Supporting Language Production

Yeah, everyone.

So today we are going to learn about supporting FSL

learning production through a method called tandem Learning.

So they're module five.

We learned a lot about step folding and approaches and

ways that we can help our students get the resources

that they need to ensure that they are taking part

in meaningful language acquisition and to make sure that no

one is falling behind in the classroom.

Um, so my minor is FSL and my presentation will

be about 10 of learning.

So let's begin.

So what is tandem learning?

Exactly? So from this picture, we can see that tandem

learning is a virtual exchange opportunity for the FSL classroom.

So Okay, uh, in essence, tandem language learning is a

reciprocal approach to learning that allows students to be both

an instructor as well as a student at the same

time. So it leaves them with a sense of feeling

more empowered to learn and more motivated.

A student is paired with another Lerner, whose first language

is French and where the student they are connecting with

is learning English.

In essence, both students are benefiting with this method by

helping each other better.

Their oral and their writing skills.

The students both engage in either synchronous interactions over zoom,

such as Skype or video conferencing.

Or perhaps they'll exchange in other methods, such as responding

to emails or questioning is better online.

I'll talk about a bit of a platform that was

created by Laval University later.

So this method provides students with an authentic context and

meaning to their language production, where they get to meet

a native language speaker, maybe from another province or even

another country who are similar in age and share, perhaps

some of the same interests as well.

This method has been trialed in many different classrooms and

has proven to be very successful at engaging FSL learners.

Teachers find that students gain motivation through this approach because

they now have students now have more of a purpose

for the language that is to communicate with the friends,

and therefore they will be reaching communicative competency.

So here, through this method of tandem, learning interaction is

the main purpose of this approach.

In an FSL classroom, interactions can sometimes be scarce because

the instructor has to talk a lot, give a lot

of demonstrations.

Um however, with this tandem approach.

It allows for longer interactions with someone who is native

in that language and who the student can connect with

on a more personal level.

This is also a great approach because it takes the

spotlight and the onus off the teacher, and it replaces

that with more empowerment in the students.

So it gives it a more student centred approach, as

you learned in previous classes.

So imagine attend a bicycle.

If both parties in the interaction participate equally, the bike

ride will be beneficial and enjoyable for both people.

However, if one students puts more effort and then another,

it could offset this experience.

It is therefore imperative that participation is maintained by both

students to ensure the benefits of the process are felt

equally so.

Let's move on to the connection that this has to

the program of studies.

So within French, there's a three or in a nine

year program of studies.

Um, I thought that this method of tandem learning would

be more appropriate for a nine year program of studies

learner, specifically more in the high school years.

Um, just because they have more maturity and more independence

at this age, and they've already had some previous experience

with the French language.

It might be a bit too much to take on

at once for a student who is younger, I'd say

probably in elementary school.

Even junior high might give it to young.

So definitely high school.

Um so, yes, students need to have some kind of

digital digital literacy as a foundation, independence and maturity level

for this method of learning, Um, as they need to

be, particularly emails and online interactions, you need to be

able to have that level of trust with your students

as well.

For my research, I've only seen this method being used

in more so secondary classrooms.

However, I think that it really lies in the teacher's

hand. Um, if they have a junior high class who

is well behaved and mostly on task, then they might

be able to have a positive experience implementing this type

of technology into the learning.

Perfect. So here we see the four different categories that

take place in the nine year program of studies, and

I believe that tandem learning can fit into each one

of these levels, So communication, language, culture and language, learning

strategies, this tandem learning can literally focusing on each of

these, and it can benefit the students in many different

ways. Let's move on here.

So scaffolding have a kind of learning function for different

levels of language learners.

Um, there's so many different levels in the classroom.

Some students in your classroom might still be struggling with

English, and here they are trying to learn a new

language, so it can be really tricky.

So tandem learning would be an extension to a unit.

It should not act as the backbone of the lesson.

It should put theoretical knowledge that's alert In class into

practice, teachers need to ensure that there is enough repetition

in the class first prior to students participating in it.

Teachers need to gauge if the students are ready and

observe when to schedule tandem lessons.

They should be purposeful and well planned lessons as well.

By practicing a foreign language with a native speaker, the

learners, listening and speaking skills will improve tremendously.

Sometimes it can be nerve wracking, um, taking on a

new language in front of the classroom.

But this method would definitely kill some of the nerves

and provide students with that extra little bit of help

and comfort that they need.

This ties into crashes hypothesis as well.

Um, with the input hypothesis, but as well as just

diminishing the affective filter, this would really work for language

learners. In that way.

Yeah, Although this approach takes the onus off the teacher,

they will still need to plan activities and objectives for

each tandem lesson and ensure that each student has the

resources that they need to be successful and confident when

interacting with their partner in this way.

So, for example, in the unit of foods, a student

might need to create a menu to present to their

partner and ask their partner preplanned and specific questions in

relation to their menu.

Yes, so you can see here that there needs to

be that certain clarification that happens ahead of time.

The teacher needs to be giving those resources to the

students, whether it's a brochure, a worksheet, something to give

them a visual or a written representation of what they

need to be doing or what they need to fill

in. It can't just be a free for all here.

It is important that teachers pay attention to the cognitive

load of the students as well.

Some may get overwhelmed by the amount of speaking that

they need to do so.

Ensuring that these activities are broken up and balanced with

writing and listening exercises will ensure that they become less

stressed. Like Alan Deck mentions in our instructional video, um,

in class scaffold and will always have a different meaning,

depending on the class you were teaching.

So I do not think that this method of tandem

learning will work for all classes.

And as a teacher, I only see engage where my

students are at.

Are they ready for this?

Well, they have the motivation to dive right into this

and be engaged.

Are they at the right level of French, where this

will work?

Um, so these are all important questions to ask, and

it's hard to ask yourself that before you actually get

into your classroom, all right, and here we can see

a little picture.

So if there is where the heart is drawn, it's

the little wikis, Um, forum.

And then there's the chat box on the right.

And then there's the video chat on the left.

So this is the type of platform that Laval University

created. I'll be going into it a bit more detail

later. Um, but this is a great example of how

this platform is Scaffold it for students as well.

For 10, I'm learning.

If they can't necessarily produce something orally, they are able

to draw it.

Or they can be acted out through the video or

in the chat box on this side.

They can write it down.

Um, if they have a level, um, of French to

be able to write in the chat box.

But there are definitely other modes.

Instead of using English right away, you know, they can

act at first or they can draw it out first.

So I think that this is just great for FSL

learners. Um, let's move on to the next year.

So from theory to practice, so 10 learning sounds great.

Um, but what does it really included?

How will I go about including this in my classroom?

Um, so here we see a picture, the win win

solution. We need to keep the language separate.

So we need to ensure that both participants, both students

who are participating in this language in this tandem learning

keep their language are speaking in their target language for

the entire session or through their entire email.

Um, this just makes the engagement level increase.

And, yeah, it's just very important that both students stay

in that target language as well as kind of the

whole goal of the activity if they're speaking English a

lot when there's going to be speaking French.

So I think the teacher really needs to patrol that

and be on top of that.

But anyway, step one for including this into my classroom,

I will have to join Laval University's online platform.

It's free and it's 100% secure, Um, only to make

an account to gain access and then Laval University will

accept my agreement.

Um, they will look into whether or not I'm a

real teacher and then they will accept me, and I

will have to look for a teacher who is also

looking for a partner class, Um, who wants to share

in this tandem learning experience with me and their own

students. And then after that, we'll have to create profiles

for each one of my students and then go through

a pairing process so kind of match them based on

their similarities, their interests, which I think is really neat.

You have the chance to individualize this for your students

based on their backgrounds and maybe get excited about who

they could meet and who they could be friend in

this other province or country.

And so I think this is a really exciting part

of this platform for language learning.

Perfect, and I can just combine the steps here, but

we'll just combine into a full step two.

So now, after creating that account, you'll have access to

the wiki is the video conferences, the chats and forums.

The teachers can then build their activities based on a

specific set of learners of their learner outcomes, and they

can gain access to a large activity bank on the

platform called paddling Offset.

And then teachers also have access to all of their

students work after they completed on their platform so they

can re watch the videos that they have with their

friends from abroad.

Um, and they're able to get access to all of

their writing activities that you provide them with, um so

this could be for formative or summit of assessment purposes

or if you just want to kind of gauge where

your students are at briefly, you'll have access to all

of those.

Um, perfect.

So let's move on here into my rationale.

So why, Why Kind of learning?

Like, why should I include this in my classroom?

So I think for me, I've learned that it provides

meaningful language learning to reach communities, competency and then the

FSL classroom.

Communicative competency is really the goal and provide those meaningful

and authentic learning tasks for your students where they can

be engaged.

A lot of the material can be quite dry at

times, So I think that this approach really can motivate

them. And they wanna be able to talk to their

friend. They want to be able to speak in this

other language.

So I think that it will really increase that motivation.

Um, sorry.

Communicative language teaching is a set of principles about teaching

that teaching, including recommendations about method and syllabus that focuses

on meaningful communication again, not so much about structure.

So again, I think that, um, yeah, this tandem learning

should be used as a parallel like after your unit

to kind of, um, allow students to bring all their

knowledge together and be able to showcase that to this,

um, friends that they're speaking to and then receive feedback

from their friend.

And they can then help their friend um, speak English

from it.

So I really love the reciprocity of this approach.

Um, and yeah, I would give students a chance to

talk about whatever they wish.

Um, as well.

So that opportunity, maybe at the end, for discussing real

life matters.

And their friends can give them advice about how to

say that in French or sayings that are more specific

to their culture and slang, words and things that you

just don't necessarily know how to bring in to your

language class without it feeling more robotic.

Um, yeah.

I think that this also creates a really safe and

engaging place to learn, Um, through this platform.

Um, and this is also outlined by Anthony is being

tremendously important.

So 10 I'm learning for the FSL classroom allows a

safe space for students to explore and learn a new

language without the fear of embarrassment or of making mistakes

in front of their peers.

It creates a natural approach to language language, acquisition position

that is fun, meaningful and relevant to their lives.

As Anthony also describes in her article, The quality and

the amount of language input that you've received influences their

second language acquisition and crashing proposes that second language acquisition

is a result of comprehensible input that is received by

the learner.

So throughout the process of tandem learning, I would argue

that it is incredible.

It is an incredible way to enhance the comprehensible input

received by the learners from their friends.

So I think this is a great platform because it

adds meaning again to learning.

FSL can be difficult to teach.

However, connecting with someone abroad makes learning exciting and adds

in a whole new component of culture to the class

that students will be learning about through every interaction.

So thank you so much for listening.

And I hope that you're just excited about tandem learning

now as I am.

Thank you

Supporting Language Production

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