1.3. Language aims
According to Gattullo and Pallotti (2000, p. 52), when children finish primary school, they can:
1. read and understand a simple passage on everyday life;
2. engage in a simple conversations;
3. listen and understand simple messages.
In this useful investigation into language aims, Gattullo and Pallotti (2000) show that students will have developed reading, listening and speaking skills for simple topics when they leave primary school. These objectives seem to be reasonable and in line with the ability of six to ten year old pupils.
With regard to speaking skill, in ELLiE study, Italian pupils are expected to reach A1+ in CERF level by 11 years old at which they are able to exchange personal information about familiar
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The above author found that four skills of a foreign language are assessed, which also reveals the ability to use lexical items, grammar and pronunciation of a user. However, one of the limitations with this evaluation is that it does not explain how language competences are assessed. There is no answer whether students will take a pencil and paper test or other forms of assessment.
The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) developed by the European Council of Europe (2001) is used for assessment in Italy. Mitchell (2010) claims that the CEFR is employed to set up level for school leavers: primary students achieving level A1, lower secondary school pupils achieve A2 and high school leavers achieving level B1 (in vocational institutes) or B2 (in academic institutes). The CEFR is an outstanding framework for language teaching and assessment because learning outcomes statements (known as “can do” statements) are indicated clearly and fully for all skills: “it describes in a comprehensive way what language learners have to learn to do in order to use a language for communication and what knowledge and skills they have to develop so as to be able to act effectively” (Council of Europe, 2001, cited in Richards & Rodgers, 2014, p.165).
1.5. Teaching materials
Enever (2011) points out that teachers have difficulty in conducting effective lessons due to the
Learning provision for literacy development is important for pupils for several reasons. When pupils are developing their language skills they are learning to communicate with others in a variety of ways through speaking reading and writing. The three areas of language interact with each other to promote the child’s self expression and imagination. Children need to be given opportunity’s to use and extend their language in all subject areas so they can develop higher level thinking. [ Louise burnham, Brenda Baker,2010,pg206]
The debate over target language (TL) really became apparent in schools with the introduction of GCSE’s in 1988, which separated the study of modern foreign languages (MFL) into four skill areas, (speaking, listening, writing and reading) with a key emphasis on practical communication (Meiring, Norman, 2002). The latest subject specific Ofsted report for MFL highlights the ineffective use of TL in the classroom as a key feature in weak teaching. The report indicates that only using the TL for ‘organisational matters and for praise’ and resorting to ‘immediate English translations’, and not providing the opportunity for ‘spontaneous use’ of the TL is judged to be graded as requires improvement. The use of TL in the classroom is not
For the Purpose of this study EAL will be used to describe any child with English as an Additional Language. Information from the January 2012 schools census found that over one million children in the United Kingdom now speak another language in addition to English. It also found that there are over three hundred and sixty languages spoken in primary schools. These children can range from beginner speakers of English, such as refugees or asylum seekers, to those who are advanced speakers of English who have grown up at home with both English and another language being spoken (Webster, 2011)
“Oral language is a skill that is acquired naturally by the young. The importance of its development in early childhood cannot be overemphasised. It underpins the whole scope of learning and is employed to question, to seek information and to proffer ideas. A child who has a well – grounded ability in oral language will usually be nicely poised to cope with reading and writing. Anyone who lacks this will be at a disadvantage.” (J.Fellowes & G.Oakley, 2010, pp4) It is a vital component of every human beings life as it is a means of communication and interaction with their family, friends and
Another major issue that is addressed in the article is with the teachers and their teaching styles. The method in which most teachers teach their
The learning provisions for development in literacy are extremely important and can be reached by using their language skills. They learn to communicate with others through three main ways: they are Speaking, Reading and Writing. These three areas interact with each other and develop the Childs self-expression and imagination. They must be given the opportunity within all different subject areas to use and extend their language so that their thinking skills progress to a higher level.
As communication is a key element in my field, the necessity for them to develop excellent Language skills is key, as it also requires preparation, as elements of clear enunciation, focusing and the design of presentations are usually present in most of the courses within this field.
Language is becoming a powerful means of communication. From connecting two words first children are beginning gradually to build up sentences and their talking is becoming understandable even to those who are not in regular contact with the child. Even though there might be the odd mistake in the sentence structure, the language toward the end of this period is becoming fluent and children ask questions and generally enjoy expressing themselves through language.
Yana is starting to attend a setting, however, she speaks little English (appendix one). This language barrier could affect Yana in all areas of development, particularly her social development as it will limit her verbal communication skills (Davies, 2011). As Yana has English as an additional language (EAL), she may find it difficult to communicate her basic needs with limited vocabulary- Schaffer (1926) views this as a crucial barrier as it will prevent practitioners from successfully meeting children’s needs (Schaffer, 2004). Schaffer (1926) believes that EAL is a barrier to learning, however, Vygotsky (1896) along with Chomsky (1928) believe that language is a skill that can be learnt (Graf & Birch, 2009). Therefore, if language is modelled by the practitioners then Yana should learn new words and soon form sentences which will support Yana in all areas of
Readings and websites, set in this subject, have showed that I lack the basic knowledge of constructing literacy communication skills.
Literature review This section will provide background into the demotivation towards language learning in secondary schools, the importance of acquiring a second language for career purposes, and the effectiveness of interventions in raising attainment, closing the gap and boosting motivation. Other aspects such as policy, theory and good practice will also be examined.
There is also an idea that the ‘solution’ for children not learning to speak well in a
Based on the results of the assessments, Shevaun can comprehend and read within normal fluency rate for his grade level based on the norm-referenced data on the Oral Reading Fluency Chart. According to the data, he is at the 50th percentile rank. This means that while there are areas that Shevaun must be instructed in, he is still within an acceptable range when compared to students in the same grade. However, he needs further instruction on how to develop strategies to increase his fluency rate, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Although he was able to understand the passages to complete all answered responses correctly, he still took a lot of time to answer because he said that he needs more time to read and understand before circling
Studying abroad is currently attracting students all over the world, and it seems to be extremely interesting, but it could be complicated and full of challenges. One of these challenges is the foreign language, and English is not an exception. Here in the USA it is difficult to start studying since students need to pass a language test, which has been made to assess the students ' skills in English. Clear examples of these tests are Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Several people believe that having types of language tests gives students the opportunity to choose which test is more comfortable for them; however, the multiplicity of test types starts to be a serious issue with the increasing number of international students and the variability in the admission system of the schools. Several issues are indeed critical problems and should be discussed and resolved.
Furthermore, Stern (1983) in Consolo (2006) defines language proficiency as the actual performance of a learner in a given language and this clearly proves the relation between language proficiency with language performance. Language proficiency thus stands for the evaluation process of language skills to assess performance.