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French language classroom interaction: how does it influence student retention? Signe Ernist

Macquarie University Department of Education. French language classroom interaction: how does it influence student retention? Signe Ernist. Issue. Languages teaching in Australia: crisis (Clyne)

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French language classroom interaction: how does it influence student retention? Signe Ernist

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  1. Macquarie University Department of Education French language classroom interaction: how does it influence student retention?Signe Ernist

  2. Issue • Languages teaching in Australia: crisis (Clyne) • Students tend to drop languages study after Year 8, having completed the 100 compulsory hours (NSW) • Second language acquisition in educational context should be continuous and meaningful (Clyne, Lo Bianco, Liddicoat)

  3. Solution • Present state of affairs: to make the most within the reality of subject selection • strongly influenced by family advice and teacher disposition  Classroom interaction: communication between teacher and students / students and students influencing the decisions to continue languages study

  4. Question • How does classroom talk influence students’ decisions to continue or discontinue languages study? Talk in interaction is systematically organised, deeply ordered and methodic (Harvey Sacks, founder of Conversation Analysis)

  5. Data • Recorded classroom talk and observations • Collected over two years in Year 7/8 French language classrooms in an independent girls’ school in Sydney

  6. Classroom talk • Clear expectations communicated by the teacher • reflects the whole school approach • Clear ‘routine’ structure in every lesson • students know where they stand (homework checked together – revision with new material linked to it - whole class practice, group practice, group challenge – game, quiz etc - homework given)

  7. Classroom talk 2 • Markers like ‘Attention’ used before asking students to provide a response • reliable routine • Target language accompanied by hand movements • helps meaning detection

  8. Classroom talk 3 • Each student has a textbook and an exercise book • responsibility • All written target language accompanied by English translations • confidence • Classroom talk kept topic centred (no ‘small talk’) • concentration

  9. Classroom talk 4 • Merit system in place (stickers) • effort recognised • Teacher works the classroom space • engagement • Teacher’s enthusiastic disposition • students feel that the teacher wants to be there and teach them – rapport

  10. Students’ comments • French class is fun! • The teacher is fun! • We like how we learn • We have different ways of learning, not just books • The class is encouraging • A good teacher is very important

  11. Students’ reasons to continue studying • To travel, to study, to have a job • To understand more about world • To continue what has been started • Family / background

  12. Students’ reasons to continue studying • Fun / enjoyable language program • Fun teacher • Strict but understanding and flexible • Enthusiastic • Approachable “She is there because she wants to teach us!”

  13. A language supportive whole school approach that is communicated to the students by an enthusiastic teacher does make a difference!

  14. Selected references • Clyne, M. (2005). Australia's Language Potential. Sydney: UNSW PRESS. • Curnow, T. J., & Kohler, M. (2007). Languages are important: but that's not why I am studying one. Babel, 42(2), 20-24,38. • Heritage, J. (1984). Garfinkel and Ethnomethodology. Oxford: Polity Press. • Liddicoat, A. J., Scarino, A., Curnow, T. J., Kohler, M., Scrimgeour, A. & Morgan, A.-M. (2007). An Investigation of the State and Nature of Languages in Australian Schools. Canberra: DEST. • Lo Bianco, J. (2006). Arguing for Perspective in LOTE: Reflections on public debate, language and the public interest. Languages Victoria, 10(1), 16-29. • Seedhouse, P. (2004). The interactional architecture of the language classroom: a conversation analysis perspective. Oxford: Blackwell. • Seedhouse, P. (2005). Conversation Analysis and language learning. Language Teaching, 38, 1-23.

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