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WHAT NEXT: EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES . SPECIAL FEATURE

Welsh pool JAGGERY Top six takeaways for teachers

knowledge Strategies for specific skills Technology can support language learning, The report is necessarily organised around
Teacher competence counts
Talking tech

There is evidence that teaching skill-specific
strategies improves competence. For example,
nevertheless concludes that the teacher’s
being clear about how it is to be used to meet
writing can be improved by using teaching the researchers found, but this depends on studies of various methods, but it
strategies such as planning (especially mind- specific learning objectives. For example, in a language competence and ability to motivate
Gillian Ragsdale dives into a review mapping and brainstorming for younger study of 8 and 9-year-old Chinese-speaking learners is more important than choice of
of effective language learning learners), morphological awareness (to learners of English, children showed teaching methodology. Furthermore, teacher
improve spelling) and cognitive strategies improvements in speaking and listening skills training should enable teachers to choose
(such as self-regulated strategy development). after interacting with a robot teaching from a range of approaches, methods and
team of researchers at Swansea University in Wales have Successful reading strategies include assistant (Wu et al, 2015, as cited in strategies in order to adapt their teaching to
recently published a systematic review of approaches and inferring the meaning of words from their Fitzpatrick et al, 2018). Using automatic the specific classroom context – rather than
methods for developing second language competence in context, skimming for the main ideas and speech recognition was also shown to provide assuming certain methods are superior.
Astudents aged 3 to 16. scanning for specific details. Several effective feedback on pronunciation (Neri et An example of support for teacher
The report was undertaken to inform curriculum reform in Wales, strategies are commonly taught together. al, 2008, as cited in Fitzpatrick et al, 2018). language competency comes from a study of
with the aim of increasing the proportion of school leavers competent However, training in bottom-up processing Students tend to find using CALL 9 and 10-year-old (years 5-6 in the UK)
in Welsh, from 19 per cent in the 2011 census to an ambitious 70 per can also be important for both reading and (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) English-speaking learners of French who
cent by 2050. Competence is generally hard to define but is taken here listening. Several studies cited in the report enjoyable and motivating, but the successful made no progress from years 5 to 6 when
as improvements in the key areas of vocabulary, grammar, reading, supported the use of phonics in second use of technology depends on supporting taught by a teacher with GCSE-level French
writing, speaking and listening. language learning. For example, 12 and 13- both pupils and teachers with the necessary or below. However, when taught by a teacher
The Welsh team conducted an extensive literature search, focusing year-old Japanese-speaking learners of technological skills. Some pupils are very with degree-level French, year 5 pupils
on peer-reviewed research articles published after 2000. The resulting English who were taught phonics for six technologically competent (more than their surpassed year 7 pupils (Graham et al, 2017 as
6000 sources were whittled down to just 106 for the final review, by But what can a report aimed at improving the teaching of Welsh tell months, significantly outperformed a control teachers) while other pupils may need cited in Fitzpatrick et al, 2018).
including only those relevant to young learners, the classroom, teaching us about teaching an international language like English? See for group in reading aloud and listening tests. additional IT training in order to get the full
a non-dominant language and robustness of methodology. yourself. Some of the key findings of the report are highlighted on these benefit of using technology in the classroom. Motivation is a must
This relatively small final number of articles is very typical of pages, and we have also commissioned industry specialists to look in CLIL increases competence
systematic reviews, whose authority and credibility depend on the more details at the findings in two areas highlighted in the report: CLIL Although this was not one of the areas of
relevance and quality of the articles included. and Learning Technology (see pages 20 and 21). Although there was some evidence for …children showed focus for this review, the authors note that
increased language competence following improvements in motivation was frequently highlighted in the
CLIL instruction, the evidence was generally studies as being necessary to optimise
not clear, and was often mixed. It was speaking and listening learning. Motivation is vey context-
difficult to distinguish between the advantage dependent: students respond to having a
MA TESOL & of teaching a specific subject using CLIL and skills after interacting clear idea of why they are learning a second
the inevitable advantage of the extra with a robot teaching language. For young learners especially,
Advanced Professional language exposure in a more general sense, family support and encouragement also make
e.g. in terms of general and grammatical assistant. a difference. For Welsh teachers, this involves
Certificate in Teaching EAP MA TESOL AND competency or increased vocabulary. One example of a useful application of tapping into Welsh identity and community –
perhaps ESOL teachers can use a similar
CLIL programmes differ substantially with
APPLIED LINGUISTICS regard to how many hours and which subjects CALL cited in the review is the replacement approach via the international English
of the curriculum are allocated, which makes of conventional drills with game-based speaking community.
Providing career development for new and experienced comparison of studies difficult. The CLIL pronunciation practice. Not only did
teachers alike, our course aims to equip you with the approach is best supported when adopted pronunciation improve, but students were
skills required for this global sector. more generally across the school, without also more motivated and the game led to
Distance Learning option also available from September 2020. being confined to specific subject hours or useful interactions between peers. ALEX MCGREGOR
the classroom. Maximising L2 exposure by Use of mobile devices can also increase
MA LINGUISTICS AND any means should be a priority. motivation and participation. For example,
students were found to be more likely to
The research suggested that it is better if
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLIL is introduced no earlier than age 12, as complete homework given this option.
the cognitive demands may be too great for Using voice or text chat can also improve
An interdisciplinary course that aims to develop younger children. language production, as well as reduce
a valuable insight into the relationship between language,
culture and society. (For more on CLIL findings turn to page 21). associated performance anxiety. Text chat
allows more time for lower-level learners, while
Pick pictures voice chat can improve fluency at higher levels. A strong Welsh identity may help Welsh
However, classroom management can be language learners
Use of imagery, such as presenting new words challenging when using technology, and this is
as images, to aid vocabulary learning, was a situation which many teachers are not well- REFERENCES
found to be useful, but the use of gestures prepared for. For example, students can n Fitzpatrick, T., Morris, S., Clark, T., Mitchell,
Wi
Phone den your range of career options in and movements rather less so. become easily distracted from the set task R., Needs, J., Tanguay, E. and Tovey, B. (2018).
English language teaching and EAP. The time-honoured tradition of using songs when using devices (although some studies Rapid Evidence Assessment: Effective Second
to learn language received very lukewarm reported better focus when using CALL). The Language Teaching Approaches and Methods.

For the latest course information, visit support in terms of improving language increasing use of technology in the classroom Cardiff: Welsh Government, GSR report
www.shu.ac.uk/prospectus
competency, but its real benefit is probably in has ongoing implications for both schools and number 31/2018.
For more information and details on entry motivating learners and promoting social teacher training, which are not yet being met. Available at: https://gov.wales/statistics-and-
requirements, please contact The Tesol Find out more:
Centre on +44 (0)114 225 2222 or email mmu.ac.uk/languages/postgrad engagement in the classroom – aspects (For more on language learning technology research/assessment-effective-second-language-te
tesol@shu.ac.uk. outside the focus of this review. turn to page 20). aching-approaches-methods/?lang=en
18 May 2020 editorial@elgazette.com 19