Transcript Procedures for describing linguistic competences in „nonlanguage“ school subjects Helmut J. Vollmer/Jean-Claude Beacco Intergovernmental Policy Forum Geneva, 2-4 November 2010

Procedures for describing
linguistic competences in „nonlanguage“ school subjects
Helmut J. Vollmer/Jean-Claude Beacco
Intergovernmental Policy Forum
Geneva, 2-4 November 2010
1
Language in Subjects
• Becoming aware and bringing out the
language dimension in all subject learning
• Language competence in subject-specific
contexts is often taken for granted, but in fact
it is a massive stumbling block for success
• Making the necessary language requirements
explicit +teach them improves pupils‘ chances
• It is only through language+discourse that the
transmission of knowledge by t. is facilitated
2
Instances of language use
1) Formulate one’s own observations, perceptions,
representations, existing knowledge, point of view
2) Retrieve, read, process and interpret (new)
information and express it in different modes
3) Present, discuss + negotiate information, answer
questions, check findings and arguments critically
4) Expressing (non-)understanding, doubt, degrees
of certainty
5) Reflect about own procedures and evaluate them
3
Possible procedure (1)
• Start with analysing existing curricula
• Make use of what is already there/traditions
• listing the central discourse genres which are
important for a specific subject in question
• Look at the necessary tasks and language
activities involved in the management of these
• Decide on linguistic means/patterns/conventions
to be learned and mastered in connection with g.
4
Exemples of discourse genres
• Report of an experiment, an observation
• Description of the structure of a cell/a
historical event / a picture / a movement
• Evaluation of a suggestion/solution/exper.
• Argument for and against a decision
• Definiton of a word, a concept, a
• Classification of an animal, a phenomenon
• Monologic/dialogic types of interaction…
5
EMPIRICAL OPERATORS ALREADY IN USE (1)
Typical operators in recent LS curricula
read for…(a range of purposes) - select (key points) - identify (key
themes/ different passages or genres), comment on (key
passages) - use (previous knowledge) - write (different types of
text) - plan and structure - communicate (clearly and suitably for
the context) - choose (the appropriate vocabulary, grammar,
spelling, punctuation)
- express (ideas and opinions) (in response to …) – take part in –
reflect on – recognise that – show understanding – use (different
strategies) – assess (critically)…
Typical operators in subject descriptors (across
curric.)
describe (125) - explain (67) – compare (44) – present (43) assess(33) - distinguish (32) – explicate/illustrate (31) – give
reasons for (29) – derive (29) – determine (19) – name/label (18) appraise (17) – record/document (16) – construe(15) – interpret
(15) – discuss (12) – evaluate (10)
6
Possible procedure (2)
• Identifying diff. areas of classroom activities
• (If possible: classroom observation, interview
with subject teachers (and students))
• Describing specifics of subject teaching,
including constant transition from everyday
language to academic language use/terminol.
• Verbalising much non-verbal/semiotic inform.
• Translating different forms of representation
7
Areas of classroom activities
Area 1:
Organising
procedures and
activities in
class negotiating
participation
and relevance
Area 2:
Retrieving
information
and acquiring
knowledge
Area 3:
(Re-)Structuring
concepts,
adapting and
extending
knowledge
Area 4:
Communicating
and presenting
learning
outcome
negotiating
meaning
Area 5:
Reflecting on
and evaluating
the learning
process
Focus on oral
teacher-learner
as well as
learner-learner
interaction,
mélange of
informal and
more formal
language
patterns – also
written
components (e.g.
black/whiteboard
notes)
Focus on
reading-,
watching-,
listening
comprehension
activities –
associated
mainly with
documents/mate
rials from the
public sector
Focus on
thinking skills
structuring and
fine-tuning
mental concepts –
truncated use of
classroom
discourse,
terminology
Focus on
production of
oral/written
statements/texts/
presentations
with supportive
non-language
material –
compliance with
convential
patterns of
classroom
language use
Focus on metacognitive verbal
mostly oral,
occasionally
written activities
– classroom
interaction, also
self-reflective
(e.g. portfolio)
8
Possible procedure (3)
• Identify the cognitive-linguistic discourse functions
underlying subject learning and teaching (frequency,
relevance, centrality)
• There a several approaches to do this
• Three of them are listed in the paper „Language and
schools subjects“ (pp.20-22)
• Identify and link the necc.language resources/means
rules/conventions needed for “appropriate”
performance of the discourse functions mentioned.
9
Agree on loosely structured inventories such as
- presenting (showing, identifying, defining etc)
- describing or representing (enumerating, identifying the
constituent elements etc)
- characterising (comparing, assessing, assigning a
quality/quantity/property)
- situating an action or process in time and space
- representing an action or event in time
- doing, acting
- explaining, arguing
- summarising
- […]
OR (more systematically):
10
Types of basic school-related
Discourse Functions (macro level)
1. EXPLORING/ PROCESSING/DOCUMENTING (INFORMATION)
2. NAMING/ DEFINING
3. DESCRIBING
4. REPORTING)
5. EXPLAINING
6. EVALUATING
7. ARGUING
8. EXCHANGING / NEGOTIATING
9. NARRATING
10. CREATING
11. REFLECTING (e.g. ABOUT LEARNING PATHS + RESULTS)
12. ACTING (SYMBOLICALLY OR BY WAY OF SIMULATION)
Each macro function is served by a great number of micro functions
(see next slide).
11
Discourse Functions (Macro/Micro)
•
6. EVALUATING (evaluative function), with
possible micro functions, e.g.
Checking
Weighing
Comparing
Concluding
Assessing
Judging
Giving reasons
Criticising
Making decisions
Positioning
…
12
Possible Procedure (4)
• Relate procedures 1) to 3) to one another
• Integrate them into some sort of a model
• Produce a model for more systematic
planning and evalutation and for reference
across more than one subject/all subjects
• Conceive of a discourse-based language
learning process across the curriculum,
including foreign languages and lang.as
subject and their functional contributions
13
4. Linking Discourse Functions to Discourse
Genres and Linguistic Means
DISCOURSE FUNCTIONS (Macro level), e.g.
Naming/Pointing – Narrating- Describing – Explaining – Arguing –
Evaluating – Negotiating …
Meso/Micro level of discourse functions, e.g.
name – label – define – point out - specify (details) – summarise –
compare – contrast – relate – judge – appreciate – position …
Text types and genres – factual
prose and genres – discontinuous
texts – multi-modal texts /
multicoded texts …
Linguistic features / realisations:
lexis, morpho-syntax, style,
register, establish coherence and
cohesion (BICS/CALP )
14
Model (in this case based on Mohan’s knowledge
framework) for Language and content (with sample lang.)
Theoretical/General
Classification
Sample
skills:
Principles
thinking Sample
skills:
Evaluation
thinking Sample thinking skills:
Classifying
Identifying
Understanding
Applying
or
developing concepts
Establishing
hypotheses
Interpreting data
Drawing conclusions
Evaluating
Ranking
Judging
Appreciating
Sample language:
Sample language:
Sample language:
Verb categories
Verbs of possession:
have
comparison:
more
than – taller than
Classification:
include, place under
Cause/reason: is due
to
Condition & contrast:
if there is
Prediction: probably
Generalization
&
explanation:
completely
Describing emotions: like, dislike,
satisfactory
Evaluation adjectives: good, right/wrong
Verbs of volition: prefer, had rather
15
5. Suggested Procedure(s) in our
own CoE case studies
•
•
•
•
Examples for History + Science education
Literary education will and math might follow
Combine the procedures mentioned above
Looks at a subject in a wider and much more
fundamental way (incl.social meaning)
• Illustrates how specific areas of knowledge
could be constructed and mapped out
• Showshow deeply lang. is embedded in this
16
Steps for Identifying Language Competences in
the Learning/Teaching of History or Science
(1) inventory and description of the educational values targeted by
history/science teaching practices;
(2) inventory and description of the social situations of communication and
decision-making involving history or science in the learners’ social
environment;
(3) inventory and description of basic subject knowledge structures;
(4) inventory and description of the existing in-school communication
situations for the acquisition and construction of basic knowledge and
procedures in history or in science respectively.
The choices to be made among these possibilities lead to the definition of
the purposes + objectives of education in history/science within
17
compulsory schooling.
Based on steps (1) to (4) it is then possible to create:
(5) inventories and descriptions of the
specific linguistic, discursive and semiotic
characteristics of relevance for the types of
discourse involved in history or science teaching
and learning practices in the classroom;
These characteristics should be taught in their own right in each subject area.
The following examples and illustrations are all taken from the two case studies
18
Step 1: Educational values in
subject learning and teaching
to be a decisive factor in reconciliation, recognition, understanding and
mutual trust between peoples, especially by introducing
multiperspectivity into historical research and accounts;
to play a vital role in the promotion of fundamental values such as
tolerance, mutual understanding, human rights and democracy;
to encourage recognition and understanding of different interpretations of the
same issue and their relative legitimacy, building trust between peoples, by
accepting multiperspectivity in scientific research and explanations
to be a fundamental component in the construction of a Europe based on a
common cultural heritage, with a humanistic and a scientific orientation,
working towards the development of a knowledge society in which conflictual
factors are accepted;
to be an instrument for the prevention of crimes against humanity and securing
the quality of human existence.
19
Step 2: Social situations of knowledge use
Political agendas where scientific knowledge or assumptions are used for
persuasive purposes to define e.g. ‘progress’ or ‘security’ and justify actions
to be taken e.g. dealing with atomic power or pandemic threats, reduction of
CO2 emissions etc.;
Exchanges between citizens which pre-suppose “general knowledge” of a
scientific nature;
Family and neighbourhood contexts where personal knowledge and
evaluations are passed on or mixed with “expert” knowledge and opinions;
Accounts in the media of technological breakthroughs, celebrations of “great
scientists”, expansion of knowledge about the universe, etc. or of actual or
potential misuses of scientific discoveries
Reading both general and specialist science press and didactic publications
etc.);
Watching different kinds of entertainment both fictional and documentary –
films, television programmes, theatre - with a scientific content e.g. reenactment of scientific discoveries
Using sources of reference such as websites ;
Visiting museums, exhibitions, similar sites of natural science and technology;20
Step 3: inventory and description of
basic subject knowledge structures and
methodologies, e.g. history
general categories and general knowledge:
Chronology, event, structures, concepts, elements,
principles
specific or local categories and knowledge, proximate
in space and time: relationships, structures, systems
and functions ??
specific or local categories and knowledge, remote in
space and time: developments??
21
Components of methodological/procedural competences
formulate relevant questions about the available documents/data source;
examine potential sources of information and distinguish between primary and
secondary sources;
assess such sources in terms of validity, possible bias, accuracy and reliability;
use the sources available to identify relevant information to answer certain
questions;
analyse and structure this information on a particular topic/issue and relate it to
existing/prior knowledge;
contextualise the information by relating it to information already available about
the period, the actor, the transmitter of knowledge;
scrutinise the available source materials for rational justification and rank them in
terms of their significance;
Acknowledge that scientific inquiry and findings are not value-free;
recognise one’s own perspective, bias and prejudice and take account of them
when interpreting the available evidence;
acquaint oneself with the history of science as a particular form of the construction
of knowledge;
22
Step 4: Existing in-school communication
situations for the acquisition and construction of
basic knowledge and procedures
23
Science-related cognitive skills include the ability to
identify types of sources used/academic sources
identify reasoning, based on data/clues
notice the strategies/devices applied to give popular appeal: e.g.
dramatisation,
“experts”
versus
laymen,
activating
elements/substances etc.
identify and distinguish already known and new knowledge
place the presentation into a broader context (larger issues, concepts,
structures)
Evaluate representational forms chosen specific to the media in
question
identify simplifications, generalisations, lack of data, allusion to
academic controversies, unbalanced solutions etc.
understand whether a particular bias is being conveyed
…
24
Step 5: Discourse genres in the
subject(s)
Types of discourse involved in history or
science teaching and learning practices in
the classroom
25
From classroom situations to discursive forms
History-related cognitive skills
Read and summarise relevant documentation;
Locate the different sources of information;
Adapt an existing historical discourse;
Interpret primary data;
Interpret quantitative data;
Report the opinion of professional historians;
Give and support one’s own point of view, explaining its source and nature;
Highlight the gains and the problems;
Linguistic and semiotic skills
State a plan, a scheme of narration;
“Give clear, systematically developed descriptions and presentations, with appropriate highlighting of
significant points” (Descriptor B2 in the CEFR p. 58);
Emphasise the stages of the presentation as it unfolds;
Present and organise the linguistic commentary of tabulated data, a diagram, etc.;
Make the presentation attractive: manage voice and intonation;
React with restraint to objections or criticism from class or teacher;
Answer questions afterwards;
Assess one’s own performance;
26
Overview of necessary
competences in science education
•
•
•
•
Strategic, discursive, formal competences
Involving pragmatic + cognitive categories
discourse functions in science education
manipulating examples of discourse genres
(reception, speaking and writing)
• linguistic means/conventions/categories for
the realisation of discourse types
• Issue: thresholds + stages of development
27
No Framework, but Procedures
• The right to quality education drives/pushes us
• The largely hidden curriculum has to become
unveiled, rights and requirements made CLEAR
• The needs of ‘vulnerable learners’ are just a
catalyst for becoming clearer and more explicit
• Implications for curricula, for language support
systems and teacher education are enormous
• Each member state should procede under their
own conditions + operate language-specifically
28
6. Who should act?
• Curriculum planners in each member state
• Subject teachers in cooperation with linguists, with
language or discourse specialists: Sensitizing
• The goal is to take every learner along in each
subject+help them to make full use of the curriculum
• Quality education in a subject requires mastering the
relevant discourse functions and genres, to become
discourse competent and an active citizen
• Our youth needs best of knowledge-building possible
29
Summary/Conclusion
The importance of language in subject learning and
teaching has to be (fully) acknowledged
Language competences have to be explicitly stated/
formulated in each curriculum and also explicitly
taught as part of the knowledge-building/the subject
Focussing on subj.-specific terminology is not enough!
Different procedures for describing classroom acitivities, discourse genres, cognitive/linguistic functions
and linguistic repertoires in subject learning exist
Transversality between subjects should be strived for.
30