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TitleCreating Your Own Data Sets
SourceCASLS Activity of the Week
Body

This week, we depart from our normal, student-centered activity to provide educators with a possible procedural approach for creating data sets for themselves and their students to use when analyzing language in class.

Procedure:

  1. Identify the language function that you wish to teach in class. If you are unsure where to begin, the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements (https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Can-Do_Statements_2015.pdf) provide great examples.
  2. Find authentic examples of the language function in practice to share with the class. Language corpora are good places to start and can be used to search for certain words or symbols you would expect to appear in the function. The Corpus of Contemporary American English (http://corpus.byu.edu/coca/) is a great example and is perfect for teachers of English Language Learners. Also, Linguee (http://www.linguee.com/) an online dictionary available in many language, provides examples of target vocabulary in use. Alternatively, you may use video clips and other media located online.
  3. Engage your students in an observation phase of the language function. Allow them to induce what they see and understand about the function. This discussion can be focused on deciphering the vocabulary and structures needed to engage in the act.  Alternatively, prod them with questions to look beyond word meaning (i.e., decipher tone or illocutionary force (intent) of the act).
  4. Provide the students opportunities to practice the speech act in question. Vary the contexts within which they practice the act so that they get a good idea of how it may change given audience, format of delivery, and the like. A great method for engaging in this exploration is to have the students work through a RAFT protocol (http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/raft-writing-template-30633.html) either in the traditional, written format or orally.
  5. Provide direct feedback and/or an opportunity for peer review. This review can also come from outside sources (such as a conversation partner at WeSpeke.com).
  6. Allow the learners to engage in more opportunities for practice and refinement.

Notes:

  • To increase learner autonomy, allow learners to build their own data sets/ mini language corpora. These corpora can be specifically related to classroom language learning targets or related to individual learning targets.
  • This procedural approach is focused on analyzing various language functions, but could easily be adapted to the incorporation of any research in the classroom. For example, learners could analyze multiple articles written from different perspectives about contemporary, hot-button issues in lieu of analyzing a specific language functions.
  • This procedural approach was greatly influenced by Ishihara and Cohen (2012) and Moeller, Thieler, and Wu (2012). Check the sources out for more information.

Citations

Ishihara, N. & Cohen, A. (2012). Teaching and learning pragmatics: Where language and culture meet. London and New York: Routledge.

Moeller, A. J., Theiler, J.M., & Wu, C. (2011) Goal setting and student Achievement: A longitudinal study. The Modern Language Journal, 96 (ii), 153-169.

Publishdate2017-07-31 02:15:01