Freeing teachers and learners: How can we promote fluency in the
language classroom?
Dr. Stephen BaxCanterbury Christ Church University
England
KTEC, Kuwait May 2006
My background
-Sudan-Algeria-Damascus, Syria-Baghdad, Iraq-Canterbury-UAE –national review of education-Jordan – national review of English teaching-Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia
Why focus on fluency?
Professor Christopher Brumfit (1940-2006)
1984 “Communicative methodology in language teaching: The roles of fluency and accuracy”
The nature of language
“…we cannot operate with a view of language simply as a descriptive system to be handed over to the learner;
language is not a package to be given from one owner to another…..”
(Brumfit 1980:116, my emphasis)
Why is this important?
Maybe our whole idea of language is damaging for our learners!
“…by defining language as knowledge, a deficit view of the learning process has been established for all second language learners”
(Brumfit 1980:120)
Why is this important?
In other words, we need to realise that language learning is unique:
It is a SKILL and not just packets of KNOWLEDGE.
Skills work needs fluency work
So our question today is, how can we promote a focus on skills and a focus on fluency?
…….. particularly for Arabic speaking learners?
What do teachers do in practice?
Handout 1
What is the teacher’s role?
1. Facilitator, model and so on…. but also
2. To act as a provider – which means to provide all that learners need.
Note: only the teacher can do this
How do we learn a language?Four Keys to Language Learning
Affect (motivation)Learners need to feel right about learning
InputThey need the right quantity and the right quality of input
OutputThey need the right quantity and the right quality of output opportunities
Form (accuracy work)They need awareness of correct forms
cf. Willis 1996
What is missing in these classes?
1. Use of active tasks to promote fluency2. Teachers’ ability to develop their own
activities and materials3. Checking student learning (spot checking)4. Using errors as a way of teaching
1. So …what teachers can do
focus on skillsprovide tasks and materials for fluencycheck that all pupils are practisinguse errors creatively
Teacher as provider - providing what the coursebook does not
2. What coursebooks can do
focus on skills
give space and time for fluency work
give tasks for fluency practice
Problem
parents, headteachers and learners have the view of language as a fixed package (Brumfit)this leads to certain views about learning… and views about the teacher's role
3. What the authorities can do
Ministries: need to remember that language is not a fixed package, but a skill
the need for a ‘syllabus with holes’, giving extensive space for fluency practice
the role of inspectors and supervisors
Tests and exams
need to be skills-basedmove away from grammaruse unseen texts and passages
Exams as the main tool for change?
Conclusion
We can see WHAT we can usefully do to promote fluency
We have seen some pointers as to HOW to do it
Let’s do it!
Recommended
