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Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 1
Part 1 Foundations of Language Learning: Background Information
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009STF Building - Eamer AuditoriumNadia Prokopchuk Ministry of Education
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 2
Part 1 – What you will hear…
• Information About Language LearningRationale for Language Learning
Key AssumptionsBenefits of Knowing Other LanguagesBrain Research and Language Learning
• Theories of Language Acquisition• Communicative Competence• Importance of First Language Skills• Intercultural Competence
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 3
Rationale For Learning Languages: A Canadian Perspective
Linguistic diversity in Canadian society allows for:• Increased flexibility in a culturally
and linguistically diverse work environment
• Improved potential for mobility and communication within Canada and to other global locations
• Enhanced intercultural, interpersonal, and technological skills, which facilitate local,
national, and international ties.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 4
Personal Reasons for Learning Additional Languages
• Renew contact with a heritage language and culture that were lost through assimilation
• Maintain a first language that is not the majority language in the community
• Develop literacy skills in the majority language, when it is not the learner’s
first language• Study a language that is of personal interest or
has gained relevance in the learner’s life• Experience the benefits of greater flexibility for
communication while studying, travelling, or working in other parts of the world.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 5
Languages reveal many things!
• Language – any language – gives insights into the personal, social, cultural, and
spiritual development of an individual, a family, a community and a nation.
• Through language study, students come to realize what is important to groups of people in many locations: what they do for work and for enjoyment, what their social values are, what level of technology and literacy they enjoy, where they come from, and what belief system they may follow.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 6
Some Key Assumptions
• Language learning is an active, lifelong process which begins at birth.
• Meaning is central to all language learning.
• Language programs are most effective when they are relevant to students’ experiences, interests, and prior knowledge.
• Communicative language skills are different than academic language skills; each set of skills serves a different purpose.
• Environments which support languages lead to greater success.
• Students learn languages at different rates, due to various factors.
• Learning is enhanced when students ‘see themselves’ in the course material.
• In Canada, language proficiency and knowledge of Canadian societal norms are fundamental to student success with future goals.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 7
Benefits of Knowing Other Languages (based on research)
Cognitive benefits include: creativity, tolerance for
ambiguity, divergent thinking, intellectual flexibility
Academic benefits include: enhanced skills in reading,
comprehension, problem-solving; heightened use of language learning strategies
Societal benefits include: communication with a broader
target audience; expanded possibilities for work, study, or community involvement; growth in intercultural competence
Personal benefits include: expanded access to people,
resources, and travel opportunities; strengthened ties with family, friends, local and global cultural groups
Enhanced communication skills, such as:
flexibility to communicate with others across borders; enhanced use of technology; adaptability in various situations; transferability of skills between languages
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 8
Brain Research and Languages Everything that is brought forward through language has deep roots within our thought processes.
Brain research has shown that: • cognitive development is enhanced by the acquisition of
more than one language in the formative years.• cognitive agility and networking capabilities are promoted
when using more than one language among the young as well as the elderly. (Bialystok, 2007)
• the brain functions in an organized, systematic way to create and store meaningful information (Caine & Caine, 1991, 1994, 2005); this has implications for how we support language learning (and all instruction) in schools.
• “superior learning takes place when learning activities are enjoyable and relevant to students’ lives, interests, and experiences” (Willis, 2007).
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 9
Linguistic diversity is alive and well in Saskatchewan!
Did you know that…our province has more than 30 languagesbeing studied after school hours in heritage language programs?
Afghan…Amharic…Anishinabe…Arabic…Cantonese…Dakota…Dari,Pashtu(Maihan)...Dene…English…French…German…Greek…Hindi…Hungarian…Igbo…Italian…Japanese…Korean…Lakota…Luganda…Mandarin…Michif…Nakawee…Nakota…Nehiyawak…Norwegian…Persian…Polish…Portuguese…Punjabi…Russian…Sinhala…Spanish…Tamil…Tagalog (Filipino)…Tigrinya(Eritrean)…Ukrainian…Urdu…Vietnamese…Yoruba
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 10
Theories of Language Acquisition (1)
Lambert’s Model- additive bilingualism
- subtractive bilingualism
Attitudes AdditiveBilingualism
Motivation Bilingual Self-Concept Proficiency Subtractive
BilingualismAptitude
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 11
Theories of Language Acquisition (2)
• Krashen’s Hypotheses: - Acquisition-Learning – Monitor - Comprehensible
Input – Natural Order – Low Affective Filter
Stages of Language Acquisition Stage I - Silent/Receptive Stage II – Early Production Stage III – Speech Emergence Stage IV – Intermediate Proficiency Stage V – Academic Proficiency
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 12
Theories of Language Acquisition (3)
• Cummins’ Research - BICS/CALP (2 dimensions - Conversational/Academic)
- Language Quadrants (4 dimensions of language) Cognitively Undemanding
BICS
Context 1 2 Context
Embedded 3 4 Reduced
CALP
Cognitively Demanding
- CUP model (Common Underlying Proficiency)
L1 L2 Surface Level
Common Underlying Proficiency
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 13
Aiming For Communicative Competence
Competent language speakers display: • mastery of the language (automaticity in
applying appropriate patterns and forms)• skilful use of vocabulary (broad range of both
conversational and academic language)• appropriate choices for specific contexts • coherent, well-sequenced speech patterns• appropriate use of communication strategies
(ways to adjust language when communication starts to fail, e.g. rephrasing, circumlocution, focused questions, deflecting strategies)
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 14
Well-developed L1 = Progress in L2, L3
Support for first language(s) will allow students to:• Develop age-appropriate world knowledge and
vocabulary without waiting until they have ‘gained enough skills’ in the target language.
• Transfer skills and concepts more easily from their first language to the target language.
• Strengthen literacy processes, such as reading, writing, or storytelling, in all languages.
• Develop confidence, flexibility, and risk-taking in communicating with various target audiences.
• Maintain a positive relationship with family, friends, community, and cultural groups.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2009 15
Aiming For Intercultural Competence
• Language and culture are inseparable; language conveys culture authentically.• Through language learning, students develop a
‘cultural lens’ through which to view, appreciate, and respect languages and cultures.
• Intercultural competence means: “the ability to work effectively across cultures in a way that
acknowledges and respects the culture of the person or organization being served”(Hanley, 1999)
• Transcultural identity means that students become comfortable with ‘a foot in two worlds’.
It is the fusion of aspects of two or more
cultures into a new, blended identity.