C L I LIn Primary School

By Barbara Buchholz MACollege of Initial Teacher Education, Eisenstadt, Austria,

presented at CLIL workshop Vienna University, July 2005

This presentation looks at

Primary curriculum (very briefly)

CLIL in primary school (i.p. Basic Interpersonal Com-munication Skills - BICS)

Action research in general

An action research project on BICS – A case study at an Austrian primary school

© Profil

What does the Curriculum say?

1. English language acquisition should be expe-rienced within concrete and situative activities based on children‘s everyday life. (Aller Anfang5/98:12)

2. The English language should be applied inte-gratively within other school subjects (Sciences, Maths, Music, Physical Education) ...(ibid. page 15)

3. In these subjects English should be used as a means of instruction over certain periods of time in order to explain, describe or show simple facts ...(ibid. page 14)

A call for CLIL ...?

The Curriculum frame

English as a foreign language (EFL) is compulsory from year1

No additional lesson time provided for EFL in year 1 & 2; one lesson per week in year 3 & 4

EFL is integrated in other school subjects (except German)

Main objectives focus on communicative FL skills

Didactic principles include monolingual and cross-curricular English Language Teaching (ELT)

A breeding ground for CLIL...?

Integrating FL = CLIL ?

“How is the FL to be integrated?“ The answer to this question is a matter of definition (and of teachers‘ views)

A A matter of time slots in general primary tuition: There are five minutes left until the break, so let‘s do a little English...

B A matter of subject swapping:In our music lesson we‘ll learn an English song today.

C A matter of teaching the obvious:Let‘s talk about animals: fish swim, birds fly...

D A matter of content based language teaching:Today you‘ll learn about the water cycle._________________________________________________________________A, B, C or D? “The discussion around that question is still ongoing and needs serious attention.“

!

What is relevant for Primary CLIL?

LanguageStructures

LexisExtension

FLEnvironment

L1Influence

Primary teachers‘ FL competence

BICS

Native speaker assistant‘s support

REFRAMINGYOUNG

LEARNERS‘CLASSROOM DISCOURSE

THEACTION RESEARCH

PROJECT

Action Research - Definition

Action Research is a family of research methodologies which pursue action (thus is change - improvement) and research (thus is enhancing understanding) at the same time.It uses a cyclic process alternating between strategic action and systematic reflection.(Dick, 2000)

The Action Research Spiral

Action research is perfectly suitable for case studies.In most cases action research is pure qualitative research.

The Action Research Cycle

Problemidentificati

on&

questionsResults,analyses &interpretati

on

Application

in practice

Planning of

action steps

Hypothesis

Exploration

Reflection& data

collection

ActionResearc

h

The Research Case

ORGANISATION & METHODOLOGY

The Research OrganisationParticipants

25 primary pupils aged 9 (third grade English emphasis class, i.e. 2 English lessons per week plus EFL integration from year1) A teacher colleague as non-participating teacher observerA pupil‘s mother as outside observerA native speaker assistant as ‘language consultant‘ and outside observerMyself as class teacher, inside observer and participating teacher-researcher

The Research OrganisationSetting & Time

Original settings in primary school, classroom, school yard, gymNormal English lessons respectivelyIntegrated English instruction sequencesSchool breaksResearch period: February to September 2002

The Research MethodologyInstruments, techniques & sources

Research diary & fieldnotesLessons observations Peer observationAudio tape recordingsStudents‘ inventoriesStudents‘ interviewsStudents‘ protocols (initiated after first spiral)Classteacher‘s documents (lesson plans, records, protocols)Relevant literature and curriculumTriangulation & discussion (teachers and students)

Problem Identification

“Long-term” problem: Students’ avoidance to speak English

Initial Problem:Although receptive FL communication skills are sufficiently present, most students lack the productive component. Thus resulting in the fact that oral interactive communication as such cannot take place and Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) are not existing.

Therefore, young FL students need special communication training, particularly in speaking.

Research questions

Problem Identification

Why do students predominantly speak German during English lessons?Why do students permanently switch codes, even though the classroom language is English?What can be done to improve the classroom discourse situation?

Initial research questions

Exploration

The Research ProcessExploration & Reflection

Self – reflection

Literature

Documents

Teacher talk in lessons‘Quick translations‘ vs ‘Explain in English‘Amount/occasions of peer talk in class

Buckmaster vs KrashenPeltzer-Karpf‘s studies on bilingual primary educationStudies by Johnstone, GerngroßVygotsky‘s ‘Zone of Proximal Development‘ (ZPD)

Lesson plans: exact definition of language goalsCourse books, teaching material etc (languages mix)

First inquiry steps

The Research ProcessExploration - First inquiry steps

Research Diary

Preliminary Inquiries

Concentrate teacher‘s own perceptions:When exactly do children switch codes?Are emotions helpful or distractive?Does hearing German have any negative impact?

Teacher observer‘s appraisal: ‘Differing‘ viewsExploratory teacher discussion: ‘Common‘ factStudents‘ discussion: ‘Lack of chunks‘

First conclusion

The Research ProcessFirst conclusion

As the classteacher I had to accept, that there was a need to change myown unstructured approach and more or less random use of L1 / L2.Teacher and students had to avoid language mix without any exception.In order to achieve this, appropriate action steps were to be developed.They should meet students‘ needs.

Hypothesis

Hypothesis

Creating a monolingual FL classroom languageenvironment will provoke (predominant) monolingualFL classroom discourse that is conducive to developbasic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) for content and language integrated learning (CLIL).

End of first spiral

First spiral results

Language management

Language education

Language contents

ClassroomTimingGrouping

Social interactionConsequence measuresAwarding

Communication toolsOutput remediesSubject-specific termsSupplementary material

Research Issues

Further spirals - Action Strategies

The EZ

Flag-Is-Up

The ‘ English Zone‘ – an ‘as-if‘ monolingual modelSpatial division of language environmentNo German at all – and for all!Free access, voluntary stayInclusion of devices (PC, piano, reading corner, pet)

Expanded EZRegular ritual – action and shoutsHoisted flag and classroom door

Language Management

Further spirals - Action Strategies

Social interaction

Matchstick system

Red card

Language Education

Games, drama, cooperative tasks

Group monitors - group awards

‘Refugees‘ and ‘penalty‘

Further spirals - Action Strategies

Posters

Stickers

CTA

Language ContentsSpeech models

Metaphors

Visuals

Dialogue sets

‘Word-pool‘

Come-Together-Activity

Music or FL background

Further spirals – Data collection

Language Management

Language Education

Language Content

Teacher‘s reflection (permanent)Outsider observationTeacher observationPeer observationTape recordingsStudents‘ discussion

Teacher observationPeer monitoring

Students‘ protocolsTeacher observationOutsider observationStudents‘ discussion

Further spirals – RESULTS

EZ&Flag

Surprising success – very high motivation to speakAverage 85% of pupils used EZ even in the breaks75% more speaking activity (words & phrases)Active use of passive vocabulary doubled (words)High effort was made – no one wanted to leave the zoneNLP and role-play happened unconsciously Speaking blockades were overcome – no ‘stuck-states‘Voluntary brain wreck exposed students‘ idleness in former settings17 pupils built an ‘English Zone‘ even at home

Language Management

Arguments about peer observation rulesStudents‘ observation records were biased Danger of temporary restriction of EZ‘s appeal

Further spirals – RESULTS

Interaction

Matchsticks

Red card

Stronger impact of all interactions in the EZLess pressure – EZ could be leftMore flexible implementationChildren ‘invented‘ English learning strategies (in L1)

75% appreciated justification/rewarding systemCode-switching rate decreased from 25% to 2%Students as organisers – raised self-esteem

- Applicable only in EZVery strong effect – only 4 cases in 2 weeks

Language Education

Deterring rules (the penalty - ‘a housewife‘s job‘?)Action step dropped

Further spirals – RESULTS

PostersStickersCTAMusic&English

Very high motivation through active participationChildren‘s genuine conversation phrases recordedCreative hands-on learning with script and textContextualized language application done by studentsAll children involved autonomously at flexible levelsBoosting effect on English peer talk (15% - 65% average)Wide scope for inspiration (choice of CTA topics - CLIL)Decreasing embarrassment in speaking EnglishConcentration plus fun maintained – no one left outDiversion, improvisation, pantomime – adventurous but serious language learning, self-directed and rewardingMonolingual FL classroom discourse periodically realised!

Language Contents

CTA results not transferable to working situationsPosters/stickers and CTA need lots of space and time

The Action Research Cycle

Problemidentificati

on&

questionsResults,analyses &interpretati

on

Application

in practice

Planning of

action steps

Hypothesis

Exploration

Reflection& data

collection

ActionResearc

h

Research

Evaluation

Research Evaluation

Inventories & interviews

Students‘ feedback on action steps

Research Evaluation

Inventories & interviews

Students‘ feedback on the observers

Research Evaluation

Inventories & interviews

Did you improve your English?

Research Evaluation

Inventories & interviews

How do you like speaking English now?

Discussion & students‘ commentsI didn‘t know how to speak English and what to say...

It‘s so cool to really speak English...

We want to keep the English zone in our classroom...

I‘ve always wanted to know what‘s „Halt den Mund!“ in English...

First they (group monitors) were unfair, but it worked out finally...

The CTA is my favourite game... In English only...

Now I‘m not afraid anymore of travelling to England.

It was great to see that I speak a lot better than my elder brother.

I helped my mother translating an English pop song.

Teachers‘ quotes

I never thought that this is going to happen… (Teacher observer)

It was amazing when children started speaking unconsciously…

(Native speaker assistant)

I could not believe what I saw in that class…(Headteacher)

Parents‘ quotes

I‘ve also benefited from that project by adding a big deal ofeverday English to my business vocab ... (Outside observer)

My children are building an “English zone“ at home... (Mother)

My younger son is challenging his elder brother – he speaks much better English … (Father)

ConclusionAnswering Research Question 1

ThoughtlessnessPure idlenessLack of motivationLack of vocabularyLack of language structuresEmbarrassmentFear of being laughed at

Why do students predominantly speak Germanamong each others during English lessons?

Conclusion Answering Research Question 2

Why do students permanently switch codes, even though the classroom language is English?

Lack of concentration

Lack of motivation

No vocabulary available

No language structures available

Teacher uses L1

Shyness

Inhibition & fear of being corrected too often

ConclusionAnswering Research Question 3

What can be done to improve the classroomdiscourse situation?

Set clear goals and reflect on achievements

Set spatial language environment zones

Make vocabulary available (stickers)

Make language phrases accessible (posters)

Use L2 only

Set flexible steps towards self-directed learning

Motivate for practice (topics beyond schoolbooks)

Provide tools for peer- and self-control

Action Research Aims Achieved

Overall FL competence improved

Receptive and productive FL use increased

Better quality lessons

Monolingual English classroom periodically present

BICS predominantly realised

End

When children find themselves in the companyof others who speak other languages, they willmake an effort to understand and use the newlanguage. (Brumfit, 1991)

Exploit this benefit for your English lessons!

This action research project was carried outduring my MA study in Education

(Foreign Languages Pedagogy Focus )at Norwich University, England

2001 – 2004Barbara Buchholz

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION !