Teach me so I learn by Les Éditions CEC

TEACH ME

So I Learn

Creating a balanced student-centred program for a positive and rewarding learning experienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;!

When students come to French class for the first time, they are motivated and eager to learn. Students who are returning to French after a long summer are looking forward to new experiences and an enjoyable and successful year. A challenge for FSL educators is to teach and assess students so that their progress, motivation and eagerness to learn continue throughout the year and into the next. Teach Me So I Learn provides a range of teaching practices to engage students and prevent sources of demotivating frustration. This resource offers practical tips and examples to support teachers in designing a balanced program of student-centred learning that interconnects metacognitive thinking, listening, speaking, writing and reading skills, as well as communication strategies and cultural competencies.

So I Learn Susan Forrester â&#x20AC;˘ Teach Me So I Learn

It is no small task for FSL educators to connect with students so that they are engaged, motivated and focused on efficiently learning to speak, write, read and understand French.

Susan Forrester

Teach Me So I Learn is a resource intended to help FSL educators teach students in a way that they remain engaged and continue to enjoy the rich experience of learning a second language. PRODUCT CODE: 216963 ISBN 978-2-7617-9077-2

Series Editor Marie Turcotte

Teach Me So I Learn Table of Contents Chapter 1: Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains...........................................................................1 What do we know about the brain?........................................................................ 2 How do we capture the brain’s attention?.............................................................. 3 What factors engage the brain in learning?............................................................ 4 Making meaningful connections........................................................................ 4 Making connections to retain new information......................................... 4 Making connections to the teacher............................................................. 5 Establishing achievable challenges..................................................................... 6 Providing opportunities for movement............................................................. 8 Creating meaningful activities............................................................................ 8 Incorporating change and repetition in the learning process.......................... 9 Encouraging observation and use of patterns................................................. 11 Using humour.................................................................................................... 12 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 13 FSL Book Club........................................................................................................... 13

Chapter 2: Planning student-centred learning opportunities.......... 14 What elements of student-centred planning promote learning FSL?.................. Planning that develops habits of mind............................................................ Planning that develops metacognition............................................................ Talk about learning… in French................................................................. What are some considerations for effective FSL lesson design?........................... Focusing on functions of language.................................................................. Incorporating auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning................................. Achieving enduring learning............................................................................ Maximizing the potential for progress............................................................ Incorporating technology................................................................................. Conclusion ................................................................................................................ FSL Book Club...........................................................................................................

14 15 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 28 28

Chapter 3: Nurturing autonomous readers............................................... 29 What factors influence reading instruction in FSL?............................................... Establishing a purpose for reading................................................................... Focusing on strategy development.................................................................. Transferring English language and literacy skills.............................................

30 30 31 32

Deriving meaning from appropriately challenging texts................................ Connect print text to oral language skills........................................................ Using self-monitoring strategies....................................................................... Meaningful activities before, during and after reading....................................... The Gradual Release of Responsibility............................................................. Assessment for and as learning improve confidence and proficiency.................. Meaningful reading assessment....................................................................... Assessment for learning.............................................................................. Assessment as learning................................................................................ Feedback to improve reading........................................................................... Assessing to inform planning............................................................................ Conclusion ................................................................................................................ FSL Book Club...........................................................................................................

33 34 35 37 38 39 41 41 43 45 46 46 47

Chapter 4: Nurturing confident writers...................................................... 48 What is meaningful writing in FSL?........................................................................ Writing to practise language skills................................................................... Writing to demonstrate comprehension.......................................................... Writing oral presentations................................................................................ Writing to interact............................................................................................. Writing to record information.......................................................................... Writing to clarify thinking................................................................................ Developing creative writing skills..................................................................... Exploring beliefs and assumptions about teaching writing in FSL....................... Factors that may influence beliefs and assumptions about writing instruction................................................................................................... The foundation of writing: oral language or reading.............................. Introduction and frequency of writing...................................................... Error correction............................................................................................ Relationship between learning grammar and writing............................. Writing with or without reference tools................................................... Using the writing process............................................................................ Writing on demand..................................................................................... Open-ended vs. structured writing tasks................................................... Talking about writing: in French or in English?......................................... Considerations for planning effective writing instruction.................................... Shared writing............................................................................................. Guided writing............................................................................................. Differentiating writing instruction................................................................... Before, during and after writing...................................................................... Refining French language skills........................................................................ Assessment for and as learning improve student confidence and proficiency.... Assessment for learning.................................................................................... Assessment as learning...................................................................................... Conclusion ................................................................................................................ FSL Book Club...........................................................................................................

49 50 50 50 51 51 52 52 53 54 55 55 55 55 56 56 56 57 57 57 61 61 61 62 63 64 65 66 66 67

Chapter 5: Nurturing thinking skills in FSL............................................. What does higher-order thinking look like in FSL?.................................................... What teaching strategies foster higher-order thinking in FSL?................................. Metacognition........................................................................................................ Metacognitive skills for listening..................................................................... Metacognitive skills for speaking.................................................................... Metacognitive skills for reading...................................................................... Metacognitive skills for writing....................................................................... Metacognition and executive function........................................................... Problem-solving in FSL............................................................................................ Critical thinking...................................................................................................... Creative thinking.................................................................................................... Collaborative thinking............................................................................................ How is higher-order thinking reflected in assessment opportunities?..................... Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... FSL Book Club................................................................................................................

Chapter 6: Developing understanding of French beyond the classroom.................................................................................. Factors to consider when planning teaching of cultural competencies.................... What constitutes the Francophone world?........................................................... Asking the right questions..................................................................................... The language of culture......................................................................................... Connections between cultural understanding and student confidence, motivation and autonomy........................................................................................... Nurturing a positive linguistic identity.................................................................. Nurturing cultural curiosity.................................................................................... Factors to consider when planning assessment of cultural competencies................ Assessment as learning........................................................................................... Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... FSL Book Club................................................................................................................

Conclusion ......................................................................................................

What matters to FSL students going forward? ..........................................................

DR AF

Introduction

A • • • •

crucial question in discussions about French as a Second Language (FSL) education is how to motivate students. How do we, as FSL teachers, motivate our students to:

be attentive in class take risks and participate orally continue French beyond the mandatory courses become lifelong learners of French

Teach Me So I Learn invites educators to view learning FSL from the perspective of our students and to consider what we have learned from brain research about attention, retention, risk-taking, cognition, metacognition and learner autonomy.

Teach Me So I Learn connects teaching FSL to what we know about how the brain learns. This resource supports FSL teachers in planning a balanced program that interweaves oral language with reading, writing and culture to motivate students to improve their proficiency and become autonomous learners.

INTRODUCTION

VII

Approaching learning from the students’ perspective highlights the importance of: • • • •

meaningful, relevant, authentic learning explicitly teaching cognitive strategies fostering a deep understanding of metacognition in students scaffolding learning by using the Gradual Release of Responsibility model • providing specific feedback and allotting time to improve • differentiating teaching, learning activities and assessments • pacing teaching according to student readiness and achievement rather than external timelines

Chapter 1 presents information about how the brain learns and discusses factors that facilitate learning. We provide concrete examples of ways to capture and maintain students’ attention and help students create multiple connections with material in order to increase deep understanding and retention. Research on brain-based learning has shown that positive interpersonal connections with students are critical to effective teaching. Chapter 1 provides tips to help teachers foster strong relationships with, and between, students. We also discuss the importance of helping students understand how brains function and how they, as individuals, learn best. Chapter 2 introduces critical aspects of student-centred lesson planning: developing metacognitive skills and habits of mind that will enable students to become lifelong autonomous learners; providing relevant tasks and functional language; explicitly teaching language skills for talking about learning en français; suggesting tips for maximizing class time.

Chapter 3 focuses on the role of reading in developing learner autonomy and discusses the connections between oral language and reading. Practical examples are provided to support teachers in using assessment for and as learning to improve student confidence and proficiency in reading. Chapter 4 explores meaningful writing. Educators are invited to reflect on their beliefs and assumptions about teaching writing and to consider factors that influence their thinking. Examples are provided to support teachers in planning the steps involved in writing instruction: establishing a meaningful purpose; engaging students in activities before, during and after writing; using assessment for and as learning effectively to improve students’ ability to write with accuracy. Chapter 5 addresses how to develop cognitive and metacognitive thinking skills by exploring: higher-order thinking in the FSL context; teaching strategies that foster higher-order thinking; opportunities for assessing higher-order thinking.

VIII

Teach Me So I Learn

Chapter 6 highlights the importance of developing cultural competencies. It provides insights about helping students better understand where and how French is used beyond the classroom. Many practical examples support teachers in planning, teaching and assessing cultural competencies. The graphic below outlines the questions addressed in this resource.

PLEASE, TEACH ME SO I LEARN! Make listening, speaking, reading and writing activities interconnected and meaningful.

Connect with how my brain works. Think about my feelings and my interests.

Build my thinking skills.

Help me make connections with French language and culture.

Teach me strategies so I can learn to read and read to learn.

• Will what I am going to learn in French be meaningful and useful in the real world? • Will I have opportunities to listen, speak, read and write about the same topic so I can make connections among these four skills?

• How do I know you care about me? • Does it matter to you that I succeed in learning French? • Will I be able to make connections with my interests in French class? • Can you help me see my progress in French?

• Can you teach me to improve my thinking skills? • Can you help me understand how I learn best? • Can you show me how to take greater responsibility for my learning? • Will assessments enable me to show all my thinking skills?

• Will I be able to make connections to my literacy strategies to improve my reading in French? • Will you help me learn what to do if I don’t understand what I read?

• Will I be able to communicate in French beyond the classroom? • Am I bilingual? Will I be? Can you help me talk about my French skills en français? • Can you help me find out about places where French is spoken and about different accents?

• Can you help me if I have trouble paying attention? • Can you teach me ways to stay focused? • Can you help me remember more French from day to day and from one year to the next?

By considering the questions above, educators are able to focus on learning French from the students’ perspective. This focus lays the foundation for planning a balanced, inclusive, relevant and engaging program that is oriented toward continued student progress and success in FSL.

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

In a society where we are constantly surrounded by technology, it is challenging to capture students’ attention.

he goal of every FSL teacher is to develop student autonomy, confidence, motivation and proficiency in French. In this chapter, we will explore how to use brain-based learning techniques in our teaching to capitalize on the way the brain learns. We do not need to be neuroscientists to plan successful lessons, but understanding how the brain and body function effectively will benefit us as teachers. We will consider the following questions in this chapter: 1. What do we know about the brain? 2. How do we capture the brain’s attention? 3. What factors engage the brain in learning?

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAIN ? We have only seconds to persuade a brain to pay attention and about ten minutes before the brain is distracted by internal or external stimuli.

“People usually forget 90% of what they learn in a class within 30 days” (Medina, 2008, p. 100). The brain learns by sending messages through networks of nerve cells. The nerve cells (neurons) are separated by tiny gaps. Like a baton in a microscopic relay race, each message must be passed from one neuron to the next. Unfortunately, sometimes the baton gets dropped. The brain is a very busy control centre, so sometimes it does not process new information. At other times, the brain processes and responds to the new information but does not retain it for later use. The brain protects us from sensory overload by filtering out much of the information that bombards our senses. If something or someone catches the brain’s attention, it retains that information. If not – cela entre par une oreille et sort par l'autre !

Understanding how the brain filters out uninteresting information highlights the importance of engaging the student brain right from the beginning in learning French. We have only seconds to persuade a brain to pay attention and about ten minutes before it is distracted by internal or external stimuli (Medina, 2008). The brain’s ability to be distracted by external stimuli definitely helped our ancestors survive, but unfortunately its distractibility works against our lesson plans! Brain functioning is a complex topic that is the focus of ongoing research. For FSL teachers, it is important to remember the following principles: • We may need to persuade our students’ brains to process the input we provide in order for them to learn French. • How we teach is as important as what we teach. Our choice, organization and timing of learning opportunities affect success. • The brain is affected by emotional and physical factors such as mood and blood flow.

How we teach is as important as what we teach. Our choice, organization, and timing of learning opportunities affect success.

Consider how the brain works and then imagine what is happening inside your students’ minds when they are in French class. When we greet our students, we may see smiles and frowns, interest and apathy, energy and lethargy. Take a moment to look beyond the surface and consider how we can help students prime their brains for learning French. It is a challenge for teachers to capture students’ attention long enough for the brain to process oral language or written text in a second language when flashing screens and streaming video and audio constantly disrupt their focus. Since this is the reality of modern society, and changing it is out of our control, let’s focus on how to reach our students’ brains.

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HOW DO WE CAPTURE THE BRAIN’S ATTENTION ? “The more attention the brain pays to a given stimulus, the more elaborately the information will be encoded – and retained” (Medina, 2008, p. 74). Reflecting on how the human brain developed over millennia to ensure our survival tells us how to capture its attention. In order to survive, our brain evolved to differentiate between colours, shapes and sounds in the environment. However, with so much input to process, brains filter out much of what we see and hear. Making sure that all students are engaged, paying attention and retaining input is essential for successful student language learning. The following chart suggests some ways in which we can increase the probability that input is reaching our students’ brains.

IN ACTION

Suggestions for explicit teaching

Capitalize on the brain’s attraction to new stimuli.

Before you present new material: • wear a colourful hat • play a short, catchy electronic sound file • play a few notes or a rhythm pattern on an instrument

Ensure that your students’ brains are accepting messages, not filtering them out.

Have students: • provide brief, simple responses to questions • retell key points • restate information in their own words • provide synonyms, antonyms and examples • express an opinion • provide another perspective • restate a classmate’s response • describe what they just learned to a classmate • ask one another questions

Capturing the brain’s attention

Reach out to students who have become disengaged over time or during the lesson.

During class: • invite students to share a written answer you have corrected • ask students to repeat one word at a time • provide advance notice of questions and allow thinking time • call on students frequently for short answers • embed students’ names in the material

When we consider how the brain functions as we focus the learning experience from the students’ perspective, our teaching will be more effective. Students will appreciate our efforts to connect with them, and their increased attentiveness will lead to improved proficiency, motivation and confidence.

When we focus the learning experience from the students' perspective, our teaching will be more effective.

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

WHAT FACTORS ENGAGE THE BRAIN IN LEARNING ? “By creating engaging instruction and building students' skillsets to master stressors such as boredom, you'll be more than a great educator motivating their learning. You'll be saving their brains!" (Willis, 2013) Research indicates that there are numerous ways to stimulate the brain to pay attention to and store information so that it is retrievable. Effective classroom methods for stimulating students to retain information include: • • • • • • •

making meaningful connections establishing achievable challenges providing opportunities for movement creating meaningful activities incorporating change and repetition in the learning process encouraging observation and use of patterns using humour

MAKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS Let’s consider brain anatomy and function in order to appreciate the importance of making connections in the context of FSL learning.

The areas in the brain that allow us to understand and to produce language are separate. Auditory, visual and sensory inputs are processed simultaneously in different parts of the brain. Students benefit from having many opportunities to strengthen the connections between brain areas where comprehension and production occur.

Making connections to retain new information The brain attempts to connect new information to what it already knows. Helping students make connections to new content is like hanging laundry on a clothes line with pegs: the more pegs we use, the more clothing we can dry. The more tools we use to help students retain new information, the more securely the content will be encoded in their brains. We will discuss this feature of the brain later when we explore psychologist Lev Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development.

The more tools we use to help students retain new information, the more securely the content will be encoded in their brains.

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The following table provides some examples of teacher actions to help students make connections.

IN ACTION

Suggestions for explicit teaching

• Involve multiple senses.

• Use images, physical actions, concrete materials and music to create visual, tactile, auditory and kinesthetic experiences.

• Confirm that students have processed aural input (verbal instructions) accurately.

• Have students quickly sketch what was said.

• Make explicit connections between aural and written input.

• Encourage students to colour-code liaisons, elisions and silent letters.

• Provide multiple opportunities for students to strengthen neural pathways between comprehension and production.

• Have partners restate, elaborate or respond to ideas.

• Help students make connections between English and French.

• Have students colour-code texts (e.g., by using green for cognates and red for false cognates). • Identify similarities and differences in structure, text forms and punctuation. • Determine when the brain incorrectly makes connections with another language.

• Recognize ways that the brain can hinder progress.

Making connections

Making connections to the teacher “Motivation in the brain is driven by emotion: Individuals are motivated to engage in situations with an emotionally positive valence and avoid those with an emotionally negative valence” (Hinton, Fischer & Glennon, 2012, p. 15).

Most of us can recall at least one teacher with whom we really connected, and whose teaching inspired us. What stands out about that teacher is the acceptance and encouragement we felt, not the brilliantly planned lessons and unique learning opportunities. Perhaps you had a teacher, coach or instructor who made you feel that you were on the right track, that you had the potential to excel, and that your efforts to learn and improve were valued. Numerous studies have shown that how students feel when they learn and how they feel about their teacher unquestionably have an impact on their ability to learn and their desire to continue their studies (Ahnert et al. (2012), Toste (2016), Baker, Grant & Morlock (2008), Rimm-Kaufman & Sandilos (2016), Dewar (2015)). In the words of researcher Dr. Sara Rimm-Kaufman, “Improving students' relationships with teachers has important, positive and long-lasting implications for both students' academic and social development” (Rimm-Kaufman, 2016).

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

IN ACTION Fostering positive interpersonal connections

How can FSL teachers build positive interpersonal connections with students to prepare them for learning?

Suggestions for explicit teaching • Make eye contact. • Circulate among students. • Be confident, relaxed, patient and approachable. • Express sincere interest during interactions. • Make sure that your facial expression and body language match your verbal message; they may reveal negative emotions such as impatience or frustration. • Maintain your sense of humour and your passion for teaching French. • Focus on the moment; leave your own worries or preoccupations at the door.

Help struggling and/or disengaged students.

• Remind yourself that these students need your support most. • Try not to take students’ disengagement personally; set goals to improve their participation. • Communicate that it is important that all students learn French. • Show that you value their individual progress. • Include students’ interests and activities to make learning enjoyable and relevant. • Show students that you appreciate their efforts to learn. • Teach students inconspicuous signals to indicate when they need help. • Allow students who lack confidence to share answers one-on-one.

Encourage collaboration.

• Partner students with learning buddies. • Provide numerous opportunities for group and partner work. • Establish routines so students move quickly into various groupings. • Model peer feedback and positive interactions. • Demonstrate that you believe in your students’ capacity to learn by establishing French only in the classroom.

DR AF

Self-monitor non-verbal and verbal communication.

When students complain that an activity is boring, they are telling us that their brains want to work and that we are not challenging them.

Learning occurs when students are presented with challenges that are just beyond their current capabilities but that they can solve with guidance.

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ESTABLISHING ACHIEVABLE CHALLENGES “For thorough, sustainable learning, learners need to feel challenged, even frustrated, by the techniques they are using to learn the material” (Castellano, 2014). The brain evolved to be a problem-solver. Consider what students actually mean when they complain that an activity is boring: they are telling us that their brains want to work and that we are not challenging them. Dr. Jo Boaler has discovered that challenging the brain makes it stronger. In her research on teaching mathematics, Boaler found that “challenge results in growth” (2016). With practice, messages pass more quickly between neurons, and new neural pathways are forged, until once challenging language becomes automatic to understand and produce. The concept now known as the Zone of Proximal Development, from the work of psychologist Lev Vygotsky, suggests that learning occurs when students are presented with challenges that are just beyond their current capabilities but that they can solve with guidance (Vygotsky, 1978, pp. 32–35).

Researcher Sidney D’Mello explains that teachers should try to create a situation he refers to as “productive confusion.” D’Mello suggests that teachers can support learning “by helping the student recognize that the way out of confusion is through focused thought and problem solving; by providing necessary information and suggesting strategies when appropriate; and by helping the student cope with the negative emotions that may arise” (Paul, KQED News, MindShift, 2012).

"Learning is deeper and more durable when it's effortful – however counterintuitive that may feel” (Brown, Roediger & McDaniel, 2014, p. 7).

FSL students benefit from situations that require them to utilize their skill set in combination with new language structures and vocabulary. Providing students with strategies for these challenging situations instead of allowing them to resort to English results in lasting learning. The following chart suggests some ways to provide appropriate challenges in FSL.

IN ACTION

Suggestions for explicit teaching

Structure learning around a challenging but feasible task with a concrete outcome.

• Plan communicative activities that provide the necessary French language knowledge and skills to enable students to complete a broader task. • Provide open-ended tasks that allow for individual differences.

Vary and build on daily routines so that students can continuously expand their knowledge and skills and apply what they have previously learned in new contexts.

• Provide opportunities for students to hear and use more formal and colloquial language. • Vary word choice by providing synonyms once students have mastered frequently used vocabulary. • Remove anchor charts after an appropriate time to emphasize that the goal is to internalize new material.

Develop thinking skills through listening, speaking, reading and writing activities.

• Expose students to comprehensible, authentic oral French. (Listening) • Encourage students to use think time during peer interactions so that they can retrieve new vocabulary or think of alternative ways of expressing ideas. (Speaking) • Choose texts that encourage students to infer meaning rather than relying on vocabulary lists. (Reading) • Provide writing prompts that develop creative and critical thinking skills. (Writing)

Provide learning challenges

Challenges should not be beyond students’ abilities. To ensure that challenges are appropriate, use the following guidelines. • Implement the Gradual Release of Responsibility model to scaffold the learning so students can develop the necessary skills. • Provide individual anchor charts or reference sheets with sentence starters, response choices, success criteria and models of text forms as supports. • Teach students to monitor their comprehension and to take steps to repair it using literacy strategies (re-read, read ahead, guess and check).

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOVEMENT “[M]ovement can be an effective cognitive strategy to (1) strengthen learning, (2) improve memory and retrieval, and (3) enhance learner motivation and morale” (Jensen, 2005, p. 60). Brain research tells us that movement engages the brain. If you have been sitting still while reading this book, try getting up and walking around – you will remember the content better. To stimulate students’ brains through movement in the classroom, try cooperative learning activities such as inside–outside circles, mix and mingle, graffiti walls and gallery walks. As they move, students have opportunities to practise new skills, learn from classmates and provide peer feedback.

When students participate in activities requiring movement such as role-plays, dialogues, demonstrations, charades, skits, choreographed songs and presentations, their memory and retention improve. Ball-toss games to elicit answers, dice-rolling games to determine the next activity, rearranging word cards or sentence strips to make a sentence or text, finding a hidden object, or even writing on the board engage the brain, develop problem-solving skills and improve students’ fluency in French.

Consider the following guidelines for incorporating movement into your classroom.

• Movement in the FSL classroom should be purposeful and connected to a meaningful task. • Use games to scaffold learning. • Develop well-rehearsed routines so that students move quickly and smoothly from one activity to another. • Use spaces other than the classroom, such as the gym, computer lab, library or outdoors to keep students active.

FSL teachers who get their students moving reap numerous benefits in addition to engaging their students’ brains.

FSL teachers who get their students moving reap numerous benefits in addition to engaging their students’ brains. For example, being free to circulate as students practise their French skills enables teachers to listen to students’ conversations and provide timely, descriptive feedback. Differentiating instruction can be accomplished on the spot as teachers work with small groups or individual students while the rest of the class is purposefully engaged in improving proficiency and confidence in French. CREATING MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES “Students need a personal connection to the material, whether it’s through engaging them emotionally or connecting the new information to previously acquired knowledge (often one and the same). Without that, students may not only disengage and quickly forget, but they may also lose the motivation to try” (Bernard, 2010).

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Sometimes we can get caught up in doing an entertaining activity with our students and lose sight of the big picture. Ask yourself if the activity is adding value by improving students’ French skills. Even though students might be very motivated to play a fun game, if it does not challenge them to develop their French skills, then it is not worth the time and effort. If regular practice does not include activities that challenge students’ skills, they may not take FSL seriously. The brain is engaged when it is learning for a purpose. It tunes out when the activity lacks meaning and relevance. The brain will not spend time on something that is not worthwhile. Lesson planning that connects all learning opportunities to a purposeful task and scaffolds skill development helps students understand why they are doing an activity.

Lesson planning that connects all learning opportunities to a purposeful task and scaffolds skill development helps students understand why they are doing an activity.

Many students in Canada have limited opportunities to interact with Francophones, but when their learning has a focus and they can recognize their progress toward a goal, students will find learning French meaningful and engaging.

The brain is engaged when it is learning for a purpose.

Engaging students

Consider the following teacher actions to engage students in meaningful activities.

Suggestions for explicit teaching

• Start with a brain teaser so that students listen, speak, read or write French immediately. • Have a back-up plan in case of technological glitches. • Provide practice time with partners. • Be consistent in your expectation of French-only communication in group work. Pause activities to provide necessary language scaffolding. • Allow class time for students to note an area where they improved in comprehension, speaking or writing.

Provide meaningful learning opportunities in every class.

Ensure that students frequently apply their knowledge and skills in real-life situations.

• Model typical interactions (e.g., conversations in the cafeteria, playground, gym, library and computer lab) and invite students to role-play. • Invite other classes and/or staff to student presentations, skits and gallery walks. • Explore connections to other communities beyond the school through technology.

INCORPORATING CHANGE AND REPETITION IN THE LEARNING PROCESS “The way to make long-term memory more reliable is to incorporate new information gradually and repeat it in timed intervals” (Medina, 2008, p. 147). Although the words “change and repetition” in the title of this section may sound like an oxymoron, these opposing elements are integral to learning a second language. As teachers, we have to find the balance between providing students with stimulating new information (change) and opportunities to internalize and retain that new material (repetition).

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

Repetition often occurs in memory-based activities. Memorization once had a negative connotation, particularly memorization through repetition. Our professional training focused on the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Whether we taught math, literacy or FSL, we were told to avoid drills, spelling dictations, work sheets and exams, which required students to use rote memorization. Most students dislike these kinds of activities as well. They are often discouraged by language drills; complete work sheets without thinking; learn to spell vocabulary for a dictation but misspell those same words in other contexts; and cram for exams but do not retain the learning. Even though memorization is often frowned on as a way to learn, we should consider a more positive role for it. Experience has taught us to ask:

Considering the fact that Bloom included memory in his taxonomy, and that a wide body of research supports the role of memory in learning, it seems probable that Bloom never intended educators to ignore the lower levels of his taxonomy. Instead, his theories suggest that educators should support students in moving beyond remembering and understanding. Students need to use new material frequently enough to store it in their long-term memory, which allows them to devote more brain power to the higher-level skills of applying and creating.

Students need to use new material frequently enough to store it in their long-term memory, which allows them to devote more brain power to the higher-level skills of applying and creating.

• Why do so many French students seem to start each year with a clean slate, retaining little of the previous year’s learning? • How can we expect students to understand aural and written texts if they have not already internalized some of the vocabulary and structures used? • How can we expect students to produce creative oral or written texts without a dictionary if they do not have a repertoire of basic vocabulary and expressions?

The brain learns and retains information best when the information is presented in brief segments, practised in meaningful contexts, and revisited over time. Integrating change in our teaching involves presenting new and stimulating content, in different contexts, for a variety of reasons, and through a combination of visual, auditory and kinesthetic stimuli. Change also means requiring students to apply what has been taught in new and familiar situations.

The brain learns and retains information best when the information is presented in brief segments, practised in meaningful contexts, and revisited over time.

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Repetition means providing enough opportunities for students to re-use new material until there is evidence that their brains are retaining it. Think of the learning process as a spiral: new content must be introduced, re-introduced, and practised before it can expand, like the ever-increasing circles of a spiral. Repetition allows students to keep previously learned information as fresh in their minds as recently acquired knowledge.

Integrating change and repetition

Suggestions for explicit teaching

Provide opportunities for students to experience and use new material in various contexts.

• Provide printed and aural texts related to the same language function (e.g., sending, accepting and refusing invitations). • Have students produce oral and written texts for different purposes and audiences, based on ones they have previously listened to and read.

Plan to revisit material at intervals over time.

• Encourage students to test how much they remember from past lessons. • Have students monitor their progress to demonstrate the benefits of practice and review. • Encourage students to decide when and what they need to review.

ENCOURAGING OBSERVATION AND USE OF PATTERNS “Some research suggests that learning a second language draws on capacities that are language-specific, while other research suggests that it reflects a more general capacity for learning patterns” (Frost, Siegelman, Narkiss & Afek, 2013).

A keen awareness of patterns was a critical factor in human survival. Individuals who were attentive to patterns in nature knew when the weather was going to change or when animal tracks might lead to a food source. The human brain looks for patterns and prefers to discover them rather than merely have them pointed out. Fortunately for us as FSL educators, French is full of patterns. Whether students are focusing on form or meaning, in a stimulating FSL classroom they will have countless opportunities to notice patterns that will help them process and produce French oral, aural and written texts more efficiently.

FSL teachers have noticed that students frequently mispronounce new words when they read aloud because they are unable to recognize and apply patterns; instead, they revert to the English pronunciation. When students look for patterns, they can effortlessly pronounce unfamiliar words by finding the pattern in their familiar vocabulary that will help them learn new words. For example, remind them that the letter t in final position is often silent and ask them to notice words with this feature. Can they infer the pronunciation of diamant? They also delight in finding exceptions to a pattern such as the final pronunciation of r in the word hier.

The human brain looks for patterns and prefers to discover them rather than merely have them pointed out.

IN ACTION

Teacher actions

Suggestions for explicit teaching

Help students notice patterns in aural and written texts.

• Have students highlight a feature of language, e.g., verb endings. • Help students visualize and interpret chunks of language in aural texts.

Promote the use of language patterns to improve oral production and comprehension of written texts.

• Provide anchor charts of French letter–sound combinations to help students visualize in their minds what they hear during listening and writing.

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

USING HUMOUR According to psychologist Dr. Matt Bellace, “laughter releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, which serves as a reward for the brain, creates a sense of euphoria, and plays a pivotal role in our motivation to continue the behavior.” Humour in the classroom has the power to reduce stress and create a sense of camaraderie. You don’t need to be a stand-up comedian to be an effective teacher, but occasional and appropriate humour can enhance the teaching–learning experience. We know from research and from student comments that they would not take French class seriously if it were only fun and games. So why should we include humour in a discussion about the brain and learning?

IN ACTION Using humour

The strategic use of humour captures the brain’s attention and provides another clothes peg to help students retain new material.

Research has proven that humour engages the brain and can have a positive impact on learning. Students, particularly teenagers, are anxious to avoid embarrassing themselves and looking foolish. However, students need to push themselves to use French if they are to succeed in internalizing it. They have to feel comfortable enough to take risks and interact even when they are not certain of the language structures or vocabulary. A relaxed, humour-filled classroom helps students realize that making mistakes is not a life-or-death situation. The strategic use of humour captures the brain’s attention and provides another clothes peg to help students retain new material.

• Use an unusual or eye-catching visual to prompt discussion or writing. • Tell humorous stories related to the learning goals. • Make funny faces or exaggerated gestures to reinforce a point. • In multiple-choice answers, provide one ridiculous option.

How can I incorporate humour in my daily lessons?

Suggestions for explicit teaching

Where can I find inspiration for relevant and appropriate humour?

• Begin an electronic file of funny cartoons and photos, and label them to correspond with teachable moments. • Collect simple jokes, puns and riddles that connect with learning goals. • Use computer animation software and other technology to create unique and humorous presentations.

How do I help students distinguish inappropriate from appropriate humour?

• Invite students to discuss ideas about appropriate and inappropriate humour. Discuss how humour should not be hurtful, bullying, degrading, crude or rude.

Teach Me So I Learn

CONCLUSION By teaching in ways that capitalize on how the brain functions, we increase student autonomy, confidence, motivation and proficiency in French. By nurturing connections with students, we help them feel safe so that they can focus on learning. We must capture the brain’s attention at the beginning of our lessons in order for learning to take place, and strategically use a variety of tools to maintain engagement throughout the lesson. In order for learning to be deep and enduring, we should present meaningful activities that challenge our students’ brains and provide learning opportunities intended to strengthen their neural pathways. When we respect individual differences in brain functioning and invite students to communicate their needs, we help students lay the foundation for lifelong learner autonomy.

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FSL BOOK CLUB

Here are some questions you might like to discuss with your colleagues after you've read this chapter.

1. What strategies do you use to engage your students' brains? Are some more effective than others? Why? 2. In this chapter, we discussed how learning is deeper when students are challenged and must expend effort. What elements of your teaching process ensure that your students' brains are challenged?

3. Take a minute to think about the following quotation: “Motivation in the brain is driven by emotion: Individuals are motivated to engage in situations with an emotionally positive valence and avoid those with an emotionally negative valence.” How can you ensure that all students experience positive emotions?

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FSL BOOK CLUB

CHAPTER 1 • Developing student autonomy – engaging our students’ brains

TEACH ME

So I Learn

Creating a balanced student-centred program for a positive and rewarding learning experienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;!

So I Learn Susan Forrester â&#x20AC;˘ Teach Me So I Learn

It is no small task for FSL educators to connect with students so that they are engaged, motivated and focused on efficiently learning to speak, write, read and understand French.

Susan Forrester

Series Editor Marie Turcotte