Progression of learning a language

Progression of learning a language

3rd November, 2015
 

Adelle explores the natural progression of learning a new language

Update: the French student I am tutoring in English has his test this Saturday! I haven’t been able to see him face to face in the past two weeks, but regular phone calls and sending writing samples has kept up communication and he has improved so much! We have moved on from structures and now focus on specific vocabulary and grammar in his writing. He continues to use the structures I offered him and his writing now comes a lot more fluently. I am proud of what he has achieved and wish him all the best for this weekend!

When learning or teaching a new language to students, referring to the natural progression of language learning is a “can’t go wrong” structure. Coincidentally, the four key skills of the literacy curriculum are the same as the natural progression of learning a language. We focus on all four when teaching in schools.

Each language skill has a different set or coinciding set of sub-skills taught to master the main skills.

The natural progression is as follows;

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing

It makes sense!

The importance to communicate and understand aurally and orally before text skills is of great concern to any human.

I have been lucky enough to do some travel and have visited France frequently. I have connections with various teachers of primary school aged students and due to the common bi or tri-lingual skills of the majority of Europeans; they have been faced with some challenges. One in particular had a student who didn’t know a word of French. I asked her how she taught that student. Body language and voice was her response. Before pushing this student to meet the demands of a curriculum she had to first ensure he could understand direction and develop his communication. Through constant use of and exposure to the French language, as well as her using gestures and body language, her student had progressed so much in four months that he was level with her French national students. She nurtured his development of the language and put the curriculum aside until he was ready or she felt she could challenge him further. Indicating things, using actions and relying on body language was vital.

This inspired me. Children have the ability to learn so much and be influenced so quickly. They are brilliant beings who can absorb so much and I feel it’s so important to remember this. We as teachers have the responsibility to know our students and what level they are at. This French teacher knew her student and helped him in what he needed before conceding to pressure from the designed curriculum. Prioritising is a part of the profession most definitely.

There is quite a long video from 1983 by the BBC. It explains various techniques when learning and teaching languages. It is really interesting and I’d encourage viewing it if you have a spare hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDs2tI14IQ

A key thing to remember, listening is a developed skill and through exposure listening will progress to speaking. Babies listen before they speak, crawl before they learn to walk. Having patience and giving opportunities for language students to progress on that natural scale is significant.

My upcoming entries will be coming from France when I have the opportunity to observe some different French classrooms. I am also learning French and will see how quickly my own language learning skills will advance being immersed in the language.

Just as doctors make the worst patients, they say teachers make the worst students. However, our profession is one that is constantly updated, changing and we need to have a growth mindset that enables us to adapt and change with it. We are always learning.

- Adelle