A child learns his or her first language in a situation of complete immersion. The parents speak with each other, with others, and with the child, and gradually the child progresses to ever higher levels of competence. There is no doubt that by being involved in real-life situations, and with constant modeling from others, that a child can best learn a language. Additional language use in games, songs, and with peers is also invaluable in becoming familiar with how the language can be used. It is often the case that when learning a second language, a child or an adult will be in a classroom situation, perhaps for only one or two short periods a week, and often unrelated to other learning experiences. For adult learners, with other commitments and pressures, and long unused to studying, the task is even more challenging.

It is useful at this point to take the case of a child who is suddenly immersed in a foreign language environment, for example the child of an immigrant worker. The child needs to assimilate the language rapidly in order to integrate socially, and to succeed in their studies. By spending a large proportion of their time communicating in the local language at school, a young child is said to absorb the language like a sponge. The teenager or parent, however, may have greater difficulty, for the reasons stated above, but also for reasons of greater self-awareness.

A Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach can be considered to be an ideal method for teaching a second (or third, etc) language to a non-native speaker, by attempting to imitate the target language environment, if only during class-time. Communicative Language Teaching is the label with which we describe the practice of teaching modern foreign languages in a way in which communication in the target language is encouraged, replacing the older method of teaching through the traditional ‘grammar/translation’ route. Key factors in CLT involve the use of the target language wherever possible in the classroom. By immersing the student in a foreign language environment, it becomes more possible to develop their ability in the key skills of language and language learning. Pupils need to learn how to listen carefully for gist and detail, how to ask and answer questions and how to use context and other clues to interpret meaning.

By communicating in the target language, we engage use of the language in authentic situations, for example at registration, to remove coats, to open exercise books or to put pens down. This develops students’ ‘coping’ strategies, and the more language they are exposed to, the more we can hope they will acquire. The motivational element of this practice, and the enjoyment experienced by students through their use of the target language from the very first day of study, should not be underestimated.

Through the additional use of ICT, authentic audio and video material, authentic written material and even the handling of authentic products (foods, supermarket brochures, timetables) students can feel involved in the learning process and can remain interested in the culture of the language that they are studying. It is essential however, that reading and writing skills are not sacrificed for the sake of listening and speaking skills, to ensure that students are able to develop at an equal pace in all areas. Creativity and variety are infinitely more effective in the delivery of lesson content than tight control, or constant correction.

In order to improve a student’s accuracy in their use of the target language, whilst recognizing the importance of their ability to express themselves above the exact nature of their delivery, it is beneficial to offer encouragement, discourage shyness or embarrassment, and to create a positive atmosphere. The most often used method is where the teacher repeats the pupil’s contribution, with the correct pronunciation, or the correct phrase, without directly mentioning any mistakes made. In this way the whole class will benefit from hearing the correct word or phrase.

Debyser wrote that ‘C’est en communiquant qu’on apprend à communiquer’*: We learn to communicate with one another, by so doing. When teaching a second language to an individual or to a class, regardless of their social situation, age, or any other external factors, we can best hope to help them succeed by providing them with an as near authentic target language environment as possible. 724 words

* Swarbrick, A., Teaching Modern Languages, Open University Press, London 1994

General bibliography:

Nikki James