Transcript Slide 1

Innovation in Language Teaching:
Diffusion of innovation in EFL classes in Iran
An In-service Teacher Education Program
By:
Khodamoradi, A.
Arak 2010
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Program Objectives
 The purpose of this program is not :
a. proposing scientific solutions to classroom problems
b. supporting some pedagogical practices
 This program provides you with:
a. concepts to think with
b. ideas to think about.
 It raises questions to stimulate your thinking about what
you see or do in your classroom .
 It tries to help you make intelligent instructional decisions.
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Course Rationale
 SLA (Second Language Acquisition) is a field of study
which has been developing very quickly because it is
inspired from areas such as:
Psychology: what is the nature of learning? (software aspect)
Linguistics: what is language? (software aspect)
Technology: what media are used? (hardware aspect)
Action research: how is language learnt in a specific context?
(software – hardware interface)
 New research findings from each area modify the previous
ones and suggest some innovations to be incorporated in
teaching practices. Awareness of these innovations paves the
way for enhancing the quality of the teaching practices.
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Terms definition
 Diffusion: the process by which a new idea is
communicated through certain channels over time
among the members of a social system.
 Innovation: an idea, practice, or object that is
perceived as new by the members of a social system.
Therefore, innovation may happen in three areas:
1. values and perspectives
2. methods and approaches
3. materials and textbooks
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Some Questions
1. What is the difference between “invention” and
“innovation” ?
2. How may “innovation” differ from “change” ?
3. Which one
is happening in EFL classes in Iran:
Innovation or change?
4. What are the innovation's consequences?
5. What impedes innovation?
6. What are at stake when innovation happens in our
educational setting?
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Question 1
Q: What is the difference between “invention” and “innovation” ?
My answer:
Invention is proposing a new idea, designing a new model, or
creating a new entity for the first time.
Innovation is modifying the internal structure of a new idea,
model, or entity to suit our changing needs.
In L2 teaching, GTM as a model of language teaching was
proposed by its designers and should be updated or upgraded
by teachers in the course of time.
A ?: Which one is more important in language teaching?
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Question 2
Q: How may “innovation” differ from “change” ?
My answer :
Innovation: an intended and preplanned process of
improving the elements of a system for increasing
efficiency.
Change: Any difference between time 1 and time 2
resulted from external forces.
A?: Nowadays power relationship in classroom between
teachers and students is not the same as before. Is it a
matter of “change” or “innovation”?
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Question 3
Q: Which one is happening in EFL classes in Iran:
Innovation or change?
My answer :
Generally, what is happening in EFL classes is more a slow rate
change as a result of give-and-take between :
- A desire to impose some circumstances on learners in behalf of
the teachers
- Resistance to the course requirements in behalf of students.
Pedagogically, neither change nor innovation is apparent.
Task : compare the current status of the following items with
that of 15 years ago and find any probable difference:
Textbooks- teaching methods – techniques for teaching grammar
and vocabulary – teaching materials - testing formats
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Question 4
Q:What are the innovation's consequences?
My answer :
Innovation doesn’t necessarily mean:
- more work and effort for teachers: In most cases, Innovation in EFL
classes means stopping some teaching practices whose
disadvantages exceed their advantages.
- Taking complex actions: The rules governing the classroom culture
is as easy as ABC. Discerning the macrostrategies needs reading,
thinking, noticing, fact-finding, implementing, and reanalyzing.
Innovation is supposed to end in efficiency = doing the same with
less amount of time or energy.
A ?: Have you ever had a successful experience in implementing an
innovation?
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Question 5
Q: What impedes innovation?
My answer:
Two important factors are at work:
- Resistance: This process happens when the members have a
clear picture of the innovation consequences and evidentially
justify their disagreement.
- Opposition:
It happens when members do not feel
comfortable with innovation and reject it while they are not
exactly aware of the reasons.
Two ?s:
1- Do you believe that language teaching in our context is in
urgent need of innovation?
2- If yes, What are the main factors which slow down the process?
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Question 6
 Q: What are at stake when innovation happens in our
educational setting?:
 My answer:
1. power relationship: keeping the current situation is better in
line with teachers’ authority in the classrooms.
2. classroom management: implementing most innovations
brings about disciplinary problems in classrooms.
3. teacher’s face: innovations lead to consequences based on
which the teacher’s teaching quality will be evaluated.
A?: How can we calculate the cost of action against the
cost of inaction
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Innovation process
The innovation-decision process is the process through which an individual
passes through different stages:
knowledge
persuasion
decision
implementation
confirmation
(1) knowledge: It occurs when an individual is exposed to the knowledge about
the innovation.
(2) persuasion: It occurs when an individual forms an attitude towards the
innovation.
(3) decision: It occurs when an individual engages in activities that lead to a
choice to adopt or reject the innovation.
(4) implementation: It occurs when an individual puts an innovation into use.
(5) confirmation: It occurs when an individual tries to evaluate the results and
modifies his perspectives in the case of conflicting messages.
A?: In which of the stages are we at and to which stage can we proceed in
this in-service teacher education program?
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Another classification for innovation process
 awareness: Familiarity with the innovative
ideas, methods, and materials
 Adoption: Taking and using the innovation
 Adaption: Taking and modifying the
innovation to suit it to the needs
 enlightened expectation: Looking forwards
to reasonable outcomes
 A ?: Nowadays, ClT is the most highly
recommended
method
of
language
acquisition. Some believe that its principles
are not applicable to EFL class in Iran. How do
you see this issue?
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Awareness
adoption
adaption
Enlightened
expectation
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Areas in need of innovations
values
methods
materials
Aims &
objectives
Teaching
skills
textbooks
Key
concepts
Teaching
components
input
Seemingly
Axiomatic
outlooks
Teaching
techniques
exercises
exams
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Innovations in values:
aims & objectives
 Tradition: teaching aims at increasing the quantity of
knowledge (Freire’s banking education)
 Innovation: teaching aims at enhancing the quality of
life( All Wright's exploratory practice).
Intermediate stages:
Banking
education
Cognitive
development
Strategy
training
Knowledge
development
Quality
of life
Q: How far can we move ahead on this track?
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Innovations in aims and objectives
concept
Banking
education
Cognitive
development
Strategy
training
Knowledge
development
Quality of life
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Description
Learners’ mind is like a bank account into which deposits are
regularly made and used for purposes like examinations.
Learning is considered as mental gymnastics which can be
used for enhancing mental ability.
Instead of learning subject domains, learning how to learn
these subjects domain is on top of the list.
The aim of education is adding to the current body of
knowledge.
Education aims at developing critical thinking, strategic
thinking, problem solving, intelligent living, power of
judgment , …
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Innovations in values:
key concepts
Teacher
 Tradition: presenter of a well-defined package of knowledge
using spoon-feeding technique (sage on the stage) .
 Innovation: facilitator of learning process, and advisor in
counseling process ( guide on the side)
Intermediate stages:
Sage on the
stage
mediator
moderator
Strategy
trainer
Guide on
the side
Q: How can a teacher play the role of intermediate stages?
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Innovations in concept of teacher
concept
Sage on the
stage
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Description
The teacher as the source of knowledge presents , delivers,
or shows off
Mediator
The teacher plays the role of a medium between students
and textbook.
Moderator
The teacher plays the role of a filter that adapts the flow of
information .
Strategy trainer
The teacher plays the role of a trainer who provides his
trainees with instruments of autonomous learning.
Guide on the
side
The teacher plays the role of a guide who facilitates the
process and interferes when necessary.
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Innovations in values: key concepts
learner
 Tradition: a mechanism which can be externally
manipulated in a way that teachers intend.
 Innovation: a dynamic organism who actively and socially
constructs his/her own versions of reality.
Intermediate stages:
resister
Empty container
Democratic
explorer
Social
explorer
Raw material
Individual
explorer
Q: How can intermediate conceptualizations of learner be
realized in EFL classes?
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Innovations in concept of learner
concept
Resister
Description
Ss are those who only learn when they are made to do so.
Empty
container
Ss are receptacles which should be filled: jug & mug theory.
Raw
material
Ss are like clay to be molded into fine work of art .
Individual
explorer
Ss are eager to learn new preplanned concepts and try to get them
out of the available sources by themselves.
Social
explorer
Ss are eager to learn new preplanned concepts and try to get them
out of the available sources in cooperation with each other.
Democratic
explorer
Ss are free to set their own agenda, decide on their own goals and
proffered ways of working.
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Innovations in values: key concepts
Language learning
 Tradition: Language is a behavior and can be learnt through
conditioning by external forces (behaviorism).
 Innovation: Language is tool for mediating cognitive
development and can be learnt in cooperation with others
through socialization (Social constructivism).
Intermediate stages:
behaviorism
Cognitivism
Humanism
Social
constructivism
Q: How can intermediate conceptualization of learner be realized
in EFL classes?
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Innovations in concept of language learning
concept
Description
behaviorism
Learning is accelerated if
imposed on the learners .
external stimuli are repeatedly
Cognitivism
Learning is accelerated if quality input is provided for a
learner who is cognitively ready to incorporate it.
Humanism
Learning is accelerated if positive thoughts, feelings , and
emotions do their part properly.
Learning is accelerated if LEARNERS construct their own
Social
versions of reality in cooperation with their significant & nonconstructivism
significant others.
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Innovations in Seemingly Axiomatic Outlooks :
Teachability / learnability issue
 The axiomatic outlook: If something is teachable, it is
learnable, too. That is, if a concept is taught by teachers, it is
learnt easily by students.
 The modified outlook: Teaching does not guarantee
learning even if it is done appropriately.
 Justification: Wh. Questions are acquired by native speakers
at 11 years old. How much time and effort is needed to teach
them to L2 learners?
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Innovations in Seemingly Axiomatic Outlooks :
Teachability / learnability issue
 Teaching
pave the way because:
1- it filters the prominent features of the given concepts
2- it raises learners’ attention
3- it fills the probable gaps .
 Teaching hinders learning if:
1- it is that of spoon-feeding
2- it fills the probable gaps in advance
3. it decreases mental involvement.
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Innovations in Seemingly Axiomatic Outlooks :
learning= systematicity / variablility issue
 The axiomatic outlook: learning like any other process goes
through input, analysis, & output. Control over the 1st and the 2nd
parts ensures the 3rd one.
 The modified outlook: Learning is highly unpredictable because
neither input nor analysis can be controlled enough to give us welldefined end-products.
 Justification: Similar teaching practices result in different
outcomes under the effect of infinite number of variables.
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Innovations in Axiomatic Outlooks :
learning: exterior / interior issue
 The axiomatic outlook: Learning is determined by external
forces if the forces are strong enough. The more is force used, the
better results will be achieved.
 The modified outlook: Learning is managed by internal forces
some of which are cognitive and some are affective. Therefore,
optimal level of external forces facilitate learning if it is utilized
intelligently.
 Affective Justification: Reinforcement works much more better
than punishment in long term.
 Cognitive learning: Grammatical points are affected by
processability constraints (cognitive limitations).
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Innovations in Axiomatic Outlooks :
serial / parallel processing
 The axiomatic outlook: learning happens when new blocks are added
one by one to the previous construction as a building is raised by
putting bricks serially.
 The modified outlook: Learning a new concept is a never-ending
process whose elements are put together accidentally, unsystematically,
or in parallel form.
 Justification: We ,as teachers, don’t remember the exact time when we
fully grasped a grammatical point like simple present tense.
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Teaching skills
 Traditional views:
1- What language learners need is 1 or 2 language skills.
2- The 4 skills are learnt in a specific order in L1 & L2.
3- language skills amount to linguistic knowledge.
4. Different combination of grammar, Vocabulary,
phonology & orthography makes each of 4 skills.
• Innovative views:
• 1- What language learners need is language proficiency.
• 2- Generalization from L1 to L2 is not necessarily true.
• 3. Language skills amount to language knowledge.
• 4. Grammar, Vocabulary, phonology & orthography are
necessary but not enough to constitute skills.
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Teaching skills: receptive skills
 Traditional view: For improving listening & reading skills
more vocabulary and grammar is needed because language data
should be decoded to unlock the meaning.
data
meaning
processing
Innovative view: For improving listening and speaking skills
background knowledge should be activated because meaning is
recreated in reader’s or listener’s mind.
meaning
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prediction
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Data to
confirm or
to reject
Meaning
recreation
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Teaching skills: productive skills
 Traditional view: productive skills come after receptive
skills. Therefore, we should wait for speaking skill and
writing skill to emerge after grammar and vocabulary are
fully acquired.
Input hypothesis
 Innovative view: Productive skills are both cause and
effect of language acquisition. That is, language rules are
not acquired until they are used.
output hypothesis
interaction hypnosis
Production=
moving from semantic processing to syntactic processing
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Teaching Grammar: Past & present
Traditional View: Grammar is collection of rules which
should be butchered to be dealt with one by one in a linear
fashion.
Innovative View: Grammar is a body of knowledge which
should be seen in relation to function or meaning it
conveys and should be dealt with in cyclical fashion.
General evolution in teaching Grammar:
1. Focus on forms : isolating grammatical pints and teaching
them .
2. Focus on meaning : ignoring form and using language for
expressing meaning.
3. Focus on form: focusing on meaning and working on form
when a grammatical point pops up.
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Teaching Grammar: Implication
Implication of traditional view
Implication of traditional view
Grammar is an end.
Grammar is a means to an end.
Grammar should be
analyzed.
Grammar should be synthesized.
Teach grammar lineally .
Teach grammar spirally.
Teach grammar as a set of
rules.
Teach grammar as a set of
functions.
Use mechanical drills.
Use meaningful and
communicative drills.
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Teaching Vocabulary
Traditional View: Words are coins exchangeable from
one language to another language according to a fixed
exchanging rate. The more you have coins, the richer
you are.
Innovative View: Every word in every language is
unique and should be learned within the full context of
cultural life. Not all words are of the same level of
importance.
A Fact in English language:
English Language has about 1,000,000 words.
English native speakers know about 35,000 words.
They use about 3,500 words actively.
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Teaching Vocabulary: implications
1. Quality is much more important than quantity in vocabulary
knowledge.
2. A general semantic domain for each word is better than a
specific correspondence in mother tongue.
3. What should be emphasized is the minute differences among
or between words not the area of overlap. Therefore,
synonym/antonym techniques should be used as a testing
technique not a teaching one.
4. Words are learnt spirally not serially. Many instances of
encountering a vocabulary item is necessary for its full grasp.
5. Words are learnt in a meaningful context not in a list of words
with their L1 equivalences.
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