Language Education

Matthew Lynch published in Language Development, Language Education

Expressive Language: Everything You Need to Know

This refers to the skill of using vocabulary and other tools of language to communicate effectively. It is a perfect blend of communication skills, literacy, and social skills. Expressive language is the ability to put thoughts into sentences and words in a way that’s grammatically correct and makes sense. Kids that have difficulty communicating their wants and needs might have an expressive language disorder or expressive language difficulties. For instance, kids might have expressive language difficulties if they’re unable to tell their parents when they’re hungry or when they need to use the bathroom.

Kids who’ve difficulty producing language might struggle with the following:

·         Using gestures

·         Asking questions

·         Naming objects

·         Making comments

·         Using facial expressions

·         Semantics

·         Syntax

·         Morphology (forms of words)

Expressive language disorder happens in all settings – at work, at school, and anywhere else individuals interact. People with expressive language disorders may need additional time to take a turn in a conversation or answer questions. These challenges may make it difficult to connect with people, form relationships, and make friends.

Expressive language disorders are generally developmental, and signs become visible in early childhood. But children don’t outgrow these disorders. The signs continue through adulthood. For instance, both adults and children with expressive language disorders may say “um” and “uh” many times when searching for what to ask or how to answer. Many individuals with the disorder avoid talking altogether. They may worry or find it too frustrating that others will judge them. They might choose not to interact or socialize with colleagues or classmates. Therefore, they can come across as withdrawn or distant.

There’s no single cause of expressive language disorder. Genetics might play a role because language difficulties often run in families. Sometimes, trouble with expressive language is related to autism. It can also result from issues in birth and pregnancy and brain illness or injury.

Speech therapy is effective in enhancing expressive language deficits and delays. Expressive language therapy focuses on providing kids with the strategies and tools they need to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and needs to the world. People need to be assessed by a speech-language pathologist to be diagnosed with expressive language disorders. These specialists work in clinics, in schools, and in private practice. Individuals can be diagnosed at any age. But since the disorder is developmental, the symptoms can show up at a very young age. The earlier this condition is identified, the sooner children can receive help to improve their language skills.

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Matthew Lynch published in International Education, Language Development, Language Education, Multilingual Education

Using Choral Responses as a Tool for Teaching Multilingual Learners

Choral responses are a  tool for teaching a different language to a class. Choral responses are the oral response to a prompt. In the classroom setting, you might hear a teacher saying phrases like “repeat after me” or “say it with me.” These prompts encourage all students to respond together at the same time.

Benefits of Using Choral Response

One of the benefits of using choral responses is that it provides an opportunity to practice a different language. The learning of a language is enhanced by practicing. Students become comfortable saying words and expressions, which builds their confidence in speaking a different language.  

Choral responses also build engagement in a classroom setting. Choral responses require the participation of the entire class. The teacher has to make sure that all students respond to his or her prompt otherwise, it is not considered a choral response. When a teacher encourages students to speak as a group, it becomes an opportunity to practice without fear of being put on the spot. 

How and When to Use Choral Responses

There is an art to using choral responses while in class. Effectiveness hinges on the entire class saying the words together when prompted. As a teacher, you have to make sure that each student responds to your prompt. If only a few students say the words with you, it means that the others are not engaged.

Choral responses are effective when you are introducing new words or phrases. At this phase, explicit teaching and lecture-style sessions are most effective, especially as students learn about vocabulary, syntax, and spelling. The teacher will read the words first, then prompt the class to say them together. If it’s the first time to encounter a word or a phrase, use prompts like “repeat after me” and “say it with me.”

Do not hesitate to use gestures when addressing the class. Raise your hand to silence the group and drop your hand to signal that it’s time to say the word together.

Another opportunity to use choral prompts is when your class is taking up longer texts like essays, stories, and books. Ask the students to read a few sentences together. This is a good opportunity to check if they are pronouncing the words correctly.

Keep in mind: if you’re asking the class to read a word or phrase together from a book, consider that there will be a few students who are just copying what the others are saying and not reading from the book itself.

Final Thoughts

Choral responses are useful when teaching multilingual learners. These help the students practice the language they are being taught. Limit lecture time to maximize the learning opportunity of each student. The teacher should be mindful of how much time he or she spends talking. Students tend to zone out if they get bored. Use choral responses as an opportunity to practice together as a group.  Promote active engagement by ensuring that all students respond to your prompt.

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Ton Koenraad published in Adult Education, Digital Age Teachers, ESL & ELL, Language Education, Professional Development

EU project CATAPULT offers opportunities for Internationalisation, profiling and lifelong learning for LSP, L2, MFL and CLIL teachers

One of the results of the CATAPULT Project (Computer-Assisted Training And Platforms to Upskill Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) Teachers) is LinguaCoP, a Community of Practice platform.

With its resource bank, blogs and forum Linguacop supports knowledge development and practice sharing by language, LSP and CLIL teachers.

It also hosts ‘LinguaClick’  to support (freelance) LSP, but also L2 and MFL professionals to offer their services, also internationally. View this short presentation video to see what this online Community of Practice has to offer.

Furthermore the project also offers a free online course (MOOC, released on October 12, 2020) based on the project’s LSP competence framework.

It supports LSP teachers wanting to update their teaching skills and those language teachers interested in developing competences specific for LSP teaching. Watch this video to get a sneak peek at what course participants can expect.  Those interested can register here

For more details about these and other project developments see the online version of the latest Newsletter

Project website: http://catapult-project.eu Twitter: @ProjectCatapult

From Ton Koenraad on behalf of Catapult partner TELLConsult

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