more from Fortune and tEDICK
Like
Robinson does in his book, Fortune and Tedick also both point out the
importance between the student learning and the teacher teaching the foreign
language. Fortune mentions that there are interesting results when looking at
“the relationship between teacher talk and student’s second language
acquisition” (72-73). Fortune also believes that the way “teachers provide
corrective feedback to students may inadvertently delimit student exposure to a
more authentic range of linguistic forms within the confines of classroom
interaction” (73). This perfectly represents the situation the Bridget
experienced coming here to America. Although she knew some English from her
class back in China, her English teachers “delimited” her learning by not
exposing her to all the words with similar meanings and the idioms that are
spoken here in America. For example, when a friend told her “you are the
shit!”- Bridget, did not understand the cultural context that this was said in.
She just learned that the word “shit” was a bad word, but in the context of
this phrase, it means “awesome”. From Bridget’s story, we see that it is very
difficult to learn a completely new language in a one-way setting.
While supporting immersion learning, Fortune and Tedick also discuss the positive effects of teaching a language in a classroom, which are important to acknowledge. In a foreign language classroom, many teachers have a big focus on questions for their students. Studies showed that the purpose of these questions was to, “elicit student ideas, encourage student language use, hold students accountable for the task at hand, guide students to new understandings, demonstrate multiple ways of expressing similar ideas and check to ensure current understandings of a given concept” (83). Although that was a lengthy list, it clearly covers the basis for WHY teachers ask questions in class, and the effect of those questions on the student. Although Bridget came to America not speaking English, she came with the tools to better learn English—one of those tools being how to ask questions. In her personal narrative she says that the she asked a peer around her what the “smoke free” sign meant because she was unclear. The ability to ask questions and the willingness to learn more is one of the strongest tools that is taught in a foreign language classroom setting.
There is so much culture behind a language that can only be learned when surrounded by many natives, all whom can teach you something different. Another key aspect about learning a language is listening. By being in a classroom, a student only listens for the length of the class, for example, 1 hour. Being immersed in a new culture and language allows the student to listen all day long, and just by listening and practicing, learning the language becomes more feasible.
While supporting immersion learning, Fortune and Tedick also discuss the positive effects of teaching a language in a classroom, which are important to acknowledge. In a foreign language classroom, many teachers have a big focus on questions for their students. Studies showed that the purpose of these questions was to, “elicit student ideas, encourage student language use, hold students accountable for the task at hand, guide students to new understandings, demonstrate multiple ways of expressing similar ideas and check to ensure current understandings of a given concept” (83). Although that was a lengthy list, it clearly covers the basis for WHY teachers ask questions in class, and the effect of those questions on the student. Although Bridget came to America not speaking English, she came with the tools to better learn English—one of those tools being how to ask questions. In her personal narrative she says that the she asked a peer around her what the “smoke free” sign meant because she was unclear. The ability to ask questions and the willingness to learn more is one of the strongest tools that is taught in a foreign language classroom setting.
There is so much culture behind a language that can only be learned when surrounded by many natives, all whom can teach you something different. Another key aspect about learning a language is listening. By being in a classroom, a student only listens for the length of the class, for example, 1 hour. Being immersed in a new culture and language allows the student to listen all day long, and just by listening and practicing, learning the language becomes more feasible.