Task Based Language Learning

In this class, we will use English to accomplish tasks. You will be responsible for developing English language networking tools that you may continue to use in the future. We will use gmail, facebook, myspace, blogger, and powerpoint. If you already have familiarity with these applications, I may ask you to assist with their review in our class. If you are unfamiliar with these applications, do not fret. I am a luddite, and I have managed to figure out the basics. I expect that your sophistication with these applications will outstrip mine by the course's end.

In the past, second languages were often studied for use in scholarship, rather than communication. Students learned Latin and Greek in order to translate texts. Language pedagogy centered on translation based approaches. This focus on translation generally reduced the amount of exposure that learners had to the second language. In extreme cases, learners may spend a lesson using their native language for 90% of the time and the target language for 10%.

By contrast, modern language pedagogy embraces immersion in the second language. Many instructors create second language only learning environments. Additionally, instructors have turned towards context and task based learning. In the former, language learning is contextualized to better facilitate acquisition and retention of vocabulary and skills. In the latter, instructors require students to perform tasks using their second language. While initially more stressful for learners, task based learning can better and more quickly build enduring second language neural networks than traditional translation based methodology.

You may find that I am asking you to do a lot of presentation, partner and group work, and projects. We will devote some time to lecture, but most of our course will rely on your use of English. Whereas as I grew up here with an American family, most of you likely did not have that experience. Many of you will not have a lot of opportunities to be in an English only environment
once you leave Chicago. It may be initially tiring, but I would like to maximize the time you spend using English. I will guide you through four weeks of work on legal English vocabulary and argumentation, advise and critique you, but also give you plenty of opportunity to practice.

Your first assignment is to sign up for a gmail account in English. If you already have an existing English language email account, but not gmail, you will need to create a gmail account in order to participate in the latter part of week 1 activities and week 2.