A Performance Approach to Second/Third Language Teaching and Learning

Ochanomizu Universityfangmeili@gmail.com

Multilingualism, Regional & Minority Languages: Paradigms for ‘Languages of the Wider World’ SOAS, University of London

16-17 April 2009

Meili Fang

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This talk

introduction – types of language teaching and learning

comparing teaching of second/third foreign/heritage languages

key points of Performance Approach (PA): a methodology adapted from foreign language teaching for second/third foreign and heritage/minority language teaching

PA and performance video examples and discussion

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Introduction

conventional teaching and learning contrasts:• national/mother language

• foreign languages

actually • first language (often but not always national language)

• first foreign language

• second or third foreign language

• heritage/minority/immigrant language• the community is voluntarily or forcefully dominated or out of

their country

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Large and small languages

I taught or was part of teaching team for:

• Japanese (in Taiwan)• Mandarin (Japan, UK)• Hokkien (Japan, UK)• Karaim (Lithuania) less commonly taught

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Courses are very diverse

Japanese FL taught as a major (12 hrs) Mandarin 2nd FL (after English) (3 hrs)

... as curiosity to high schoolstudents (1 hr)

Hokkien as 3rd FL (after E, M), studentswith personal motives (3 hrs)

Karaim Heritage language as 3rd or 4th

language in intensive summerschool

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... but methodologies aren’t

more useful to identify similarities and differences between • learners in classes in institutional and

community settings – the trends are opposite • teaching settings – structure and resources

PA methods were effective for smaller languages ... even more effective!

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age ability learning goals motivation mother/heritage language background

institutional settings

endangered languages community

settings

similarity similarity

Learners in language settings

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Teaching settings

less institutional commitment options rather than compulsory learner motivations tend to be personal and less

instrumental learner backgrounds may be very different less design and input to teaching resources less teaching hours very easy for big mismatch between goals, materials

and learners

could mainstream FL methodologies be appropriate? yes, but only if effective

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Performance approach (PA)

main issues are course design and classroom dynamics

... and how these serve the learning goals(and wider goals)

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PA key points

clear teaching goal and process rapid, measurable learning students continually perform what they

learned (‘spiral of learning’) effective materials, activities, assessment include language functions e.g. emotion,

culture drama creation and performance involve language speakers generate further language learning resources

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Spiral of learning

Typical teaching -‘bank savings’

Performance Approach -‘spiral’

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Planning: constraints and goals

constraints• time available – calendar, hours• materials• teachers• infrastructure

goals• researched, realistic and concrete• e.g. to master 450 vocabulary items;

reach pre-intermediate level; speech functions; cultural (e.g. songs)

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PA design

course design • hours, classes, teachers• driven by learners’ motivations, learning

styles, learning goals teaching materials design

• textbook• other materials (worksheets, songs,

games etc)

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PA design

activity design• listening, Q & A, conversation, find out ...• drama (see later)

feedback and evaluation design• evaluation / assessment - continuous and

varied• drama (self/group/teacher feedback)• create concrete resources that “feed back”

to future learners

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Textbook

learnable sequence each lesson builds on next controlled vocabulary and structures topics and dialogues relevant and useful predictable learning give mileposts and confidence to learners

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Elementary Spoken Hokkien

Introduction 1 Vowels 2 Consonants 3 Tones 4 Tone change 5 What’s your name? Lí kúi sèⁿ? 6 Greetings: Chiãh-pá böe 7 What is it? Che s„ sím-m…h?

Chapter topics

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Elementary Spoken Hokkien

8 What would you like to drink? Lí ài lim sím-m…h?

9 What day is today? Kin-á-jit chhe-kúi ? 10 When is your birthday? Lí ê siⁿ-j…t tang-

sî ? 11 What number are you calling? Lí phah kúi

hö ? 12 How much is this? Che ài göa-che chîⁿ ? 13 Do you know where the toilet is? Lí kám

chai-iáⁿ tó-üi ü piän-só ?

Chapter topics

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Elementary Spoken Hokkien

14 What are you doing? Lí teh chhóng-siàⁿ ?

15 Inviting a friend: Iok-pêng-iú 16 How long have you been learning

Taiwanese? Lí Tâi-gí õh göa kú a ? 17 Can I try it on? Che ë-sái chhì-chheng

bë ? 18 Making a booking: Tëng pâng-keng 19 What’s wrong with you? Lí s„ án-chóaⁿ 20 Introducing friends: Kài-siäu pêng-iú

Chapter topics

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Lesson 10: Lí ê siⁿ-j…t tang-sî?

1. Tùi-ōe / Dialogue A: Lí ê siⁿ-j…t tang-sî?B: Góa ê siⁿ-j…t sì ji-gõeh chhe-peh. Lí ê leh? A: Góa ê siⁿ-j…t si chiaⁿ-gõeh chãp-it. B: S„ téng-kó-gõeh ¬h.A: Hèⁿ.B: Lí kám chai-iáⁿ lín läu-su „n cha-b¯-kiáⁿ ê

seⁿ-j…t sì tang-sî?A: Góan läu-su „n cha-b¯ -kiáⁿ?! Lí m¤g che

beh chhóng-siàⁿ?

Example chapter dialogue

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PA and theatricality

classroom is a ‘theatre’ setting that makes interactions more authentic

performances are respected as language events, and as records of the language development or revitalization process

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Drama

group based groups create own characters and story connects with culture or daily life, emotions performances matter: what learners do is

valued performances are new resources

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Drama steps

establish parameters set up story topics formulate and present story script writing, presentation, correction record voices prepare for performance performance; video distribute useful resource

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2006 Hokkien : 香蕉明的白日夢 ..

劇本編者 : Jonny Moses & Rui Niu 日期 : 2006 年 05 月 03 日 阿明 : Ming 楊修女 : Sister Yang 阿李 : Lee 老王 : Old Wong 唱片老闆 : Record Producer

A: Be king-chio, be king-chio! Tai-oan e king-chio siok koh ho chiah! Kin lai be a!買香蕉 , 買香焦 ! 台灣的香焦好吃而不貴 ! 快來買呀 !Get your bananas, get your bananas! Taiwan bananas are cheap and delicious! Come and get them before they’re gone!

B: Thau-ke gau-cha, king-chio chit-kin goa-che chin?老闆早安 , 香蕉多少錢一斤 ? Good morning, how much for half a kilo?

A: Iun Siun-lu gau-cha! Sa-chap kho•, ho chiah koh siok o!楊修女 , 早 ! 三十塊 ,好吃而不貴 ! Good morning Sister Yang! 30NT, they’re cheap and delicious!

Students’ drama script

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2006 Hokkien cont’d B: Chit-kin sa-chap kho• oh4?! chiah1-ni kui a! Na

goa be khah-che e3, li e-sai sng khah-siok e be?一斤三十塊 ?! 好貴喔 ! 我買多點的話 , 你可以給我便宜些嗎 ? 30NT for half a kilo?! So expensive! Can you do them any cheaper if I buy a bit more?

A: E-sai, e-sai. 可以啊 . Ok, sure.

B: M-ko, goa ai seng chhi chiah khoan li e king-chio u-ian u ho-chiah bo•….不過 , 我要先試一試你的香蕉是否真的好吃… But first I’ve got to see whether your bananas are sweet or not…

A: Bo bun-teh, ia bo, li chiah khoan mai..沒問題 , 要不然 , 你吃看看 .. No problem. Here, have a little taste.

Students’ drama script

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An endangered language situation

Karaim - Turkic language spoken in Trakai, Lithuania

summer courses 2005 - 2007 goals: to support learners to effectively take

part in basic everyday conversation. Designed for a class of different ages incl children, teenagers, and young and old adults. Focus “how to teach a language in a short time”.

course: 2-week intensive, 2 classes/day, each class 70 min, total of 20 hours; also informal afternoon activities

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Conclusions

PA is effective for rapid, predictable, measurable, accountable, usable language learning

clear, integrated course design and materials continuous language production, feedback group-based drama resource creation we have to bring the best methodology to

teaching and learning LCTL, minority, and endangered languages!

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End

Thank you

ReferencesTo appear. Meili Fang & David Nathan. Language Documentation and Pedagogy for Endangered Languages: a Mutual Revitalisation.. In P. Austin (ed) Language Documentation and Description. London: SOAS

2006. “Taiwanese language teaching and development in the United Kingdom”. Invited paper at conference Taiwan Studies: British Perspectives, Academia Sinica, Taipei, December 2006. [http://www.dnathan.com/mnd/docs/Taiwanese_UK_MeiliFang.pdf]