Task 1.1

Task 1.1

1. Children learning a foreign language

   • -Children actively try to construct meaning. -Children need space for language growth. -Language in use carries cues to meaning that may not be noticed.
   • PIAGET
     • The child is an active learner alone in a world of objects and ideas. A series of stages.
       • Assimilation: action takes place without any change to the child.
       • Accomodation: the child adjusted to features of the environment.
   • VYGOTSKY
     • The child´s development and learning take place in a social context.
     • ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT
       • Skills too difficult for a child to master on their own, but that can be done with guidance and encouragement from a skilled person.
         • Example
           • Maria was in the zone of proximal development for successfully hitting a forehand shot. She was doing everything else correctly, but just needed a little coaching and scaffolding from a "More Knowledgeable Other" to help her succeed in this task.
   • BRUNER
     • Language is the most important tool for cognitive growth. Adults use language to mediate the world for children.
     • SCAFFOLDING
       • Activities provided by the educator to support students as they are led through the zone of proximal development.
         • Support is tappered off as it becomes unnecessary. The student will then be able to complete the task again on his own.
           • Example
             • Mothers interacted with their children to build the 3D model. Mothers whose assistance was most effective were those who varied their strategy according to how the child was doing.
   • -Development can be seen as internalising from social interaction. -Children´s foreing language learning depends on whay they experience.

2. Learning language through tasks and activities

   • Task demands
     • Cognitive
       • Those related to concepts and to understanding of the world and other people.
       • Language
         • Those related to using the foreign language, and to uses of 1L in connection with learning the foreign language.
         • Interactional
           • Demands vary with the type of interaction required.
           • Metalinguistic
             • Include the use of technical terms about language in production or comprehension.
             • Involvement
               • Vary with the ease or difficulty the learner has in engaging with the task.
               • Physical
                 • Vary with how long the child must sit still for, with fine motor skills needed.
   • Task support
     • Cognitive
       • Support can come from the contextualisation of language.
       • Language
         • Support can come from re-use of language mastered.
         • Interactional
           • Support can come from the type of interaction.
           • Metalinguistic
             • Support can come from technical terms, clear explanation.
             • Involvement
               • Support can come from content and activity which are engaging.
               • Physical
                 • Variation in sitting and moving use of familiar actions.
   • A classroom task will have: -coherence and unity -meaning and purpose -clear language learning goals -beginning and end -involve the learnes actively.
     • Preparation: prepare the learners to be able to complete the core activity.
     • Core activity: set up through its language learning goals.
     • Follow up: builds on successful completion of the core.

3. Working with young learners

   • Children´s ability to grasp meaning
     • Able to understand what is being said before they understand individual words.
   • Children´s creative use of limited language resources
     • Creative with grammatical forms and concepts.
   • Children´s capacity for indirect learning
     • Encourages spontaneous and more fluent use.
   • The role of imagination
     • Very powerful stimulus for real language use.
   • The instinct for interaction and talk
     • The most powerful motivators for using the language.
   • Children´s instinct for play and fun
     • They make the language their own. Powerful contribution to learning.