It's
all about logbooks, dummy.
A paradigm for language
teaching, with logbooks as the essential ingredient.
by Frank Lacey , teacher
I believe that the use of logbooks is central
in foreign language (FL) teaching. The paradigm which I shall describe in this
article is the result of three years of action research in my own classes under
the supervision of my mentor Leni Dam [1].
I am convinced that successful language teaching must include six elements:
· Communication
· Democracy
· Autonomy
· Differentiation
· Authenticity
· Motivation
These six elements are unified by one important tool: a student logbook
written in the target language.
Communication
Since the
80's it has generally been agreed that foreign language teaching should be
based upon communicative strategies.
Much of the communication conducted in many
language classrooms has, however, been inauthentic. The target language may
well be spoken in the classroom, but often the students are answering questions
to which the teacher or their partner knows the answer, or they are involved in
artificial communication situations. That it is nevertheless possible to learn
the target language is demonstrated by my own teaching practices over the past
20 years.
However, if we go back to basics and say that
communication is essential, then we have to ensure that there is a
communication gap. The student has to be in possession of knowledge which the
teacher or the peer partner doesn't share, so that the student has something
meaningful and important to communicate. This is the case in an autonomous
class where student logbooks provide a convenient way of transmitting this
knowledge. Students use their logbook to record (Leni Dam , Autonomy):
–
What
are they doing?
–
Why
are they doing it?
–
How
are they doing it?
–
With
what results are they doing it?
Only the
student knows the answer to these questions, and the teacher and the peer
students want to know the answers.
Democracy
A "simple"
way of achieving authentic communication is to allow the students to work
autonomously. If each student is working with his/her self chosen topic, the
teacher, to fulfil his/her professional obligations, needs to engage in an
active and enquiring dialogue with the student, to establish just what the
student is doing and how much progress he/she is making.
Communication can only exist in an atmosphere
of respect. The teacher has to see the student as an individual, capable of
making choices about his/her learning. In other words, the communication has to
be based on democratic principles. Funnily, even in so-called democratic
nations, teaching scenarios often bear more resemblance to dictatorships than
democratic forums. Logbooks allow students to give expression to their
individuality.
Autonomy
If we
believe in the individual's right to make decisions on his/her own behalf, we
are obliged to allow students to work autonomously. Students working in an
autonomous class are afforded the opportunity to invest in language learning as
part of their identity. In the post modern hyper-complex society we are constantly
redefining our identity. In the freedom of the autonomous class the student is
allowed choose his/her own approach to the target language. The student is
allowed to redefine his/her identity to include the target language and define
him/herself as a global citizen.
Autonomy is not possible without the use of
logbooks. Autonomy without logbooks (in which the student can document his/her
learning) risks descending into anarchy, since the student and teacher would
otherwise lose track of progress in the students' learning.
Differentiation
My own
personal experience is that through autonomy I have been able to achieve a
degree of differentiation way beyond anything I have known before. In the
autonomous class the weak student is no longer exposed. He/she can now work
with materials which are adapted to his or her level. The weak student no
longer needs to be on the periphery of (or perhaps even excluded from) the
learning experience but can now, like all other class members, work with his/her
self chosen topics which allow him/her to achieve progress at a level or speed
with which he/she can cope.
Authenticity
Authenticity
is a term coined by the American psychologist Deci. People want to be the
authors of their own actions. They want by nature to act authentically, in
other words autonomously. Authenticity can only be achieved in a language
classroom that allows for a very high degree of differentiation. Students can
only be authentically present in the FL situation when the academic and
personal differences between the students are not only allowed but even
encouraged.
The
students' use of logbooks in the language classroom allows them to achieve the
authentic communication of which I spoke earlier. The students in the autonomous
class are also freed from the constraints of more traditional classes where
they are forced to play the role of language learner, following a script
composed by the teacher. Autonomous students have the opportunity to express
their learning aims authentically.
Motivation
Both Dörnyei
and Ushioda claim that intrinsic motivation is founded upon the ability to
choose. This is something an autonomous class provides. If the student is to
move beyond choice motivation (a desire to learn something) to executive
motivation (desire accompanied by the self-discipline required to learn
something) it is essential that he/she feels in control. If this is not the
case, he/she will be extrinsically motivated. The autonomous class allows the
students to take responsibility for their learning and thus to achieve
intrinsic motivation – a motivation which is a prerequisite to successful
communication.
Conclusion
In an
autonomous class, student logbooks provide a real and convenient way of
transmitting knowledge. This genuine communication is only achieved in a
democratic atmosphere, where logbooks allow students to give expression to
their individuality. Autonomy allows individuals to grow in cooperation. A move
from the teacher-centred classroom to autonomy opens up for unheard levels of differentiation,
a differentiation which encourages authenticity. The students' subsequent use
of logbooks in the language classroom allows them to achieve authentic
communication to give expression to their ideas and to explain their learning
projects. When students are authors of their own learning, they have a greater
chance of achieving intrinsic motivation, and it is this which drives them to learn
and to spend time recording and documenting their learning in their logbooks.
And thus,
the circle closes. After three years of research in my own language classes, it
is my belief that the paradigm for which I argue here is interdependent. No
element can be removed without demolishing the paradigm. All elements are
interdependent and unachievable without each other. And central in the paradigm
is the use of student logbooks.
Bibliography
Dam, L. (1995a) Autonomy from Theory to Classroom Practice. Dublin
Dam, L. (2003) "Developing
Learner Autonomy: the Teacher's Responsibility". In Little, D., Ridley,
J., Ushioda, E. (eds.)". In Learner
Autonomy in the Foreign Language.
Classroom Teacher, Learner, Curriculum and Assessment. Dublin
Dam, L. (2004b) "Logbøger og
elevmapper i sprogundervisning". In Sp rogforum No.
3. Copenhagen
Deci, E. (1995) Why We Do What We Do:
Understanding Self-Motivation (the Dynamics of Personal Autonomy). London
Dörnyei, Z. (2001b) Teaching and Researching Motivation. Harlow : Pearson Education.
Dörnyei, Z. (2003) Questionnaires in second language research. New Jersey
Ushioda, E. (1996) The Role of Motivation. Dublin
Rasmussen, J.
(1997, 2.udgave) Socialisering og læring
i det refleksivt moderne. Copenhagen :
Unge Pædagoger.
Little, D.,
Ridley, J., Ushioda, E. (eds.) (2003)
Learner Autonomy in the Foreign Language Classroom. Dublin
Ushioda,
E. (2006b) "Language Motivation in a Reconfigured Europe :
Access, Identity, Autonomy". In Journal of Multilingual and
Multicultural Development Vol. 27(2). St. Francis Xavier University, Canada,
pp.148-161.
Ushioda, E. (forthcoming)
"Motivation, Autonomy and Socio-cultural Theory". In Benson, P. (ed) Learner
Autonomy: Teacher and Learner Perspectives. Dublin : Authentik.
[1] Leni Dam is perhaps the founder
of autonomy in FL in Denmark
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