ASSIGNMENT MA, 1

Assignment:

Look at the classroom activity suggested in the Assignment materials section (at the same
place where you can find this paper), and answer the following questions:

1. There are various statements in this text which are extremely questionable,
depending on your own personal view of language learning. For example, the text
says, “...the chart....can serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions....”
Why might this be ‘questionable’?

After analysing the activity, we have found some statements which, from our language
learning point of view, are quite questionable. Firstly, sentences such as “...the chart....can
serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions....” and “the constructions of tables of
information about the students in a particular class, for example, can serve as a basic for
interesting discussions”, from our perspective, take for granted that all the students have the
same level of understanding and cognitive capacities. The presentation of information in the
form of charts and tables might be well understood by the majority of the students, but it may
not be too friendly for those who have different capabilities and intelligences. So the fact that
the chart will indeed serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions depends very much
on our group of students and their cognitive and physical capacities to understand the
information they’re being presented with.

Additionally, according to Krashen (1982), affective factors play a major role when it comes to
the way students respond to the information we provide them and, consequently, in their
learning. Therefore, if students are not highly motivated with the information shown in the
charts and tables, it is questionable that they will partake in the activity in an active way, lively
discussing and questioning. In addition to this and following the principles that have been
stated in the Natural Approach (Krashen & Terrell, 1983), production can take place whenever
the learner feels he or she is able to communicate through the target language, and this
process should not be forced. -- A.V.

2. Criticise the approach suggested here from the point of view of a ‘strong’
communicative teacher.

If communication is the main purpose of the teaching of a foreign language, teachers and all
the material and activities prepared should always provide a safe environment where learners
feel free to express themselves (Larsen-Freeman, 2000). However, as it has been stated, the
proposed activity is very much controlled by the teacher and does not allow students to freely
express their ideas.
In the same way and as previously presented, charts and tables are not always understood by
all the students, and consequently, encouraging for them. On the contrary, whenever
communication is the focus of our lesson, teachers should do the most in order for the
students to be massively exposed to the target language in a friendly and authentic way; this is
what would lead them to learn meaningfully.

Moreover, it is crucial that all activities we present students with would be meaningful.
According to Rodgers (1999) students should not try to learn a language in the usual sense.
Actually, the more involved they are in meaningful activities, the more amount of acquisition
will they obtain.

Despite the fact that there is no particular theory in which Terrell based his first assumptions of
the Natural Approach, Krashen and Terrell (1983) eventually found out that when applying this method,
they would also apply some principles of Krashen’s hypothesis regarding perception and theories about
language acquisition and learning, which are, as Rodgers and Richards (1999) stated, the following:

 The Affective Filter Hypothesis states that a variety of internal and external factors widely
influence the learning of a second language. It has been proved that students with high levels of
motivation and self-confidence promote the input received after a class; therefore, the students’
intake depends in great part on the affective filter. The relevance of affective matters has been
mentioned by several authors; for instance, “Arnold (2000, p.2) explained two reasons to the
importance of affective filter in SLA. Firstly, ‘attention to affective aspects can lead to more
effective language learning’. Secondly, attention to affective aspects can contribute to the
whole-person development, which is ‘beyond language teaching and even beyond what has
traditionally been considered the academic realm’.” (Ni, 2012, p.1). Furthermore, a lower
affective filter can be easily reflected on the input that a certain student intakes; that is, the
information or contents that the student stores in the long-term memory.

3. Say what is good about the approach, from the point of view of a teacher more
focused on form and a step-by-step, linear approach.

Put up a graph or a chart, and suddenly everything you're saying makes sense! Graphs or
charts help people understand data quickly. Whether you want to make a comparison, show a
relationship, or highlight a trend, they help your audience "see" what you are talking about – A
picture is worth a thousand words.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Charts_and_Diagrams.htm

In a data visualization battle of table against graph, which will win?

The short answer (which may be less than satisfying) is: it depends. Mostly, it depends on who
the audience is and how the data will be used. One important thing to know is that people
interact very differently with these two types of visuals.
Important: you have to write your personal details and the subject name on the cover (see
the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these conditions will not be corrected.
You have to include the assignment index below the cover.

Assignment:

Students’ names:

Group:

Date: November, 22, 2018

Title

Assignment:

Look at the classroom activity suggested in the Assignment materials section (at the same
place where you can find this paper), and answer the following questions:

1. There are various statements in this text which are extremely questionable, depending
on your own personal view of language learning. For example, the text says, “...the
chart....can serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions....” Why might this be
‘questionable’?

After analysing the activity, we have found some statements which, from our language
learning point of view, are quite questionable. Firstly, sentences such as “...the chart....can
serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions....” and “the constructions of tables of
information about the students in a particular class, for example, can serve as a basic for
interesting discussions”, from our perspective, take for granted that all the students have the
same level of understanding and cognitive capacities. The presentation of information in the
form of charts and tables might be well understood by the majority of the students, but it may
not be too friendly for those who have different capabilities and intelligences. So the fact that
the chart will indeed serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions depends very much
on our group of students and their cognitive and physical capacities to understand the
information they’re being presented with.

Additionally, according to Krashen (1982), affective factors play a major role when it comes to
the way students respond to the information we provide them and, consequently, in their
learning. Therefore, if students are not highly motivated with the information shown in the
charts and tables, it is questionable that they will partake in the activity in an active way, lively
discussing and questioning. In addition to this and following the principles that have been
stated in the Natural Approach (Krashen & Terrell, 1983), production can take place whenever
the learner feels he or she is able to communicate through the target language, and this
process should not be forced. -- A.V.

2. Criticise the approach suggested here from the point of view of a ‘strong’
communicative teacher.

Likewise, it is believed that the teaching of the target language is better whenever it
encourages direct, spontaneous and active use of the foreign language. In fact, if
communication is the main purpose of the teaching of a foreign language, teachers and all the
material and activities prepared should always provide a safe environment where learners feel
free to express themselves (Larsen-Freeman, 2000). However, as it has been stated, the
proposed activity is very much controlled by the teacher and does not allow students to freely
express their ideas.

In the same way and as previously presented, charts and tables are not always understood by
all the students, and consequently, encouraging for them. On the contrary, whenever
communication is the focus of our lesson, teachers should do the most in order for the
students to be massively exposed to the target language in a friendly and authentic way; this is
what would lead them to learn meaningfully.

Moreover, it is crucial that all activities we present students with would be meaningful.
According to Richards & Rodgers (1999) students should not try to learn a language in the
usual sense. Actually, the more involved they are in meaningful activities, the more amount of
acquisition will they obtain. -- A.V.

3. Say what is good about the approach, from the point of view of a teacher more focused
on form and a step-by-step, linear approach.

Moreover, it is very important for students to be presented with short reading activities that
would relate to their needs, where there is no need for active reproduction, such as the ones
proposed in the activity analysed. This promotes in the students the development of inferring
skills and a quick recognition of verb forms, tenses, negotiations, among others.

KRASHEN, S. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Pergamon

Press Inc.

KRASHEN, S., & TERRELL, T (1983). The Natural Approach: Language Acquisition in the
Classroom. London: Prentice Hall Europe.

LARSEEN- FREEMAN, D (2000). Teaching Techniques in English as a Second Language.

nd
Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (2 Edition). Oxford University Press.

RICHARDS, J., & RODGERS, T. (1999). Cambridge Language Teaching Library. Approaches
and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.