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ERIC Number: EJ843472
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Dec
Pages: 9
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0005-3503
EISSN: N/A
Maximising Target Language Use in the Immersion Classroom
Veque, Catherine
Babel, v41 n2 p10-17, 38 Dec 2006
This article is the second part of a report on research that examined immersion language teachers' strategies to modify their speech in order to maintain use of the target language. As described in the first part in "Babel," Volume 40, Number 2 (Veque, 2005), this classroom-based research, undertaken at Methodist Ladies College (MLC) in Melbourne, sourced data from selected video transcriptions of three Year 8 French immersion history classes. Data presented here in the continuation of this report are samples of teacher talk that highlight teachers' discourse modifications designed to facilitate learners' comprehension, negotiation of meaning, and the maintenance of the target language in the classroom. As discussed in the first article, Tardif's (1994) work became the frame for analysis. Tardif mentions five modifications undertaken by teachers in their classroom talk: (1) modelling; (2) self-repetition and repetition; (3) information; (4) expansion; and (5) questions. Modelling is when the teacher says a word, an expression, or a sentence in order to supply the correct response (either in term of pronunciation or syntax) and students repeat. Repetition is part of topic development according to Chaudron (1983). Teachers transfer information when conferring explicit knowledge regarding the subject content. The focus of the first article was modelling, self-repetition/repetition, and information to examine teacher talk in the immersion/late immersion classroom at MLC. This article continues with the examination of Tardif's two final categories: (1) expansion; and (2) teacher questions. As well, the use of drama techniques, including non-verbal communication strategies to clarify content and new vocabulary, is examined. As with the first article, T is used to indicate the teacher and S the students.
Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations. Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Tel: +61-29351-2022; e-mail: president@afmlta.asn.au; e-mail: editor@afmlta.asn.au; Web site: http://www.afmlta.asn.au
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A