Action Research for Action Research for Second Language Second Language

TeachingTeaching

By Ramona ElliottBy Ramona Elliott

Focus QuestionFocus Question

What difference has the TPL What difference has the TPL made in my effectiveness in made in my effectiveness in

teaching Spanishteaching Spanish ??

Why this question?Why this question?

In a ‘traditional’ language classroom L2 In a ‘traditional’ language classroom L2 acquisition ,‘talk’ and activities are generally acquisition ,‘talk’ and activities are generally

teacher dominated and selected.teacher dominated and selected.

Wanting to move away from this; task-based Wanting to move away from this; task-based activites where activities and ‘talk’ are activites where activities and ‘talk’ are

generally student led should in crease student generally student led should in crease student output in TLoutput in TL

How would I do this?How would I do this?

I decided to teach two different I decided to teach two different classes over the year. I would teach classes over the year. I would teach

each group based on these two each group based on these two different styles and record their different styles and record their

output.output.

HypothesisHypothesis

Teacher directed activites = less student Teacher directed activites = less student output opportunityoutput opportunity

Meaningful task-based activites that are Meaningful task-based activites that are not teacher dominated = increase not teacher dominated = increase

student output opportunitystudent output opportunity

Ellis’ Principles to Ellis’ Principles to achieve thisachieve this

Successful instructed Language Learning Successful instructed Language Learning requires extensive L2 input.requires extensive L2 input.

This is also balanced with successful This is also balanced with successful instructed Language Learning requires instructed Language Learning requires

extensive L2 output.extensive L2 output.

Therefore students require quality Therefore students require quality opportunities to interact in L2opportunities to interact in L2

MethodMethodTarget Group 1- Lesson 3Target Group 1- Lesson 3

Focus on greetings and titlesFocus on greetings and titles Questions and instruction primarily Questions and instruction primarily

provided by teacherprovided by teacher Students had cue cards to initiate Students had cue cards to initiate

interactioninteraction Answers generated by student Answers generated by student

knowledgeknowledge

MethodMethod

Target Group 2 – Lesson 4Target Group 2 – Lesson 4Focus on numbers 1-10 and telling Focus on numbers 1-10 and telling

the timethe time Questions and answers were Questions and answers were

predominately student generated using predominately student generated using task-based activites.task-based activites.

Students aware of LI and SC, Immediate Students aware of LI and SC, Immediate and Oral Feedback and Oral Feedback

Data CollectionData Collection

Target Group 1was observed by Wendy ThomsonTarget Group 2 was observed by Deborah Rattray

Student utterances were recorded when partaking in activities and tallied.

FindingsFindingsLesson 1Lesson 1 Student output was single words and

short phrases No opportunity for focus on pragmatic

meaning

Lesson 3Lesson 3 Students output was formulaic phrases Opportunity to focus on pragmatic

meaning.

Data SummeryData Summery

Student Student UtterancesUtterances Lesson 3Lesson 3 Lesson 4Lesson 4

Target Group 1Target Group 15 utterances single 5 utterances single

words and short words and short phrasesphrases

Target Group 2Target Group 211 utterances11 utterances

formulaic phrasesformulaic phrases

*Student Utterances consists of a short word or short phrase within student interactions.

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Students experienced a 220%220% increase in utterances .That were

formulaic and pragmatic.

Restrictions on ResearchRestrictions on Research I see one major restriction ,which could have influenced I see one major restriction ,which could have influenced

the collated data. Which I also believe could also be used the collated data. Which I also believe could also be used for future research is the class size. for future research is the class size.

Target Group 1 was a class size of 28Target Group 1 was a class size of 28 Target Group 2 was a class size of 13Target Group 2 was a class size of 13

The smaller class size enables the teacher to give The smaller class size enables the teacher to give feedback which is oral and immediate, as well as checking feedback which is oral and immediate, as well as checking with each group that they have met the LI’s based on the with each group that they have met the LI’s based on the task.task.

Students are able to progress faster within their Students are able to progress faster within their capabilities because the teacher is able to ‘make the capabilities because the teacher is able to ‘make the rounds’ faster and able to focus on form.rounds’ faster and able to focus on form.

What have I learnt?What have I learnt? Task-based activites maintain a balance of Ellis’ Task-based activites maintain a balance of Ellis’

Principles which have shown to be effective in Principles which have shown to be effective in increasing student output.increasing student output.

Task-based activities allow students to develop Task-based activities allow students to develop autonomous learning strategies. autonomous learning strategies. Lawson, HogbenLawson, Hogben

Task-based activites generate ‘pushed output’ Task-based activites generate ‘pushed output’ which forces students to know the distinction which forces students to know the distinction between knowing the word and using the word.between knowing the word and using the word.

Estonian Papers in Applied Linguistics, issue: 4 / 2008, , issue: 4 / 2008, pages: 121-238, on pages: 121-238, on www.ceeol.comwww.ceeol.com. . Favretti, Silver, Tamburini, Grasser, quoted in Lawson, Hogben 1996:106.