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Evaluation of Communicative Language Teaching-Based Summer English Enrichment Program: From Elementary Pupils’Perspectives
Presenter: Bailey Tzu-Hua Chen National Taiwan Normal University 1
Outline 1. Introduction
Q& A
2. Communicative Language Teaching & English Camp Program
Conclusion
3. The Present Study 2
1. Introduction • Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has become a popular teaching approach in Taiwan over the past decade (Chang, 2011; Kuo, 2012; Lu, 2005). • CLT principles have also been adopted as the guideline of Nine-year Integrated Curriculum since 2001 by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan. • Few studies have investigated students’ perspectives of CLT, even few studies have explored learners’ perceptions on CLT-based English camp . 3
2.1Characteristics of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) • Overall goals: develop learners’ communicative competence • Relationship of form & function: focus more on functional use of lang. for meaningful purposes • Fluency & accuracy: focus more on Ss’ flow of comprehension & production than accuracy of production (complementary principles) • Focus on real-world contexts: communication in unrehearsed contexts outside the classroom (Brown, 2007)
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2.1 Characteristics of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) • Ss use the target lang. a great deal through communicative activities such as games, role plays, simulations, and task-based communication, etc. • Use of authentic materials • Activities carried out in small groups
(Larsen-Freeman, 2000; Richards & Rodgers, 2000)
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2.2 English Camp Program • Ismail & Tahir (2011): English camp activities introduced as an enrichment program for Ss doing TESL diploma. Aims & Features: 1. Elements of“ fun & enjoyment” 2.CLT can be achieved through English Camp activities (White, 1989) 3. Raise Ss’ interest in learning English 6
2.2 English Camp Program • Hsieh (2012): 5-day English camp for elementary school children from remote areas in Taiwan Findings Decline in Ss’ willingness to participate in English Camp – Possible reason: Easy contents, similar activities. – Suggestions for future English camp course design: incorporate tests & use English as the instruction lang. and ‘English-only’ policy. 7
2.3 Research Questions 1. How do EFL young learners perceive a CLTbased summer English enrichment program? 2. What kinds of classroom activities appear to be helpful and interesting for English learning from EFL young learners’ perspectives?
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3.1 Methodology: Participants • 30 EFL elementary pupils from four public elementary schools in northern Taiwan. • Average age: 11.4 (fourth graders~sixth graders) • 13 boys & 17 girls • Have learned English for 5.4 years • Time spent on learning English after class: 1.74 hours/ week 9
Week Date Topic 1 7/8 Methodology: Animal Gaga (There was an old lady who …) 3.2 Procedures 7/11 Order Food 2 7/15 Feelings 7/18 Clothes & Colors 3 7/22 Actions & Transportation (There was a bold lady…) 7/25 Reader’s Theater: Three Little Pigs 4 7/29 Reader’s Theater: Little Red Riding Hood 8/1 Fathers’ Day & Other Festivals 5 8/5 Taiwanese Food & Tourist Attractions 8/8 Countries 6 8/12 Self-Introduction 10 8/15 Final Presentation
3.3 Methodology: Instruments, Data Collection & Analysis Instruments reflection journals (100-200 words) An open-ended questionnaire (7Qs) An end-of-course questionnaire (26Qs) Course materials (student book & workbook)
Data Collection & Analysis At the end of the fifth week; homework; Qualitative In the first class of the sixth week; Qualitative In the first class of the sixth week; Quantitative (Descriptive Statistics, using SPSS) To better triangulate & interpret the findings ; Qualitative 11
4. Results & Discussion
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RQ1: EFL young learners’ perceptions on the CLT-based summer English enrichment program • End-of-course questionnaire, reflection journals, and open-ended questionnaire Course objectives
Assessme nt
Course materials
Classroom activities
3 items
4 items
8 items
5 items
Lang. & learning gains 6 items
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RQ1: EFL young learners’ perceptions on the CLT-based summer English enrichment program Category I. Course objectives II. Assessment III. Course materials IV. Classroom activities V. Language & learning gains N=30
Mean 4.25 3.75 4.50 4.70 4.10
SD .715 .912 .688 .812 .856
Students don’t like tests. The results does not corroborate Hsieh’s (2012) study.
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RQ1: EFL young learners’ perceptions on the CLT-based summer English enrichment program Benefits & Students’ comments Difficulties Perceived * Vocabulary (25) * Reading (10) language gains * Sentence patterns (22) * Writing (9) * Speaking (16) *Listening (3) Perceived * Enhanced motivation & interest in learning gains English learning (16) * Increase in knowledge (12) Difficulties * Tests (8) * Course content (6) encountered * Homework (4) 15
RQ1: EFL young learners’ perceptions on the CLT-based summer English enrichment program • I benefited a lot from participating in the summer English enrichment program, especially in speaking , though I think I made progress in other language skills (listening, reading, & writing). Sometimes the class was boring (when the teacher taught us sentence patterns), but sometimes the class was fun. The interesting parts of the program were reader’s theater & games. ... Joan 16
RQ1: EFL young learners’ perceptions on the CLT-based summer English enrichment program • I like teacher who incorporated interesting activities into grammar , phrases, and sentences teaching. I don’t like English actually, but because the teacher included English in the games and other interesting activities, I was motivated to learn English. I thought I made progress in the four language skills, especially in reading and speaking. Eric 17
RQ2:What kinds of classroom activities appear to be helpful and interesting for English learning from EFL young learners’ perspectives? Activity Role playing (in the clothes shop ) BINGO (information gap task) Reader’s Theater (Three Little Pigs) Guess one’s feelings Picture book discussions Tests Self-introduction Learning vocabulary words Learning sentence patterns
Frequency & Percentage 22 ; 73% 18; 60% 17; 57% 12; 40% 10; 33% 4; 13% 3; 10% 3; 10% 2; 7%
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RQ2:What kinds of classroom activities appear to be helpful and interesting for English learning from EFL young learners’ perspectives? Activity Role playing (in the clothes shop) Guess one’s feelings BINGO (information gap task)
Making card for Father’s Day Picture book teaching & discussions Reader’s Theater (Three Little Pigs)
Create an ending for the Bold Lady
Frequency & Percentage 20; 67% 15; 50% 15; 50% 12; 40% 10; 33% 8; 27% 7; 23% 19
RQ2:What kinds of classroom activities appear to be helpful and interesting for English learning from EFL young learners’ perspectives? •
Games are both helpful and interesting for EFL young learners. Role playing (in the clothes shop ) BINGO (information gap task) Guess one’s feelings Yolageldili & Arikan (2011) & Hsieh (2012): “ Game should be a fundamental part of primary school education because they are motivating, contextualizing, and natural activities that make learning meaningful.” • Only a few think tests are helpful to them (Hsieh, 2012). 20
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5. Conclusion • Participating Ss held positive attitudes towards CLT-based summer English enrichment program, especially in the areas of vocabulary, sentence patterns, and speaking. • Participating elementary school children perceived that CLT-based activities are helpful & interesting for their English learning. 23
6. Pedagogical Implications • Incorporate CLT-based activities & other activities that involve learners in physical actions into regular English classes to increase Ss’ learning motivation & interest. • While Ss generally hated tests, they are indicator of English learning outcomes. Test format should be taken into account. 24
The End Thank you for your attention !
Any Questions ? 25
