Teaching and learning MFL
Learning Styles
Papers & recommended reading |
Editorial reviews | Tasks for trainees
Teaching modern foreign
languages in single-sex classes in a co-educational context – review of
a project in a North Yorkshire comprehensive school (pdf document)
Chambers, G.N., (2005) Language Learning Journal, 32, pp 45-54
This article continues the debate around the attainment ‘gap’ between boys and girls in the modern languages secondary school sector. The author reports on a local project designed to study the effects of teaching single-sex classes in a co-educational school.
Similarly to previous research projects, the author finds it likely “successful learning and teaching are linked to many more factors than gender”. The conclusion and recommendations ultimately paint a complicated and inconclusive picture: while there was some evidence to suggest the altered leaning context improved the not insignificant factors of pupil confidence and enjoyment, there were no positive messages to relate in terms of improved behaviour or attainment; from a school management perspective, communication between involved parties, monitoring and reviewing procedures, and staff development issues, required enhancement in order for the project to provide a sound research base for future changes to practice and pupil groupings.
While more questions are posed than answered, the author proposes that
perhaps the overarching question is that of meeting individual needs, and
refers to the challenge of trying to create any sort of homogeneous group
consisting of the relatively large number of individuals (25 to 30+) typically
constituting a secondary modern languages class.
Teaching modern foreign
languages to single-sex classes (pdf
document)
Barton A. (2002) Language Learning Journal, 25, pg 8-14
This paper addresses issues related to the formation of single-sex classes in order to improve achievement in modern languages.
There has been a growing interest in single-sex teaching within co-educational schools recently due to the growing gap in the performance of boys and girls at national examinations. This echoes interest in single-sex education in the 80s to counter girls’ underachievement then.
The study explores the perceptions of pupils and teachers who took part in single-sex classes for an academic year. It looks at issues such as pupils’ enjoyment of being in a single-sex class, pupils’ perceived level of work, the influence of the sex of the teacher, and teachers’ views on pupils’ performance.
The findings show that teachers had very diverse opinions on the success
of the single-sex classes. Girls on the whole tended to enjoy an increased
assertiveness but the effect of single-sex grouping on boys was not conclusive
in raising their achievement in the subject. GCSE results seem to show a
positive impact on the scores of single-sex groups compared with mixed groups,
though the author points out that due to the small sample findings could
not be viewed as reliable.
The relationship between gender and learning styles amongst A-level modern languages students (pdf document) Maubach A-M. and Morgan C. (2001) Language Learning Journal, 23, pp 41-47
This article is based on research carried out with a small sample of modern languages A-level students about the relationship between gender and learning styles.
Various theories show different approaches to learning amongst boys and girls. The study uses Place’s list of characteristics commonly used to describe boys and girls’ learning styles in modern languages (1997), and Brown’s descriptors of learning styles (1994).
Areas explored are: tendency to be dependent, deductive v inductive learning, tolerance of ambiguity, reflectivity, visual v auditory stimulus, self-esteem, oral work, asking questions, pair and group work, and presentation of written work.
The study confirms some previous findings about gender difference in learning
styles, such as boys’ willingness to take risks, while it cannot confirm
others. Boys and girls may tend to approach learning a modern language in
different ways, but stronger differences exist between individuals regardless
of their sex. Teachers should beware the danger of stereotyping and get
to know each student’s strengths and weaknesses as individuals.
Learning language and learning
style: principles, process and practice (pdf document)
Banner G. and Rayner S. (2000) Language Learning Journal, 21, pp
37-44
The article explores different learning styles in modern languages.
Much has been researched and written about learning styles. Learning a second language and the approaches used in order to do so are no different than in other subjects.
By understanding how students learn in different way, their strengths and weaknesses, a teacher can cater better for them and build on their approach to learning. The article explores concepts such as different dimensions of learning (e.g. wholist-analytic and verbal-imager dimensions), and the possibility of developing a style-led approach to teaching and learning.
Teaching according to learning styles accommodates individual differences
and facilitates progress and achievement across the ability range.
