SLA

The goal of this interactive workshop is to help language educators understand how they can develop materials and implement classroom strategies that are informed by core principles of proficiency-based instruction, and doing so will help their students develop communicative ability in the target language. First, we will focus on setting goals informed by the ACTFL proficiency guidelines, and we will review some fundamental aspects of second language acquisition, particularly as they pertain to proficiency-oriented instruction. Then, participants will evaluate to what extent specific activities help to maximize proficiency development by dissecting their merits and shortcomings. Bio: Florencia Henshaw has a Ph.D. ...

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stephen Krashen put forward a model of language learning distinguishing between language acquisition (acquiring a language by listening or reading and understanding) and language learning (conscious, effortful study and practice of language). Today, many people look at Krashen’s monitor model as just a “method from the past.” However, most of these ideas are still very much present in contemporary research — just under different names, such as implicit vs. explicit language teaching and learning. This talk will share three of my studies using the acquisition/learning, or implicit/explicit, framework: one on elementary students learning Spanish, ...