Reflection: Elements of Effective Language Teaching Reflecting on language classes you have previously participated in, either as a learner

or teacher, what do you consider to be the key characteristics of a successful languages lesson? A successful language lesson must have clear aims of achievement and not just be about entertainment; of course, it should also be engaging for pupils. It must help develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. The lessons must aim for progression and be well linked. Eventually, they must go beyond just teaching language in chunks and allow pupils to use the language as a tool of expression and creativity. What do you think is more important in language acquisition: accuracy or fluency? In the beginning, it is especially important for pupils to build confidence in their speaking. It is appropriate to avoid over-correcting pupils at this stage as this can inhibit their learning. However, teachers should be careful not to allow their pupils to continually make the same errors as they may become fossilised. Once pupils start to progress in their learning, and start to become more fluent, they should begin to focus on accuracy but again, should accept small errors as this is expected at this stage of learning.

How do you define accuracy? How do you define fluency? In speaking, accuracy is the ability to communicate in a language correctly with the use of conventional grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Fluency is the ability to speak a language with the correct pace, connected speech, intonation and stress. Can we have one without the other? In communication, they work together to help make the speakers ideas known. One needs to find a balance between the two. If a speaker is too focused on accuracy, their fluency might be stilted, and they may not get their ideas across well, or might be hard to listen to. If they abandon concern for accuracy, the listener may not understand the speaker or may misinterpret the information. Should the language teacher always correct errors? Teachers should make educated decisions about when and how to correct errors. The teacher should be aware that hot error corrections, or on the spot corrections, might be overly intrusive to a conversation or might affect the speakers confidence. However, if the errors impede understanding or the same errors are made frequently (leading to fossilisation), then it would be necessary to correct on the spot. Cold error corrections, or errors discussed after a lesson, can be effective as the student who made the error can remain anonymous (only they may know they made the error); this can help protect a speaker s confidence. The downside to this is that it has shown to be less effective than hot error correction. How important do you think grammar is in the teaching of primary languages? Why?

Very young learners immersed in a language do not need to know grammar to learn the language. Around the age of 7, most lose this capacity for learning without knowing the grammar. Because schools do not have the ability to create a truly immersive environment, they should resort to teaching grammar alongside vocabulary, as this necessary if children are to begin manipulating the language. Teachers should be careful how they teacher grammar, making sure it is not taught in isolation and that it is made fun. Do you consider it important to promote all four language skills in the primary languages classroom? Why/ not? Yes, it is important to teach all four skills, especially as they can assist each other; i.e. many learners find it helpful to see the written word while learning how to say it. The timing in which these skill are taught is also important; for languages that are less phonetic, it is often better for pupils to see the word long after they learn how to say it. The extent to which pupils focus on the skills depends on where they are in their learning journey. At very early stages, it is better to build up confidence in their speaking and listening first. What do you consider to be the key challenges of teaching languages to young children? Very young learners are still learning their native language, so they may not have developed their vocabulary or may still make grammar errors. They often have shorter attention spans so activities need to be fast paced. Can learning a second language in a primary classroom environment contribute to the development of a childs first language? How/ why not? Yes, it has been shown that learning another language let learners make comparisons between the languages and how they are comprised. This gives them tools to be able to manipulate their own in create ways. Choose one of the following, and think about how you might define it: literacy; oracy; knowledge about language; language learning strategies. Language learning strategies are the strategies that are used to make language learning easier and more time effective. While pupils can learn by participating in activities in the classroom, having certain strategies, such as keeping vocabulary notebooks, or looking up words they do not know in a dictionary, can help their learning. What do you understand by the term intercultural understanding and what this might mean in classroom practice? Language learning has come to mean more than just learning a language, but also learning about the culture where that language is spoken. It can help open up the world to pupils and allow them to draw comparisons between countries, leading to a better understanding of what makes up their own culture. These are skills for any culture to develop as, in this increasingly globalized society, effective business and intercultural relations depends on it. Other issues you consider of relevance? Some primary schools may attempt to align their MFL with secondary schools in the area. Others will teach a language that is convenient for them; they may teach a particular language because

staff are comfortable with that language. Either way, learning a language allows pupils to develop language learning strategies and they will be able to use these for life, even if they learn another language in secondary school.