Breaking theory: challenging the audiolingual legacy in English primary FL classrooms
Breaking theory: challenging the audiolingual legacy in English primary FL classrooms
Despite prominence for reading and writing in MFL curricula, recent evidence has noted that both remain under-developed in both primary and secondary school MFL programmes (Cable et al., 2010; Ofsted, 2011) with literacy activities often used as consolidation of oral skills (Jones & Coffey, 2006: 46, 50). This speech-first premise is an inheritance from audio-lingual approaches and its theoretical understanding that “speech is language” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001: 55). As the development of MFL literacy is believed to underpin languages uptake, research-based solutions to improve its teaching are deemed crucial (Macaro & Erler, 2008; Macaro & Mutton, 2009: 117).
This paper presents findings from a 10 month action research, mixed-methods study which challenged the “speech-first legacy” through a principled pedagogy involving French oracy and literacy in two English primary schools (n=45). Learner attainment and progression was tracked through a mix of weekly classroom-based observations and formal tests. Findings support the premise that beginner-level FL literacy and oracy can be developed simultaneously.
Porter, Alison
978474c5-8b0b-4dc6-8463-3fd68162d0cd
4 September 2015
Porter, Alison
978474c5-8b0b-4dc6-8463-3fd68162d0cd
Porter, Alison
(2015)
Breaking theory: challenging the audiolingual legacy in English primary FL classrooms.
BAAL Annual Meeting 2015, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
03 Sep 2015.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
Despite prominence for reading and writing in MFL curricula, recent evidence has noted that both remain under-developed in both primary and secondary school MFL programmes (Cable et al., 2010; Ofsted, 2011) with literacy activities often used as consolidation of oral skills (Jones & Coffey, 2006: 46, 50). This speech-first premise is an inheritance from audio-lingual approaches and its theoretical understanding that “speech is language” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001: 55). As the development of MFL literacy is believed to underpin languages uptake, research-based solutions to improve its teaching are deemed crucial (Macaro & Erler, 2008; Macaro & Mutton, 2009: 117).
This paper presents findings from a 10 month action research, mixed-methods study which challenged the “speech-first legacy” through a principled pedagogy involving French oracy and literacy in two English primary schools (n=45). Learner attainment and progression was tracked through a mix of weekly classroom-based observations and formal tests. Findings support the premise that beginner-level FL literacy and oracy can be developed simultaneously.
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Published date: 4 September 2015
Venue - Dates:
BAAL Annual Meeting 2015, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 2015-09-03 - 2015-09-03
Organisations:
Modern Languages
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 381616
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/381616
PURE UUID: abb790ea-acb1-4ea5-a959-0710cdae3a8b
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Date deposited: 08 Oct 2015 11:27
Last modified: 12 Dec 2021 03:52
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