TEMA – 14 Methods and techniques that focus on the acquisition of communicative competence.

Specific
methodological foundations for teaching english.

Esquema. Bibliografia.

Marc legislatiu.

Introducció.
This tòpic is about methods and techniques to get communicative competence. What makes this tòpic diferent from the tòpic 13 which is about the
history of diferent approaches to learn english is that an approach is a belief about a Language learning. For exemple, we know for sure that our goal
as a teachers is to ensure a communicative competence for all our students. How are we going to achieve this purpose? What steps are we going to
take to get to the end? The way in which we decide to teach a language is the method we use. Lastly, the techniques are all those activities that you
choose to carry out in class in order to work on specific aspects of the Language. For exemple, the use of flashcards to learn vocabulary, the use of
warm ups to encourage students to speak in english or the use of games to motivate our students.

Tema.

TRADITIONAL APPROACHES AND METHODS

There are traditional approaches and methods that help students to achieve a communicative competence in English. These methods aret he
communicative approach and the natural approach. The most remarkable lingüístics who advocated for the communicative approach were Chomsky,
Hymes, Michael Halliday and Canale and Swain. From Chomsky point of view, the comunicative competence is achieved when the learner knows the
Language System. Knowing how the Language Works, the words and sentences. Hymes suports Chomsky idea but he points out that Language has to
be meaningful in order to learn it and gives importance to the cultural aspect of any Language. Michael Halliday reafirmed Hymes theory, and
emphasises the communicative and cultural dimensions. Finally, Canale and Swain incorporated the idea of the 4 competences; gramatical
competence to know the rules, discursive competence, sociocultural competence and strategic competence. (fully developed in topic 13).
Regarding the natural approach, the most important lingüístic was Steven Krashen who explained that in order to learn a Language is highly
recommended to create good vibes in class where the stuents can feel at home without pressure. When students are in a relaxed environament they are
more receptive to learn and though, we don’t have to force them to speak. Teachers must respect the silent eriod of the students and provide them with
a lot of inputs. These inputs are speaking in the target Language along with a lot of visual aids to help learners understand. Visual aids, gestures,
mimes, realia... so the students can understand what it is said and so, learn.
There are three more lingüístic that have a big impact on the communicative approach. These are Vigotsky who created the Zone of Proximal
Development, Brunner who promoted the importance of scafolding in order to learn and Jim Cummin’s relationship between Language and cognition.
The zone of Proximal Development theory promoted by Vigotsky divides the learning in three zones. There is the zone where the student is able to
learn by himself without help. Connecting his own experiences to others is able to get his conclusions and create new knowledge. Then, there is the
zone where the student needs help in order to learn new idees. For exemple, in order to make a presentation, if the teacher doesn’t provide the students
with a guide or a table substitution to create sentences, students will never be able to get through it and get out of the self-learnig stage. So it’s
important to provide them with the right scafolding. Brunner also concluded that language scafolding is key to learn a new Language as students need
some help to build new knowledge. They cannot make a presentation if they do not have a guide or a subsitution table to create sentences (put more
examples).
Finally, James Cummin’s theory states that mixing language activities with other cognitive activities art he perfect combination to learn a new
language.
For exemple, if we have to plan a CLIL lesson, we might focus on a low lingüístic class so students can understand what it is said, but quite high
cognitive demand as the students will have to make an effort to understand the content. However, we can reverse the situation if we provide the
students with a table subsitution (right scafolding) for exemple, in this case, they will be able to CREATE and so, the lesson will be high cognitive. As
teachers, it’s important to offer diferent kind of cognitive activites, low, middle and high cognitive activities and combine all of them.

CURRENT METHODS

TASK BASED APPROACH

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

In problem based learning, it is the problem that drives the learning. Students work in teams to find solutions to the problem at hand. Then, they have
to apply all they have learnt during the process and the solution they have found, and communicate the results of their findings. PBL activities are
based in real life situations and sometimes there are diferent ways to reach to a conclusion. This method helps to develop critical thinking skills, it is
motivatng for the students because it is based on real life situations, promotes cooperation as the work is done in groups, students apply what they
have learnt and then communicate their findings and so, it helps to improve communication skills, not only verbal but written too. This method can be
difficult to apply if the students do not have a good english competence because at some point they wll have to discuss, debate, give opinions, ask and
answer in the correct way and it can be challenging if students do not have a good base. If we want to carry out this method in class we have to think
of the language they will need and provide a good scafolding.
CLIL (CONTENT LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING)
This method means studying a subject like science, arts, physical education... and studying a language such as English, at the same time. This method
focuses on oral skills as the main goal is to communicate in the target language, so there aren’t grammar explanations. The vocabulary learnt depends
on the subject and the content so it’s more motivating for the students because it is meaningful to them as they need it to communicate what they are
doing. The vocabulary is linked to the subject, so it is not artificial and so, it’s easier to remember. The use of scafolding is very important because
students need a lingüístic base t understand and communicate what they are learning. This methods gives importance to the content but the lingüístic
part is also important and with the right scafolding language can be reinforced. CLIL should target the 4C that are content (the content of the subject),
communication (in the target language), cognition (high demand cognition where students have to create, discuss, think) and culture (understand and
appreciate others). Some examples of CLIL activities are experiments, crafts, projects, presentations, challenges, role play...

FLIPPED CLASSROOM
Flipped classroom is the inversion of the traditional teaching situation in which the student has a passive role and the teacher an active role. In this
method the student is the protagonist of the learning process and the teacher only guides and prepares the material. It is called flipped classroom
because the theory has to be done at home, students watch the lectures at home as many times as they want and then in class they do the work and
discuss diferent opinions and solve problems. The use of Technology is very important in order to carry on all the activities (google classroom, google
drive, youtube...) This method helps students to be more responsable and learn to manage better their time and duties. An exemple of this method
would be a recording of present simple vs continuous on how they work and when to use each one, and then in class students would do some
activities to practise the two tenses. More examples, at home, students share vocabulary, read flashcards... and then in class they play memory games,
charades...
BUSCAR MES EXEMPLES FLIPPED CLASSROOM? This method requires a wide technology equipment for all the students and it’s important to
make sure that everybody has a computer at home and provide with one to those students who can’t afford a computer. This method can be more
useful in secondary school where the students have a high level of tecnologies but in primary little kids still rely on the parents to do these activities
and so, it’s better to use it from time to time. It is a good method to respond to the diversity of the class, as it can be useful for preparing extra work
for those who needs more practise or for students who learn fast and finishes before the rest of the class. For exemple, we can upload a vídeo on
“Google Classroom” with the vocabulary that we have been working on and some liveworksheets with extra activities to practise. Then, the students
can start doing it in class or at home. Again, everyone needs to have a computer to make it doable.

PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL)

The PBL was coined by Dewey and it is based on real life situations that are conncted to the everyday life of the studnts. Working this way, it’s more
motivating and easier to remember because they make connections and then they can apply what they learn to their life. The purpose of a project is to
create a final product that shows all the work that has been done along the process. The advantage of working on projects is that students can work on
diferent subjects simultaneously, they can learn about arts and science while practising a language at the same time, so the target language is leaent in
an integrated way and not separately. Last but not least, this methodology includes aspects from other methods, like seld-centered learning
(motivation and own interests), ICT (use of tecnologies), cooperative learning (the projecta re done in groups). An exemple of project could be the
study of UK Nations. First of all, students make groups of 5 people and each membre decides which role will have in order to organize the work to
do. This project includes diferent subjects (cross-curricular) like history, geography, arts, music, languages, ICT and vàlues aspects (working together,
respect each other opinions...) that will come up during the process. At the end, students hace to create a Prezi presentation to explaint to the rest of
the class what they have learned about each nation.

STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING

This method gives importance to the student, so the learners are protagonists of their own learning. This method helps students to achieve
independence and autonomy. Self-centered teaching methods include active learning in which students solve problems, answer qüestions, formulate
qüestions, discuss, explain, debate, brainstorm and work together cooperatively. When it comes to do an experiment, students need to follow
instructions to carrry out the experiment, so this promotes cooperative work and autonomy. Also projects and presentations involve cooperative work,
explanations, discussions among the membres... and it promotes formative assessment.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Cooperative learning is a method in which students work in small groups to achieve a common learning goal under the guidance of a teacher. The task
or activity is structured in a way that requires the participation of every membre o the group. As a result, all the group membres learn from each other.
An exemple of cooperative learning, is the “Jigsaw” activity in which each membre of the group has to do the research of one part of the task and then
teach it to the other membres of the group. Just like a jigsaw puzle, it only makes sense when all the pieces are put together. For exemple, the task
could be the presentation of Dr.Seuss life. Each student of the group would look for information about certain periods of his life. Childhood, early
career, late years... and then, each student reports what they have learnt to the rest of the group. At the end, the group has the whole picture of the life
of Dr. Seuss and can make a presentation to teach it to the rest of the class. It’s a good method because it’s motivating for students, they develop their
personal identity, learn to respect other opinions, get more responsabilities and learn to work with other people.

GAMIFICATION
Using difernt kind of games in the classroom. Sometimes it can be online games, word games, app games.. or just the best is to mix diferent activiti its
not good to gamificate the whole class. Nowadays there are tones of apps and games very useful to learn english. We have kahoot, quizziz, plickers
bamboozle to play contests, genially to make presentations or scape rooms, word world and liveworksheets to prepare diferent activities, breakoutedu
to play games, duolingo, quizlet to learn vocabulary and pronunciation through flashcards and many more. Games increase participation, engagement,
loyalty and competition. Rahat Paharia was the person who coined the term “gamification” in 2008.
ICT
MUTIPLE INTELLIGENCES FROM GADNER

TECHNIQUES FOCUSED ON THE ACQUISITION OF THE COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

TPR activities: This method is based on the use of games, songs, charades, storytelling, activities that include moviment. For exemple, “Simon says”,
“I spy with my little eye...”, “The floor is lava...”, “running dictations” and many more. (explain each one). We use it a lot in our classes because it’s
very motivating and they enjoy moviment. It’s a good method as students are active and get engaged in the activities. However, a class cannot be
taught only by this kind of activities but teachers have to choose the right ones to include them in each class and combine them with other methods.
James Asher was the lingüístic who first talked about this physical response.

Pair/group work: Pair work offers more practise to the students, improves personal relationships and increases self-confidence and offers real life
situations. Group work is ideal to promote cooperative work and free production activities.

Humanistic activities: Activities where students have to express their feelings, give opinions, discuss, reaching to conclusions together... for
exemple, what we can bring to an island, cooperative writing... and also activities for interpersonal exchange such as penfriends or exchanging letters.

Social interaction activities (role play, dialogues, drama...): These are activities in which the student’s social abilities are practised such as dialo-
gues or roleplays, stoytelling…

Functional communication activities: These are activities in which students look for information (gap fillings, hangman, activities such as
questionnaires, following instructions, following directions on a map...) and solve problems (discovering missing features in a picture, comparing sets
of pictures and establishing similarities and differences, sequencing pictures or events,...)

SPECIFIC METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

 Language as an instrument of communication

 Students must reach a communicative competence in English
 It’s important to provide meaningful situation linked to students’ interests and needs
 It’s important to present the language on a context instead of teaching grammar rules without sense
 It’s better to teach first oral skills before written skills.
 We have to respect the silent period of the students. We don’t have to force, but encourage.
 Mistakes are normal and it’s a part of the learning process.
 The classroom atmosphere must be relaxing and friendly (If we take into account all the things described above, we will create a relaxing
atmosphere).
 Students should be the protagonists of their learning and the teacher is just a guide.
 Teachers have to provide the students with all the comprehensive input possible so students can understand the lesson.
 Cooperative learning is a good way to work in class.
  Give diferent levels of cognition (start from simple activities to more complex ones)

As teachers we have to take into account all these aspects described above to lead our students to the accomplishment of a communicative
competence in a foregin language.

Intervenció Educativa.

Conclusió.

As teachers, we must know the advantages and disadvatages of all the methods. We have to combine them depending on the purpose, on the situation
and the students age. We have to promote motivation and developing all the language skills (listening, writing, speaking and reading) and obviosuly to
meet the challenges of diversity we have in class. We have to combine methods and develope all the skills so our students can learn the language in a
contextualized situation and achieve a communicative competence. Last but not least, we have to link english to other subjects so the students can
have a cross curricular perspective.