WHAT STUDENTS OF LCTLS WANT THEIR TEACHERS TO KNOW

Learning Strategy Resource Guides produced for elementary immersion, high school, and university language teachers and students... How students study the language Why students are study

The George Washington University &

National Capital Language Resource Center

Washington, DC http://nclrc.org/lctls

National Capital Language Resource Center (NCLRC) one of 15 foreign language resource centers in U S Since 1990 NCLRC has conducted research on language learning

strategies, both identification and classroom applications studies.

Learning Strategy Resource Guides produced for elementary immersion, high school, and university language teachers and students.

PURPOSE OF CURRENT NCLRC STUDY

Explore how US college students learn

Arabic

Chinese

Japanese

Korean

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY

Most learning strategy research on Western languages Good language learners (of Western languages) use similar strategies.

Effect of non-Western writing systems on strategy use? Impact of unique grammar and non-cognate vocabulary?

What are the challenges in learning (language) ?

What strategies do you use to

overcome these challenges?

What advice do you give to other students of this language?

How are you learning the target

language culture?

Record and videotape focus group interview protocols.

Transcribe interviews verbatim.

Analyze transcripts for learning challenges and responses Identify student perceptions of effective and ineffective instruction

FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEW STRUCTURE

Writing task with think-aloud prompts.

How students study the

language

Why students are studying the

language Student perceptions of effective language instruction

ARABIC - HOW

Online listening: repeat many times (text materials)

Listen to music online

Online authentic materials: use images to guess meaning Use the strategy of inferencing for live listening

Text CD: slow with Windows media

Repeated listening

CHINESE - HOW

Using boxes for reading

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CHINESE - HOW

Working with NS friends

Watching movies

Using online listening

Using online games & quizzes (Quia)

CHINESE - HOW

Listening with an iPod)

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JAPANESE - HOW

Use flashcards while playing video games

Watch movies in Japanese

Make friends and get involved in martial arts and cultural exchanges

Study radicals to understand kanji

Use an online translator

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Internet radio, Korean music

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KOREAN - HOW

Use Imagery

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CHINESE - WHY

Go into International Politics

Just want to speak the language; enjoy the culture Fascinated with China

To learn more about my heritage

JAPANESE - WHY

Interest in pop culture; anime

Career involving Japanese or business with Japan

Go for a homestay in Japan

KOREAN - WHY

To get in touch with my identity

To communicate with my parents or relatives better (adopted child who wants to meet birth mother)

ARABIC - INSTRUCTION

Students don’t feel they are getting enough listening

practice; must puzzle out what the teacher is saying through her gestures

Knowledge of grammar is simple

CHINESE - INSTRUCTION

Pairwork can be productive (or not)

Partners can let you down

Managing time together is crucial

Limited knowledge of structures restricts creativity

Choral reading is “mind-bogglingly” slow

JAPANESE - INSTRUCTION

More reading wanted

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JAPANESE - INSTRUCTION

Should start with kanji earlier

Transition from HS to college: “the jump was hard” because there was more review in HS

Students shouldn’t be allowed to NOT speak Japanese in class

KOREAN - INSTRUCTION

Understanding teacher’s questions is difficult and stressful: Students under pressure stop listening and guess “what she must be asking”

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NEXT STEPS

Continue data analysis.

Develop descriptions of learning strategy applications for each language.

Produce resource guide for teaching learning strategies to students of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

free resources on language learning

strategies and other topics

http://www.nclrc.org

Special thanks to our transcribers: Laura Blythe Liu, Kristen D’Avolio, and

Candice Michalowicz