Monday, December 08, 2003
The Exquisite Corpse
The Exquisite Corpse is traditionally a visual art exercise: students contribute individual drawings to make a finished piece, but nobody knows what anyone else?s part looks like until the exercise is complete. In this version, the medium will be the written word instead of the drawn picture. It would probably be most suitable for students with at least an intermediate proficiency level in a foreign language.
Procedure:
Each student is provided with a different interesting picture from a French magazine and a blank piece of paper. Based on the picture, each student writes the beginning of a story (only 2-3 sentences) in French. Creativity and clarity are much more important than correct grammar. Next, each student folds his piece of paper horizontally so that only the last line of what he wrote shows, and then gives his paper to another student in the classroom. After switching papers, students will read the last line (the part that is not hidden) of the paper he has received, and construct another 2-3 sentences of the story based on what he has read. The students repeat this process 6 times, so the last person knows to provide a sort of conclusion, and the stories end up being 12-18 sentences in length. The stories are returned to the person who wrote the first sentences. Next, students get into groups of 4-5 and share their stories with each other. As a group, the students communicate in French to choose what they believe is the best, most interesting, or funniest story to share with the class. Each group works together to correct grammar mistakes in the story, while the teacher circulates to provide suggestions and help. Finally, each group shares its story with the class, reading out loud in French with other group members acting out the story. If none of the group members feel comfortable acting, they can simply take turns reading.
Rationale:
--from Krashen, the learning/acquisition hypothesis: the students will acquire the language (subconsciously) when they discuss the stories with their groups and share the stories with the class. They will learn the language (consciously) when they edit their stories from grammar correctness.
--from the variable competence theory, the concept that ?language learning reflects language use? and ?language is considered dually as a process and as a product.? This exercise is a process because the students must make some sort of sense with their stories, and it is a product because they participate in both spontaneous writing activities and planned verbal activities.
--from the interaction hypothesis, the idea of modified interaction: the students work in groups to correct their own grammar mistakes
o also, the teacher provides scaffolding (concept proposed by Vyzotsky) by monitoring students? progress
The Exquisite Corpse is traditionally a visual art exercise: students contribute individual drawings to make a finished piece, but nobody knows what anyone else?s part looks like until the exercise is complete. In this version, the medium will be the written word instead of the drawn picture. It would probably be most suitable for students with at least an intermediate proficiency level in a foreign language.
Procedure:
Each student is provided with a different interesting picture from a French magazine and a blank piece of paper. Based on the picture, each student writes the beginning of a story (only 2-3 sentences) in French. Creativity and clarity are much more important than correct grammar. Next, each student folds his piece of paper horizontally so that only the last line of what he wrote shows, and then gives his paper to another student in the classroom. After switching papers, students will read the last line (the part that is not hidden) of the paper he has received, and construct another 2-3 sentences of the story based on what he has read. The students repeat this process 6 times, so the last person knows to provide a sort of conclusion, and the stories end up being 12-18 sentences in length. The stories are returned to the person who wrote the first sentences. Next, students get into groups of 4-5 and share their stories with each other. As a group, the students communicate in French to choose what they believe is the best, most interesting, or funniest story to share with the class. Each group works together to correct grammar mistakes in the story, while the teacher circulates to provide suggestions and help. Finally, each group shares its story with the class, reading out loud in French with other group members acting out the story. If none of the group members feel comfortable acting, they can simply take turns reading.
Rationale:
--from Krashen, the learning/acquisition hypothesis: the students will acquire the language (subconsciously) when they discuss the stories with their groups and share the stories with the class. They will learn the language (consciously) when they edit their stories from grammar correctness.
--from the variable competence theory, the concept that ?language learning reflects language use? and ?language is considered dually as a process and as a product.? This exercise is a process because the students must make some sort of sense with their stories, and it is a product because they participate in both spontaneous writing activities and planned verbal activities.
--from the interaction hypothesis, the idea of modified interaction: the students work in groups to correct their own grammar mistakes
o also, the teacher provides scaffolding (concept proposed by Vyzotsky) by monitoring students? progress
Fun with Grammr (Yes, Really)
I. PROCEDURE
The purpose of this strategy is to help students remember a grammar rule so that it becomes automatized.
After presenting a grammar rule, make up a sentence that models the use of that rule correctly. The sentence should be interesting, funny, or silly. (For example, to illustrate the rule of changing ?des? to ?de? before a plural adjective that precedes a plural noun: Il y a de grands moustiques ? la Martinique!) First say the phrase and ask students to repeat after you so that they hear the correct pronunciation and practice saying the phrase. Then divide the class into 2 groups (ie freshmen versus sophomores, boys versus girls) and ask each group to repeat the phrases 2-3 times. Next, have each student act out the phrase in some way and say it at the same time. (For example, with the moustique sentence, students could stand up and pretend to slap a mosquito on their arm. Or, the teacher could put pictures of mosquitoes on the blackboard and have each student slap them with a flyswatter and say the sentence.) Finally, ask students to repeat the phrase in between lesson segments, before they leave class, at the beginning of the next class, etc.
II. RATIONALE
? from Krashen: the affective filter is lowered because the students get to be loud and the sentence is fun. It is important that everyone has to do the same thing, so no one gets singled out or feels stupid doing something silly.
? from cognitive theory: ?all learning?involves the building up of activation patterns of memory nodes through consistent practice.? Thus, the repetition and recall that is key to this strategy will help students remember the rule.
? from cognitive theory: when automatization occurs, language is restructured, allowing more ?brain room? for processing harder tasks. In addition, automatization does not occur unless the language is meaningful. By using a creative example sentence, adding an element of competition, and including physical movement, the language becomes meaningful for the students, thus increasing the chance of automatization and giving students greater ability to do more complex exercises.
? from variable competence theory: progress in L2 happens when rules that were at first not automatic become automatized. This strategy helps autmomatize grammar rules, as explained above.
? from the interaction hypothesis: ?development of linguistic rules should happen through interactive communication, not in-class grammar drills.? Although this strategy begins with an explicit explanation of a grammar rule, the creative repletion and activities help the students actually remember it, because it arouses their emotions and includes repetition.
I. PROCEDURE
The purpose of this strategy is to help students remember a grammar rule so that it becomes automatized.
After presenting a grammar rule, make up a sentence that models the use of that rule correctly. The sentence should be interesting, funny, or silly. (For example, to illustrate the rule of changing ?des? to ?de? before a plural adjective that precedes a plural noun: Il y a de grands moustiques ? la Martinique!) First say the phrase and ask students to repeat after you so that they hear the correct pronunciation and practice saying the phrase. Then divide the class into 2 groups (ie freshmen versus sophomores, boys versus girls) and ask each group to repeat the phrases 2-3 times. Next, have each student act out the phrase in some way and say it at the same time. (For example, with the moustique sentence, students could stand up and pretend to slap a mosquito on their arm. Or, the teacher could put pictures of mosquitoes on the blackboard and have each student slap them with a flyswatter and say the sentence.) Finally, ask students to repeat the phrase in between lesson segments, before they leave class, at the beginning of the next class, etc.
II. RATIONALE
? from Krashen: the affective filter is lowered because the students get to be loud and the sentence is fun. It is important that everyone has to do the same thing, so no one gets singled out or feels stupid doing something silly.
? from cognitive theory: ?all learning?involves the building up of activation patterns of memory nodes through consistent practice.? Thus, the repetition and recall that is key to this strategy will help students remember the rule.
? from cognitive theory: when automatization occurs, language is restructured, allowing more ?brain room? for processing harder tasks. In addition, automatization does not occur unless the language is meaningful. By using a creative example sentence, adding an element of competition, and including physical movement, the language becomes meaningful for the students, thus increasing the chance of automatization and giving students greater ability to do more complex exercises.
? from variable competence theory: progress in L2 happens when rules that were at first not automatic become automatized. This strategy helps autmomatize grammar rules, as explained above.
? from the interaction hypothesis: ?development of linguistic rules should happen through interactive communication, not in-class grammar drills.? Although this strategy begins with an explicit explanation of a grammar rule, the creative repletion and activities help the students actually remember it, because it arouses their emotions and includes repetition.
The Animal Name Game
This activity would be similar to the name game that teachers sometimes play to help their students learn each others? names, but in this case it would be used to help students learn vocabulary about animals.
This game requires: signs with animal names written on them that can be worn around the neck, a rubber ball (or anything else that can be easily thrown around a room) and a sort of low-budget ?costume? for each student?meaning a hairband with a pair of paper animal ears attached or a store-bought rubber animal nose.
To start, students would stand up in a circle around the room, and each student would wear an animal costume plus the appropriate sign for their animal. Then, they would toss the ball around the room, saying the name of their animal first, and then the name of the animal to who they are tossing the ball. For example, if ?Le Cheval? (?Horse?) caught the ball and then threw it to ?Le Chien? (?Dog?) he would say, ?Le cheval, le chien.? (?Horse, dog.?)
As students learn the words, they can continue the game but take away the signs that they are wearing.
In addition, after learning the meanings of the vocabulary, the teacher could stress correct article usage (masculine vs. feminine) by making the game more competitive and having the students sit down if they use an incorrect article.
Finally, the game can be applied with more advanced students by using more complex vocabulary plus whole sentences instead of just words (ie, ?Horse bounces the ball to Dog? or ?Horse throws the ball to Dog.?
Rationale:
--from the Affective Filter Hypothesis: because the students are
all doing the same thing together (versus the class focusing on one or two students? performance), they should experience less anxiety. Also, the simple fact that everyone will look a little silly should lighten the atmosphere of the class and help reduce stress.
--from the Cognitive Theory: by including repetition and increasing difficulty, this strategy utilizes the concept that SLA relies upon memory that is acquired by a slow transition from conscious processing to automatic processing.
--from the Interaction Hypothesis: this strategy uses student interaction rather than direct, teacher-focused learning to teach vocabulary
This activity would be similar to the name game that teachers sometimes play to help their students learn each others? names, but in this case it would be used to help students learn vocabulary about animals.
This game requires: signs with animal names written on them that can be worn around the neck, a rubber ball (or anything else that can be easily thrown around a room) and a sort of low-budget ?costume? for each student?meaning a hairband with a pair of paper animal ears attached or a store-bought rubber animal nose.
To start, students would stand up in a circle around the room, and each student would wear an animal costume plus the appropriate sign for their animal. Then, they would toss the ball around the room, saying the name of their animal first, and then the name of the animal to who they are tossing the ball. For example, if ?Le Cheval? (?Horse?) caught the ball and then threw it to ?Le Chien? (?Dog?) he would say, ?Le cheval, le chien.? (?Horse, dog.?)
As students learn the words, they can continue the game but take away the signs that they are wearing.
In addition, after learning the meanings of the vocabulary, the teacher could stress correct article usage (masculine vs. feminine) by making the game more competitive and having the students sit down if they use an incorrect article.
Finally, the game can be applied with more advanced students by using more complex vocabulary plus whole sentences instead of just words (ie, ?Horse bounces the ball to Dog? or ?Horse throws the ball to Dog.?
Rationale:
--from the Affective Filter Hypothesis: because the students are
all doing the same thing together (versus the class focusing on one or two students? performance), they should experience less anxiety. Also, the simple fact that everyone will look a little silly should lighten the atmosphere of the class and help reduce stress.
--from the Cognitive Theory: by including repetition and increasing difficulty, this strategy utilizes the concept that SLA relies upon memory that is acquired by a slow transition from conscious processing to automatic processing.
--from the Interaction Hypothesis: this strategy uses student interaction rather than direct, teacher-focused learning to teach vocabulary
