizes and low student motivation, that present educators with specific challenges where technology may provide effective mediational means to improve practice and learner outcomes. In this chapter, the authors describe an eight-week teaching intervention that was designed, through digital and web technologies readily available to teachers, to improve the communication skills of Japanese university students of English. The strategic interaction framework, developed by Di Pietro (1987), was enhanced by use of digital video and a freely available wiki site. Performances were digitally video recorded and uploaded to a private wiki and participants used this to evaluate, transcribe, and self-correct their performances. The instructor then used the video and text to focus post-performance group debriefing sessions. The results suggest that a wiki, digital video, and strategic interaction-based experiential learning cycles can be effectively integrated to mediate Japanese university EFL students’ oral communication development. Technical and pedagogical recommendations are offered.

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The Implementation of Emotionally-Valuable Component of the Content of Foreign-Language Education (on the Material of Study Course “Spotlight”). Part II

The Education and science journal ◽

10.17853/1994-5639-2019-7-164-202 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (7) ◽

pp. 164-202

Author(s):

M. N. Tatarinova ◽

O. V. Sungurova

Keyword(s):

Experiential Learning ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Linear Structure ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Educational Process ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Practical Implementation ◽

Valuable Component ◽

Emotional Value

Introduction. The revaluation of the tasks and results of school foreign-language education in our country updated the role of the emotionally-valuable component (EVC) of the content of foreign-language courses. There is broad agreement that the compliance of its criteria today is the most important prerequisite of foreign languages viability.The aim of this article is to provide a scientific answer to the question if there is necessary background for the implementation of the EVC of the content of foreign-language education in the current study course “Spotlight”.Methodology and research methods. As the fundamental methodological tool the emotionally-valuable (axiological) approach to the study was applied. A number of complementary methods were used: a theoretical systemic-structural and comparative analysis; an analytical experiment – the content-analysis of the current English-language study course for a secondary school; a constructive (creative) experiment (experiential learning); a method and principles of visibility (a tabular and graphical presentation of information); methods of mathematical statistics.Results and scientific novelty. It is proved that the EVC in the linear structure of the school subject “A foreign-language” is able to ensure an integral formation of a student’s personality with developed intellectual, volitional and emotionally-valuable spheres. A practical implementation of this component is possible through students’ work with speech patterns of emotionally-valuable context. The indicators of emotional value of teaching materials are selected. The contentanalysis of the text library of the study course “Spotlight” showed that it does not fully meet the requirements for super-phrasal units of the EVC, intended to maintain an appropriate level of language skills and encourage the acquisition of various kinds of foreign-language speech activities: speaking, listening, reading and written speech. Therefore, additional adjustment of a number of speech samples is required in order to create all the necessary background for the exploitation of the EVC of the school programme content at different stages of foreign-language training. The results of experiential learning a foreign language, involving carefully selected texts of a sufficient and high degree of emotional value, and the use by teachers of special techniques of work, adequate to the axiological potential of speech samples, prove the appropriateness of such an approach to the organisation of an educational process. The axiological orientation of the training content significantly improves students’ speech activities and contributes to the development of their emotionally-valuable relations with the surrounding world.Practical significance. The materials in this publication may be in demand when making constructive changes and additions to the content and technologies of school foreign-language education.

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Introducing theme-based listening materials into English writing: Focusing on learner affectivity

Archives of Business Research ◽

10.14738/abr.911.11190 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 69-80

Author(s):

Koji Uenishi

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Input Output ◽

Global Society ◽

English Writing ◽

Writing Class

Recently, in the global society the focus in foreign language education has tended to be on productive skills from elementary school through university. It is natural that when we try to communicate with other people in English, in addition to receptive skills (input), productive skills (output) are also important to convey our feelings and thoughts to others. In order to make ourselves understood through language, the language–related input is vital; then we need to acquire sufficient productive skills through it. That is to say, without input, output cannot be possible. This research attempts to enhance the quality and quantity of input by using listening materials in a writing class as one of the useful activities for input. This leads to writing activities being carried out as output. In this case, the class contents which will be useful for the learners in their future careers are adopted. From this perspective, the relevance between listening and writing activities is explored.

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Trends and Issues in Content-Based instruction

Annual Review of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.1017/s0267190500003573 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 18 ◽

pp. 243-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Marguerite Ann Snow

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Educational Levels ◽

Content Integration ◽

Immersion Education ◽

Sheltered Classes ◽

Based Instruction

In the last two decades, content-based instruction (CBI) has grown by leaps and bounds; it appears across educational levels and under various guises. In foreign language education, immersion education and “content-enriched” Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) are popular examples. Sheltered classes and thematic curricula are two variations commonly found in ESL settings. The degree of language and content integration which underlies these various program types is perhaps best captured by means of a continuum.

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The Implementation of Emotionally-Valuable Component of the Content of Foreign-Language Education (on the Mate rial of Study Course “Spotlight”). Part I

The Education and science journal ◽

10.17853/1994-5639-2019-6-146-170 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 146-170

Author(s):

M. N. Tatarinova ◽

O. V. Sungurova

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Experiential Learning ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Linear Structure ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Educational Process ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Practical Implementation ◽

Emotional Value

Introduction. The revaluation of the tasks and results of school foreign-language education in our country updated the role of the emotionally-val- uable component (EVC) of the content of foreign-language courses. There is broad agreement that the compliance of its criteria today is the most important prerequisite of foreign languages viability.The aim of this article is to provide a scientific answer to the question if there is necessary background for the implementation of the EVC of the content of foreign-language education in the current study course “Spotlight”.Methodology and research methods. As the fundamental methodological tool the emotionally-valuable (axiological) approach to the study was applied. A number of complementary methods were used: a theoretical systemic-structural and comparative analysis; an analytical experiment - the content-analysis of the current English- language study course for a secondary school; a constructive (creative) experiment (experiential learning); a method and principles of visibility (a tabular and graphical presentation of information); methods of mathematical statistics.Results and scientific novelty. It is proved that the EVC in the linear structure of the school subject “A foreign-language” is able to ensure an integral formation of a student’s personality with developed intellectual, volitional and emoti- onally-valuable spheres. A practical implementation of this component is possible through students’ work with speech patterns of emotionally-valuable context. The indicators of emotional value of teaching materials are selected. The content- analysis of the text library of the study course “Spotlight” showed that it does not fully meet the requirements for super-phrasal units of the EVC, intended to maintain an appropriate level of language skills and encourage the acquisition of various kinds of foreign-language speech activities: speaking, listening, reading and written speech. Therefore, additional adjustment of a number of speech samples is required in order to create all the necessary background for the exploitation of the EVC of the school programme content at different stages of foreign-language training. The results of experiential learning a foreign language, involving carefully selected texts of a sufficient and high degree of emotional value, and the use by teachers of special techniques of work, adequate to the axiological potential of speech samples, prove the appropriateness of such an approach to the organisation of an educational process. The axiological orientation of the training content significantly improves students’ speech activities and contributes to the development of their emotionally-valuable relations with the surrounding world.Practical significance. The materials in this publication may be in demand when making constructive changes and additions to the content and technologies of school foreign-language education.

Download Full-text