3) Planning for Integrated Lang Instruction

Question 0

Explain the difference between a ‘goal,’ an ‘objective,’ and a ‘framework’

Answer 0

GOAL: aim/purpose of instruction, often in broad terms such as the 5 C’s—-ex: to gain knowledge of another culture
OBJECTIVE: what the learner will be able to do w/the language as a result of the instruction ( “ I can “ ); aka ‘outcome’
FRAMEWORK: state doc describing goals/stanadards to be met

Question 1

Explain the three components of “integrated language instruction.”

Answer 1

1) integration of the three modes of communication
2) integration of oral and printed (cultural) texts
3) integration of content and language

Question 2

Describe what Lee and VanPatten call the “Atlas Complex” in teaching.

Answer 2

the teacher provides all information and students merely receive it, as opposed to:
-teacher as facilitator who guides instruction w/out being the sole source or expert transmitter of knowledge

Question 3

When planning instruction, keep in mind these brain-based principles of learning:

Answer 3

1) learning engages entire person (cognitive/affective/psychomotor)
2) human brain seeks patterns in its search for meaning
3) emotions affect all aspects of learning, retention and recall
4) past experience always affects new learning
5) brain’s working memory has a limited capacity
6) lecture usually results in the lowest degree of retention
7) rehearsal is essential for retention
8) practice (alone) does not make perfect
9) each brain is unique

Question 4

Explain the “primacy-recency” effect in a learning episode.

What is its implication for classroom planning?

Answer 4

learners remember best what comes first; second best what comes last; least what comes in the middle/downtime
-implications: teach new material first, use downtime to engage in practice/discussion, closure during last part of lesson; avoid classroom management task such as attendance at beginning

Question 5

Rote repetition is much less effective that repetition that is built into a communicative task in a natural way. What are some ways teachers can create novelty?

Answer 5

humor, student movement in an activity, multisensory instruction (e.g., visuals, technology), quiz games developed by students to test one another, and playing music at certain times in the classroom

Question 6

What is the pivotal role of emotions for learners?

How can teachers address this when planning?

Answer 6

learners use their emotions to focus their attention and to identify what is important to learn, & this attention drives learning & memory

low anxiety environment; sociocultural approach; have more of an emotional investment in simulations, role-playing, journal writing, and real-world experiences; use humor, design/tell stories that enhance understanding; incorporate real-world examples; demonstrate they really care about student learning

Question 7

What two questions do learners ask themselves when they encounter new ideas or information, the answer to which will determine whether or not information is stored?

Answer 7

1) Does this make SENSE?

2) Does this have MEANING? most important

Question 8

According to brain-based research, two variables that lead to permanent learning are:

Answer 8

1) FREQUENCY of practice (or use)
2) SALIENCE (degree to which a language feature is noticed by the learner)
means: multiple NOVEL/EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED/STIMULATION experiences are required

Question 9

Explain the new Bloom’s Taxonomy for thinking.

Answer 9

1) REMEMBER: rote recall / recognition of learned material
2) UNDERSTAND: ability to make sense of material
3) APPLY: ability to use learned info/concepts in new tasks
4) ANALYZE: ability to break info in2 sm segments 2b understood
5) EVALUATE: ability to judge value of material by developing and applying specific criteria and/or standards
6) CREATE: putting info and ideas together to develop original idea / engage in critical thinking

Question 10

Explain the difference between “convergent” and “divergent” thinking processes.

Answer 10

CONVERGENT: (remember/understand/apply)–focus on the information that the learner has learned

DIVERGENT: (analyze/evaluate/create)–learner’s processing leads to new insights/discoveries/creations no part of original info learned

Question 11

In the context of Bloom’s Taxonomy, give examples of “lower level thinking” tasks and “higher level/order thinking” / “critical thinking” tasks.

Answer 11

LOWER LEVEL THINKING: naming objects, matching visuals to words, identifying objects in TPR activity, interview classmate w/set of questions
HIGHER LEVEL THINKING: comparing L1 & L2 cultural perspectives, debating an issue, enacting a spontaneous role-play, creating a travel brocure

Question 12

How can Bloom’s Taxonomy help teachers plan effectively?

Answer 12

1) promotes active learning / common language for SLOs
2) understand level of thinking required in class objectives/activities
3) move students to higher-order thinking (complexity vs difficulty)

Question 13

Explain the difference between “complexity” and “difficulty” in learning, according to Sousa (2006).

Answer 13

COMPLEXITY: thought process the brain uses to process info

DIFFICULTY: amt of effort learner must expend WITHIN the level of complexity to accomplish the learning objective

Question 14

What are four main questions you should ask yourself as you approach unit and lesson planning as you strive to maintain the TL while promoting Bloom’s Taxonomy an authentic texts??

Answer 14

1) what characteristics should my teacher talk or L2 input have?
2) how should I respond to what students say?
3) what should I keep in mind as I select oral/printed texts?
4) how can I integrate language and content into my teaching?

Question 15

Explain the term “discourse.”

Answer 15

• back-and-fourth communication of thoughts by means of a connected series of utterances shared through social interactions and collaboration.
• builds on understanding, which has come to be over time and various situations with both the students and the teachers acting as speakers and listeners throughout communication

Question 16

Classroom discourse is often limited to lexical chaining. Explain the term “lexical chaining.”

What can teachers do to facilitate student communicative development?

Answer 16

linking of utterances through the use of the same or similar words that has no connection to any larger topically related goal

• in class: no foundation upon which students could add to and extend the talk in a meaningful way: only yes/no type answers
• teacher talk must not only be in TL, but also contribute to development of topic/larger activity-based communicative goal
• participants need to share communicative goals, recognize goals as legitimate, and understand how each participant’s actions move the interaction forward

Question 17

Explain the classroom discourse acronym “IRE” and its purpose.

Answer 17

teacher INITIATES an assertion or asks a question
student RESPONDS
teacher EVALUATES by giving an evaluative statement such as “very good’ or asking same/similar question of another student

purpose of IRE: teacher discovery if student knows specific material
-leads to mechanical, topically disjointed talk and limited student involvement; does not lead to interpersonal communication as defined in standard 1.1

Question 18

Explain the classroom discourse acronym “IRF” and its purpose.

Answer 18

teacher INITIATES assertion or asks a question
student RESPONDS
teacher provides FEEDBACK in order to encourage students to think and to perform at higher levels (“tell me more!”)

• teacher uses “assisting questions” to push to higher levels
• students experience turn-taking as opposed to being called on

Question 19

Why should teachers strive for classroom discourse that follows the “IRF” rather than “IRE” pattern?

Answer 19

IRF: teacher initiates / student responds / teacher feedback w/assisting questions pushing to higher level
IRE: teacher initiates / student responds / teacher evaluates (bien!)

-teacher should simulate real convo; students benefit from opportunities to assume responsibility for taking conversational turn rather than raising a hand and waiting to be called upon by the teacher

Question 20

How can teachers incorporate more IRF into their teaching?

Answer 20

• plan curriculum w/interesting contexts anchored in communication
• engage students in meaningful interaction thru assisting questions
• change bellwork: introduce interesting/personal topic (ie: upcoming dance, fb game) and engage only a few students in discussion where they take multiple terms (rest observe)
• plan opportunities for students to acquire info (aka info-gap act)
• seek students’ input for topics; teach students how to make feedback moves in an exchange

Question 21

Explain Oller’s Episode Hypothesis.

Answer 21

Text (discourse in any form) will be easier to reproduce, understand, and recall, to the extent that it is motivated and structured episodically

Question 22

Episodic organization has two aspects: motivation and logical structure. Explain what this means.

Answer 22

motivation: affect; text w/motivation has purpose, holds attention/interest, introduces conflict, not dull/boring

logical structure: has characteristics of a good story and connects meaningfully to our experience in the world

Question 23

What is the definition of an “authentic text?”

Answer 23

written and oral communications produced BY members of a language and culture group FOR members of the same language and culture group

Question 24

Explain the difference between:

1) unauthentic scripted texts
2) authentic segments
3) semiscripted segments

Answer 24

1) prepared, scripted out and recorded; context = artificial
2) prepared BY/FOR native speakers, NOT for learning purposes
3) recorded by native speakers who speak spontaneously within a situation they are given (similar to role-play). NOT authentic, but have many features of this such as negotiation of meaning, normal rate of speech, etc).

Question 25

Explain the difference between Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and Content-Related Instruction (CRI).

Answer 25

CBI: takes responsibility for teaching a specific portion of the regular school curriculum for that grade level in the TL.
CRI: uses some of the concepts or topics from the regular curriculum as the vehicle for integrating content

Question 26

In sum, in planning for meaningful, standards-based instruction, the teacher should consider:

Answer 26

1) maximum opportunities to hear meaningful TL teacher talk
2) how IRF can be incorporated to promote meaningful discourse
3) nature of oral/printed texts (integrated episodically? authenticity?)
4) context: integrate and develop both SLA and content knowledge

Question 27

Explain “backward design” or “top-down” planning.

Answer 27

-approach to planning that begins w/a focus on end result desired.

STAGE 1: identify desired result
STAGE 2: determine acceptable evidence
STAGE 3: plan learning experiences and instruction

Question 28

Explain the term “story-form” in relation to curriculum.

Answer 28

desired end result drives creation of unit, lesson and assessment

BEGINNING: motivation; engagement of learner
MIDDLE: activity toward a goal; participation by the learner
END: learner outcome/product/solution/resolution/achievement

Question 29

Explain the term “advance organizers.”

Answer 29

appropriately relevant and inclusive introductory materials that are maximally clear and stable, introduced in advance of the learning material itself, used to facilitate establishing a meaningful learning set.
ex: visuals, pre-listening/reading activity