Defining Communicative Competence Based on a Communicative Language

Defining: Communicative Competence Based on a Communicative Language as defined by MERRILL SWAIN • Linguistic competence • Sociolinguistic competence • Discourse competence • Strategic competence

Linguistic Competence • Knowledge of appropriate grammar and vocabulary

Sociolinguistic Competence • The ability to say the appropriate thing in certain social situations.

Discourse Competence • The ability to start, enter, contribute to, and end a conversation and to do it consistently and coherently.

Strategic Competence • The ability to communicate a message and repair problems caused by communication breakdowns. What are possible problems that need to be worked through in communication?

Interaction Hypothesis Long • Students learn language by negotiating meaning- language exchange between learners and their attempts to work towards mutual comprehension – Learners must interact, rather than only receive input – Learners must have equal rights to ask for clarification and to adjust what they say

Cooperative Learning • Competitive: only person/group reaches success or ‘wins’ • Individualistic: success is separate for each student, success can be achieved by more than one student – Tendency to be teacher centered • Group work that lacks a plan…!

Cooperative Learning Student Perspective • Positive interdependence- “we are in this together, sink or swim” • Face-to-face interaction- verbal exchange between students • Individual accountability- groups are only successful when every member has reached understanding or helped to do so • Interpersonal and small group skills- practice and motivation to use the skills • Group processing- analyze group progress and maintain strong relationships in groups

Cooperative Learning Student Perspective • Do students gain the perspective of ‘sink or swim’ automatically? • Do students have the social skills to work in effectively group automatically? Research and experience tells us…. Not likely.

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Writing Objectives • Academic objective- content – Example: students will demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary of items on a menu • Collaborative skills objective- which skills or set of skills will students demonstrate? – Example: Students will be able to place order and properly ask for assistance in a restaurant setting. (strategic competence)

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Decision Making Group Size? • Pairs – “no one gets left out of a pair” – Small amount of time, easier to keep on task • Groups of 3 – 6 – Possibility for a wide range of talent and knowledge to add

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Decision Making 4 questions to consider in assigning groups • Homogeneous or heterogeneous groups? • Pair non-task oriented with task oriented? • Should students select own partners? • How long should students remain in one group?

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Room Arrangement • Room arrangement serves as answer to students questioning appropriate behavior

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Promote Interdependence • • Materials- only one copy Information- different pieces to each member With Other Groups- present final product Assign Roles – – – Summarizer/checker Observer Researcher/runner Recorder Encourager

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Positive Goal Interdependence A few ideas on how to… • Stress sink or swim! • Require student signatures • Ask at random to explain rationale behind answers • Offer group rewards

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Determine Criteria for Success • Same goal or individual goal? • What is the definition of doing well? – Complete task, improve from last task, no grammar/spelling errors? – Rubric to let students know what the teacher is looking for.

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Setting the Stage by defining cooperation • • • “take turns” “use quiet voices” “use each other’s names” “listen to group members” Criticize ideas, NOT people

Cooperative Learning Teacher Role: Monitor • Concrete list of behaviors to observe – Check off when observed • Assign a student observer

Cooperative Learning Intervention • • Students recognize need for the skill Clearly define the skill-what to say? Encourage practice of the skill Give enough time to internalize the skill

Cooperative Learning Feedback • Two grades – Criteria referenced- shows what the learner can do, based on a pre-determined objective, NOT how they did in relation to others – How effectively students collaborated

Cooperative Learning Strategies • • • • Debates Role Playing Panels Brainstorming Peer Partner Learning Discussion Laboratory Groups Think, Pair, Share Cooperative Learning Groups Jigsaw Problem Solving Structured Controversy Tutorial Groups Interviewing Conferencing

Resources Johnson, (1989). Implementing Cooperative Learning. Circles of Learning. 2533. Brandl, Klaus (2007). Communicative Language Teaching in Action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. For more information…. http: //olc. spsd. sk. ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/coop/index. html