| Communication
Today's workshop is all about accomplishing meaningful
communication. Communication is a primary reason for learning
to speak another language.
The National Standards for Foreign Language Learning are
sometimes called the "5 C's" because they encompass:
Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and
Communities. The first C is Communication.
There are 3 different modes of Communication:
Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational.
[Demonstrate with hand signals.] We'll be talking about
Interpretive and Presentational more later, but right now our
focus is on Interpersonal. This is the mode that offers the
opportunity for Negotiation of Meaning.
Negotiation of Meaning
Definition:
"Negotiation of Meaning is the process
by which participants in an interaction arrive at
understanding through a variety of communication
strategies." (Snow p. 21)
These are the keys to the immersion classroom.
Language and Content Activities
Cummins’ Quadrants (Jim Cummins, 1981)
Language of school is different type of language than the
language of Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Cognitively Undemanding (Easy) vs.
Cognitively Demanding (Hard)
- Context-Embedded (Clues) vs.
Context-Reduced (No Clues)
In Immersion classroom, functioning in quadrant:
Cognitively Demanding (Hard), Context-Embedded (Clues). So
make a lot of graphic organizers to help them see (clues).
Active participation. Real things (like water).
Talk about Language Demands in the American Classroom.
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