Language Learning and Elementary School Curriculum - Annotated Bibliography Example

Language Learning and Elementary School Curriculum This chapter is all about language learning for young learners and its relevance to elementary school curriculum. Understandably, the content and information provided were underpinned by an in-depth discourse on social and psychological variables. The connection between language learning and the elementary curriculum was, of course, outlined using models, learning contents, and strategies. But the theoretical foundations with respect to language acquisition served as linchpin for this chapter as it provided the framework that validated what was eventually proposed, which was the focus on the importance of language learning for elementary learners. It is appropriate, hence, that the chapter included several empirical evidences that supported the theories. For example, they explained why assessment is necessary or why particular components of such assessment are critical. This allowed a better understanding of the imperative for a "connection" between language learning and language learning elementary curriculum. Chapter 6: Using an Interactive Approach to Develop Interpretive Communication The chapter could be considered as a framework or some form of a walkthrough for the development of a component of a curriculum or a specific language instruction plan. Following an inductive approach to content, it began with the general theories of communication and then proceeded on specifying models and strategies. This is great for instructors who are interested using the multidimensional "interactive approach" in developing listening, reading and viewing in learners. The chapter is particularly useful in developing unique instruction strategies that are tailored for a diverse set of learners. There are several sub-strategies and components that are further contextualized according to reading, listening and viewing, for instance, that could be combined in order to come up with effective program or instruction plan. A critical dimension to this chapter is how it covered and addressed challenges such as anxiety and other factors that impacts learners' interaction with texts. Chapter 7: Using a Story-Based Approach to Teach Grammar Tackling the issues concerning teaching grammar, this chapter offers an interesting approach to achieving better learning outcomes. The key concept was the "dialogic approach" wherein the subject is taught using cultural stories. This is quite interesting for those who are exposed to the traditional teaching model for grammar with the focus teaching grammatical rules as opposed to a focus on form. The chapter addresses the difficulty of engaging learners’ attention in a "technical" subject in so far as language as an academic subject is concerned. What made this chapter particularly useful and challenging for teachers is how stories and cultural content are used as context for grammar instruction. Once this chapter has been covered, the reader is finally able to understand how the dialogic approach offers a more effective framework wherein learners perform better in the area of grammar in their communicative activities because they are able to recognize structures and grammar through meaning-making. The combination of engaging learners to deal with semantic clue and syntactic clues is critical in this respect. One could have benefitted from a more in-depth discourse of this area. Nonetheless, in this chapter, grammar, as a priori knowledge, is best explained and understood both on the part of the teacher and the learner. Specifically, there is an opportunity for teachers to approach grammar instruction from a different perspective or to implement a grammar instruction strategy that have social dimensions or contexts as provided by the use of stories in the lecture. Any perceived challenges entailed in teaching structure and rules are addressed with specific strategies within the dialogic approach framework. Chapter 8: Using an Interactive Approach to Develop Interpretive Communication This chapter tapped on the fundamental principle that communication is two-way, involving two or more participants, where messages require feedback and must transpire with several barriers in the process. The rationale behind using interactive approach in developing communication skills is that there is a socio-cultural dimension to learning language. This chapter included several case studies and empirical evidences that support interpersonal communication as an instruction strategy. They are carefully structured, presenting thorough and systematic information. For instance, implications follow discussions about guidelines, models and policies. A shortcoming in this chapter involves the lack of comprehensive corroboration. For example, the implications of the WTC for L2 instruction were mainly taken from MacIntyre. I would have preferred additional sources that confirm that referenced conclusions. The reader, however, will benefit from detailed strategies for teaching because each was presented to include the theoretical underpinnings alongside actual implementation. There is also enough information with respect to overcoming teaching challenges in the context of group learning or learning within a socio-cultural environment. Finally, this chapter has authoritatively explained the necessity for teacher development: that, in order to be effective in using interactive approach, additional training and learning are required. Chapter 9: Developing Oral and Written Presentational Communication Chapter 9 is clear about its premise: that it is concerned with a different approach to communication. Unlike the focus on spontaneity in Chapter 8, this section entailed a one-way communication process where the message is delivered in a prepared form. The reader, upon learning about the various theories that underpin this theme, discovers several strategies in teaching presentational communication. A particularly important part in this chapter involve the differentiation between L1 and L2, which - for their parts - were responsible for successful instruction strategies for teaching the presentation process. This chapter could be considered a bit pedagogical, as the approach took a lecture-like manner. Take the case of the discourse on successful vs. unsuccessful writers and speakers. One should have been better served with actual case studies than merely discussing it as if writing an essay or a literature review. The reader, however, could find great ideas upon which they could base their own teaching strategies or in evaluating the efficacy of their existing ones or their current knowledge on this teaching area. Chapter 4: "Practicing Speaking" in Spanish: Lessons from a High School Foreign Language Classroom This chapter is more like a case study involving the learning of Spanish as a second language. The case was presented in using a scientific research methodology. The steps in the process included all components present in an empirical study. All in all, it provided teachers an insight on the actual research process in addition to the study's findings, which is crucial in understanding their validity. There were two important elements. The first was the literature review, which identified critical issues and findings from prior works as well as the significance of the study being performed. The second was the outcome of the case study itself, which revealed how "communicative routines" such as speaking contribute to learning language in general and, more specifically, a second language. The chapter involved analyses of several classroom interactions based on several learning transcripts. These analyses are important sources of information with respect to the dynamics behind second-language learning. They also explained the rationale behind activities and the content of teaching approaches. While the insight in this chapter is very valuable, I would have wanted to see a part devoted to its implications in learning language in general and learning other languages, cementing the chapter as a framework, rather than as s simple case study for learning Spanish. Agbatogun, A. O. (2014). Developing Learners’ Second Language Communicative Competence through Active Learning: Clickers or Communicative Approach? Educational Technology & Society, 17 (2), 257–269. This is a comparative study on teaching approaches to English as second language (ESL) involving students from primary schools. What the researcher found was that the approaches - clickers, communicative approach and the lecture method - have different learning impacts as evidenced by the learning outcomes. This is, therefore, an important piece of empirical study for teachers who are interested or are implementing the three teaching approaches. The researcher included comprehensive theoretical discourse that provided authoritative background information. These were then connected to the actual study, particularly in the discussion, allowing the reader to better understand not just the study itself but also the implications of its findings to their respective teaching skills and strategies. I am not, however, satisfied with the comparative method. The researcher evaluated the three teaching approaches differently. He used pre-test and post-test evaluation for communicative approach and clickers. For the lecture method, on the other hand, he used a control group. I think that in order to achieve effective comparison, the same assessment method should have been employed across all three teaching approaches. Unfortunately, this aspect was not adequately explained. Bell, N. (2009). Learning about and through humor in the second language classroom. Language Teaching Research 13,3 (2009); pp. 241–258. Bell's study investigated the efficacy of using humor in teaching second language. Drawing from several prior works and available theories, the study was able to support three important points for its readers. One is that using humor as a teaching approach is a complex process. Second, humorous communication works because it is underpinned by its social and psychological foundations. To put it another way, it engages learners by seizing their attention, appealing to their social and psychological sensibilities. Finally, the study revealed the challenges to implementing humorous learning as a pedagogical framework. There is a great deal of discussion devoted to humor and what it could do for learners and in the learning outcomes. However, there were no specific strategies, models or programs suggested. In the end, what the author achieved was to provide an impetus why humor is important. He identified several ideas for teaching language and communication using humor without outlining specific instructional model that could be evaluated or assessed. Read More