Why do MFL teachers do so much work?

Howdy all, apologies yet again for such a long break between blogging- I've been busy (haven't we all!).

 

One of the things that forever bugs me in MFL teachging is that the teacher invariably puts themself right at the heart of everything that happens. We impart all knowledge. In most other subjects learners are challenged to work out problems, to plan how to overcome issues and how to address the task in front of them. And yet in MFL we tend to tell our learners all new material and we then spend the rest of the lesson and any homework practising that new material. The traditional learning sequence of starter, intro, games, listening, speaking, reading then writing leads to a gradual transition during the course of the lesson towards learner "autonomy". I'm not sure that's enough.

I want my learners to be able to work things out, to use their skills as they would have to in the Target Language country when I'm not there. I also want to be able to circulate, to assess how groups and individuals are getting on, to be able to correct misconceptions and to individualise my approach for each learner. I do not want to be at the front asking for repetition- after all, if we've taught phonics then there's no real need for that anyway. Although year 7s might respond well to it, by the time their weekly diet of passive repetition has got them through to year 9 the same enthusiasm and willingness to buy-in to the approach is no longer there.

Which is why a while ago I begged my followers on twitter to help. I felt stale. I was out of ideas. And I wanted to learn from the great teaching out there. And this is now an appeal that I put out to you. Please contribute to, and learn from, a collaborative Google Doc of ideas of how to introduce new language and structures WITHOUT standing at the front. So please please click here and getting adding your ideas! And have a read- we all know how uplifting it is to find new ideas which work and are effective, especially in these dark November days!

Comments

[Suzi Bewell]

Fight the good fight Mr Fuller.
Suzi x

[Alex Bellars]

great idea, Chris - will get my thinking cap on! ;)

[IssacGreaves]

It is so funny that you mention this as it was only last week when I was asking the same question to twitter. I realised that I did have some of the answers, but being an NQT with 20 new classes to contend with, i resorted to the standing at the front drilling which a) has been doing my voice and throat no good and b) the year 9's hate it.

I had this same problem on my long placement and came up with ideas for the students to 'drill' the vocabulary with themselves.

1. Give them the lists of Spanish and English and a stopwatch (or if allowed let them use their phones to time themselves). They have to get the best time of saying all the words between them. Winner gets a raffle ticket, draw for a lollipop/chew.

2. Word tennis - students take it in turns to say the words to each other without hesitating, again going down the list - one can be saying the TL and the other in English and try to catch each other out for points.

3. Splat but students work in 3's, one calls the words, two play - take turns, more students involved.

4. Get a groups of four students to write the words out in the TL once and cut into little cards/slips of paper. Students take it in turns to choose a word and decide how it is pronounced, discuss and you can monitor.

5. Involves making flashcards - but you hide one with one student outside. When that student comes in the rest of the class chant the word louder or quieter the hotter or colder the student is to finding the card.

Any more Ideas I would love to know!!! I just now need to begin to follow my own advice now that I have started to settle in.