What is it going to be form-focused or communicative or a combination of both? Back up your thoughts with some of the studies in LS Ch. 6.
Well, by now, I have validated my teaching style in the particular First Grade Late-exit Bilingual Program. It includes both. Children as well as adults thrive in a safe envirorment, conducive to learning, exposure to a variety of vocabulary and structures of their interest, where L1 knowledge is welcomed for the learning of the second language and error are NOT constantly interrupting communication, instead attending to modified input, where students students observe or participate in many different types of language events, become active participants of their own learning. The communicative instructional setting is optimal for me. This is because in the schedule I only have a limited time (45 min./day) to address ESL even though I sneak it in as much as I can during other class periods and I am the main proficient speaker they are in contact with in addition to Music and P.E. Nevertheless, they too are bilingual and make constant language accomodations for my students. There is little pressure to perform and the emphasis is comprehension.
Looking at the text samples of Structure-based and communicative I fit myself, once again, in the communicative classroom.On pages 124-5 I can't say that I dislike either they are both activities that get the students engaged and thinking about, experimenting language and meaning. In relation to questions in the classroom they should be relevant or as the text calls it referential, open-ended, provide ample wait-time, and scaffoling for comprehension rather than form, but also considering the objective of the lesson (p.131). I was sad to read Study 10, where the ESL were isolated by mistakenly placing them close to the teacher instead of amongst other more proficient L2 or helpful L1s. (p. 134).
1 comment:
Adilia, I think that because you are at a lower grade of teaching, you may want to emphasize communicative approaches but in the long run students will need some structure based approaches in order to be fully fluent. I think students need to learn about grammar rules, structure, etc. to fully understand the language. Yet, I know that this part comes in later in school. I think you have a great program in your school and they are definitely lucky to have a teacher who is dedicated and likes to learn like you.:)
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