Monday, December 08, 2003
Diderot dit…
Activity:
“Diderot dit” is a French version of the American game “Simon says.” This is a nice way to get students to be more physically active in a controlled way, and to develop their listening skills in the foreign language. The leader can choose words or actions that are applicable to the concepts students are learning.
By naming the game after a French philosopher, you can explain the person’s identity when you introduce the game, and students are inherently learning about French history.
Materials:
Anything needed for the actions the students will perform.
Procedure:
A leader says “diderot dit” followed by a command for action. Students must follow the command or they are “out”. If the leader gives a command without prefacing it with “Diderot dit,” students should not follow it; if they do, they are “out”. The leader can mimic the action or not. Traditionally, the last person standing is the next leader.
SLA Theory:
Krashen states that learning is enhanced when the affective filter is lowered. The fun and potentially silly aspect of this game would lower the affective filter. In addition, students are not performing on their own but as part of a group, and so are less intimidated.
The Variable Competence theory states that there is a difference between what students understand and what they can apply. Allowing students to become leaders would further develop their competence.
The Cognitive theory states that learning moves from controlled processing to automatic processing. Students begin with controlled processing in this activity, but as they become more comfortable with the actions may move to having an automatic response to a command.
Long’s interaction hypothesis:
Comprehension checks are available through interaction; vocabulary is understood through meaningful interplay and not rote learning.
Activity:
“Diderot dit” is a French version of the American game “Simon says.” This is a nice way to get students to be more physically active in a controlled way, and to develop their listening skills in the foreign language. The leader can choose words or actions that are applicable to the concepts students are learning.
By naming the game after a French philosopher, you can explain the person’s identity when you introduce the game, and students are inherently learning about French history.
Materials:
Anything needed for the actions the students will perform.
Procedure:
A leader says “diderot dit” followed by a command for action. Students must follow the command or they are “out”. If the leader gives a command without prefacing it with “Diderot dit,” students should not follow it; if they do, they are “out”. The leader can mimic the action or not. Traditionally, the last person standing is the next leader.
SLA Theory:
Krashen states that learning is enhanced when the affective filter is lowered. The fun and potentially silly aspect of this game would lower the affective filter. In addition, students are not performing on their own but as part of a group, and so are less intimidated.
The Variable Competence theory states that there is a difference between what students understand and what they can apply. Allowing students to become leaders would further develop their competence.
The Cognitive theory states that learning moves from controlled processing to automatic processing. Students begin with controlled processing in this activity, but as they become more comfortable with the actions may move to having an automatic response to a command.
Long’s interaction hypothesis:
Comprehension checks are available through interaction; vocabulary is understood through meaningful interplay and not rote learning.
Strategy Sharing
Laura Stanley
October 27, 2003
EDIS 548
Storybook Theater
Procedure:
Begin by dividing students into groups of 3-5. Each group is given an envelope with four phrases inside. The group must arrange the sentences to create a story. For example, if you were concentrating on nursery rhymes, the phrases might be ?Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall? ?Humpty Dumpty had a great fall? etc. In their group, the students must arrange the phrases to form a logical story. The students then choose a ?reader? and actors in the group, and perform their story.
Pre-Workshop activity:
Teacher preparation includes creating the envelopes, creating the groups, and assigning (if necessary) roles for each student in the group, such as reader, actor, etc.
Underlying principles:
Universal Grammar: According to Chomsky, students have a Language Acquisition Device in their brain; with the envelopes and the directions I am providing environmental input for them to process. This should aid them in resetting their grammar parameters from that of English to that of the target language.
Input hypothesis: by having an element of fantasy and sillyness, the students? affective filter will be lowered. By working in a group, students may feel less embarrassed and should be able to focus on the target language. In addition, the input hypothesis holds that acquisition happens at i+1, Vygotsky?s Zone of Proximal Development; the phrases & concepts used in the activity are just above the functioning of students. Connectionism: (McClelland) there are multiple associations between input and desired output. The students read the story, hear the directions, see their classmates act, and physically move.
Interaction theory: The interaction is of a dynamic nature. Comprehensible input is the result of modified interaction; as the students read the story and progress to performing the moves, they are interacting with each other, albeit in a slightly scripted way.
Laura Stanley
October 6, 2003
EDIS 548
Dance Workshop:
Depending on the maturity and cooperation of students, I suggest teaching a dance from a culture which speaks the target language. This allows students? energy to be channeled positively into learning the language. In essence, this is a TPR lesson based in culture.
Procedure: Begin by having a student locate the target country on your classroom map (use hot/cold directions to aid in location). Next, screen a section of a music video from the target culture which shows the dance step you wish to teach. The step should be no longer than 4 8-count sequences. Next, have the students stand in the classroom. Direct them through the first four steps, with simple commands (left foot forward, right hand back etc.) The dance can progress to joining a partner and mirroring their moves. Choosing the right complexity level of moves can help engage students.
Pre-Workshop activity:
The students should be slightly familiar with the vocabulary you will be using. Have them raise their right and left hands, right and left feet, and point to any body parts you will be discussing during the workshop.
Underlying principles:
Universal Grammar: According to Chomsky, students have a Language Acquisition Device in their brain; as a teacher I am providing environmental input for them to process. This should aid them in resetting their grammar parameters from that of English to that of the target language.
Input hypothesis: by introducing movement based in culture and music, the students? affective filter will be lowered; by all moving at the same time, they will not feel embarrassed and should be able to focus on the target language. In addition, the input hypothesis holds that acquisition happens at i+1; the phrases & concepts used in workshop are just above the functioning of students (in Vygotsky?s Zone of Proximal Development).
Connectionism: (McClelland) there are multiple associations between teacher input and desired output. The students see the movements, hear the directions and the music, and physically move.
Cognitive theory: There is a progression from controlled focused processing to more autonomous processing. As the students learn the dance, the language is contextualized to a certain situation. Once they have mastered the dance, they are able to describe their own movements.
Interaction theory: The interaction is of a dynamic nature. Comprehensible input is the result of modified interaction; as the students watch the video and progress to performing the moves, they are interacting with each other, albeit in a slightly scripted way.
Laura Stanley
October 27, 2003
EDIS 548
Storybook Theater
Procedure:
Begin by dividing students into groups of 3-5. Each group is given an envelope with four phrases inside. The group must arrange the sentences to create a story. For example, if you were concentrating on nursery rhymes, the phrases might be ?Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall? ?Humpty Dumpty had a great fall? etc. In their group, the students must arrange the phrases to form a logical story. The students then choose a ?reader? and actors in the group, and perform their story.
Pre-Workshop activity:
Teacher preparation includes creating the envelopes, creating the groups, and assigning (if necessary) roles for each student in the group, such as reader, actor, etc.
Underlying principles:
Universal Grammar: According to Chomsky, students have a Language Acquisition Device in their brain; with the envelopes and the directions I am providing environmental input for them to process. This should aid them in resetting their grammar parameters from that of English to that of the target language.
Input hypothesis: by having an element of fantasy and sillyness, the students? affective filter will be lowered. By working in a group, students may feel less embarrassed and should be able to focus on the target language. In addition, the input hypothesis holds that acquisition happens at i+1, Vygotsky?s Zone of Proximal Development; the phrases & concepts used in the activity are just above the functioning of students. Connectionism: (McClelland) there are multiple associations between input and desired output. The students read the story, hear the directions, see their classmates act, and physically move.
Interaction theory: The interaction is of a dynamic nature. Comprehensible input is the result of modified interaction; as the students read the story and progress to performing the moves, they are interacting with each other, albeit in a slightly scripted way.
Laura Stanley
October 6, 2003
EDIS 548
Dance Workshop:
Depending on the maturity and cooperation of students, I suggest teaching a dance from a culture which speaks the target language. This allows students? energy to be channeled positively into learning the language. In essence, this is a TPR lesson based in culture.
Procedure: Begin by having a student locate the target country on your classroom map (use hot/cold directions to aid in location). Next, screen a section of a music video from the target culture which shows the dance step you wish to teach. The step should be no longer than 4 8-count sequences. Next, have the students stand in the classroom. Direct them through the first four steps, with simple commands (left foot forward, right hand back etc.) The dance can progress to joining a partner and mirroring their moves. Choosing the right complexity level of moves can help engage students.
Pre-Workshop activity:
The students should be slightly familiar with the vocabulary you will be using. Have them raise their right and left hands, right and left feet, and point to any body parts you will be discussing during the workshop.
Underlying principles:
Universal Grammar: According to Chomsky, students have a Language Acquisition Device in their brain; as a teacher I am providing environmental input for them to process. This should aid them in resetting their grammar parameters from that of English to that of the target language.
Input hypothesis: by introducing movement based in culture and music, the students? affective filter will be lowered; by all moving at the same time, they will not feel embarrassed and should be able to focus on the target language. In addition, the input hypothesis holds that acquisition happens at i+1; the phrases & concepts used in workshop are just above the functioning of students (in Vygotsky?s Zone of Proximal Development).
Connectionism: (McClelland) there are multiple associations between teacher input and desired output. The students see the movements, hear the directions and the music, and physically move.
Cognitive theory: There is a progression from controlled focused processing to more autonomous processing. As the students learn the dance, the language is contextualized to a certain situation. Once they have mastered the dance, they are able to describe their own movements.
Interaction theory: The interaction is of a dynamic nature. Comprehensible input is the result of modified interaction; as the students watch the video and progress to performing the moves, they are interacting with each other, albeit in a slightly scripted way.
