Saturday, November 30, 2024
Language teaching by its very nature demands striking a balance between work on skills and systems and within that there is obviously vocabulary to cover, yet how do we know what language should be taught? Fortunately, there is often a curriculum or coursebook to follow which, in theory, covers the necessary ground but what about the more informal day-to-day communication, the idiomatic expressions, the (appropriate!) slang - where does this fit into a language curriculum?
Three ways this could occur are
Yet regardless of how or when the language appears, there must be some form of presentation and use of this ‘real’ language and that is the focus of today’s blogpost.
First of all, just a quick clarification of what we mean by ‘real’ language. Here we're referring to language like idiomatic expressions and which typically hasn’t been tidied up for classroom use, that which is found in films, podcasts or friends chatting in a café. Language in its raw form, generally speaking, though as mentioned before the coursebook can still offer some genuine, expressive ‘real’ language too. And the more students are exposed to this type of language, the better their understanding when reading or listening, plus an enhanced ability to communicate expressively. Yet the potential of what to include is infinite and to inexperienced teachers, deciding what to focus on may even seem overwhelming so, where to begin?
Well, it goes without saying that the first port of call is to consider your learners. They are the ones who will be using the language or at the very least, needing to understand it so obviously their needs come first. That means the language chosen must be fit for purpose and relevant. Neither your favourite TV show nor band will cut it, no matter how much of an excuse you want to play classic rock or reruns of The Office. Instead exploit their interests. Give them something that they are already consuming, you’ll just have to put in the effort to find an appropriate example and be prepared for your YouTube/Spotify recommendations to change entirely. But we promise you, it will be worth it! The look on your students’ faces when they realise that they’re going to work on language from their favourite singer or YouTuber is priceless. And as a result, they are likely to be highly engaged with the content, keen to use it, and in turn more liable to remember it.
The next step is planning when to include any ‘real’ language component in a lesson. Obviously emergent language happens in the moment but otherwise there are numerous stages at which ‘real’ language can become the ‘real’ focus. A typical one is the class warmer. Here, students can share what language they came across on social media or wherever over the weekend (homework in other words) or the teacher can introduce a routine like Idiom of the day/week and slowly build up a bank of worthwhile expressions. By the way, the actual introduction of the idiom could easily come from a cartoon or video clip to help give it context – because what is language without context? Alternatively, the language could come from a post-reading/listening task where the teacher draws attention to any relevant expressions for students to extract, since nowadays coursebooks frequently include some really nice up-to-date language as well as an audio transcript. Lastly, idiomatic expressions lend themselves really well to imagery and so an activity like Pictionary as revision can help a lesson end on a high.
Now having harped on about the why, how and when of idiomatic expressions, it’s vitally important to mention the elephant in the room regarding idioms: meaning. The online Cambridge Dictionary website defines an idiom as a group of words in a fixed order that has a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of each word on its own – yet at some point in history, that combination of words would have made perfect sense but unfortunately for whatever reason has been lost across the aeons of time. That is why we recommend exploring the origins of idioms. Not only can this offer a fascinating insight into the history and culture of a place but it can also help students gain a deeper understanding of the language and as a result, make it more memorable. A quick Google search is often all it takes, though admittedly, there may be occasional inaccuracies. Is to turn a blind eye really referring to Admiral Nelson’s moment of disobedience on the high seas? However, this could simply set up a heated debate as to which origin story sounds more plausible! Again, what’s the name of the game with teaching language? Engagement.
But...hold your horses. A gentle word of warning for all you excited teachers out there who now suddenly want to include some ‘real’ language in your lessons. There are a few potential pitfalls to be aware of. All video and audio should always be watched/listened to prior to class to ensure that there is no inappropriate content or language, though student age and maturity do obviously play a role in what can be considered appropriate. In a similar vein, just because my grandad from down under loved saying rattle your dags doesn’t mean I’m going to be encouraging my teenage students here in Spain to use it anytime soon – some language is country specific, not to mention what generation is likely to use it! It’s also important not to overwhelm students when introducing said ‘real’ language - that morning TV show interview with five people speaking excitedly all at once about such and such’s latest album, how easy is it really to identify the necessary expressions amidst the barrage of extraneous language? So, choose your sources wisely.
Yet despite those potential snags, there is still so much value in incorporating this type of language in our classes. And with Christmas round the corner and all the potential content that that brings, we sincerely hope you get the chance to focus on some worthwhile ‘real’ language before the end of the year. And if you do, that your students enjoy learning to express themselves in a richer, more meaningful manner and inspired for the world of English outside the classroom. Happy teaching!
