Language Teacher Meeting - Introduction to Research

I've been asked to share the research projects with my language teaching colleagues. This was what my session was based on:

The Ministry of Education is wanting to improve the second language programmes for Years 7&8 students. As a precursor to this, they have contracted the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education to research how second languages are being taught, and how might the quality and effectiveness of may be improved. The project is called the 'Teaching and Learning Research Initiative Project (TLRI)', focusing on, 'enhancing the intercultural capability of students of additional languages in NZ's intermediate schools'.

Over the two days, we discussed the principles behind language teaching as well as hearing from several students completing research projects on second language learning. For me, the most enlightening part was learning about the research done in 2010 on Intercultural communicative language teaching by Newton, Yates, Shearn, & Nowitzki.

The Six Newton et al. Principles

Intercultural communicative language teaching:

1. Integrates language and culture from the beginning
2. Engages learners in genuine social interaction
3. Encourages and develops an exploratory and reflective approach to culture and culture-in-language
4. Fosters explicit comparisons and connections between languages and cultures
5. Acknowledges and responds appropriately to diverse learners and learning contexts
6. Emphasises communicative competence rather than native-speaker competence

These principles are seen as superseding the Ellis Principles for Instructed Second-language Acquisition.

Prior to the workshop, I have always felt inadequate about my Japanese knowledge, because it is many years since I have had to use any more than very basic Japanese. Therefore, principle 6 was very important to me, as it made me realise that not only don't I have to be perfect in my knowledge and teaching, but I also don't have to pressure my students for perfection either - communication is the key. Just as I am able to understand people trying to communicate in broken and grammar-wise, incorrect English, so will Japanese people be able to understand our messages. Understanding this lifted a real burden off me - my goal is to understand and be understood, not to sound like a native speaker.

So what is culture?

The biggest takeaway for me so far is that it is just as important to be raising students’ cultural awareness as it is to be teaching the language itself.  I also am more aware of including similarities as well as differences. I think this dovetails into IB’s ‘International Mindedness’ nicely.