Progressing with(out) grammar Ab initio students on the Italian degree programme at the

University of Reading

Teaching languages ab initioSOAS

London12 November 2009

Enza Siciliano Verruccio

Ab initio students at the Department of Italian Studies at Reading

ab initio student

GCSE/O level in another

MFL or LatinNo previous

experience of language learning

Italian A level

ItalianGCSE/O level

Italian background

“Limited working

knowledge”Native speakers

80% student intake …

the remaining 20% …

A level in another

MFL or Latin

Before 2002: the big picture

Advanced I

Elementary

Advanced II

Post-elementary

Year 4Year Abroad

3 hours per week over three terms

1 textbook1 final examination

3 hours per weekover three terms

1 textbook3 hours per week over two terms

1 final examination

3 hours per weekover three1 textbook

1 final examination

3 hours per weekover three terms

1 textbook

Before 2002: the small print

Beginners

Elementary

Intermediate

Post-Beginners

Post-Elementary

Post-intermediate

ab initio

post-Italian GCSE/“limited working knowledge”

Intensive course in term 3:

4 hours per week;the “Italian novel”

Extra Italian grammar classes

In 2002 …

Introduction of modular system

1. Reduction of teaching time from 3 to 2 terms

2. Compression of contact hours

Problem: Ab initio students entrybehaviour in relation to

explicit grammar knowledge

After 2002: compression of contact hours over two terms

Advanced I

Elementary

Advanced II

Post-elementary

Year 4Year Abroad

4 to 5 hours per week

over two terms

4 to 5 hours per week

over two terms4 to 5 hours

per week over

two terms

3 hours per weekover two terms

3 hours per weekover two terms

Oral and written

language exams

on return from YA

Response to ab initio studentsentry behaviour: the 2 groups

Discriminating element: grammar awareness

Which method?

Elementary(1) No previous LL

experience

(2) Other MFL GCSE

(3) Other MFL A level (below C)

Intermediate

Lower-Intermediate(1) Other MFL

A level (C and above)

(2) Italian GCSE

Post -E

Post -LI

Response to ab initio studentsentry behaviour: remedial intervention

Elementary

Lower-Intermediate

IntermediateExtra conversation classes Online material Revision classes Intensive summer term course

Language Skills classes

Language Skills classes

Language Skills classes

Language Skills

… alias, the language of grammar to learn (the grammar of) a language

• Focus on common errors (English <> Italian => Italian only)

• Metalinguistic knowledge

• Transferable knowledge

• Capitalize on A level students’ competence

• 1 hour per fortnight!

Language Skills: Year 1

Concordanza (agreement)

What parts of the sentence are affected in English by changing the noun ‘shoe’ from singular into plural? What happens when in Italian you go from scarpa to scarpe?

La grande scarpa rossa è nella scatola.

Le grandi scarpe rosse sono nella scatola.

The big red shoe is in the box.

The big red shoes are in the box.

Language Skills: Year 2

Analisi logica

Task: Identifica nel testo soggetto e oggetto: che tipo di oggetti sono presenti?

Language Skills: Year 2

Mi piace

tantissimoil miolibriccino

(mi piace)Lavar…… miidentinicolmiospazzolino

oggetto indiretto

predicato verbale

soggetto

predicato verbaleoggetto indiretto

oggetto diretto

complemento

complemento

Progression?Language Skills, alias …

Advanced I

Elementary

Advanced II

Intermediate

Year 4Year

Abroad

Lower-Intermediate

2004 2009 2010

Progression?CEFR levels

Advanced I

Elementary

Advanced II

Intermediate

Year 4Year

Abroad

Lower-Intermediate

B1/B2

A1/A2

A2

B2 B2/C1

C1/C2

?

A work in progress

• Adequate? Effective? Which ab initio student does it target?

• Bridging the gap between the two ab initio groups;

• Inclusion of ‘advanced’ students;

• Integration into ‘main’ language classes;

• Progression in grammatical competence (both metalinguistic and language specific) equates to progression in language learning?

• (More) research questions?