Dear friends
Please read the following article from BC Teaching English and discuss in groups if similar answers would be obtained if the survey run in Greece should have been run in our country.
Your discussion will be recorded and uploaded to this blog.
From mother tongue to other tongue
After reading the article I may say that the results of a similar survey in Peru would be the same. Beginners are always claming to hear at least some words in Spanish, for vocabulary and grammar especially.Whereas, higher levels prefer the other way round.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand,we can include L1 in our classes to do some activities like reading an article or watching a video in Spanish but then asking students to discuss or write an essay in English, in this way we are helping students to focus on the message first and then on using the target language. I want to point out that when studying a language, it is important to learn the language (using it) and learn about the language (talking and researching about it. I think translation fixes more as a tool for the second than for the first.
Thank you Lourdes.
DeleteWe have all seen how translation helps in the classroom when we have low level students. It may be a way of scaffolding for consolidating knowledge.
Regarding the activities using translation, I would like to know what level you suggest- or may have experienced yourself- this activity of watching a video in Spanish and then discussing or writing about it in English is more suitable for.
Different point of view, I think we should bear in mind the data in our classrooms, we should know the way our students learn the target language, how much L1 they use in their own learning, when they prefer using L1 to understand L2 grammar, vocabulary, etc. and other kind of information about them that help us when to use or not L1 in the classroom not caring if they are beginners, intermediate or advanced. As the doctors before taking prescription must know each patient clinical history, we as teachers must know each of our students to know the right time to use L1 with them in our classes. If not, we could fall in mistake thinking that all our students need translation to understand whatever topic in class and unfortunately this is not; we would be giving the same prescription to all our students as many or some of them do not need. Then, back to the point that each student has to be seen as an individual in their learning and can be grouped with others with similar trends in learning L2. In this way more accurately would help each of our students according to their requirements in the use of mother tongue, and so would avoid comments like that all the students need translation to understand a topic when the reality is that not everyone is in need. The key is to know our students based on data.
ReplyDeleteOk Mr. F
DeleteI certainly agree on the importance of knowing your students´needs, learning strategies and habits. It is true that not all students will welcome the use of translation and will rather look for ways of undertstanding the information without having to depend on it.
I agree with Lou because it is the real situation that we have in our classes. Elementary students always feel confident when they know the word in Spanish. It doesn't mean that as teachers we are going to tell them the translation but inside the class we sometimes have helpers (translators) to identify the meaning in L1. On the other hand, advanced students prefer using the L2 instead of L1 because they are able to understand by context the words.
ReplyDeleteUsing translation in some exercises as reading or proverbs and usual expressions activities could be helpful for our students.
Thanks Kei
DeleteSo you are saying that a similar survey ran in Peru would have produced similar results: Students at low levels will favour translation and will feel safe if they know the "translated meaning" of words?