Procedures for describing linguistic competences in „non-language“ school subjects

1. Procedures for describing linguistic competences in „non-language“ school subjects Helmut J. Vollmer/Jean-Claude Beacco Intergovernmental Policy Forum Geneva, 2-4 November 2010

2. Language in Subjects • Becoming aware and bringing out the language dimension in all subject learning • Language competence in subject-specific contexts is often taken for granted, but in fact it is a massive stumbling block for success • Making the necessary language requirements explicit +teach them improves pupils‘ chances • It is only through language+discourse that the transmission of knowledge by t. is facilitated

3. Instances of language use 1) Formulate one’s own observations, perceptions, representations, existing knowledge, point of view 2) Retrieve, read, process and interpret (new) information and express it in different modes 3) Present, discuss + negotiate information, answer questions, check findings and arguments critically 4) Expressing (non-)understanding, doubt, degrees of certainty 5) Reflect about own procedures and evaluate them

4. Possible procedure (1) • Start with analysing existing curricula • Make use of what is already there/traditions • listing the central discourse genres which are important for a specific subject in question • Look at the necessary tasks and language activities involved in the management of these • Decide on linguistic means/patterns/conventions to be learned and mastered in connection with g.

5. Exemples of discourse genres • Report of an experiment, an observation • Description of the structure of a cell/a historical event / a picture / a movement • Evaluation of a suggestion/solution/exper. • Argument for and against a decision • Definiton of a word, a concept, a • Classification of an animal, a phenomenon • Monologic/dialogic types of interaction…

6. EMPIRICAL OPERATORS ALREADY IN USE (1) Typical operators in recent LS curricula read for…(a range of purposes) - select (key points) - identify (key themes/ different passages or genres), comment on (key passages) - use (previous knowledge) - write (different types of text) - plan and structure - communicate (clearly and suitably for the context) - choose (the appropriate vocabulary, grammar, spelling, punctuation)- express (ideas and opinions) (in response to …) – take part in – reflect on – recognise that – show understanding – use (different strategies) – assess (critically)… Typical operators in subject descriptors (across curric.) describe (125) - explain (67) – compare (44) – present (43) - assess(33) - distinguish (32) – explicate/illustrate (31) – give reasons for (29) – derive (29) – determine (19) – name/label (18) - appraise (17) – record/document (16) – construe(15) – interpret (15) – discuss (12) – evaluate (10)

7. Possible procedure (2) • Identifying diff. areas of classroom activities • (If possible: classroom observation, interview with subject teachers (and students)) • Describing specifics of subject teaching, including constant transition from everyday language to academic language use/terminol. • Verbalising much non-verbal/semiotic inform. • Translating different forms of representation

8. Areas of classroom activities

9. Possible procedure (3) • Identify the cognitive-linguistic discourse functions underlying subject learning and teaching (frequency, relevance, centrality) • There a several approaches to do this • Three of them are listed in the paper „Language and schools subjects“ (pp.20-22) • Identify and link the necc.language resources/means rules/conventions needed for “appropriate” performance of the discourse functions mentioned.

10. Agree on loosely structured inventories such as - presenting (showing, identifying, defining etc) - describing or representing (enumerating, identifying the constituent elements etc) - characterising (comparing, assessing, assigning a quality/quantity/property) - situating an action or process in time and space - representing an action or event in time - doing, acting - explaining, arguing - summarising - […] OR (more systematically):

11. Types of basic school-related Discourse Functions (macro level) 1. EXPLORING/ PROCESSING/DOCUMENTING (INFORMATION) 2. NAMING/ DEFINING 3. DESCRIBING 4. REPORTING) 5. EXPLAINING 6. EVALUATING 7. ARGUING 8. EXCHANGING / NEGOTIATING 9. NARRATING 10. CREATING 11. REFLECTING (e.g. ABOUT LEARNING PATHS + RESULTS) 12. ACTING (SYMBOLICALLY OR BY WAY OF SIMULATION) Each macro function is served by a great number of micro functions (see next slide).

12. Discourse Functions (Macro/Micro) • 6. EVALUATING (evaluative function), with possible micro functions, e.g.CheckingWeighingComparingConcludingAssessingJudgingGiving reasonsCriticisingMaking decisionsPositioning…

13. Possible Procedure (4) • Relate procedures 1) to 3) to one another • Integrate them into some sort of a model • Produce a model for more systematic planning and evalutation and for reference across more than one subject/all subjects • Conceive of a discourse-based language learning process across the curriculum, including foreign languages and lang.as subject and their functional contributions

14. 4. Linking Discourse Functions to Discourse Genres and Linguistic Means DISCOURSE FUNCTIONS (Macro level), e.g. Naming/Pointing – Narrating- Describing – Explaining – Arguing – Evaluating – Negotiating … Meso/Micro level of discourse functions, e.g. name – label – define – point out - specify (details) – summarise – compare – contrast – relate – judge – appreciate – position … Text types and genres – factual prose and genres – discontinuous texts – multi-modal texts / multicoded texts … Linguistic features / realisations: lexis, morpho-syntax, style, register, establish coherence and cohesion (BICS/CALP )

15. Model (in this case based on Mohan’s knowledge framework) for Language and content (with sample lang.)

16. 5. Suggested Procedure(s) in our own CoE case studies • Examples for History + Science education • Literary education will and math might follow • Combine the procedures mentioned above • Looks at a subject in a wider and much more fundamental way (incl.social meaning) • Illustrates how specific areas of knowledge could be constructed and mapped out • Showshow deeply lang. is embedded in this

17. Steps for Identifying Language Competences in the Learning/Teaching of History or Science • inventory and description of the educational values targeted by history/science teaching practices; • (2) inventory and description of the social situations of communication and decision-making involving history or science in the learners’ social environment; • (3) inventory and description of basic subject knowledge structures; • (4) inventory and description of the existing in-school communication situations for the acquisition and construction of basic knowledge and procedures in history or in science respectively. • The choices to be made among these possibilities lead to the definition of the purposes + objectives of education in history/science within compulsory schooling.

18. Based on steps (1) to (4) it is then possible to create: (5) inventories and descriptions of the specific linguistic, discursive and semiotic characteristics of relevance for the types of discourse involved in history or science teaching and learning practices in the classroom; These characteristics should be taught in their own right in each subject area. The following examples and illustrations are all taken from the two case studies

19. Step 1: Educational values in subject learning and teaching to be a decisive factor in reconciliation, recognition, understanding and mutual trust between peoples, especially by introducing multiperspectivity into historical research and accounts; to play a vital role in the promotion of fundamental values such as tolerance, mutual understanding, human rights and democracy; to encourage recognition and understanding of different interpretations of the same issue and their relative legitimacy, building trust between peoples, by accepting multiperspectivity in scientific research and explanations to be a fundamental component in the construction of a Europe based on a common cultural heritage, with a humanistic and a scientific orientation, working towards the development of a knowledge society in which conflictual factors are accepted; to be an instrument for the prevention of crimes against humanity and securing the quality of human existence.

20. Step 2: Social situations of knowledge use

21. Step 3: inventory and description of basic subject knowledge structures and methodologies, e.g. history

22. Components of methodological/procedural competences

23. Step 4: Existing in-school communication situations for the acquisition and construction of basic knowledge and procedures

24. Science-related cognitive skills include the ability to

25. Step 5: Discourse genres in the subject(s) Types of discourse involved in history or science teaching and learning practices in the classroom

26. From classroom situations to discursive forms History-related cognitive skills Linguistic and semiotic skills

27. Overview of necessary competences in science education • Strategic, discursive, formal competences • Involving pragmatic + cognitive categories • discourse functions in science education • manipulating examples of discourse genres (reception, speaking and writing) • linguistic means/conventions/categories for the realisation of discourse types • Issue: thresholds + stages of development

28. No Framework, but Procedures • The right to quality education drives/pushes us • The largely hidden curriculum has to become unveiled, rights and requirements made CLEAR • The needs of ‘vulnerable learners’ are just a catalyst for becoming clearer and more explicit • Implications for curricula, for language support systems and teacher education are enormous • Each member state should procede under their own conditions + operate language-specifically

29. 6. Who should act? • Curriculum planners in each member state • Subject teachers in cooperation with linguists, with language or discourse specialists: Sensitizing • The goal is to take every learner along in each subject+help them to make full use of the curriculum • Quality education in a subject requires mastering the relevant discourse functions and genres, to become discourse competent and an active citizen • Our youth needs best of knowledge-building possible

30. Summary/Conclusion The importance of language in subject learning and teaching has to be (fully) acknowledged Language competences have to be explicitly stated/ formulated in each curriculum and also explicitly taught as part of the knowledge-building/the subject Focussing on subj.-specific terminology is not enough! Different procedures for describing classroom acitivi-ties, discourse genres, cognitive/linguistic functions and linguistic repertoires in subject learning exist Transversality between subjects should be strived for.