14th Topic Methods and techniques towards the acquisition of communicative competence.

Question 1

2. METHODS AND TECHNIQUES TOWARDS THE ACQUISITION OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE.

Answer 1

Chomsky defines the communicative competence as the ability to produce grammatically well-formed sentences and to know where and when to use them, bearing in mind the characteristics of the listener. At the same time, Hymes refers to the relationship between the grammatical competence and the sociolinguistic competence.
Aspects of the linguistic situation considered:
- Setting and scene - Instrumentalities
- Participants - Norms
- Ends - Genre
- Act sequence - Key

Question 2

According to Canale and Swain, the communicative competence includes four dimensions, which are defined by the CEFRL:

Answer 2

● Linguistic competence: * lexical, phonological and syntactical knowledge and skills of language as a system.
● Sociolinguistic competence:* understanding of the social context in which communication takes place.
● Sociocultural competence:* shared knowledge about social and cultural features of the language.
● Discourse competence:* interpretation of individual message elements and how meanings are represented according to the disclosure or text.
Van Ek names the fifth dimension of the communicative competence:
● Strategic competence: coping strategies that communicators employ to initiate, terminate, maintain, repair, and redirect communication.

Question 3

2.1 THE CURRENT AND FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVES

Answer 3

A new aspect came into play, the concept of “situation”. For Firth, it was the context of the situation; i.e. the meaning of an utterance is a function of the cultural and situational context in which it occurs.
However, Halliday focuses on language functions to develop the theory of functional grammar; A grammar is functional in the sense that it is designed to account for how language is used..*
These perspectives highlight the importance of teaching languages contextually, relating their use to social activities.
These ideas are reflected on Van Ek threshold level, together with Jaspensen´s notional categories,
The approaches ahead benefit from a series of shared techniques:
- Play-based learning
- gamification
- flipped lesson
- station dynamic

Question 4

6.1. THE NOTIONAL FUNCTIONAL METHOD

Answer 4

Based on the Speech Act Theory by Searle, the syllabus was structured around “notions,” real-life situations in which people communicate and “functions,” specific aims of communication.
Nowadays, this method is so relevant that all syllabuses are based on it.

Question 5

6.2. THE COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING (CLT)

Answer 5

The communicative approach (CLT) developed by Richards and Rogers, among others, is based on the idea the primary function of language use is communication. Language is perceived as a dynamic phenomenon, not as a system of forms, structures and words, but basically as a system of communicative acts and situations.

To work on these aspects, the CLT follows a series of principles and sub-approaches:

Question 6

A.TASK-BASED LEARNING (TBA)

Answer 6

A.TASK-BASED LEARNING (TBA)
Tasks are the central units of the daily basis as they give learners a purpose to use the language.
The focus is on developing communication skills, and grammar is merely a support. Learners must interact and negotiate meaning to solve tasks.
The tasks should be varied, meaningful, authentic or pedagogic, and they should focus on a skill integrating the others. They must be presented following Bloom´s taxonomy sequence and the organisation of the CEFR: Pre, while and post. *

Question 7

B.LEARNING BY DOING - LEARNER-CENTERED

Answer 7

The learners are the protagonists of their learning process. Popularised by John Dewey, it is a hands-on approach that considers that new knowledge is better integrated into long term memory if it’s related and relevant to their lives.

Question 8

C. RICH, MEANINGFUL AND COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT

Answer 8

Rich language input: Learners’ exposure to the authentic-real-world language.
Meaningful input: The information must be clear and relatable to the learner’s existing knowledge.
Comprehensible input: Learners must understand most of what is said.

Question 9

D. COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNINGE. FLUENCY OVER ACCURACY

Answer 9

Social interaction is recognised to be a strong facilitator of learning. Students build on and develop their knowledge by learning to cooperate, generating positive interdependence, and sharing learning goals with others.

Question 10

E. FLUENCY OVER ACCURACY

Answer 10

The emphasis is using language to communicate efficiently rather than being accurate; even if the language is not flawless, the important thing is to make oneself understood.

Question 11

F. ERROR AS A LEARNING TOOL *

Answer 11

F. ERROR AS A LEARNING TOOL *
Following Corder´s error analysis. Students must be viewed as learning opportunities. Teachers must provide positive feedback, encouraging students to keep trying.

Question 12

G. AFFECTIVE FACTOR OF LEARNING

Answer 12

G. AFFECTIVE FACTOR OF LEARNING

The relationship between language attitudes, motivation, anxiety and the achievement of second language learning is considered in the teaching-learning process.

Question 13

6.3 PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Answer 13

William Kilpatrick is the main promotor of PBL, a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects by responding to authentic problems or challenges.
The main benefits of PBL are:
Plan and manage time
Give and receive feedback on performance
Develop stronger communication skills
Delegate roles and responsibility
Develop team spirit

Question 14

6.3 CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIC)

Answer 14

6.3 CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIC)
CLIL is an approach where students simultaneously learn a subject and an L2.
It can be considered a dual education because pupils are more exposed to the L2, which results in faster language acquisition.
CLIL is important because languages play a key role in the curricula across Europe.
The main advantages of CLIL are:
- Improve overall and specific language competence
- develop multilingual interests and attitudes
- diversify teaching methods

Question 15

6.5 CALL – TELL - VIRTUAL LEARNING

Answer 15

6.5 CALL – TELL - VIRTUAL LEARNING
CALL, TELL and Virtual learning are learning experiences enhanced by utilizing computers and/or the internet, allowing remote access to an unlimited set of educational resources. The creation of a virtual space in the classroom (EX. MOODLE) benefits from a series of advantages:
-to promote the teaching and learning of a second language
- individualized teaching and learning allowing to attend the diversity of the classroom
- an increase of learners’ motivation
- keep together school and families

Question 16

6.6 LEXICAL APPROACH

Answer 16

6.6 LEXICAL APPROACH
The lexical approach focuses mainly on words, phrases and chunks of several words to convey a particular meaning. As Lewis states, “the lexis is the core or heart of a language”: the more words known the greater capacity to think.
Teaching chunks and set phrases has become common in FL or ESL because 55-80% of native speakers’ speech is derived from prefabricated phrases.

Question 17

6.8 EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING

Answer 17

6.8 EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING
Kolb’s experiential learning theory, 1984, is concerned with the learner’s internal cognitive processes. Represented by a four-stage learning cycle in which the learner ‘touches all the bases´:
concrete experiences:
reflective observation:
abstract conceptualisation:
active experimentation
Graham Gibbs, on his side, developed the Reflective Cycle, which offers a framework for examining experiences: descriptions, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusions, action.
The main benefits of the experiential learning are:
- Promote critical thinking and evaluation.
- Help to learn more effectively by the identification of preferred learning styles.
- Help to develop abilities from each stage of the experiential learning and reflective cycle.

Question 18

3. ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGICAL BASIS

Answer 18

the teaching of English is based on a methodology with a practical approach, which encourages students to become communicatively competent.
The CEFR as well as the Andalusian Order of January 15th, set out the following methodological guidelines, approaches and techniques as the most convenient to promote interaction, socialisation, and autonomy in the English primary education classroom:

Question 19

3.1. COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING

Answer 19

3.1. COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING

As stated in the sections above, the touchstone of the teaching process is to foster communication, and to do so, CLT promotes the learner´s acquirement of skills and syntactic discursive structures as follows:

Question 20

CLT skills

Answer 20

SKILLS:

• Priority is given to the acquisition of communicative and receptive skills, before productive skills, developing all of them gradually and in an integrated manner.
• Cooperative reading and writing is encouraged.
• Reading habits are promoted through the encouragement of reading, writing and research plans.
• Use is made of resources such as Dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, reference books and ICTs, promoting group interaction.

Question 21

CLT SYNTACTIC DISCURSIVE STRUCTURES

Answer 21

They are presented inductively.

Question 22

3.2.LEARNER-CENTRED APPROACH

Students must reflect on their learning process by following a constructivist approach and developing strategies that allow them to become autonomous.

Answer 22

LEARNER-CENTRED APPROACH

Students must reflect on their learning process by following a constructivist approach and developing strategies that allow them to become autonomous.

Question 23

3.3.ACTION-ORIENTED:

Answer 23

3.3.ACTION-ORIENTED:

Students develop their communication capacity while working on cooperative tasks, which are be integrated into projects, research, games, etc. Through the use of methodologies and proposals, which have been introduced before, such as:

• collaborative work
• task-based approach
• project-based learning
• experiential learning

Question 24

3.4. INTEGRATED CURRICULUM - LINGUISTIC PROJECT –- CLIL – EUROPEAN PORTFOLIO

Answer 24

INTEGRATED CURRICULUM - LINGUISTIC PROJECT –- CLIL – EUROPEAN PORTFOLIO

FL classroom teachers should make use of:

• Integrated curriculum; to encourage shared methodologies with other subjects.
• Language project; for coordinated teaching and learning of different language areas.
• CLIL approach; for L2 teaching and learning through other subjects.
• European Portfolio; to encourage self-assessment and reflection strategies.

Question 25

3.5. COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE WORK AMONG SCHOOL LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Answer 25

COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE WORK AMONG SCHOOL LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Faculty members must work collaboratively to foster the mobilisation of communicative strategies.

Question 26

3.6. ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY

Answer 26

The Andalusian primary education curriculum supports an inclusive school and a globalising approach, recognising that each student is unique and presents their specific needs.
For that reason, an individualised and personalized attention must be given as an answer to the different learning paces and styles, fostering creativity, emotional intelligence and generating opportunities to develop talents and multiple intelligences.

Question 27

3.7. ICTs and LKTs

Answer 27

3.7. ICTs and LKTs

ICT allows students to explore, observe, engage, solve problems and make discoveries and encourages them to engage confidently in imaginative learning, making the teaching-learning process more effective and fun.
LKT (Learning and Knowledge Technology) links pedagogical theory and applications across the curriculum to the use of Educational Technology and ICT tools.