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Digital Library Directory > Innovation in Language Learning 16th Edition 2023
Innovation in Language Learning 16th Edition 2023

Forget What You Think You Know – The Real Story about What Works in Languages Classrooms

Matt Absalom

Abstract

After teaching Italian in adult and university contexts with a communicative and explicit-grammar teaching focus for nearly 25 years, I was becoming increasingly perplexed as to why my students continued to make mistakes and not learn the correct forms of basic parts of speech (e.g. definite articles). This pedagogical crisis occurred around the same time that I heard Bill VanPatten speak about the failed promises of instructed second language acquisition (SLA)1. In a nutshell, he claimed that much of what occurs in typical languages classrooms has next to no impact on language acquisition – this resonated strongly with me and I decided to return to SLA research to understand more2. What I discovered has led to a complete overhaul of my teaching approach influenced heavily by Krashen’s claims that approaches based on comprehensible input are superior to all others3. In this paper, I will present the compelling case for comprehensible input and describe how I have implemented this in the Italian Studies program at the University of Melbourne through the use of story-listening4. I will also discuss student responses to the approach and provide you with a range of suggestions on how to implement this in your own contexts.

 

Keywords

Teaching and learning; Comprehensible input; Italian language and culture

 

References

[1] VanPatten, B., "The (risky) promise of instructed SLA", BAAL 2018, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msaj5ufz_ik">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msaj5ufz_ik, accessed 28/07/2023.

[2] VanPatten, B., Smith, M. and Benato, A.G., “Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction”, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2019.

[3] Mason, B. and Krashen, S.D. “Hypothesis: A Class Supplying Rich Comprehensible Input is More Effective and Efficient than “Immersion””, IBU Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 2019, 7, 83-89.

[4] Krashen, S.D. and Mason, B. “Foundations for Story-Listening: Some Basics”, Language Issues, 2022, 1(4), 1-5, available at http://language-issues.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/4-1.pdf">http://language-issues.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/4-1.pdf, accessed 28/07/2023.

 


Publication date: 2023/11/10
ISBN: 979-12-80225-69-6
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