Promoting Independent Learning in MFL by Isabelle Jones, The Radclyffe School

http://isabellejones.blogspot.com Twitter: @icpjones Powerpoint Templates icpjones@yahoo.co.uk

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 Why developing independence is crucial to raising standards in languages Barriers and opportunities Tools to support the development of independence in languages

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Why independence?
Independence, curriculum time and standards of learning & teaching Better learners, better linguists Future-proof linguists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVxAjg62 XrQ&feature=related
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OFSTED Modern Languages Survey Visits

Generic grade descriptors and supplementary subject-specific guidance for inspectors on making judgements during visits to schools Subject feedback letters, following survey visits, normally contain separate judgements on: The achievement of pupils in the subject The quality of teaching in the subject The quality of the curriculum in the subject The quality of leadership and management of the subject The overall effectiveness of the subject. This guidance is intended only to inform the judgements made by specialist inspectors carrying out subject survey visits. It is not for use Powerpoint Templates on Section 5 whole-school inspections. Page 4

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A few points to consider

Factors affecting the way we teach/ students learn Foreign language learning and teaching-a unique part of the curriculum? Limits to student independence Tools to support the development of students independence (PLTS/SEAL/ ICT-grammar, phonics/AFL)
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Factors affecting Learning and Teaching Barriers and Opportunities

Observations Exam pressure School context, ethos and audience (parents/ students) Perception of our subject within school by students and other departments Teachers default teaching mode and willingness to innovate/take risks.
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GCSE Skills and Independence

Cope with a greater degree of unpredictability Student independence: phonic rules, use of dictionary & verb tables. Understand and use more accurately a widening range of vocabulary and structures, including some unfamiliar language =>intercultural understanding, inferences from English and/or other known language, use of para-linguistic clues (visuals, tone of voice, bold, italics etc), memorisation techniques. Understand and discuss issues and opinions =>Knowledge of a range of structures, connectives and synonyms, linking ideas & points of view in a well-organised way. Give full description and accounts =>proofreading ability, peer assessment & support, memorisation techniques.
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PLTS in the Secondary National Curriculum

self manager independent enquirer creative thinker reflective learner team worker

effective participator
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How can PLTS help?

Not a new concept: Personal, Learning + Thinking Skills Independent learning skills Learners social interactions Making the link between ideas Transferring knowledge of patterns Not a government initiative-focus for good practice
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How can PLTS help?

Students gain in independence when:

They have opportunities to access a wide range of learning and teaching styles and to explore what works for them They are aware of their strengths and they have strategies to deal with their weaknesses They understand what level of development they are at and how to develop further (AFL)
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How can PLTS help?

Giving students opportunities for independence
Blooms Taxonomy (1956)
Evaluate, judge, defend, criticise, justify, choose Hypothesise, discuss, compare, create, construct Analyse, organise, deduce, contrast, distinguish

Manipulate, classify, apply, modify, illustrate, solve

Explain, describe, visualise, illustrate, paraphrase Recall, identify, list, name, define, show, recognise
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SOLO Taxonomy
Structures of Observed Learning Outcomes
Developed by Biggs and Collis in 1982 Describes levels of increasing complexity in understanding of a subject (depth of understanding) a students

With the highest level being the extended abstract level, when students can make connections not only within the given area but also beyond it.

Students will also be able to generalise and transfer the principles and ideas to another area in an independent manner. Are we allowing our students to make these connections? http://pamhook.com/
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SOLO Taxonomy
SOLO level Extended Abstract Verbs Generalise, predict, evaluate, reflect, hypothesise, theorise, create, prove, plan, justify, argue, compose, prioritise, design, construct, perform Sequence, classify, compare and contrast, explain causes, explain effects, analyse (partwhole), form an analogy, organise, distinguish, interview, question, relate, apply Describe, list, outline, follow an algorithm, combine Define, identify, name, draw, find, label, match, follow a simple procedure
Number affect other words too

Relational

How gender affect other words: adj, poss

Multistructural Unistructural

Patterns

Gender

Verbs for declarative and functioning knowledgeCommon task descriptors for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), New Zealand Powerpoint Templates GCSE/AS/A level Page 18

Embedding PLTS the BLP Way

Building Learning Power, Guy Claxton
The 4 Rs Resilience: absorption, managing distractions, noticing, perseverance; Resourcefulness: questioning, making links, imagining, reasoning, capitalising; Reflectiveness: planning, revising, distilling, meta-learning; Reciprocity: interdependence, collaboration, empathy and listening.

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Strategies for developing reflective independent learners

Introducing Meta-language to talk about learning: mats, display Overlaps with AFL and SEAL: understanding of assessment criteria, different types of motivation Focus on developing PLTS as a wholeschool approach
http://isabellejones.blogspot.com/2009/10/flip-cramlingtonmodel-for-developing.html http://isabellejones.blogspot.com/2009/10/flip-approach-forlanguages-at.html

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Developing Reflective independent learners: Mats

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PLTS and SEAL: Display/ Overlaps

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Speaking and Teacher Talk

Teacher use of the Target Language Opportunities for students to speak the language for a real purpose Safe environment for speaking Pronunciation and student confidence: for or against choral repetition? Something to aim for: Group Talk http://www.teachfind.com/teacherstv/mfl-implementing-group-talkinitiative-and-other-strategies
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1 araigne 5 univers

2 lphant 6 cochon 10

3 ide

4 oublier 8 cicliste

maison 12
manger

9 voiture
13

11

lapin
14

gymnastique

15

16

France

menton

eau

fille

Je ne vais pas gaspiller llectricit et leau.

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Independence and Creativity

Art: colours and descriptions, biographies, use of visuals and 3D hooks Music: rhymes, sounds and rhythm Drama: role-play/ puppets History: a new slant on what they are familiar with e.g. ww2 Geography: Barcelona, Paris, the environment, fair trade Dance: cultural aspects, use movement to remember Media studies: looking at advertising or short films Cultural awareness and identity: celebrate and promote diversity through using pictures, music, the French & Spanish-speaking world

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ICT support for learners: in and out of the classroom

Online dictionary and apps vs paper dictionary http://www.wordreference.com/ Le Robert-Dixel http://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/le-robert-dictionnaire-dixel/id324277188?mt=8
Verb apps and verb tables http://www.bescherelle.com/ http://www.elconjugador.com/enindex.php?newlang=Y&langvalue=en Recording themselves to improve accent: audacity/ phone, voki, text-to-speech, FLA or teacher. http://text-to-speech.imtranslator.net/ http://voki.com/

Opportunities to practise speaking without a public performance Homework or extension work send via Edmodo (free) or Doddle (subscription)

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ICT support for learners: in and out of the classroom

VLE: homework, consolidation and extension work Facebook page: Departmental/ Faculty page with links promoting Languages Twitter page https://twitter.com/radclyffemfl

Blog/ wiki:

http://chilternedgemfl.typepad.com/chiltern-edge-mfl/ http://stmichaelsmfl.wikispaces.com/

App list:

http://isabellejones.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=iphone+
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AFL and Student Independence

Self and peer assessment: proofreading/ developing students understanding of assessment criteria Understanding criteria: what I am at/ how do I move on (break it down/ beware of oversimplification) Peer assessment: oral/ written feedback Student learning skills training needs to feature highly in the SoWs

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Independence & Confidence-building activities

Teach a sophisticated language item to the rest of the class Parallel texts: e.g. wikipedia article with questions in the target language to answer/information to organise from an article in the target language.

Positive reading: highlight known words and cognates

Predictive listening: use the context to guess what is going to be mentioned on the recording. Teach about context: use a check list Show them how much they know already and where they can go to find out more about what they dont know yet
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http://www.tagxedo.com/artful/b1b08e0632244c74 Powerpoint

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 Why developing independence is crucial to raising standards in languages Barriers and opportunities Tools to support the development of independence in languages

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Action!
Developing independent learning skills in the languages classroom PLTS: SEAL: ICT-grammar, phonics: AFL:
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Promoting Independent Learning in MFL by Isabelle Jones, The Radclyffe School

http://isabellejones.blogspot.com Twitter: @icpjones Powerpoint Templates icpjones@yahoo.co.uk

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