Teaching Vocabulary in the Primary Classroom through CLIL Krista Kri sta Irelan Irelandd- Sept. Sept. 27 27th, 2007
“80% of the language met for the first time is lost within 24 hours.” -The Brain Book by Peter Russell This session session deals with analyzing the role of vocabulary vocabulary in CLIL in both the presentation and retention of vocabulary.
What is CLIL? “Learn as you use and use as you learn.” -David Marsh UNICOM Content & Language Integrated Learning (CLIL ) began as a grassroots movement towards making language learning more meaningful and immediately useful. It thus attends to and combines aspects of learning and intelligence theories proposed by Piaget, Bloom, Feuerstein, Skinner, Bruner, Ausabel, Vigotsky, Gardner and Sternberg in a Socio-Constructivist framework.
Why CLIL? • CLIL CLIL uses uses a cros crosss-cur curric ricula ularr ffocu ocus so off usin using g another language to do tasks and study the contents of different subject areas . • CLIL CLIL foc focus uses es on th the e uti utilit lity y of of a prac practi tical cal application in the work place in the future. • CLIL CLIL uses uses comm communi unica catio tion n in th the ec clas lassro sroom om fo forr an immediate purpose where knowledge is built daily. • CLIL CLIL eas easily ily integ integrat rates es th the e Com Commo mon n Euro Europea pean n Framework, the European Union 2010 Objectives in its focus as well as easily catering to LOE requirements.
What does CLIL offer to educators and students? • • • • • •
A plurilingual framework for language learning. Over 100 different models co-existing in the EU. Flexible dual-focused integration of contents and language. Stimulating inter-disciplinary tasks and global learning. Meaningful hands-on approach in the classroom. Learner centred activities and task based learning such as: • • • • • •
• • • •
minds- on and hands-on activities songs and games experiential tasks projects and written records of language and observations reports and presentations varied approaches to evaluation individually, in groups, by the teacher, etc.
The possibility of meaningful integration of ICT-resources to share results. The framework to easily promote team work and cooperation. Preparation of pupils to compete successfully for internationally oriented posts and higher education. Enhanced tolerance and respect towards different cultures.
How does CLIL help vocabulary retention and storage? CLIL combats decay theory (forgetfulness due to disuse) by: • Frequently recycling language by giving more classroom hours in L2. • Building knowledge naturally through content into the syllabus design. • Providing a framework that allows for strategies and techniques from other methods and approaches in order to consolidate knowledge in a cross-curricular approach.
How does CLIL help us retrieve information more easily? CLIL combats cue dependent theory (forgetfulness due to not being able to retrieve or recall the information) by: • • • • • • • •
Presenting language in different learning contexts. Reviewing or associating lexis with more situations. This constructs different channels in order to retrieve information more quickly. Attending to Multiple Intelligences by using a cross-curricular focus. Providing meaningful learning (starting from Ss level, interests, reality). Using strategies of guided discovery. Adding more cognitive elements-sight, touch, taste, smell, movement such as in TPR. Offering the possibility to incorporate many other learning strategies. Providing activities that develop cognitive thinking skills to help store the information more efficiently and develop intelligence.
Minds on! Observation of art techniques in L2
Hands on! Guided experimentation Controlled practice using language and content
Hands on! Individual project Freer experimentation and communication practice
Project work Further practice enhancing cooperation and communication skills
Written vocabulary record Cognitive approaches to memory and storage
Self- evaluation Guided diary to promote reflection on progress and language learning
How do we choose vocabulary to teach in CLIL? Lexical needs and choices for reception and production (5-7 items/session)
Contents and language from curricular analysis
Analysis of the students needs and level: Linguistic, cognitive & psychological
Frequency of words in the subject
The contents determine the use of language: • History uses the past tense quite frequently and is both abstract and difficult linguistically for young learners. • Physical Education uses the imperative quite frequently for instructions, (can/ can’t or must/mustn’t for rules, etc .) Also the use of phrasal verbs for actions is quite frequent. Videos can be used as support for instructions to show how to play a popular game or sport thus facilitating the presentation of content. TPR as a methodology fit in well with this area. •
The contents determine the use of language: • Art, like Physical Education, requires observation of a target art product together with language needed to follow instructions in the imperative doing different actions and using varied materials. In the classroom sharing materials means being able to ask for them using questions. Another typical activity is that we describe artwork (has got + colours, shapes, types of lines ) and give our opinions about it (likes and dislikes feelings, etc .) Art enriches the linguistic process since the final out come is a tangible artistic product. Student’s feel motivated by having created a work of art or craft on their own.
The contents determine the use of language: •
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Science traditionally has had a more of a rote learning approach until the introduction of laboratory resources and materials to do hands experiments to observe in class. This approach is very helpful in CLIL since it starts from a context. Creating a context for learning in the classroom greatly facilitates the learning process. It help learn how to observe the world around us in a new way and categorizing what we see. The present simple is often used to describe the permanent qualities of matter, behaviour of animals, plants, minerals, etc. The passive voice is also one of the most frequent structures found. Establishing semantic fields to create categories such as distinguishing differences between mammals, birds, reptiles, insects through observation is common. Also, understanding word construction and the use of bound morphemes such as prefixes and suffixes is quite helpful. All content areas take into account: multiword verbs, idioms, collocation, word-building, pronunciation, the grammar of vocabulary, morphemes (free & bound)
How do textbooks help organize vocabulary and language? Textbooks are useful for: • • • • • • •
Outlining course and curricular objectives. Organizing language and contents simultaneously. Facilitating department and cycle coordination. Developing balanced units. Helping set lesson goals using an international standard in education: Bloom’s Taxonomy of cognitive competences. Providing meaningful tasks for vocabulary storage and retention. Proposing ideas to help develop cognitive and multiple intelligence using the language and vocabulary needed.
1. Knowledge or the ability to recall information Task objectives: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state, tell, describe, identify, show, label, collect, examine, tabulate, quote, name: who, when, where, etc. Students are able to: • Observe and recall of information. • Show knowledge of dates, events, places. • Show knowledge of major ideas. • Show mastery of subject matter. - from B. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
2. Comprehend or interpret information in one’s own words Task objectives: Classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate, summarize, describe, interpret, contrast, predict, associate, distinguish, estimate, differentiate, discuss, extend while understanding information. Students are able to: • Grasp meaning. • Translate knowledge into new context. • Interpret facts, compare, contrast. • Order, group, infer causes. • Predict consequences. - from B. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
3. Application or use of knowledge in a novel situation Task objectives: Apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use calculate, complete, illustrate, show, solve, examine, modify, relate, change, classify, experiment, discover. Students are able to: • Use information. • Use methods, concepts, theories in new situations. • Solve problems using required skills or knowledge. - from B. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
4. HOTS! Analyze or break down knowledge and show interrelationships Task objectives: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question , test, separate, order, explain, connect, classify, arrange, divide, compare, select, explain, infer. Students are able to: • See patterns. • Organize parts. • Recognize hidden meaning. • Identify components. - from B. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
5. HOTS! Synthesize knowledge to form a whole and solve a problem Task objectives: Arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up, combine, integrate, modify, rearrange, substitute, plan, create, design, invent, what if?, compose, formulate, prepare, generalize, rewrite. Students are able to: • Use old ideas to create new ones. • Generalize from given facts. • Relate knowledge from several areas. • Predict and draw conclusions. - from B. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
6. HOTS! Evaluate or judge on the basis of criteria Task objectives: Appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, judge, predict, rate, select, support, value, evaluate, decide, rank, grade, test, measure, recommend, convince, select, judge, explain, discriminate, support, conclude, compare, summarize. Students are able to: • Compare and discriminate between ideas. • Assess value of theories and presentations. • Make choices based on reasoned arguments. • Verify the value of evidence. • Recognize subjectivity. - from B. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
What cognitive skills are developed in this unit from Essential Science?
Written records: from vocabulary storage to project reports Written records: • Need to be flexible to attend to our students needs. • Can be comprised of both the textbook and a personalized notebook or binder. • Need to provide a record for future reference. • Are more stimulating when they are more personalized enhancing student involvement. • Need to include one or more of the following: a picture, written definition, translation, example of use, phonology, definition of the parts of speech. • Can include sections for: • • • • • • •
Individual words and definitions Semantic groups and images (stickers, magazines, student’s drawings, etc.) Grammatical categories (phrasal verbs, adjectives, irregular verbs, etc.) Functional categories ( classroom functions, dialogue flow charts, etc.) Projects, experiments and observations Language rules and contents Evaluation (self evaluation grid, diary dialogue with the teacher, group evaluation)
Projects and Experiments Essential Science 2
