Ways of Seeing Learner Language
The learners’ language shown on each video clip is accompanied by professional transcriptions of their speech and translations permitting comparison of relevant features of the learner languages with features of English. Interactive activities show the language teacher how to see and analyze the learner language produced by each learner, and identify implications for pedagogy. These activities focus on:
- Learner Characteristics. Teachers consider the individual differences between learners and hypothesize about how these personal characteristics may impact their language learning.
- Error Analysis. Teachers are asked to do an analysis of errors made by the learner, identifying examples of transfer from English (pronunciation, morphology, word order, vocabulary) in the learner language, and possible pedagogical responses.
- Interlanguage. Teachers identify systematic features of the learner language, and possible pedagogical responses.
- Interaction. Teachers examine each speaker’s use of learner language in interaction, including his or her co-construction of meaning and form with a partner, and response to corrective feedback provided in the interaction. Teachers are asked to consider pedagogical responses.
- Referential Communication. Teachers look at learner use of referential expressions, including the expressions used to identify new and old information in the discourse, and their use of communication strategies for managing lack of vocabulary, identifying pedagogical responses.
- Complexity. Teachers see how the expression of abstract and critical thinking in the inference task results in use of more complex syntax and vocabulary in learner language. Pedagogical implications are drawn.
