Toward Quantifying ‘Communicative’

Leander Hughes

Saitama University

Presented at the JACET Kanto 5th Annual Convention

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The Problem

http://jnksystem.exblog.jp/10216734/

How to help learners acquire the most language in the shortest time

…and do so as painlessly as possible.

‘Common Knowledge’

http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fi%C8%99ier:Old_book_bindings.jpg /

No teaching approach is better than any another

…except for communicative approaches

...that include some focus on form

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But does CLT really work (better)?Nikolov & Krashen (1997) say YES!

…but can we believe them? [N=29]

Kuhlemeier, Mels, & van den Bergh (1996) say yes …maybe

[N= 1134 to 1225]

(Rodin, 1902)

Research Question

(Rodin, 1902)

Do communicative activities lead to significantly greater language gain than non-communicative activities?

‘Communicative’ activities require:

At least two people both sending and receiving messages in the TL

& directly comprehending those messages

(Hughes, 2008, based on Canale, 1983)

Devising Our Experiment

Two-way info gap

One-way info gap

Scripted skit

Relax (do nothing)

Measures

Before: Language aptitude test During: Info-gap performance & language produced

After: Post-test on vocabulary, grammar, and function(s), Attitude toward activity

TWICE!

(geneticcuckoo.blogspot.com)

HypothesisThe communicative activity group will score

highest on all post-tests (after controlling for language aptitude)

(Young Frankenstein, 1974)

Problems?Controlling for

initial proficiency differences

the ‘practice’ effect

the teacher

Assumptions

short-term gain long-term acquisition

Communicative/non-communicative ratio unimportant

(Escher, 1960)

Your thoughts are needed!

Leander Hughes (leanderhughes@gmail.com)

http://sustainableink.files.wordpress.com

This PowerPoint: www.saitama-u.ac.jp/ceed/quantifyingcommunicative

THANK YOU!Canale, M. (1983). From communicative competence to communicative language pedagogy. In J. Richards & R. Schmidt (Eds.), Language and communication. London: Longman.

Hughes, L. S. (2008). A framework for assessing the communicative potential of language learning activities. The Saitama Journal of Language, 1, 19-29.

Kuhlemeier, H., Melse, L., & Bergh, H. van den (1996). Comparison of two German language courses in Dutch secondary education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 22, 181–205.

Nikolov, M. & Krashen, S. (1997). Need we sacrifice accuracy for fluency? System, 25, 2, 197-201.

References (again)Canale, M. (1983). From communicative competence to communicative language

pedagogy. In J. Richards & R. Schmidt (Eds.), Language and communication. London: Longman.

Hughes, L. S. (2008). A framework for assessing the communicative potential of language learning activities. The Saitama Journal of Language, 1, 19-29.

Kuhlemeier, H., Melse, L., & Bergh, H. van den (1996). Comparison of two German language courses in Dutch secondary education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 22, 181–205.

Nikolov, M. & Krashen, S. (1997). Need we sacrifice accuracy for fluency? System, 25, 2, 197-201.