Challenges to Speak Challenges to Speak

English in ClassEnglish in Class

Paula LPaula Lóópez Cabellopez Cabello

MMªª JosJoséé Pedraja FuentesPedraja FuentesMadrid, 15Madrid, 15thth June 2010June 2010

I International Conference on Bilingual Teaching in Educational Institutions

OutlineOutline

School DescriptionSchool Description

Project OutlineProject Outline

TheoryTheory

Problems in ClassProblems in Class

Activities within the projectActivities within the project�� ExamplesExamples

ResultsResults

ConclusionsConclusions

Who are we? School DescriptionWho are we? School Description

GFC is part of the Bilingual Project GFC is part of the Bilingual Project

of the Comunidad Autof the Comunidad Autóónoma de noma de

Madrid since 2005. Madrid since 2005.

Located in Madrid westLocated in Madrid west--end and end and

belongs to the district known as belongs to the district known as

LatinaLatina--CarabanchelCarabanchel, a middle , a middle

class neighbourhood.class neighbourhood.

Small school: 300 students, infant Small school: 300 students, infant

and primaryand primary

www.ceipgonzalofdezdecordoba.es

Visit us at:

What do whe do? What do whe do?

Project DescriptionProject Description

Research to help our students keep the pace Research to help our students keep the pace

with Science (taught in L2)with Science (taught in L2)

Project designed to:Project designed to:

�� Improve speaking skills in our studentsImprove speaking skills in our students

�� Overcome a general perspective about SLAOvercome a general perspective about SLA

�� Develop methodological concepts Develop methodological concepts

CLIL and SCAFFOLDINGCLIL and SCAFFOLDING

�� Present the elements for a good speaking classPresent the elements for a good speaking class

�� Establish activities which involve speakingEstablish activities which involve speaking

A bit of theoryA bit of theory

ParadoxParadox

�� Academic achievements of immersion students of Academic achievements of immersion students of

subjects studied in L2 is equivalent to that of nonsubjects studied in L2 is equivalent to that of non--

immersion students studying the same subject in L1; immersion students studying the same subject in L1;

despite the fact that the latter have equivalent to despite the fact that the latter have equivalent to

superior language development in the language the superior language development in the language the

subject is taughtsubject is taught

M. Turnbull, Canadian Modern Language Review 57.(4): 531-40, 2001.F. Genesee , Second/foreign language immersion and at-risk English-speaking

children. Foreign Language Annals, 25: 199-213. 1992

A bit of theoryA bit of theory

Good practice for CLIL teachingGood practice for CLIL teaching

http://image.ee/core

Concepts

L2

L1/L2

Learning

strategies

Scaffolding

Natural Language

and Content learning

Content based instruction

Communication and interaction

key for actual CLILL2

FeedbackAssesment

Reflection with

practice

L2 Exposure

What we face in the class What we face in the class

Real life with primary students: Real life with primary students: �� our experience at GFC to put CLIL into practiceour experience at GFC to put CLIL into practice

StudentsStudents�� a lot of diversity and mixeda lot of diversity and mixed--ability classesability classes

�� ChildrenChildren’’s background coming from nons background coming from non--bilingual programsbilingual programs

�� Lack of motivation / interest in some students to participateLack of motivation / interest in some students to participate

�� Students struggle to understand Science concepts taught in L2Students struggle to understand Science concepts taught in L2

�� Use L1 to talk in the classroom Use L1 to talk in the classroom

AtmosphereAtmosphere�� Big classes : little time for real interactions Big classes : little time for real interactions

�� Interaction is not realInteraction is not real

TeacherTeacher�� Class managementClass management

�� Time consuming when planningTime consuming when planning

TaskTask�� syllabus/evaluation pressure from outsidesyllabus/evaluation pressure from outside

�� Usually accuracy (form) biased versus fluency (content)Usually accuracy (form) biased versus fluency (content)

Diversity

L2 L3

Soci

al B

ack

gro

und

Learn

ing S

tyle

s

Personality

Confidence

Project ActorsProject Actors

3 & 4 grade Primary Education (83 & 4 grade Primary Education (8--10 yo)10 yo)

�� 56 students involved in the project56 students involved in the project

�� 12 (21%) with remedial curricula12 (21%) with remedial curricula

Joined from nonJoined from non--bilingual projects bilingual projects

Migrants learning L2(Spanish) and L3 (English)Migrants learning L2(Spanish) and L3 (English)

Very weak studentsVery weak students

1 native Language Assistant1 native Language Assistant

Experience in ClassExperience in Class

We need to make them speak We need to make them speak �� Instructions have to be clear to avoid loss of focusInstructions have to be clear to avoid loss of focus

�� Interesting topicInteresting topic

�� Purpose to communicatePurpose to communicate

�� Teachers PAUSES and provides time to THINK IN SILENCETeachers PAUSES and provides time to THINK IN SILENCE

We need to be able to track progressWe need to be able to track progress�� Short term: Everybody is involved, has the chance to speak Short term: Everybody is involved, has the chance to speak

and gets feedback (prasing and correction)and gets feedback (prasing and correction)

�� Long term: class diary/recordings to asses individual progress Long term: class diary/recordings to asses individual progress in L2 for proper CLILin L2 for proper CLIL

�� Reflection : students and teacher (selfReflection : students and teacher (self--assesments)assesments)

Project TimelineProject Timeline

Individual presentationsIndividual presentations�� Weather Forecast: Map of SpainWeather Forecast: Map of Spain

�� Animal presentations: worksheetAnimal presentations: worksheet

Group presentationsGroup presentations�� Interviews : Asking questionsInterviews : Asking questions

�� LetLet’’s go shoppings go shopping

Weak StudentsWeak Students�� Individualised assesmentIndividualised assesment

FeedbackFeedback

Activity FlowActivity Flow

Animals, historical characters, books, etc…

Student presents his

work to the others

Audience ranks his jobs

Presentation

FeedbackName of the Student

Good use of english Poor use of english

Easy to understand Difficult to understand

Good content Poor content

I liked what he/she said I did not like how he/she explained it

Write a sentence you’ve heard

LetLet’’s go shoppings go shopping

Free speech oral production with natural Free speech oral production with natural languagelanguage

CLIL contentCLIL content

PrePre--scaffoldingscaffolding

Strategies to keep communicationStrategies to keep communication�� Never mind, Hello/Good bye, can I help you?Never mind, Hello/Good bye, can I help you?

�� Self correction: awarenessSelf correction: awareness

�� Real purposeReal purpose

�� Real scenario, with goods brought from homeReal scenario, with goods brought from home

�� Memorable activityMemorable activity

Video Video LetLet’’s go shoppings go shopping

Video Weak StudentsVideo Weak Students

Third class Chinese student: Joined Third class Chinese student: Joined the bilingual project 2 years ago the bilingual project 2 years ago (2008(2008--2009)2009)

�� No production at all in L2 (Spanish) No production at all in L2 (Spanish) nor L3 (English)nor L3 (English)

�� Last year progress with L2 with Last year progress with L2 with individualised syllabusindividualised syllabus

�� Very shy, (cultural influence?)Very shy, (cultural influence?)

Video Video Min 7Min 7’’2020’’’’

She has significantly improved She has significantly improved understanding, confidence and understanding, confidence and linguistic skillslinguistic skills

Dramatic effect on her academic Dramatic effect on her academic results in Scienceresults in Science

A Picnic Surprise Level 2, MacMillan

AssessmentAssessment

�� Who Who �� Peer, Peer, Language assistant and teachers Language assistant and teachers

�� When When �� not until the end, it breaks communciationnot until the end, it breaks communciation

�� How How �� carefully and praising, never rudelycarefully and praising, never rudely

�� Why Why �� achievements of students/teachers have to be achievements of students/teachers have to be

highlighted. It is part of the learning processhighlighted. It is part of the learning process

0%

10%

20%30%

40%

50%

60%

70%80%

90%

100%

FLUEN

CY

AN

D C

OH

ER

EN

CE

INTE

RA

CTIO

NA

CC

UR

AC

YP

RO

NU

NC

IATIO

N

TOP

IC F

OC

US

SED

VO

CA

BU

LAR

Y

US

E O

F LA

NG

UA

GE

ResultsResults

0,00

1,00

2,00

3,00

4,00

5,00

6,00

7,00

8,00

9,00

MA

RK

s I

II

III

I 7,06 6,31

II 7,03 6,81

III 7,63 7,34

ENGLISH SCIENCE

Students actually improve their academic achievements in Science and as a consequence in L2

Steady Progression in Science

ResultsResults

6,20

6,40

6,60

6,80

7,00

7,20

7,40

6,90 7,00 7,10 7,20 7,30 7,40 7,50 7,60 7,70

ENGLISH

SC

IEN

CE

I

II

III

Progress in Science inmediate progress in L2 has some delay

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONSClil methodology implies a lot of hard work, but we still Clil methodology implies a lot of hard work, but we still feel that it has been worthyfeel that it has been worthy�� Students are progressing in their academic resultsStudents are progressing in their academic results

Assessment and selfAssessment and self--assessment WORKSHEETSassessment WORKSHEETS

Feedback: Feedback: �� When When �� not until the end, it breaks communciationnot until the end, it breaks communciation

�� How How �� carefully and praising, never rudelycarefully and praising, never rudely

�� Why Why �� achievements of students/teachers have to be achievements of students/teachers have to be highlighted. It is parto of the learning processhighlighted. It is parto of the learning process

�� CHILDREN NEED TO SHINE!CHILDREN NEED TO SHINE!

Solutions to our problems in class:Solutions to our problems in class:�� Fast students help weak student sFast students help weak student s

�� Adapt contents to studentsAdapt contents to students’’ abilitiiesabilitiies

�� Establish very clear rules/instructions from the beginningEstablish very clear rules/instructions from the beginning

�� Big dreams leading to bigger Big dreams leading to bigger ¡¡reasults!reasults!

Future WorkFuture Work

Continue the project in 2010Continue the project in 2010--20112011

�� Systematic Video recording and transcribtion Systematic Video recording and transcribtion

�� Academic Achievements in Science: more Academic Achievements in Science: more

data data

�� More activities to improve oral skills: projects, More activities to improve oral skills: projects,

oral descriptions, interuse, simulations,story oral descriptions, interuse, simulations,story

performancesperformances……

�� Analysis of external evaluation results in 4th Analysis of external evaluation results in 4th

classclass

Challenges to Speak English in ClassChallenges to Speak English in Class

Paula LPaula Lóópez Cabellopez Cabello

MMªª JosJoséé Pedraja FuentesPedraja Fuentes

plopez@educa.madrid.orgplopez@educa.madrid.org

I International Conference on Bilingual Teaching in Educational Institutions

Thank you