TRABAJO FIN DE ESTUDIOS

Transcription

1 TRABAJO FIN DE ESTUDIOS Título The benefits of using a teaching program based on multiple intelligences theory in spanish efl learners' productive vocabulary knowledge Autor/es Andreea Rosca Director/es María del Pilar Agustín Llach Facultad Facultad de Letras y de la Educación Titulación Máster universitario en Profesorado de ESO, Bachillerato, FP y Enseñanza de Idiomas Inglés Departamento Curso Académico

2 The benefits of using a teaching program based on multiple intelligences theory in spanish efl learners' productive vocabulary knowledge, trabajo fin de estudios de Andreea Rosca, dirigido por María del Pilar Agustín Llach (publicado por la Universidad de La Rioja), se difunde bajo una Licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 3.0 Unported. Permisos que vayan más allá de lo cubierto por esta licencia pueden solicitarse a los titulares del copyright. El autor Universidad de La Rioja, Servicio de Publicaciones, 2013 publicaciones.unirioja.es publicaciones@unirioja.es

3 MÁSTER EN PROFESORADO DE ESO, BACHILLERATO, FP Y ENSEÑANZA DE IDIOMAS INGLÉS TRABAJO FIN DE MÁSTER THE BENEFITS OF USING A TEACHING PROGRAM BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES THEORY IN SPANISH EFL LEARNERS PRODUCTIVE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE Andreea Rosca Tutor: María del Pilar Agustín Llach Curso Facultad de Letras y de la Educación

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I. THEORETICAL REFLECTIONS INTRODUCTION THEORETICAL REFLECTIONS...3 PART II. TEACHING PROGRAM INTRODUCTION STAGE OBJECTIVES AREA OBJECTIVES COMPETENCES CONTENTS METHODOLOGY ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES DIDACTIC RESOURCES AND MATERIALS CRONOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION EXAMPLE OF UNIT DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION COMPETENCES AREA OBJECTIVES UNIT OBJECTIVES CONTENTS MATERIALS AND RESOURCES..43

5 METHODOLOGY AND ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES SEQUENCING..48 PART III. INNOVATION RESEARCH PROPOSAL INTRODUCTION WORKING DEFINITIONS AND LITERATURE REVIEW MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AND CRITERIA FOR PROPOSAL CLASSIFICATION OF INTELLIGENCES AND SUITABLE ACTIVITIES MEASURING PRODUCTIVE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE RESEARCH QUESTION AND HYPOTHESIS METHOD AND DESIGN PARTICIPANTS GATHERING INSTRUMENTS AND PROCEDURES WORKING PLAN CONCLUSIONS...70 APPENDIX I APPENDIX II... 79

6 THEORETICAL REFLECTIONS PART I 1

7 1.1. INTRODUCTION This final project aims to examine how the subjects covered within the Master s degree and the Practicum have contributed to the acquisition of a solid theoretical framework in education as well as of a range of teaching and learning skills. The present project is divided into three main parts. The first part provides a reflection on the formal instruction received throughout the academic year The second part presents a whole year teaching program for 2 nd year Baccalaureate students. In the third part I put forward an innovation research proposal dealing with the efficiency of an experimental teaching program based on Gardner s (1983) Multiple Intelligences theory. In the next section I will outline the most relevant theoretical conclusions transmitted in the context of the generic and specific modules of this Master s degree. Before giving a critical overview on the Spanish education system, I would like to stress the importance of reflection as a method used in formal educational settings. Reflection is defined by Richards (1994) as a process of learning from experience, in which self-inquiry becomes a key component of a learner s development. Thus, we learn not only by doing (trial and error) but also by reflecting on what, how and why we are doing it. In other words, reflection bridges the gap between experience and understanding. If we adopt Jay and Johnson s (2002: 80) view of teachers as agents of change, then we, as prospective teachers, have the responsibility of critically reflecting on the historical, socio-political framework of Spanish education. Another expert equating reflection with a transformational process is Biggs (1999), who claims that a reflection in a mirror is an exact replica of what is in front of it. Reflection in professional practice, however, gives back not what it is, but what might be, an 2

8 improvement on the original. Reflection is seen as a catalyst effecting a change of knowledge, awareness or consciousness because it involves returning to the experience, attending to the feelings and re-evaluating the experience based on current knowledge and intent, and integrating this new knowledge into your conceptual framework (Boud, Keogh and Walker, 1985: 26) THEORETICAL REFLECTIONS The disciplines studied throughout this Master s degree can be separated into two main blocks. The first one gathers the generic or common subjects that inform us on (i) the social and cultural context in which the teaching practice is set, (ii) the evolution of the Spanish education laws and the design of lessons and syllabi, and (iii) the various factors intervening in the cognitive development and learning processes of our students. The second block consists of subjects that enable us to specialize in our own field, viz. English Language teaching. Let us take each module in turn. The course Society, family and education focused on the most relevant social problems encountered in education (e.g. gender relations, social discrimination, ethnic diversity), the relationship between family and education, the profile and professional development of teachers. Regarding the social functions of education, we can distinguish two major sociological theories, i.e. the functionalist perspective and the conflict theory. According to the former, education provides occupational training in industrialized societies and it ensures the cultural transmission and socialization of new generations. The latter is concerned with the disruptive aspects of education. Thus, education is seen as a mechanism that reproduces social inequalities (class, gender and ethnic discrimination). To my mind, the most serious challenge faced by the Spanish 3

9 educational system is school failure and dropping out. Fernández Enguita et al. (2010) study the impact of social origin, gender, ethnicity, nationality and family situation on students performance at school. Social class seems to have the biggest influence on the process of leaving school. Thus, middle class students are more likely to pursue a higher education than working class students. There is also a clear relationship between parents level of education and school failure in that the higher the parents education level the lower is the level of school failure. It is believed that the process of development during puberty can result in greater discipline, focus and better work habits among girls. It has also been shown that Gypsy and immigrant communities display higher levels of early school abandonment. A higher tendency of school failure is also present among students that come from non-nuclear or disrupted families. To sum up, the current educational system should channel its attention and efforts towards achieving the Lisbon objectives, i.e. the completion of a post compulsory educational stage. The course Processes and educational contexts dealt with the interaction and communication processes within the classroom, the evolution of the Spanish educational system and the main documents used in Spanish secondary schools. Thus, we have learnt that the legislative framework that regulates the Spanish education system is composed of the Spanish Constitution (1978), the Organic Act on the Right to Education (LODE, 1978), and the Organic Law of Education 2/2006 (LOE 2006). According to the Organic Law of Education (LOE), state education is free and compulsory education lasts from 6 to 16 years of age. Finally, the pedagogy module enabled us to become familiar with the design of teaching programs as well as with the structure and contents of the main documents used in secondary schools, such as the Educational Project (Proyecto educativo del centro, PEC), the General Annual Program 4

10 (Programación General Anual, PGA) or the Curricular Project (Proyecto Curricular del centro, PCC). The course Learning and the development of personality provided us with knowledge on the development stages of adolescence and the factors that favor or hinder them, the contemporary theories on the learning process and the factors that influence it, such as motivation, self concept and emotions. The onset of adolescence is marked by the stage of formal operations which allows teenagers to think systematically about possibilities and hypotheses, without any dependence on concrete manipulation. I was extremely surprised to realize that Piaget s (1924) theory of formal operations, which I took for granted for many years, was not flawless. Thus, there are individual and cultural variations in the attainment of this stage. Other changes in adolescent thinking involve the development of metacognition or the capacity to think about thinking, the imaginary audience or the belief that others are acutely aware of one s appearance and behavior and the personal fable or the belief in one s uniqueness. The psychology module also raised our awareness to the fact that teachers use different learning theories on a regular basis in their classes, namely behaviorism, cognitivism or constructivism. In a behaviorist classroom mastery learning can be achieved by means of rewards whereas in a cognitive classroom the teacher uses various methods to gain students attention. Lastly, in a constructivist classroom, students work in groups discussing solutions to a specific problem. The specific module includes three specialized subjects or courses: Complements for the training of foreign language teachers, Foreign language learning and teaching, and Educational innovation and research. The first subject drew our attention to the evolution of foreign language teaching methods as well as their weaknesses and 5

11 strengths (e.g. the Audio-Lingual Method, the Silent Way, the Total Physical Response Method, the Task-based language teaching approach, etc.). For instance, the Grammar Translation Method may help students compare and contrast their mother tongue to the target language but they may easily lose interest in the subject since lessons are not interactive and there is little teacher-student relationship. This subject enabled us to go beyond rote memorization since we had to use our knowledge on these teaching approaches in order to design activities for each one of them. We were also encouraged to reflect upon what makes a good teacher or how we would solve particular discipline problems. We were explained the reasons for classroom testing and the difference between various kinds of tests (e.g. achievement vs. proficiency tests, diagnostic vs. prognostic tests, discrete point vs. integrative tests). The last part of this subject was devoted to the presentation of the ways in which language components (e.g. pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar) and skills (e.g. listening, speaking, reading and writing) can be taught. What I found particularly interesting was how teachers can assess writing skills and at the same time foster learner autonomy. For example, teachers can underline the mistakes in written assignments and ask students to correct them. Also, teachers should let students correct and give feedback on each other s compositions (peer correction). Foreign language learning and teaching was a very complex course in which we delved into direct and indirect language learning strategies. The first part of this course also stressed the influence of different linguistic schools (structuralism, functionalism, generative grammar, cognitive linguistics) on foreign language teaching methods. Learner autonomy was fostered through classroom presentations and debates as well as reading assignments on particular topics. Another topic of interest within this course was the implementation of intercultural competence in the foreign language classroom. 6

12 According to Kramsch (2010), intercultural competence presupposes awareness of the similarities and differences between cultures and the ability to mediate between one s own culture and other cultures. Usually language teachers relegate sociocultural and pragmatic competences to the background by giving priority to linguistic competence in the lesson plan. This is so because teachers lack solid knowledge of the target culture or because updating sociocultural competence requires more effort and preparation on the part of the teacher. Learning about the target culture can help language speakers solve or avoid cultural misunderstandings and overcome stereotyped perceptions of the target language community. There was also a practical part in which we had to develop an intercultural activity and present it in class. The last part of this course was concerned with the measures fostering bilingual education in La Rioja, such as the teaching of a foreign language in the second cycle of Infant Education and in the first cycle of Primary Education or the collaboration program between the Official Language Schools and the Secondary Schools which allows secondary school students to get their official EOI certificate (see Fernández Fontecha, 2010a for further discussion on the topic). We also learnt about Fernández Fontecha s (2010b) Content and Language Processing Sequence (CLPS) which is a framework providing guidelines for the syllabus design in the foreign language classroom (e.g. the selection and processing of non-linguistic contents, the systematic integration of ICT materials through CLILQuests, etc.). On the basis of this model, we designed our own LanguageQuests or WebQuests. Finally, Educational Innovation and Research taught us what action research is and what steps are to be taken when conducting research in the foreign language classroom. I learnt that there are innumerable variables that come into play in the 7

13 foreign language classroom. Therefore, EFL teachers can conduct research and innovate in plenty of areas ranging from the relationship between L1 and L2, L2 learners, the didactic materials to the teacher himself. If the teacher decides to focus on the learners, he can explore the correlation between the EFL learners type of personality (e.g. extrovert or introvert) and the learning process, among other variables (e.g. age, gender, cognitive styles, motivation, affective factors, i.e. whether the learner likes the foreign language or not). We were introduced to different methods used in quantitative or qualitative research, such as experimental methods, case studies, correlational studies, content analysis, to name just a few. We also had to reflect upon the benefits of using e- mail tandem and learning diaries with EFL students (cf. Canga, 2011). References Biggs, J Teaching for quality learning at university. Buckingham: Open University Press. Boud, D., Keogh, R., and Walker, D Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. Croom Helm: London. Canga Alonso, A Promoting Basic Competences in EFL Instruction by Means of Tandem. Journal of Language Teaching and Research 3(2): Fernández Enguita, M., Mena Martínez, L., and Riviere Gómez, J School Failure and Dropouts in Spain. Social Studies Collection 29. The la Caixa Foundation. Fernández Fontecha, A. 2010a. First steps of CLIL in a Spanish Monolingual Community: the case of La Rioja. In Yolanda Ruiz de Zarobe and David Lasagabaster (eds.). CLIL in Spain: Implementation, Results and Teacher Training. Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishers. 8

14 Fernández Fontecha, A. 2010b. The CLIL Quest: A Type of Language WebQuest for Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). CORELL: Computer Resources for Language Learning 3: Gardner, H Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York. Basic Books. Jay, J. K., and Johnson, K. L Capturing complexity: A typology for reflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18(2): Kramsch, C The symbolic dimensions of the intercultural. Language Teaching 44(3): Piaget, J Judgment and reasoning in the child. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Richards, J. C L insegnamento linguistico in una prospettiva riflessiva. In L. Mariani (ed.) L autonomia nell apprendimento linguistico. Florence (Italy): La Nuova Italia Editrice

15 TEACHING PROGRAM PART II 10

16 2.1. INTRODUCTION This project complies with the principles set out by the Council of Europe in Recommendation R (82) 18 of the Committee of Ministers, according to which a major educational effort is needed to convert the European diversity from a barrier to communication into a source of mutual enrichment and understanding. In turn, Recommendation R (98) 6 of the Committee of Ministers stresses the need to take action in order to intensify language learning in order to promote plurilingualism in a pan-european context. Within this context, my aim is to encourage the study of foreign languages and more specifically, that of the English language. The purpose of this section is to develop an EFL syllabus for 2 nd year baccalaureate students. A syllabus provides an outline of the objectives of a subject, the evaluation criteria and procedures, the materials and resources to be used, the topics or contents to be covered, a schedule, and the measures for attention to diversity. The teaching objectives indicate what, in our case, the language instructor expects from his/her students after the completion of the course. The evaluation criteria and procedures inform students about what and how they will be tested. The contents specify what topics will be dealt with in the language classroom throughout the academic year whereas the schedule or sequencing supplies an accurate timetable for learning. At this stage, the English subject serves to consolidate what students already know and to enable them to develop more specialized abilities in terms of academic and professional interests. I have chosen this stage because baccalaureate students are more motivated to complete their studies than secondary education learners who might perceive school as a burden due to its compulsory nature. During the Practicum I 11

17 handed out a questionnaire to baccalaureate students in which they were asked to discuss their learning motivation, among others. The findings from this survey reveal that most of them have entered the baccalaureate stage in order to gain access to university degrees or advanced professional training. In other words, they understand that education empowers and gives them the possibility to forge their own future STAGE OBJECTIVES According to the Royal Decree Law 1467/2007, the baccalaureate stage aims at providing students with education, intellectual and human maturity, knowledge and skills that enable them to develop social functions and to participate in an active life with responsibility and competence. Also, students who have earned their Baccalaureate diploma are qualified to enroll in advanced vocational training or the university. The objectives of the baccalaureate stage are enumerated in article 3 of the Official Bulletin of the State: a. Exercise democratic citizenship, from a global perspective, and acquire a responsible civic awareness, inspired by the values of the Constitution as well as the human rights, which promotes co-responsibility in the construction of a just and equitable society and favors sustainability. b. Consolidate a personal and social maturity that enables baccalaureate students to act responsibly and autonomously and develop their critical spirit. Anticipate and resolve personal, family and social conflicts peacefully. c. Promote effective equality of rights and opportunities between men and women, analyze and critically assess existing inequalities and promote real equality and non-discrimination of disabled people. 12

18 d. Strengthen the reading and study habits for an effective use of learning processes and as a means of personal development. e. Master the Spanish language both at the oral and written level and, where appropriate, the co-official language of their autonomous community. f. Express themselves fluently and accurately in one or more foreign languages. g. Use information and communication technologies with competence and responsibility. h. Know and critically evaluate the realities of the contemporary world, its historical background and the main factors of its evolution. Participate in solidarity in the development and improvement of their social environment. i. Access the main scientific and technological knowledge and master the basic skills of the chosen option. j. Understand the basic elements and procedures of research and scientific methods. Know and critically assess the contribution of science and technology towards the change of life conditions, as well as strengthen sensitivity and respect for the environment. k. Strengthen entrepreneurship with attitudes of creativity, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence and critical sense. l. Develop artistic and literary sensitivity, as well as an aesthetic criterion, as sources of training and cultural enrichment. m. Use physical education and sport to promote personal and social development. n. Strengthen respect and prevention in the field of road safety. 13

19 2.3. AREA OBJECTIVES Appendix I of the Royal Decree Law 1467/2007 includes, among others, the objectives of the Foreign Language teaching within the baccalaureate stage: 1. Express and interact orally in a spontaneous, understanding and respectful manner, with fluency and accuracy, by using appropriate communicative strategies. 2. Understand global and specific information of oral texts and follow the thread of current topics issued in usual communicative contexts and media. 3. Write different types of texts in a clear and well structured manner, using the appropriate style according to the target audience and communicative purpose. 4. Understand different types of written texts on a general and specific topic, and critically interpret them using adequate comprehensive strategies and identifying the essential elements of the text as well as its function and discursive organization. 5. Read texts autonomously with various aims appropriate for their interests and needs and value reading as a source of information, enjoyment and leisure. 6. Use knowledge of the language and linguistic rules in order to speak and write in a coherent, correct and adequate manner, to understand oral and written texts, and reflect upon the functioning of the foreign language in communicative situations. 7. Acquire and develop various learning strategies using all the means at their disposal, including information and communication technologies with the aim of using the foreign language autonomously and to make further progress in learning. 14

20 8. Know the fundamental social and cultural features of the foreign language in order to understand and interpret better cultures different from one s own. 9. Value the foreign language as a means of access to other knowledge and cultures, and acknowledge its importance as a means of communication and international understanding in a multicultural world, by becoming aware of the similarities and differences between various cultures. 10. Strengthen self-assessment strategies in the acquisition of communicative competence in the foreign language, with attitudes of initiative, confidence and responsibility in this process. As can be observed some of the stage objectives mentioned in section 2.1 are further specified in the area objectives. For instance, the generic objective d) Strengthen the reading and study habits for an effective use of learning processes and as a means of personal development is detailed in the Foreign Language area through the more specific objective number 5. Read texts autonomously with various aims appropriate for their interests and needs and value reading as a source of information, enjoyment and leisure COMPETENCES As stated by the Royal Decree Law 1631/2006 (see Appendix I), the Spanish secondary school education promotes the acquisition of eight key competences. A key competence is understood as the ability to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes so as to solve problems and react appropriately in various contexts and situations. All key competences are equally important since people need them for personal fulfillment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment. In what follows I will briefly describe these key competences: 15

21 1. Competence in linguistic communication. This competence refers to the use of language as a tool in oral and written communication as well as representation, interpretation and understanding of reality. Language is also viewed as a mode of construction and communication of knowledge, organization and self-regulation of thoughts, emotions and behavior. 2. Mathematical competence. This involves the ability to use and relate numbers, basic operations, symbols and perform mathematical reasoning in order to produce and interpret information (e.g. expand knowledge about quantitative and spatial aspects of reality, solve everyday and work-related problems). 3. Competence in knowledge and interaction with the physical world. This competence enables students to interact with the physical world in its natural state and in that created by human activity in a way that facilitates the understanding of events and the prediction of their consequences as well as the appreciation of the actions designed to improve and preserve living conditions of other people and living beings. 4. Competence in processing information and use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology). It consists of the ability to search, obtain, process digital information, transform and communicate it into knowledge. The digital competence also requires a critical and reflective attitude towards available information and a responsible use of the interactive media. 5. Competence in social skills and citizenship. This competence helps students understand the society in which they live, cooperate, co-exist and exert democratic citizenship in a plural society, as well as commit themselves to its development. 6. Cultural and artistic competence. This competence presupposes knowing, understanding, appreciating and critically assessing different cultural and artistic 16

22 manifestations, using them as a source of enrichment and enjoyment and considering them as part of the world heritage. 7. Competence in learning to learn. This competence deals with the skills needed to initiate a learning process and being able to continue learning in an effective and autonomous way. This competence has two fundamental dimensions: on the one hand, the acquisition of awareness of one s abilities (intellectual, emotional, physical), learning processes and strategies and on the other hand, the acquisition of motivation and confidence to pursue and succeed at learning throughout one s life. 8. Competence in autonomy and personal initiative. This competence makes reference to the acquisition of the awareness and implementation of a set of values and personal attitudes (e.g. the ability to plan and take risks, creativity, self critique, emotional control) and the capacity to transform ideas into actions and take responsibility for them. Learning a foreign language contributes to the acquisition of the competence in linguistic communication by developing oral and written skills, using the language conventions appropriate for each and every situation, and learning linguistic rules. In a similar way, the competence in learning to learn can be fostered through the inclusion of activities that require reflection on learning processes and strategies. The foreign language also promotes the development of the competence in social skills and citizenship. Languages are a vehicle of communication and cultural transmission in that they foster on the one side, the respect, interest and communication with foreign speakers and on the other side, the recognition and acceptance of behavioral and cultural differences. Teamwork is especially important in foreign language learning since it teaches students to participate, to negotiate meanings and achieve agreements, to learn 17

23 with and from others. A foreign language can also promote the development of the competence in use of ICT tools if it used in exchange and tandem or if it makes use of ICT tools as means of knowledge transmission (e.g. PowerPoint or Prezi presentations, Vimeo or Youtube videos, etc.). A foreign language can facilitate the acquisition of the cultural and artistic competence if students are exposed and asked to reflect on different artistic manifestations (literary works, sculpture, music, etc.). Finally, a foreign language can contribute to the development of the competence in autonomy and personal initiative if students are engaged in planning, organizing and managing work related issues CONTENTS The contents of a subject are seen as concrete tools that enable students to achieve the particular goals of a didactic unit. The Royal Decree Law 1467/2007 (Appendix I) groups contents into four main blocks whose purpose is to organize them in a coherent and cohesive manner. These four blocks are the following: listening and speaking, reading and writing, language awareness and socio-cultural aspects. Language skills are gathered in the first and the second block. Both comprise the procedures that allow language users to connect conceptual knowledge with its implementation in communicative activities intended to develop expertise. The first block develops the ability to interact in different situations and highlights the importance of a varied oral linguistic model. Thus, students should be exposed to messages of people with different accents. The second block aims at strengthening the competence in discursive writing by focusing on the comprehension of general or detailed information, the communicative purpose, the organization of the parts of a text, or the expression of feelings and attitudes. 18

24 Learning a foreign language also facilitates the acquisition of a basic conceptual system related to its functioning. It is extremely important for learners to make inferences on how the foreign language works (e.g. its grammar structures or language functions) so that they gain confidence in their own abilities. The fourth block helps students learn customs, forms of social relationships and lifestyles different from their own. This knowledge promotes attitudes such as tolerance, acceptance, intercultural awareness as well as a growing interest in different social and cultural realities METHODOLOGY A methodology refers to the language learning and teaching theories that a teacher adopts in the implementation of language instruction. Needless to say, the observed teaching practice can modify the instructional design features (e.g. objectives, syllabus specification, types of activities, roles of teacher, learners, materials) which in turn may change the theoretical framework upon which teaching is based. In line with the tenets of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the syllabus included in this project makes extensive use of a communicative approach to English language teaching and learning. This approach is an action-oriented one in that it views users and learners of a language primarily as social agents, i.e. members of society who have tasks (not exclusively language-related) to accomplish in a given set of circumstances, in a specific environment and within a particular field of action. (Common European Framework for Languages, p. 9). The major objective of this approach is the development of the communicative language competence which comprises several components: linguistic (e.g. lexical, phonological, syntactical knowledge and skills), sociolinguistic (i.e. sociocultural conditions of language use: rules of politeness, norms governing relations between generations, 19

25 classes and social groups), and pragmatic (e.g. the mastery of discourse, cohesion and coherence, the identification of text types and forms, irony). The acquisition of communicative language competence is achieved through various language activities which involve reception (listening and reading), production (speaking and writing), and interaction or mediation (i.e. the negotiation of meaning). In a functional syllabus which emphasizes functions over forms, language activities are performed in the context of four different domains: the public domain, the personal domain, the educational domain and the occupational domain. Among the most relevant principles advocated by the Communicative Approach, we can mention the following: Learners learn a language through using it to communicate. Language learners are more motivated because they learn to do something with the language. Classroom activities rely on authentic and meaningful communication (e.g. information gap, role-plays or problem-solving tasks). The teacher s role is to establish situations likely to promote communication. Although accuracy is not neglected, fluency becomes an important dimension of communication. A learner can have a limited linguistic knowledge and still be a successful communicator. This approach involves the integration of the four skills since the beginning. A special role is played by the fifth skill, i.e. interaction or negotiation of meaning. Small numbers of students interacting (e.g. pairs rather than large groups) are favored in order to maximize the time allotted to each student for learning to negotiate meaning. 20

26 Learning is considered as a process of creative construction involving trial and error. Errors are tolerated since they are seen as a natural outcome of the development of communication skills. The syllabus that will be presented in the following sections can be implemented in learner-centered classrooms. In this type of classrooms teachers are no longer the protagonists but they act as facilitators of learning, counselors and assessors. Students in learner-centered classrooms must become independent in that they must be able set their objectives (both short and longer term), plan their work and select their learning materials. These students must evaluate themselves and monitor their learning progress through self and peer assessment. Lastly, they must identify their cognitive styles and the most appropriate learning strategies for them ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY Attention to diversity refers to a set of educational measures and actions that are taken in order to meet the individual needs of students, - i.e. those affecting the learning process, such as different aptitudes, interests, cognitive styles, personality - or the special needs derived from disabilities or deep behavior disorders, - e.g. hearing, visual, physical, intellectual or speech disabilities, development retardation. The principles underlying the attention to diversity in secondary schools involve aspects such as quality education to all students, equality of opportunity, inclusive and nondiscriminatory education, and flexibility to adapt teaching to diversity. The variety of exercises and activities proposed for the detailed teaching module makes possible for all students to find one that suits their learning styles. Apart from the development activities, I have included reinforcement and extension activities which 21

27 allow for individualized attention to students, according to their needs and learning pace. Thus, for gifted students or those who finish their work earlier, the teacher may recommend extension materials from the Teacher s Resource book whereas for students with severe learning difficulties, the teacher may recommend strengthening activities that review and consolidate the course content without adding new information. Also, the teacher may decide to reduce the number of sessions devoted to extension activities in order to practice activities that support the development of a particular language skill. Some activities are deliberately easier so that all students are capable of successfully carrying them out. These simple activities aim at boosting the self-confidence of students facing learning difficulties ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT CRITERIA As pointed out in the Royal Decree Law 45/2008, the assessment criteria for Baccalaureate students are the following: 1) With respect to the acquisition of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), students must be able to: Understand and interpret global and specific information, transmitted in interactive communication or by the media, on familiar, current or general topics related to their studies and interests, providing that they are clearly articulated in standard language. Express themselves fluently and with correct pronunciation and intonation in daily conversations, narrations, arguments, and debates by using the appropriate communication strategies for each and every situation. 22

28 Understand and critically analyze the information included in written texts from various sources related to their interests, their present or future studies, such as books, newspapers, magazines, websites, etc. Write clear and detailed texts by taking into consideration the communicative purpose, the adequate register and the importance of planning and revising the text. 2) With respect to the acquisition of language awareness, students must be able to: Use linguistic, sociolinguistic, strategic and discursive knowledge acquired and rigorously apply self-assessment and self-correction mechanisms in order to reinforce autonomous learning. Autonomously use resources, information sources, reference materials as well as ICT tools in order to systematize and consolidate knowledge. 3) With respect to the acquisition of socio-cultural awareness, students must be able to: Analyze, through authentic documents, on paper, digital or audiovisual mediums, relevant geographical, historical, artistic, literary and social aspects of the country whose language is learnt. Value positively the foreign language as a means of communication, respect and understanding between nations. Deepen the knowledge about one s own culture by studying aspects of the foreign language ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES The assessment plan for 2 nd year Baccalaureate students should combine both formative and summative assessment procedures. The former intends to monitor student progress so as to provide ongoing feedback to both language instructors and learners. 23

29 Using this information, language instructors can improve the quality of their teaching whilst students can identify and correct their weaknesses in the target language or take advantage of their strengths in a given area. Thus, the teacher assesses his/her students while they are debating or making presentations in class. Summative assessment evaluates what students know at the end of a didactic unit, term or year through the administration of standardized tests. At the beginning of the term, the teacher should also administer a diagnostic test in order to check the actual level of his/her students and to devise a plan for remedial work, if needed. There should be no grades for this kind of test. Both language instructors and students should use grids in order to get information about the teaching/learning practice. In contrast to the teacher s rubrics, the learner s self-evaluation grids are characterized by language simplicity. It also allows the student to write about the difficulties encountered in the learning process or the topics that interest him/her most. The learner is asked to indicate the strategies used in the learning process, - listening to teacher s explanations, answering the teacher or his mates questions, repeating verbally the information presented in class, the use of oral production, the replacement of speaking skills with visual communication - and their frequency of occurrence (always/often/sometimes/seldom/never). The learner is also required to indicate the aspects he/she prioritizes when speaking in a foreign language, - e.g. the correct pronunciation of words, the ability to improve, knowledge of vocabulary or contents, the use of non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, gestures and body movements, grammatical accuracy, clarity of exposition, the ability to reformulate, etc. The students also have to rank these aspects from the very important ones to the unimportant ones. Peer assessment grids can also be used. This type of grids enables students to compare their performance with their peers and make relevant 24

30 comments. Finally, the teacher can conduct observations and take notes on students attendance to class and attitudes towards the English language and culture DIDACTIC RESOURCES AND MATERIALS The present syllabus is composed of 15 themed units, the first eight being extracted from the Student s book Distinction whereas the last seven units were extracted from the Student s book New English File Upper Intermediate. Both of them are currently used with 2 nd year Baccalaureate students. I have chosen these books since they are the official course books used in Spanish high schools. In what follows the presentation of the contents is distributed in four main blocks as mentioned in section 2.5, i.e. listening and speaking, reading and writing (gathered under the heading of communicative skills), language awareness (divided into linguistic knowledge and language reflection), and socio-cultural aspects. UNIT 1 STUDENT LIFE CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Listening to an extract: Studying at university 2. Answer questions related to the listening extract 3. Complete a dialogue based on the listening 4. Dictation exercise 5. Practice orally a made-up dialogue: giving and responding to opinions 1. Reading a text on the topic: Girls vs. Boys 2. Choose a title, complete sentences, answer questions, find words exercises on the reading 3. Reading a discussion essay (article on education) 4. Writing a discussion essay LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon about education 2. False friends 3. Linkers of addition 4. Word building: prefixes, adjective+preposition 1. Use of relative clauses: -defining relative clauses -non-defining relative clauses who s and whose 1. Rising and falling intonation 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Reading strategy: reading for gist 2. Listening strategy: familiarizing yourself with listening 3. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Information about education as training to hold a job in society 25

31 2. Information about schools in the world 3. Interest in learning and exchanging opinions with classmates 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to a radio interview on relationships 2. Brainstorm to find words related to relationships 3. Complete sentences, answer questions based on the listening 4. Dictation exercise 5. Practice orally a made-up dialogue on cinema: making and responding to suggestions UNIT 2 IT S A DATE CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article about Internet relationships 2. Complete questions, Answer true or false questions, Match terms with their definitions: exercises on the reading 3. Reading a dialogue, answer questions and find informal sentences 4. Writing a dialogue LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on love and relationships 2. Phrasal verbs on relationships 3. Word building: negative prefixes, extreme adjectives 1. Use of modal verbs: -ability and permission -possibility and certainty -advice, necessity, obligation and prohibition -grammatical structure modals+perfect infinitive 1. Unstressed sounds 2. The schwa /ә/ sound 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Recognize different varieties of language use: differences between formal and informal expressions 2. Application of self-correction and self-assessment strategies for the writing assignment 3. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Information about new forms of socializing: Internet relationships 2. Information about personal relationships around the world 3. Interest in learning and exchanging opinions with classmates 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to an oral text about maritime sports: A Holiday to Remember 2. Choose the correct answer exercise on the listening 3. Identify true or false sentences 4. Dictation exercise 5. Practice orally a made-up dialogue on sports activities: reacting to what people say UNIT 3 ADVENTURE CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article on mountaineering: Against the odds 2. Answer questions, Match terms with their definitions, Write a definition for idiomatic expressions: exercises on the reading 3. Reading a narrative text and answer questions 4. Writing a narrative text on a holiday. LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on travel and adventure 1. Use of complex clauses and linkers: 1. Stressed syllables 2. The /ʃ / sound 26

32 2. Phrasal verbs related to travel 3. Word building: noun suffixes -linkers of contrast -linkers of result -linkers of purpose and reason 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Reading strategy: answering questions in your own words 2. Listening strategy: making logical predictions 3. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Reflection on the similarities and differences between cultures on the basis of their holidays 2. Value English as a means of access to other cultures and as a tool for international communication 3. Interest in learning and exchanging opinions with classmates 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to an oral text about mugging 2. Complete sentences by choosing the correct alternatives 3. Answer questions on the reading 4. Dictation exercise 5. Practice orally a police interrogation: expressing possibility and certainty UNIT 4 CRIME AND JUSTICE CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading a newspaper article on youth violence 2. Answer questions, join sentences, find words or phrases on the basis of their definitions: exercises on the reading 3. Reading two summaries and answer questions 4. Reading a text and writing its summary LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on law and justice 2. Word building: compound nouns, prepositions+noun phrases 1. Use of reported speech: -reported commands and requests (recount what others have said) -reported questions (give and ask for information) -reporting verbs -time and place expressions 1. Pronunciation of ed ending (/ɪd/, /d/ and /t/) 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Interpret information found in tables, diagrams and schemas 2. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 3. Critically assess the reliability of the different sources of information 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Information about justice in our society 2. Information about law and order as guarantor of social peace 3. Show interest in learning and exchanging views with classmates UNIT 5 RUBBISH! CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 2. READING AND WRITING 27

33 1. Listening to an interview: Freeganism 2. Answer questions related to the listening 3. Listening to a dialogue 4. Complete a dialogue with words and phrases from a list 5. Observe a billboard and write a dialogue 6. Practice orally the dialogue: expressing preferences using modifying adverbs 1. Reading a newspaper article about the environment: What a Waste! 2. Answer questions, correct mistakes, link words with their definitions: exercises on the reading 3. Distinguish between facts and opinions 4. Describe two photos and answer questions 5. Reading an essay and answer questions 6. Writing an opinion essay LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on the environment and consumerism 2. Word building: adjective suffixes, collocations related to the environment 3. Phrasal verbs: problems and solutions 1. Use of the passive voice (with and without by): -transformations: active passive -verbs with two objects -the passive with reporting verbs 1. Determine what words contain the same sound 2. Silent h 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Use of the appropriate register depending on the context, interlocutor and the communicative purpose 2. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 3. Reading strategy: answering multiple choice questions 4. Use of a writing plan for the opinion essay 5. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 6. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Show respect for the environment in order to ensure the survival of the planet 2. Receive and express ideas about uncontrollable consumption 3. Show interest in learning and exchanging views with classmates 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to a radio interview: Eating Competition 2. Answer questions related to the listening 3. Dictation exercise 4. Practice orally a made-up dialogue: making recommendations and requests UNIT 6 FOOD CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading a newspaper article on fast food 2. Choose a title, answer questions exercises on the reading 3. Reading a biography and find time expressions 4. Writing a biography LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on food and diet 2. Lexicon on the senses 3. Word building: nouns+prepositions 4. Words with similar meanings 1. Use of conditionals: -first, second and third conditionals -transformations: conditional sentences -wishes and regrets 1. Stressed syllables 2. Practice intonation in a sentence 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Reading strategy: working out the meanings of words 2. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 28

34 3. Listening strategy: answering difficult questions 4. Use of a writing plan for the biography 5. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 6. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Knowledge about eating habits in our society 2. Receive and express ideas about fast food and its negative consequences on human health 3. Show interest in learning and exchanging views with classmates 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to an informative radio program: Brother and sisters 2. Answer questions related to the listening 3. Dictation exercise 4. Complete a dialogue with the phrases from a list 5. Write a dialogue on the differences and similarities between you and a relative 6. Practice orally a made-up dialogue: making comparisons UNIT 7 PERSONALITY CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading a text on personality: Born with it? 2. Complete sentences using your own words 3. Find words/phrases in the text on the basis of their meanings 4. Reading the description of a person and answer questions 5. Writing a personal description of oneself LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on personality 2. Personality adjectives (describe people) 3. Similes and idioms (make comparisons; give and receive advice) 4. Word building: compound adjectives, nouns formed from phrasal verbs 1. Use of the gerund and the infinitive: -verbs+gerunds/infinitives 2. Use of the indefinite and/or zero articles 1. Pronunciation of the sounds /s/, /z/, /ɪz/ 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Reading strategy: rewriting sentences 2. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 3. Writing strategy: order of adjectives 4. Use of a plan for the written description 5. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 6. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Knowledge about the nature vs. nurture debate in our society 2. Receive and express ideas about individual personality 3. Show interest in learning and exchanging views with classmates 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to a job interview 2. Answer multiple choice questions 3. Dictation exercise: listen to an oral text and UNIT 8 GET A JOB! CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading a text related to the world of education and work 2. Complete sentences using your own words 29

35 write sentences 3. Find words/phrases in the text on the basis of 4. Complete a dialogue using phrases from a list their meanings; Answer multiple choice questions; 5. Write a dialogue using words/phrases from a Join sentences using relative pronouns box 4. Reading a letter, find mistakes and answer 6. Practice orally a made-up dialogue: checking questions on the reading and clarifying information 5. Writing a formal letter LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Review of: 1. Pronunciation of the sounds -modal verbs /ʌ /, /ʌʊ /, /tʃ /, /ɵ / -reported speech -the passive voice -conditionals and wishes/regrets 1. Lexicon on work 2. Phrasal verbs 3. Word building: verbs+prepositions, word families 4. Give and ask for information 5. Check information 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Distinguishing between formal and informal language 2. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 3. Use of a plan for the formal letter 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Resource Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Knowledge about the work world in contemporary society 2. Information on the relationship between education and work 3. Show interest in learning and exchanging views with classmates UNIT 9 Q AND A/DO YOU BELIEVE IT?/YOU RE THE DOCTOR! CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to a radio show on speed dating and answering general and specific questions 2. Listening to a song 3. Listening to a journalist talking to a fortune teller. Answering true or false questions 4. Listening to an interview with an astrologer. Complete sentences and answer comprehension questions 5. Listening to people talking about horoscopes. 6. Discuss about stress, graphology and personality 7. Interviewing your partner 8. Practice speed questioning 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article about speed dating 2. Reading a book excerpt on graphology 3. Reading an article about fortune tellers 4. Reading two articles on life dangers and a text about stress 5. Answer comprehension questions and do exercises on these texts 6. Reading an informal identifying errors 7. Writing a reply . LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on personality, illness and treatment 2. Reacting and asking for more information 3. Common phrases (colloquial English) 1. Review of question formation 2. Use of auxiliary verbs, the the +comparatives 3. Use of present perfect (simple and continuous) 4. Use of adjective suffixes 1. Intonation, stress, and rhythm in questions 2. Consonant and vowel sounds 30

36 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Using a dictionary to check word stress 2. Reading strategy: working out meaning from context 3. Speaking strategy: paraphrasing 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Becoming aware of new forms of communication that are popular worldwide (e.g. speed dating) 2. Knowing the traditions or socializing forms typical of English speaking countries 3. Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language UNIT 10 NATIONAL STEREOTYPES: TRUTH OR MYTH/AIR TRAVEL: THE INSIDE STORY/INCREDIBLY SHORT STORIES CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to people talking about national stereotypes 2. Listening to a song 3. Listening to an interview with two pilots 4. Listening to an interview with a flight attendant 5. Listening to people talking about air travel 6. Answer comprehension questions and do exercises on these listening 7. Discussing about national stereotypes, clothes and fashion in other countries 8. Informing your partner about a piece of news 9.Telling a story 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading a book excerpt about how English people dress 2. Reading the back cover of a best-selling book about air travel 3. Reading a short story 4. Reading an interview with two pilots 5. Answering comprehension questions and doing exercises on the readings 6. Writing a mini saga 7. Writing a short story LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on clothes, fashion, and air travel 2. Different types of adverbs: time, manner, frequency, degree, and comment 3. Common phrases (colloquial English) 1. Using adjectives as nouns and adjective order 2. Narrative tenses: past perfect continuous 3. Distinguishing between adverbs and adverbial phrases 1. Word and sentence stress 2. Vowel sounds 3. The pronunciation of irregular past forms 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Listening strategy: active listening (asking for more information, showing surprise, approval and sympathy) 2. Talking about reading habits 3. Using the dictionary to check the meanings of words 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Knowledge on national stereotypes (British, Irish, Scottish or American) 2. Becoming aware of one s own national stereotypes 3. Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language 31

37 UNIT 11 THE ONE PLACE A BURGLAR WON T LOOK/STORMY WEATHER/TAKING A RISK CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to an interview with a consultant for a movie 2. Listening to a song 3. Listening to a witness talking about a flood 4. Listening to a woman talking about measures against climate change 5. Listening to an expert talking about the risks of driving in the USA 6. Listening to an article about safety measures in a children s nursery in Japan 7. Listening to an interview with a free runner 8. Listening to people talking about high-risk sports 9. Asking questions about pictures, crime and vandalism 10. Decide on creative punishments for crimes or offences 11. Speaking about how we can prevent climate change or the risks of driving in the student s country 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article about strange sentences given by a judge 2. Reading blog extracts about surprising weather conditions 3. Reading a text about life dangers 4. Answering comprehension questions and doing exercises on these texts 5. Writing a blog on how weather conditions can affect us 6. Writing a composition titled There is nothing that we as individuals can do to prevent climate change LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on crime and punishment, weather 2. Expressions with take 3. Common phrases (colloquial English) 4. Common adverbs used for linking sentences 1. Uses of: - all passive forms - future perfect and future continuous -conditionals and future time clauses expressing probability 1. Sentence stress and rhythm 2. Vowel sounds 3. Pronunciation of the letter u 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Speaking strategies: expressing agreement and disagreement, giving your opinion, comparing past and present 2. Using the dictionary to check the meanings of words 3. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 4. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Knowledge on the risks of driving in the USA 2. Making reference to an American judge who gives unusual sentences to crime offenders 3. Information about safety measures in a children s nursery in Japan 4. Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language 5. Show interest in receiving and exchanging views with classmates about the risks of driving in one s own country. UNIT 12 WOULD YOU GET OUT ALIVE/HOW I TRAINED MY HUSBAND/LET YOUR BODY DO THE TALKING CONTENTS 32

38 COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Listening to a documentary about an expedition 1. Reading two articles about disaster survivors to the Amazon 2. Reading the beginning of an article about an 2. Listening to a song expedition to the Amazon 3. Listening to a psychologist giving some tips on 3. Reading an article about animal and human how to express disagreement training techniques 4. Listening to a radio quiz show Use your senses 4. Reading an article about body language and its 5. Listening to an interview with a Canadian actor meaning 6. Listening to people talking about acting 5. Answering comprehension questions and doing 7. Answering to a questionnaire on how to react in exercises on these texts dangerous situations 6. Writing an article for a school magazine about 8. Discussing about how to survive in the Amazon safety in the countryside 9. Describing a picture orally LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Uses of unreal conditionals 1. Sentence rhythm (second and third conditional) 2. Weak form of have 2. Verbs of the senses 3. Silent letters 3. Past modals: would rather, had better 1. Lexicon on feelings and body parts 2. Useful language (giving advice or giving reasons) 3. Common phrases (colloquial English) 4. Verbs often confused 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Use of a plan for the composition assignment 2. Using the dictionary to check the meanings of words 3. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 4. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Knowledge on famous historical events, such as World Trade Center bombing in 2001 or Tenerife airport disaster in Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language 3. Show interest in receiving and exchanging views with classmates UNIT 13 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC/COUNTING SHEEP/BREAKING NEWS CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to a music psychologist talking about why we listen to music 2. Listening to a person explaining how music can affect the way we feel 3. Listening to a song 4. Listening to a radio news programme about a sleepwalker 5. Listening to an interview with a director of music festivals 6. Listening to people talking about music festivals 7. Answering questions and doing exercises related to these listening 8. Speaking about how music makes us feel 9. Asking and answering questions about sleep and our sleeping habits 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article about the connection between your favorite soundtrack and your personality 2. Reading a text about the dangers of sleep deprivation 3. Reading a newspaper article about a sleepwalking incident 4. Answering comprehension questions and doing exercises on the readings 4. Reading a complaint letter 5. Writing a complaint letter 33

39 10. Debating about the right to privacy of celebrities LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. New lexicon on music, sleep and media 2. Common phrases (colloquial English) 1. Uses of: -gerunds and infinitives -reporting verbs -used to, be used to, and get used to 1. The sounds ch and y 2. Linking words 3. Word stress 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Becoming aware of colloquial language 2. Using the dictionary to check the meanings of words 3. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 4. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Information about music as part of society and cultures and how it reflects people s feelings and thoughts 2. Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language 3. Show interest in receiving and exchanging views with classmates UNIT 14 SPEAKING TO THE WORLD/BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY/EUREKA! CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to people talking about a disastrous presentation 2. Listening to a travel writer talking about London 3. Listening to a radio programme about creative thinking 4. Listening to an interview with the managing director of a boat company 5. Listening to people talking their favorite cities 6. Answering questions and doing exercises on these listening 7. Making class presentations 8. Asking and answering general knowledge questions about science 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article about Neil Armstrong 2. Reading a review of a TV programme 3. Reading an article on creative minds 4. Reading text extracts on how scientists have suffered to make their discoveries 5. Answering comprehension questions and doing exercises on these texts 6. Reading a report on restaurants in London 7. Writing a report on entertainment or sports facilities for the school magazine LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. New lexicon on town and cities, science 2. Common phrases (colloquial English) 3. Collocations: word pairs 1. Uses of: -articles -uncountable and plural nouns -quantifiers 1. Sentence stress 2. Changing stress in word families 3. Word stress in multi-syllable words 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Speaking strategy: making a presentation 2. Using the dictionary to check the meanings of words 3. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 4. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 34

40 1. Making reference to important speakers or politicians such as Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King 2. Information on the Amish, a traditional community living in the USA 3. Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language 4. Show interest in receiving and exchanging views with classmates UNIT 15 I WISH YOU WOULDN T!/A TEST OF HONESTY/TINGO CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 1. Listening to people expressing regrets 2. Listening to a song 3. Listening to an American economist talking about Paul Feldman s experiment 4. Listening to a dictionary expert talking on the radio about the origin of words 5. Listening to an interview with an English lexicographer 6. Listening to speakers talking about English words used in their language 7. Answering questions and doing exercises related to the listening 8. Speaking about annoying things 9. Speaking about English words and phrases 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Reading an article about an actress and her regrets 2. Reading an article about the origin of some English words 3. Answering comprehension questions and doing exercises on these texts 4. Writing a composition about the advantages and disadvantages of being famous LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. New lexicon on business and advertising 2. Common phrases (colloquial English) 3. Prefixes 4. Expressions with go 5. Useful language (expressing annoyance) 6. ed/ing adjectives and related verbs 1. Structures after wish 2. Expressing regret 3. Uses of: -clauses of contrast and purpose -relative clauses 1. Sentence rhythm 2. Changing stress in nouns and verbs 3. Prefixes and word stress 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Use of a plan for the written assignment 2. Using the dictionary to check the meanings of words 3. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 4. Use of additional materials from Teacher s Book as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Commenting upon how different things annoy people from different places or of different countries 2. Promoting tolerance and knowledge of other cultures through the English language 3. Show interest in receiving and exchanging views with classmates 35

41 2.10. CRONOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION The present syllabus will be implemented along the academic year In this academic year baccalaureate students start school on the 10 th of September 2012 and end classes on the 25 th of June, The academic year can be broken down into three terms: the 1 st term from September the 10 th to December the 21 st, the 2 nd term from January the 8 th to March the 27 th, and the 3 rd term from April the 8 th to June the 25 th. Each unit will be covered in approximately two weeks and a half, viz. seven sessions and a half. The chronological distribution of the contents can be followed in the chart below: Term Units covered Number of sessions Minutes st term Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6 2 nd term Unit 7 Unit 8 Unit 9 Unit 10 Unit 11 3 rd term Unit 12 Unit 13 Unit 14 Unit

42 UNIT 4 CRIME AND JUSTICE 37

43 2.11. EXAMPLE OF UNIT DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION In this section I have decided to develop unit 4 from Student s book Distinction entitled Crime and Justice. As will be seen, I have not limited myself to copying the activities proposed in this textbook but I have designed my own exercises and activities for this topic. Nevertheless, in section 2.9 I have provided a schematic overview of the activities contained in this textbook for the aforementioned unit. The customization of this unit emerged from the need to illustrate what an experimental programme based on Gardner s (1983) Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory would actually look like. This unit starts with a puzzle related to a murder investigation. Besides activating students prior vocabulary on crime and justice (e.g. bullet, gun, police officer, gunshot), this brainteaser helps students learn to think and solve problems as well as develop their creative thinking. In connection to puzzle-based learning, Michalewicz & Michalewicz (2008) highlight that what is missing in most educational curricula nowadays is coursework focusing on the promotion of problem-solving skills. Puzzles are extremely motivating for students in that they generate a sense of reward when after moments of frustration a solution is finally found. Also, the strategies used to solve these puzzles can later be utilized to find solutions to unknown real-life problems. After reading a text dealing with the tactics burglars use to break into our houses, students are required to find viable solutions for burglary prevention. This post-reading activity clearly supports problem-based learning (cf. Blumenfeld et al. 1991; Bransford et al. 1986) which, contrary to a puzzle-based approach, focuses on quite complex situations with more than one solution. The debates on terrorism, death penalty and the mock trial on abortion are framed against a Communicative Approach which encourages students 38

44 to make use of their five communicative skills. Thus, (i) they must listen to their classmates express their views on particular topics, (ii) they must defend orally their position by supplying valid arguments, (iii) they must read on abortion and US legislation on this matter, (iv) as lawyers, they must take notes so that they are able to provide counterarguments later on in the trial, and (v) they must negotiate meaning and convince the jury of the innocence or culpability of the indicted. Finally, in a mock trial, students become the protagonists (e.g. lawyers, judge, jurors, the accused) in a judicial context (the occupational domain) COMPETENCES The present didactic unit will contribute to the development of the following competences: Competence in linguistic communication. In this unit students will use and/or acquire the ability to understand, express and interpret concepts, thoughts, facts and opinions in both oral and written form in an appropriate range of societal and cultural contexts. Students will also learn to appreciate cultural diversity and show an interest in intercultural communication. Mathematical competence. In this unit students will apply mathematical thinking to solve a range of problems in everyday situations. Apart from the ability to use mathematical modes of thought (logical and spatial thinking), students will use mathematical modes of presentation, such as formulas, graphs and charts. Competence in processing information and use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology). 2 nd year Baccalaureate students will use computers and Internet-based services to search, collect and process information on abortion 39

45 and use it in a critical and systematic manner. They will also manifest a critical and reflective attitude towards available information. Competence in social skills and citizenship. In this unit students will learn to work in collaboration (a mock trial), to settle an argument, to respect their classmates, to overcome prejudices and to compromise. Cultural and artistic competence. Students will learn to appreciate the creative expression of ideas, experiences and feelings in music (Rihanna s song) and the visual arts (e.g. photography). They will also develop an open attitude towards and respect for diversity of cultural expression. Competence in learning to learn. Students will learn on the one hand, to dedicate time to learning autonomously and with self-discipline, and on the other hand, to work and share what they have learnt with their teams. Competence in autonomy and personal initiative. By participating in a mock trial, students will acquire skills related to proactive project management, such as the ability to plan, organize, lead and delegate, analyze, communicate, debrief, evaluate and record AREA OBJECTIVES The area objectives for this didactic unit can be summarized as follows: Use the English language both orally and in a written way with fluency and accuracy, by using appropriate communicative strategies (e.g. agreement or disagreement, asking for opinion) and language (e.g. useful expressions to describe graphs and charts). Understand and interpret oral messages or written texts on specific topics. Identify the discursive organization of a written text. 40

46 Reflect upon the functioning of the foreign language in communicative situations and its linguistic rules (for instance, linking rules in pronunciation) Understand the fundamental social and cultural features of the English language by contrasting them with one s own language and culture. Use self-assessment strategies in the acquisition of communicative competence in the English language in order to foster motivation and confidence in one s own learning abilities UNIT OBJECTIVES At the end of this didactic unit, students will be able to: Test and develop one s own power of observation and logical thinking. Distinguish between direct and reported speech. Transform direct speech into reported speech and vice versa. Learn and use vocabulary related to crime and justice as well as legal terminology. Participate in communicative exchanges about terrorism, death penalty, causes of criminal behavior or the difference between crime and sin. Write a report on youth violence and crime and use specific expressions to describe graphs and charts. Understand and discuss about a song related to criminal behavior (rape and murder). Understand a text about burglary tactics and think about how to prevent this type of criminal behavior. Learn how to calculate the height of a perpetrator from a footprint left at the crime scene. 41

47 Practice linking in pronunciation and the spelling of the vowel sound e. Evaluate progress and participation in the learning process CONTENTS As far as the contents of this unit are concerned, these are illustrated in the chart below: UNIT 4 CRIME AND JUSTICE CONTENTS COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS 1.LISTENING AND SPEAKING 2. READING AND WRITING 1. Listening to Rihanna s song Man Down 2. Identification of the main topic of the song 3. Debate on gun control 4. Talking in pairs about terrorism, death penalty, causes of criminal behavior and the difference between crime and sin 5. Give arguments for and against abortion in a mock trial. 1. Reading and understanding the lyrics of a song 2. Answering questions about the picture of a crime scene 3. Reading extracts from real interviews with convicted burglars in the USA. 4. Finding the missing chunks in the text and suggesting tips for burglary prevention. 5. Calculating the estimated height of a perpetrator from a footprint left at the crime scene. 6. Reading a crime report and complete the gaps with nouns and verbs 7. Writing a report on juvenile crime in the USA. LANGUAGE AWARENESS 1. LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE VOCABULARY GRAMMAR PRONUNCIATION 1. Lexicon on crime and justice 2. Legal terminology 3. Useful language for describing charts and graphs: - verbs and nouns for describing change -adjectives and adverbs for describing how fast the change occurred 1. Transformation of direct into reported speech and vice versa 1. Linking rules in pronunciation. 2. Spelling the vowel sound long e 2. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE AND LEARNING 1. Paying attention to visual details 2. Speaking strategy: stating an opinion, expressing agreement/disagreement, settling an argument 3. Writing strategy: use of specific expressions to describe charts and graphs in reports on trends 3. Search for words and information in dictionaries, encyclopedias or webpages 4. Strategy of memorization of new vocabulary 5. Use of additional materials as a tool for revision and extension at home, fostering self-confidence and self-learning SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS 1. Information about pro-choice and pro-life arguments and abortion laws 2. Information about how we can prevent burglaries 3. Interest in learning and exchanging opinions with classmates 42

48 MATERIALS AND RESOURCES The resources that are used in this didactic unit are the following: Printed copy of the unit Blackboard Dictionaries CD player to play Rihanna s song Man Down Computers with Internet connection to search for information on abortion and legal terminology Measuring tape or rules and a calculator to estimate the height of the perpetrator Glossaries to include all the materials used for the mock trial (e.g. the notes used for the plea, the information on pro-life and pro-choice positions, the legal terms used by the judge, lawyers, the evidence used by the attorneys) Self-assessment rubric and teacher grids METHODOLOGY AND ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY As already pointed out in the introductory section, this unit fosters the development of the communicative competence through debates, the organization of a mock trial and written assignments (a crime report, a mind map). It aims at enhancing the students problem-solving skills by asking them to solve a puzzle or to think about how to prevent burglaries. On the basis of Gardner s (1983) Multiple Intelligences Theory, this didactic unit proposes activities that help students to develop or practice different kinds of intelligences, not only verbal or linguistic but also musical, logical or mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, interpersonal, and visual or spatial. A good teacher should understand that students of different ages and stages have different 43

49 needs, attend to different forms of cultural information and assimilate content to different motivational and cognitive structures. As a result, he/she should incorporate these developmental factors into his/her teaching practice and give everyone an education that maximizes their intellectual potential. Moreover, the aim of this didactic unit is to go beyond the belief that particular intelligences are keyed to particular school subject matters. Although English language teaching draws primarily on linguistic intelligence, we strive to show that the acquisition of the English language can be approached in different ways. The activities included in this unit do not rely exclusively on one type of intelligence since intelligences always work in concert, and any sophisticated adult role will involve a melding of several of them. (Gardner, 1993: 17). For instance, when students debate about death penalty in pairs they develop not only their linguistic skills but also their interpersonal skills. They learn linguistic structures that convey agreement or disagreement but they also learn to listen to other people s opinions and respect them. It is also advisable for the teacher to administer a test on multiple intelligences at the beginning of the term so that students are more aware of their intelligences. The use of self-assessment rubrics and the test on multiple intelligences encourage students to contemplate their various intelligences and learning styles and to wisely turn their weaknesses into strengths. Thus, Gardner (1993: 129) recommends the following: If a student recognizes that she has limited linguistic intelligence, she may need to put extra effort into studying for a vocabulary test. If she is aware of her strong spatial intelligence, she may be able to study vocabulary effectively by memorizing words and their definitions in terms of their location on a study sheet or translating definitions into concrete images. Also, a good teacher should give students with poor language skills the chance to exhibit their knowledge and understanding through other than linguistic means. It is 44

50 sometimes possible to make use of an area of strength as an entry point to an area that poses difficulties. For example, musical intelligence or sensitivity to pitch relations can give access to the pronunciation area of language. Thus, the song Man Down is used to approach linking rules or to focus on long vowel sounds in the English language. In a similar fashion, Gardner (1993: 207) claims that structural affinities sometimes obtain between domains in which the child has talent and domains where the child appears to be impaired. For instance, there are common spatial structures in geometry and in the arts. Thus, it is more likely for a student gifted in art or mathematics to complete a written assignment if the teacher exploits structural analogies existing across these apparently disparate domains, viz. mathematics and language. In other words, this student will perform better if he/she is asked to write a report describing charts and graphs. This didactic unit responds to the diversity of learning styles and individual needs. We can identify seven discrete entry points which are aligned with particular intelligences: 1. Narrational- the narrational entry point addresses students who enjoy learning about topics through stories. The topic of crime and justice is tackled in this unit through narrative accounts of convicted burglars in the USA. 2. Quantitative/Numerical- this entry point addresses students who are intrigued by numbers and their patterns of arrangement, the operations that can be performed and insights into size, ratio and change. Another way of looking at the topic of crime and justice is to focus on the trends of crime and violence in society by means of charts and graphs. 45

51 3. Logical- the logical entry point refers to the human capacity to think deductively using syllogisms. In our unit students are challenged to solve a puzzle involving a crime investigation. 4. Foundational/Existential- Students attracted to fundamental life questions might find this entry point appealing. This unit encourages students to ask themselves existential questions, such as: Is it morally correct to sentence to death a criminal? 5. Aesthetic- Crime and violence and people s reactions or emotions towards them can also be portrayed through music. Rihanna s song Man Down talks about the remorse a girl feels for having murdered her rapist. 6. Hands on- this entry point involves activities in which students become fully engaged- where they can build something, manipulate materials, or carry out experiments. In this didactic unit students are required to draw a footprint and use measuring tape or ruler in order to calculate the estimated height of a perpetrator. 7. Social- this entry point favors students with interpersonal intelligences. The topic of crime and violence can be approached through class debates or pair conversations ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES At this point I would like to draw readers attention to Gardner s (2006: 180) understanding of assessment to which I fully adhere: the obtaining of information about a person s skills and potentials with the dual goals of providing useful feedback to the person and useful data to the surrounding community. This author prefers assessment rather than testing since assessment uses techniques that elicit information in the course of classroom performance and rejects formal instruments administered in a 46

52 neutral, decontextualized setting. The teacher should grade his/her students performance in the mock trial because this kind of assessment is placed in the context of authentic domains and social environments. Gardner s (2006) inclines the balance in favor of formative assessment which should become part of an individual s natural engagement in a learning situation. Students should be evaluated in situations that resemble real working conditions since in this way it is possible to predict better their ultimate performance. As Gardner (2006) correctly points out, most testing instruments are heavily biased in favor of two types of intelligences: linguistic and logicalmathematical. That is why assessment should make use of instruments that are intelligence-fair, that peer directly at the intelligence in operation rather than proceeding via the detour of linguistic and logical faculties (Gardner, 2006: 182). For example, interpersonal intelligence can be assessed by watching students handle their debates on crime and justice in class. For our didactic unit, the teacher should combine three types of assessment: formative assessment, summative assessment or what Gardner calls formal testing and self-evaluation through rubrics and grids. When formulating the evaluation criteria the teacher should take into account the objectives that are to be achieved by means of this unit: The student knows and uses vocabulary related to crime and justice The student knows how to transform direct speech into reported speech and vice versa The student is able to write a report on crime The student understands the global and specific information in a text related to crime The students knows and uses linking rules and is able to identify the long vowel sound e 47

53 For the evaluation of his/her own skills, the student can use a rubric similar to the one provided below: Skills I can I m trying Not yet Listening I can follow a well structured talk or presentation on abortion, death penalty, terrorism, the causes of criminal behavior, etc. I can understand the lyrics of a song related to crime and violence Reading I can understand the main points of a text about burglary tactics I can find missing information, after a quick reading, in texts about burglary tactics Speaking I can express and ask for personal opinions about crime and justics I can orally summarize written information about abortion Writing I can write well structured reports about crime trends I can summarize information from different sources using my own words The language instructor should also observe and evaluate his/her teaching practice by means of self-evaluation sheets similar to the one illustrated below: 1. Did I achieve my initial goals? 2. Did my students find the unit interesting and motivating? 3. What activities were more difficult? 4. Were there enough sessions? 5. Did I cover the whole unit? 6. What changes must I introduce in the future? SEQUENCING 1 SESSION I UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Description Interaction Resources Time 1 The activities are detailed in Appendix II of the present study. 48

54 Task 1 Task 2 Greetings (L) The teacher greets and presents the aims of the unit Warmer (L, S) The teacher proposes a puzzle T/SS - 5 T/SS Beamer 10 Task 3 Vocabulary activity (R, S) Students describe the details they remember of a picture T/SS S/S Beamer 15 Task 4 Grammar exercise (R, W) Students practice reported speech transformations T/SS Handouts 20 SESSION II UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Task 1 Description Interaction Resources Time Greetings (L) T/SS Handouts 10 Task 2 Task 3 The teacher greets and correct the homework (All skills) Reading activity (R, W) The teacher gives instructions and checks understanding Speaking activity (S, W) T/SS S/S T/SS Handouts 20 Mind map on the blackboard 20 49

55 Students draw a mind map and propose solutions for burglary prevention SS/T S/SS SESSION III UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Task 1 Description Interaction Resources Time Greetings (L) T/SS - 5 Task 2 Task 3 The teacher greets and presents the aims of the lesson Speaking activity (S, L) Students discuss about terrorism, death penalty, the causes for criminal behavior, the difference between crime and sin Listening activity (R, L, S) S/SS T/SS T/SS S/T Handouts 30 CD player 15 Handouts Students listen to Man Down, read the lyrics and identify the main topic of the song SESSION IV UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Task 1 Description Interaction Resources Time Greetings (L) T/SS

56 Task 2 Task 3 The teacher greets and introduces the goals of the lesson Pronunciation exercise (L, W) Students identify cases of linking and the long vowel sound e in Man Down CSI Challenge activity (S, W) Students calculate the estimated height of a perpetrator from a footprint left at the crime scene T/SS S/T T/SS S/S CD player Handouts Sheet of paper Measuring tape or ruler calculator Task 4 Reading text (R, S, L) The teacher presents the case of abortion and tells students what they have to do T/SS SS/T Beamer 10 SESSION V UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Task 1 Description Interaction Resources Time Greetings (L) T/SS - 5 The teacher greets and introduces the aims of the lesson 51

57 Task 2 Work on the mock trial Students read the mock trial guide and take notes on legal terminology and abortion laws S/S S/SS SS/T Computers with Internet connection Websites abortion on 25 Task 3 Group work on the mock trial Students read pro-life and pro-choice arguments and take notes S/SS SS/T Computers with Internet connection Websites abortion positions on 15 SESSION VI UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Task 1 Description Interaction Resources Time Greetings (L) T/SS - 10 Task 2 The teacher greets and presents the aims of the lesson The staging of the mock trial in class (All skils + negotiation of meaning) S/SS S/S S/T Glossaries with evidence and script of the trial 40 SESSION VII UNIT CRIME AND JUSTICE Task 1 Description Interaction Resources Time Greetings (L) T/SS - 5 The teacher greets and presents the goals of the 52

58 lesson Task 2 Reading activity (R, W) Students read a crime report and complete the gaps T/SS SS/T Handouts 25 Task 3 Writing activity (W) T/SS A sheet of paper 20 Students write individually a report on juvenile crime and hand it to the teacher In the final session (session VIII) students do a written exam on the unit they have studied. This final assessment (summative evaluation) lasts 50 minutes and tests students reading and writing skills. References Blumenfeld, P.C., Soloway, E., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Guzdial, M., and Palinesar, A Motivating project-based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educational Psychologist 29(3&4): Bransford, J. D., Sherwood, R. S., Vye, N. J., and Rieser, J Teaching thinking and problem solving: Research foundations. American Psychologist 41: Gardner, H Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H Multiple Intelligences: the theory in practice. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the Twenty-first century. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H Multiple Intelligences: New horizons. New York: Basic Books. 53

59 Michalewicz, Z., and Michalewicz, M Puzzle-based Learning: Introduction to Critical Thinking, Mathematics, and Problem Solving. Hybrid Publishers: Melbourne Victoria Australia. Real Decreto 1631/2006, de 29 de diciembre, por el que establecen las enseñanzas mínimas correspondientes a la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Real Decreto 1467/2007, de 2 de Noviembre, por el que se establece la estructura del Bachillerato y se fijan sus enseñanzas mínimas. Real Decreto 45/2008, de 27 de junio, por el que se establece el currículo de Bachillerato en la Comunidad Autónoma de La Rioja. Websites Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: (accessed on the 7th of June 2013). 54

60 INNOVATION RESEARCH PROPOSAL PART III 55

61 THE BENEFITS OF USING A TEACHING PROGRAM BASED ON MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES THEORY IN SPANISH EFL LEARNERS PRODUCTIVE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE ABSTRACT The aim of the present investigation is to test the effectiveness of a teaching program using Gardner s (1983) Multiple Intelligences theory on the development of Spanish EFL learners productive vocabulary knowledge. For this purpose, I have designed an experimental study with 40 students in their first year of the baccalaureate stage. The sample comprises 17 male and 23 female students enrolled at a comprehensive secondary school in northern Spain. The sample of informants is homogenous in many respects: (i) they mother tongue is Spanish; (ii) they all belong to the same cultural background; (iii) they are the same age around 16-17, and (iv) they have received the same English instruction and have a similar English level. Regarding the data gathering instruments, we can mention (i) a questionnaire to be completed by all students at the beginning of the school year; (ii) a diagnostic test indicating learners English level; (iii) McKenzie s (1999) MI survey which explores students dominant intelligence profiles, and (iv) a written composition test administered at the end of the treatment. Examination of lexical richness and length of the written assignment will tell us whether the treatment is effective or not. The positive outcomes of the MI teaching program predict the following: (a) The experimental group will write longer compositions since they feel more motivated to express in writing what they have learnt and (b) The compositions of the experimental group will be characterized by higher lexical richness compared to those of the control group. Overall, students who have received the treatment will also develop a positive attitude towards the English language and will exhibit a bigger vocabulary size. Keywords: Multiple Intelligences, productive vocabulary, experimental study, McKenzie s MI survey, lexical richness 56

62 3.1. INTRODUCTION As pointed out in the introductory section of this project (section 1.2), the most worrying and widespread phenomenon faced by the current education system is academic failure and school abandonment. In order to counter this problem, educators should move from what Bourdieu (1966) has called indifference to differences to the recognition of diversity both in teaching and assessment. I certainly agree with Gardner s (1999: 219) diversity-embracing statement that no two selves, no two consciousnesses, no two minds are exactly alike [ ] because our genes and our experiences are unique. Strongly opposing the uniform view of intelligence (Sternberg, 2000), Gardner favors a multifaceted perspective to the human mind according to which individuals possess different cognitive strengths and styles. Under this approach, human intelligence is composed of eight or nine categories, viz. linguistic, logical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic and existentialist intelligences. In addition, Gardner (1999: 20) brings solid arguments to support the modularity view claiming that the human mind has evolved a number of separate organs or information-processing devices: All evidence now points to the brain as being a highly differentiated organ: specific capacities, ranging from the perception of the angle of a line to the production of a particular linguistic sound, are linked to specific neural networks. From this perspective, it makes much more sense to think of the brain as harboring an indefinite number of intellectual capacities, whose relationship to one another needs to be clarified. In connection to the implications of this breakthrough for the education system, Gardner (1993: 9) mentions that schools should aim at developing intelligences and helping people reach vocational and avocational goals adequate to their specific spectrum of intelligences since people who are helped to do so [ ] feel more engaged and competent, and therefore more inclined to serve the society in a constructive way. 57

63 But how exactly can school stop being procrustean and adapt itself to students individual needs? How can differentiation among students be achieved in the foreign language classroom? To solve this head-scratching dilemma, the present study proposes the implementation of a teaching program based on Gardner s (1983) Multiple Intelligences (MI henceforth) theory for EFL students. The idea that the application of MI theory in the language classroom leads to better language teaching/learning is hardly new (see Berman, 1998; Brougher, 1997; Brualdi, 1998; Campbell, Campbell and Dickinson, 1996/1999; Checkley, 1997; Christison, 1996, 1998; Emig, 1997; Govendo and Gibson, 1999). However, the effectiveness of MI theory on EFL students performance in composition tests has not yet been explored, at least to my knowledge. 2 Written compositions are traditionally used to investigate L2 learners productive vocabulary knowledge (Linnaraud, 1986; Laufer, 1998; Arnaud, 1992; Laufer and Nation, 1995). I have chosen to measure vocabulary in writing since productive or active lexical knowledge is vital for effective communication. Finally, the present research is significant in a number of ways. The measurement results can provide valuable information for curriculum designers in the sense that they can understand the need for enriching the educational curriculum with activities based on MI theory. Teachers will be able to identify their students areas of strength as well as weaknesses and will become aware of what activities best enhance students intelligence profiles. 2 Haboush (2010) tested the effectiveness of MI teaching on eighth graders English receptive vocabulary knowledge, more precisely reading comprehension skills, such as skimming, scanning, making inferences, knowing the meaning the words through context and sequencing. The experimental group performed better than the control group only in skimming, scanning and knowing the meaning of words through context. Other studies discussing the positive effects of MI teaching on reading are Gaines and Lehman (2002), Burman and Evans (2003), Reidel et al. (2003), and Buschick et al. (2007). 58

64 3.2. WORKING DEFINITIONS AND LITERATURE REVIEW Multiple Intelligences and criteria for proposal Before presenting how the effectiveness of a syllabus based on MI theory will be tested, I should clarify the notion of intelligence. This concept received many interpretations throughout history but I would like to highlight two definitions in particular that will mark a before and after in developmental psychology. Thus, the classic psychometric perspective conceives of intelligence as a unique, fixed, innate capacity restricted to solving logical and linguistic problems: In a traditional view, intelligence is defined operationally as the ability to answer items on tests of intelligence. The inference from the test scores to some underlying ability is supported by statistical techniques that compare responses of subjects at different ages; the apparent correlation of these test scores across ages and across different tests corroborates the notion that the general faculty of intelligence, g, does not change much with age or with training or experience. It is an inborn attribute or faculty of the individual. (Gardner, 1993: 15) The second interpretation revolutionized developmental psychology in that it pluralized the traditional concept: I now conceptualize an intelligence as a biopsychological potential to process information that can be activated in a cultural setting to solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture. This modest change in wording is important because it suggests that intelligences and not things that can be seen or counted. Instead, they are potentials presumably, neural ones that will or will not be activated depending upon the values of a particular culture, the opportunities available in that culture, and the personal decisions made by individuals and/or their families, schoolteachers, and others. (Gardner, 1999: 33-34) What is more, Gardner (1999: 36-40) adduces solid scientific arguments to substantiate the validity of multiple intelligences, such as the ones mentioned below: 59

65 1. The breakdown of cognitive skills under conditions of brain damage. For example, people who have suffered brain damage in the right posterior regions lose the ability to find their way around a place, to recognize faces or scenes or to notice fine details. Nevertheless, these people compensate for their spatial deficits with linguistic strategies (i.e. they use their left hemisphere which is intact). 2. Data about the evolution of cognition over the millennia. For example, musical intelligence has been shaped throughout the history of species as archaeological evidence for the variety of musical instruments indicates (see Christison, 1998, for further discussion on this topic). 3. An identifiable core operation or set of operations. Any intelligence depends on a set of component operations or processes. Therefore, linguistic intelligence comprises core operations of phonemic discriminations, command of syntax, sensitivity to the pragmatic uses of language, and acquisition of word meanings. 4. Susceptibility to encoding in a symbol system. Our societies use symbol systems to transmit culturally meaningful information. Thus, any intelligence is encoded in a symbol system: language is rendered through sentences and stories, music through songs, spatial understanding through drawings, so on and so forth. 5. A distinct developmental history, along with a definable set of expert endstate performances. For example, a person who aspires to become a mathematician must develop his/her logical-mathematical abilities in certain ways. 6. Studies of exceptional populations, including prodigies, savants, and autistic children. These individuals may be outstanding in one intelligence but evince marked impairments in other intelligences. For instance, an autistic child may 60

66 display remarkable abilities in the musical, computational, spatial and mechanical fields but he/she cannot understand and work with others or oneself. 7. Support from experimental psychological tasks. Intelligences are independent of one another. That is why we can walk or find our way around and converse at the same time. 8. Support from psychometric findings. Spatial and linguistic capacities show a weak correlation among psychometric tests Classification of intelligences and suitable activities In this section I will provide brief definitions for Gardner s eight intelligences as well as EFL activities intended to enhance students intelligence profile. The first two intelligences have long been valued in school. Linguistic intelligence refers to the ability to learn languages or use them to achieve certain goals. As an example of professions in need of high linguistic intelligence we can mention lawyers, journalists, writers or poets. Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the ability to understand and use numbers/mathematical operations, analyze problems in a logical way and investigate scientific issues. This type of intelligence is highly exploited by mathematicians, logicians and scientists. The next three intelligences can be somewhat connected to arts. Thus, musical intelligence denotes an individual s sensitivity to pitch, melody or rhythm relations, and performance or composition of musical patterns. Composers, conductors, musicians or instrument makers are among the people with high musical intelligence. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is described as the ability to use one s bodily movements in order to solve problems or fashion products. People who usually exemplify this type of intelligence are the following: dancers, athletes, surgeons, 61

67 mechanics or craftsmen. Spatial intelligence entails the ability to recognize and manipulate wide or confined space patterns. Sailors, pilots, architects, sculptors and graphic artists all exhibit highly-developed spatial intelligence. The personal intelligences are composed of interpersonal and respectively, intrapersonal intelligence. The first one reflects the ability to understand and work effectively with other people. Religious leaders, social workers, salespeople or politicians represent this kind of intelligence. The second one involves understanding one s emotions and behaviors so as to construct an accurate model of oneself and use it in successfully regulating one s life. The eighth intelligence, viz. naturalist intelligence, focuses on an individual s ability to recognize and classify the flora and fauna of one s environment. Generally, biologists are gifted in observing and categorizing naturalistic patterns. I will not linger more on the taxonomy of intelligences since the other candidate intelligences (e.g. existential, spiritual, moral) are less well documented and accounted for. In the table below I include activities that can be carried out in the foreign language classroom in order to reinforce learners existing intelligence or to develop less prominent ones. 3 Logical-mathematical intelligence Crossword, ordering, matching, categorizing and classifying, science demonstration and experiments, logic puzzles and games, story problems with numbers, logical/sequential presentation of subject matter, summarizing, analyzing grammar, solving word problems, creating categories for spelling/vocabulary, organizing information with Venn diagrams, determining cause and effect, sequencing events in a story, designing and conducting an experiment, making up syllogisms to demonstrate, making up analogies to explain, describing the patterns or Linguistic intelligence Note-taking, listening to lectures/stories, reading books/response journals, reading with a partner, sustained silent reading, storytelling, debates, tape recording, teacher reading to students, translating, presenting materials orally, writing a poem, myth, legend, short play, news article, creating a talk show radio program, conducting an interview, composition, literature, word games, poetry, writing, speaking, using language in games, puzzles and creative activities, group discussions, completing worksheets, giving presentations, work building games, memorizing, exercising four 3 This table has been extracted from Ibragimova s (2011) MA thesis dealing with the correlation between students intelligence profiles and the intelligence types catered for by textbooks or classroom activities. 62

68 symmetry, number games, critical thinking, science combinations, mental calculations, guided discovery, syllogisms, comparing, phrasal verb grids, sequencing/ordering, predicting, identifying errors, inferring, giving reasons and defending them, testing hypothesis, examining pairs to choose the correct answer (grammar/vocabulary exercises), identifying main ideas/components/attributes, describing patterns of the causally related event sequences in stories Spatial intelligence Using charts and grids, clusters, videos, slide, movies, using art, graphic organizers, illustrating stories, using sentence strips, using drawings to express ideas and feelings, making maps, charts, sequencing sentences to form a coherent story, creating a slideshow, videotape or photo album, inventing a board or card game to demonstrate, illustrate, sketch and sculpt, art activities, imagination games, geometric figures, visualization, problem solving, communicating visually, enjoying creative puzzles, maps, designs, 3D models and graphic representations, mind maps, diagrams, TV, interpreting visual information, photographs, art work, drawing, creating visual summary, painting, flow charts, card games, visual outlines Intrapersonal intelligence Tasks with self-evaluation component, interest centers, options for homework, personal journal keeping, dialogue journals, learning logs, choice in assignments, describing qualities you possess, setting and pursuing a goal to, describing one of your personal values about, writing a journal entry on, assessing your own work, individualized instruction, independent study, reflective practices and activities, teaching for achievement and success, introspective and metacognitive tasks, project work, learner diaries, self-study, personal goal setting, discussion about what is important and of value in life, reflecting on the personal importance on what is being learned, reacting to the qualities, values and actions of those featured in stories or poems, expressing feelings and emotions, evaluating web sites Musical intelligence Singing, playing recorded music, playing live music (piano, guitar), jazz chants, reciting poetry, associating music to story mood/story plot, writing song lyrics, using rhythm to learn/present intonation patterns, giving presentation with appropriate musical accompaniment, explaining, sound differentiation, musical games, background music, responding emotionally to music, skills, yes/no questions, asking questions, identifying various themes, round table discussion, answering comprehension questions Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence Hands-on activities, field trips, role-plays, pantomime, Total Physical Response, field experiences, creating a movement or a sequence of movements to explain, making task or puzzle cards, building or constructing, art forms, movements, drama, sports, manipulatives, object coordination, dancing, crafts, miming, circle dancing, brain gym, relaxation exercises, craftwork, using computers, acting, classroom games, mingling in the classroom, simulations, find someone who game, circulating round the classroom, tracing intonational contours with arms and fingers while saying a given utterance, outcome balls and cards Interpersonal intelligence Pair work or peer teaching, board games, group brainstorming, group problem solving, project work, pen pals, writing group stories, playing vocabulary games, peer editing, intercultural awareness, conducting a meeting, using social skills to learn about, participating in a service project, teaching someone about, practice giving and receiving feedback on, using technology to, tutoring, cooperative learning, role playing, collective writing, information-gap activities, conducting a class survey, teamwork games/exercises, peer feedback Naturalist intelligence Creating observation notebooks of, describing changes in the local or global environment, caring for pets, wildlife, gardens, parks, using binoculars, telescopes, microscopes or magnifiers, drawing or taking pictures of natural objects, outdoor activities, natural and environmental materials and concepts, noticing relationships, making collocations, changing words in brackets into 63

69 welcoming students with music, writing words to simple well-known melody, songs, background music to shape focus, calm down, energize and relax, record of a burst of applause correct forms, classifying and categorizing activities, background music in the form of sounds created in the natural world Measuring productive vocabulary knowledge As advanced in the introduction, my aim here is to test the effectiveness of MI theory on the development of productive vocabulary knowledge in EFL learners. The relevance of vocabulary knowledge in foreign language learning has been largely attested in specialized literature (Read 1988; Laufer 1989, 1998; Nation, 1990; Meara, 1996). Measuring vocabulary knowledge serves to confirm theories and models of the mental lexicon. Vocabulary testing can deepen our understanding of language learning processes and influence vocabulary teaching. Thus, knowing that learners with big vocabularies are more proficient in a wide range of language skills than learners with smaller vocabularies (Meara, 1996: 37) can determine curriculum designers to include a greater variety of thematic coverage in foreign language textbooks. Vocabulary knowledge can be divided into receptive (passive) and productive (active) knowledge. According to Laufer and Goldstein (2004), the former is linked to listening and reading whereas the latter relates to speaking and writing. For Waring (1997) receptive knowledge is seen as the ability to provide a particular L1 translation of an L2 word whilst productive knowledge is defined as the ability to provide a particular L2 translation for an L1 word. Furthermore, Laufer et al. (2004) understand receptive knowledge as retrieval of the form of a word and productive knowledge as retrieval of the meaning of that word. As can be noticed, there is no unanimous definition for these two terms. Nonetheless, in the present study I adopt Nation s (1990) definition for productive knowledge which refers to the ability to retrieve and produce the appropriate 64

70 written form a word in the target language to convey meaning in writing. I have chosen to focus on productive knowledge since, as shown by Webb s (2009) study, productive learning leads to larger gains in various aspects of vocabulary knowledge than receptive learning. This research work plans to measure EFL learners productive knowledge in composition. Nation (2001) pinpoints three methods of vocabulary measurement in composition: (a) the application of measures of lexical richness (e.g. lexical variation, lexical density or lexical sophistication); (b) the calculation of percentages of word families found in a text, and (c) the arrangement of words according to frequency bands. In the present study I am concerned with lexical richness and composition length. What I intend to measure here is vocabulary breadth and not vocabulary depth. The former refers to the number of words an individual knows while the latter indicates how well a word is known. The lexical items that I will pay attention to are tokens and types. Tokens are examples or individual members of a class whereas the class of linguistic units is called a type. For instance, hello, hi, good morning are three different tokens of the type greeting (cf. Richards and Schmidt, 2002: 567) RESEARCH QUESTION AND HYPOTHESIS The present study sets out to answer the following research question: Does a teaching program based on MI theory enhance 1 st year baccalaureate students English productive knowledge in written compositions? Based on this question, I put forward the following hypothesis: 65

71 H1. The experimental group will score higher in written compositions than the control group after the treatment. (positive hypothesis) This hypothesis supports a positive relationship between the independent variable (i.e. the treatment) and the dependent variable (i.e. students performance in written compositions) METHOD AND DESIGN This section gives a thorough description of the methodology employed in this study, the participants, the data collection tools and the statistical treatment of the findings. For this study I have selected an experimental approach combined with a longitudinal design. The choice of this approach is motivated by the research question, i.e. the experimental design is the most appropriate method to answering my research question. Such a design is composed of three main elements: the treatment or the teaching program based on MI theory, the control group or the group that will be taught using traditional teaching methods, and the experimental group or the group that will receive the treatment. Special attention will be paid to the subject selection factor. Thus, the control group and the experimental group must be equal at the beginning of the treatment. They are the same age and have a similar English level. This equivalence makes possible to assign participants to the two groups at random. As will be seen later on (section 3.4.2), the students English level will be tested by means of a diagnostic test. 66

72 Also, I have chosen a longitudinal method since my aim here is to study the experimental group over a period of time (more precisely, three months) and to see if and how EFL learners productive vocabulary knowledge develops with the treatment. Data will be collected at the outset of the study and at the end of the treatment PARTICIPANTS The sample of the study consists of 40 students in the first year of baccalaureate stage enrolled at a comprehensive school in northern Spain. The sample of informants comprises 17 males and 23 females. Their mother tongue is Spanish and their age ranges from 16 to 17 years old. The participants will be allocated in the two groups (either control or experimental) at random. Their level of English is B1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. To guarantee the equal conditions for both groups, students will have the same English language instructor. Regarding the treatment administered, the reader is referred to the didactic unit entitled Crime and Justice developed in the central part of this project (section 2.10). This unit includes activities based on MI theory which are intended to stimulate students intelligence profiles. These activities are illustrated in Appendix II GATHERING INSTRUMENTS AND PROCEDURES The present study will make use of the following data collection tools: 1) a questionnaire; 2) a diagnostic test; 3) McKenzie s (1999) MI survey; and 4) a written composition task on abortion. 67

73 For a homogenous selection of the participants, subjects will be handed out a questionnaire to complete at the beginning of the school term. The purpose of this questionnaire is to gather general information about the informants, such as their age, gender, mother tongue, years of English instruction, learning motivation, exams taken, among others. A carefully conducted study should take into consideration the history factor as a potentially influential factor. Researchers should know if something else is happening at the same time as the experimental study is being conducted since that event may be related to the outcome. For example, the better performance of a student may be due to the fact that he/she receives private English lessons, he/she has previously studied for Cambridge examinations, etc. Students will also be asked to take a diagnostic test which will give me information about their strengths and weaknesses. This test will inform me about their level of English and about how much they know before the implementation of the MI teaching program. The proficiency test will not be included in this project due to space limitations. However, the reader is referred to the following link for further information ( Moreover, these EFL learners will have to complete McKenzie s (1999) MI survey (see Appendix I) which is made up of four main parts. In the first part students have to complete nine sections by placing a 1 next to the statement they identify themselves with. In the second part they have to sum up the points from each section and multiply by 100. In the third part they have to complete a bar graph with the numbers they have obtained for each section. The last part tells us what intelligence is represented in each of the nine sections. This survey will help me become aware of the students dominant intelligence profiles so that suitable EFL activities are selected. By 68

74 knowing their dominant intelligences, I can use them as an entry point to areas in which they face serious learning difficulties. After three months of treatment, students in both groups will be assigned the same written composition task. In order to ensure that learners have fully understood the task to be accomplished, instructions will be given to them in Spanish both orally and in writing. Time allotment (30 minutes) will be specified in the written instructions. Once the compositions will be gathered, we proceed to edit and type into the computer the content of the texts. Students vocabulary will be analyzed by means of the textual analysis program WordSmith Tools (Scott, 1996). Two lexical measures will be taken into account: (1) length of the written composition or the number of tokens, and (2) lexical richness, i.e. number of word types over total number of tokens. If the teaching program based on MI theory is effective I can predict the following outcomes: (i) The experimental group will produce a significantly higher number of tokens than the control group. This means that the students having received the MI treatment will write longer compositions since they will feel more engaged and motivated to express what they have learnt. (ii) Students in the experimental group will also produce a significantly higher number of word types than those in the control group. This score is indicative of their higher lexical richness in productive vocabulary compared to the control group. The departing assumption is that students who will be taught using MI theory are likely to acquire a greater amount of words than students who will be taught with a traditional teaching method. 69

75 WORKING PLAN September 2013: 1 st year baccalaureate students will fill in the questionnaire with their personal information. Students will take a diagnostic test and will complete McKenzie s (1999) MI survey. The sample of informants will be divided into two groups. The experimental group will be taught using the teaching program based on MI theory whereas the control group will follow the traditional curriculum and traditional teaching methods. December 2013: Both the experimental and the control group will be assigned a written composition test. I will start the post-treatment data collection and its analysis with the program WordSmith Tools CONCLUSIONS The final section will summarize the findings of the present study. There is an account of the goals that have been accomplished and it also includes several proposals for further research. The pedagogical implications derived from this experiment will also be included in this part as well as several recommendations for EFL teachers or curriculum designers. 70

76 To my mind, the balance will be inclined in favor of the positive hypothesis that emphasizes the effectiveness of an MI teaching program on the development of Spanish EFL learners productive vocabulary knowledge. These results will reinforce previous evidence that MI theory is beneficial in educational contexts. Thus, it will be shown that the implementation of an MI teaching program brings about an increase in learner motivation towards the English language. Additionally, an increase in students awareness of their strong and weak points will be experienced. Needless to say, the productive vocabulary size of the students in the experimental group will be bigger than the one of the students in the control group. Finally, this research study could be complemented with further longitudinal studies taking into account several other dimensions or variables, such as the development of receptive vocabulary knowledge, younger students, a longer period of treatment or students self-confidence. References Arnaud, P. J. L Objective lexical and grammatical characteristics of L2 written compositions and the validity of separate-component tests. In P. J. L Arnaud and J. Béjoint (eds.) Vocabulary and Applied Linguistics. London: McMillan Berman, M A multiple intelligences road to an ELT classroom. UK: Crown House Publishing Limited. Bourdieu, P L école conservatrice. L inégalité sociale devant l école et devant la culture. Revue française de sociologie 1: Brougher, J. Z Creating a nourishing learning environment for adults using multiple intelligences theory. Adult Learning 8(4): Brualdi, A Gardner s theory. Teacher Librarian 26(2):

77 Burman, N. T., and Evans, C. D Improving reading skills through multiple intelligences and increased parental involvement. MA thesis, Saint Xavier University & SkyLight, Chicago, Illinois. Buschick, E. M., Shipton, T., Winner, L., and Wise, M Increasing reading motivation in elementary and middle school students through the use of multiple intelligences. MA thesis, Saint Xavier University & Pearson Achievement Solutions, Chicago, Illinois. Campbell, L., Campbell, B., and Dickinson, D. 1996/1999. Teaching and learning through multiple intelligences. Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon. Checkley, K The first seven and the eighths. A conversation with Howard Gardner. Educational Leadership 55(1): Christison, M. A Teaching and learning languages through MI. TESOL Journal 6(1): Christison, M. A Applying Multiple Intelligences Theory in preservice and inservice TEFL education programs. English Teaching Forum 36(2): Emig, V.B A Multiple Intelligences Inventory. Educational Leadership 55(1): Gaines, D., and Lehman, D Improving student performance in reading comprehension through the use of multiple intelligences. MA thesis, Saint Xavier University & SkyLight. Illinois. Gardner, H Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H Multiple Intelligences: the theory in practice. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the Twenty-first century. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H Multiple Intelligences: New horizons. New York: Basic Books. 72

78 Govendo, B., and Gibson, B Encouraging constructive behavior in middle school classroom: A multiple-intelligences approach. Intervention in School and Clinic 35(1): Haboush, Z. Y The Effectiveness of using a Programme based on Multiple Intelligences Theory on Eighth Graders English Reading Comprehension Skills. Unpublished MA thesis. Ibragimova, N Multiple Intelligences Theory in Action in EFL Classes: A Case Study. Unpublished MA thesis. Laufer, B What percentage of text-lexis is essential for comprehension?. In C. Lauren and M. Nordman (eds.) Special Language: From Humans Thinking to Thinking Machiness. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Laufer, B The development of passive and active vocabulary in a second language: Same or different? Applied Linguistics 19(2): Laufer, B., and Nation, P Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production. Applied Linguistics 16: Laufer, B., and Goldstein, Z Testing vocabulary knowledge: size, strength and computer adaptiveness. Language Learning 54: Laufer, B., Elder, C., Hill, K, and Congdon, P Size and strength: do we need both to measure vocabulary knowledge. Language testing 21(2): Linnaraud, M Lexis in Composition. A Performance Analysis of Swedish Learner s Written English. Malmö, Sweden: Liber Förlag Malmö. Meara, P The dimensions of lexical competence. In G. Brown, K. Malmkjer and J. Williams (eds.) Performance and Competence in Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Nation, P Teaching and learning vocabulary. New York: Newbury. Nation, P Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 73

79 Read, J Measuring the vocabulary knowledge of second language learners. RELC Journal 19: Reidel, J., Tomaszewski, T., and Weaver, D Improving student academic achievement though the use of multiple intelligence teaching strategies. MA thesis, Saint Xavier & SkyLight, Illinois. Richards, J., and Schmidt, R. (eds.) Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (third edition). Pearson Education Limited. Scott, M WordSmith Tools. Version 2.0. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sternberg, R. J. (ed.) Handbook of Intelligence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Waring, R A comparison of the receptive and productive vocabulary sizes of some second language learners. Immaculata (Notre Dame Seishin University, Okayama) 1:

80 Appendix I Multiple Intelligences Survey 1999 Walter McKenzie ( Part I Complete each section by placing a 1 next to each statement you feel accurately describes you. If you do not identify with a statement, leave the space provided blank. Then total the column in each section. Section 1 I enjoy categorizing things by common traits Ecological issues are important to me Classification helps me make sense of new data I enjoy working in a garden I believe preserving our National Parks is important Putting things in hierarchies makes sense to me Animals are important in my life My home has a recycling system in place I enjoy studying biology, botany and/or zoology I pick up on subtle differences in meaning TOTAL for Section 1 Section 2 I easily pick up on patterns I focus in on noise and sounds Moving to a beat is easy for me I enjoy making music I respond to the cadence of poetry I remember things by putting them in a rhyme Concentration is difficult for me if there is background noise Listening to sounds in nature can be very relaxing Musicals are more engagingto me than dramatic plays Remembering song lyrics is easy for me TOTAL for Section 2 Section 3 I am known for being neat and orderly Step-by-step directions are a big help Problem solving comes easily to me I get easily frustrated with disorganized people I can complete calculations quickly in my head Logic puzzles are fun I can't begin an assignment until I have all my "ducks in a row" Structure is a good thing I enjoy troubleshooting something that isn't working properly Things have to make sense to me or I am dissatisfied TOTAL for Section 3 Section 4 75

81 It is important to see my role in the big picture of things I enjoy discussing questions about life Religion is important to me I enjoy viewing art work Relaxation and meditation exercises are rewarding to me I like traveling to visit inspiring places I enjoy reading philosophers Learning new things is easier when I see their real world application I wonder if there are other forms of intelligent life in the universe It is important for me to feel connected to people, ideas and beliefs TOTAL for Section 4 Section 5 I learn best interacting with others I enjoy informal chat and serious discussion The more the merrier I often serve as a leader among peers and colleagues I value relationships more than ideas or accomplishments Study groups are very productive for me I am a team player Friends are important to me I belong to more than three clubs or organizations I dislike working alone TOTAL for Section 5 Section 6 I learn by doing I enjoy making things with my hands Sports are a part of my life I use gestures and non-verbal cues when I communicate Demonstrating is better than explaining I love to dance I like working with tools Inactivity can make me more tired than being very busy Hands-on activities are fun I live an active lifestyle TOTAL for Section 6 Section 7 Foreign languages interest me I enjoy reading books, magazines and web sites I keep a journal Word puzzles like crosswords or jumbles are enjoyable Taking notes helps me remember and understand I faithfully contact friends through letters and/or It is easy for me to explain my ideas to others I write for pleasure Puns, anagrams and spoonerisms are fun I enjoy public speaking and participating in debates TOTAL for Section 7 76

82 Section 8 My attitude effects how I learn I like to be involved in causes that help others I am keenly aware of my moral beliefs I learn best when I have an emotional attachment to the subject Fairness is important to me Social justice issues interest me Working alone can be just as productive as working in a group I need to know why I should do something before I agree to do it When I believe in something I give more effort towards it I am willing to protest or sign a petition to right a wrong TOTAL for Section 8 Section 9 Rearranging a room and redecorating are fun for me I enjoy creating my own works of art I remember better using graphic organizers I enjoy all kinds of entertainment media Charts, graphs and tables help me interpret data A music video can make me more interested in a song I can recall things as mental pictures I am good at reading maps and blueprints Three dimensional puzzles are fun I can visualize ideas in my mind TOTAL for Section 9 Part II Now carry forward your total from each section and multiply by 10 below: Section Total Forward Multiply Score 1 X10 2 X10 3 X10 4 X10 5 X10 6 X10 7 X10 8 X10 9 X10 Part III Now plot your scores on the bar graph provided:

83 Sec 1 Sec 2 Sec 3 Sec 4 Sec 5 Sec 6 Sec 7 Sec 8 Sec 9 Part IV Key: Section 1 This reflects your Naturalist strength Section 2 This suggests your Musical strength Section 3 This indicates your Logical strength Section 4 This illustrates your Existential strength Section 5 This shows your Interpersonal strength Section 6 This tells your Kinesthetic strength Section 7 This indicates your Verbal strength Section 8 This reflects your Intrapersonal strength Section 9 This suggests your Visual strength 78

84 Appendix II LEARNING ACTIVITIES SESSION I 1 WARMER (logical/mathematical) Let us see if you can solve the following puzzle! This puzzle will also tell you what the new unit is about. So, good luck! Police broke into a house and found the owner slumped dead in a chair with a bullet hole in his head. On the floor there is a gun and on the table a cassette recorder. When an officer pushed play on the cassette recorder they heard the message "I cannot go on any longer and have decided to commit suicide" followed by the sound of a gunshot. The police immediately started a murder investigation. Why? Answer: They didn't have to rewind the tape so somebody else must have. 2 VOCABULARY describing a crime scene (visual/spatial) a) Look at the picture carefully for 30 seconds. Cover the picture and try to describe the crime scene to your partner. Then, test your power of observation by answering the questions below. 79

85 1. What color was the victim s shirt? Yellow/Grey/Blue 2. What name was written on the plaque on the desk? John/Brian/Donald 3. When was the deadline? Today/Tomorrow/March 13 th 4. What time was on the clock on the wall? 12:30/9:00/11:05 5. How many sticky notes were on the whiteboard? Three/Six/Nine 3 GRAMMAR reported speech (verbal/linguistic) a) Transform the sentences into reported speech. 1. The evidence has been tampered with, the police investigator said. 2. A thief has stolen my wallet, the man told the policeman. 3. The prisoner will arrive next week, the judge said. 4. The burglary took place in the middle of the night, John said. 5. Muggers often try to steal women s handbags, he said. b) Transform the sentences into direct speech. 1. The lawyer asked his client to sit down. 2. The judge told the jury to leave the court. 3. The juror asked if he could see a photo. 4. The family asked when the trial would be finished. 5. The policeman told the lawyer not to talk to the witnesses. SESSION II 80

86 4 READING (verbal/linguistic+ logical/mathematical) a) You are going to read some extracts from real interviews with convicted burglars in the USA. Work with your partner in order to find the missing chunks in the text. 13 THINGS A BURGLAR WON T TELL YOU! 1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator. 2. And hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. 3. Love those flowers. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have. 4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it. 5. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway. 6. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. 7. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it s set. That makes it too easy. 8. It s raining, you re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door? Understandable. 9. I always knock first. If you answer, 10. Do you really think I won t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet. 11. Here s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids rooms. 12. You re right: I won t have enough time to break into that safe the one where you keep your valuables. 81

87 13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you re reluctant to leave your TV on while you re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. A) But if it s not bolted down, I ll take it with me. B) If it snows while you re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house C) I ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don t take me up on it.) D) While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier. E) And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom and your jewelry. It s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too. F) That tells me you have taste.and taste means there are nice things inside. G) But understand this: I don t take a day off: because of bad weather. 82

88 Answers: 2D; 3F; 5B; 6E; 8G; 9C; 12A. b) Do you live in a burglar-friendly house? On the basis of the text you ve read, draw a mind map in pairs in order to suggest possible tips for burglary prevention. These tips will be discussed and debated in class. SESSION III 5 SPEAKING debating (verbal/linguistic+interpersonal/social) Stating an opinion Expressing agreement Expressing disagreement Settling an argument In my opinion According to Mary If you ask me The way I see it I couldn t agree with you more I have to side with Lucy on this one You re absolutely right That s exactly how I feel I don t think so That s not always the case I totally disagree Not necessarily If you say so Let s just move on, shall we? Let s drop it. a) Look at the five questions. What is your opinion on each issue? 1. Do you agree that terrorism is the evil of the 21 st century? 2. What do you think about death penalty? 3. Would you break the law to save a loved one? 4. What makes some people become criminals? Is it poverty, upbringing, lack of education, unemployment or something else? 5. What is the difference between crime and sin? b) Work in groups of three or four. Your teacher will call out a number from 1 to 5. Each person must give their opinion for that question. Keep discussing the topic until the next number is called out. Don t forget to use the useful expressions included in the table above. 6 LISTENING & PRONUNCIATION (verbal/linguistic+musical) 83

89 a) Listen to Rihanna s popular song Man Down while following the lyrics below. What is the main topic of the song? Do you think people should be allowed to own guns? Give your reasons. I didn't mean to end his life I know it wasn't right I can't even sleep at night Can't get it off my mind I need to get out of sight Before I end up behind bars What started out as a simple altercation Turned into a real sticky situation Me just thinking on the time that I'm facing Makes me wanna cry Chorus: 'Cause I didn't mean to hurt him Coulda been somebody s son And I took his heart when I pulled out that gun Rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum Man down Rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum Man down Oh mama mama mama I just shot a man down In central station In front of a big ol' crowd Oh why oh why Oh mama mama mama I just shot a man down In central station It's a twenty two I call her Peggy Sue When she fits right down in my shoes What do you expect me to do If you're playing me for a fool I will lose my cool And reach for my fire arm I didn't mean to lay him down But its too late to turn back now Don't know what I was thinking Now he's no longer living So I'ma bout to leave town Chorus Look I never thought 'id do it Never thought I'd do it Never thought I'd do it Oh gosh What ever happened to me Ever happened to me Ever happened to me Why did I pull the trigger 84

90 Pull the trigger pull the trigger boom And end a n**** end a niggs life so soon When me pull the trigger pull the trigger pull it pon' you Somebody tell me what I'ma what I'ma do Rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum Me say one man down Rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum rum bum bum bum And I went downtown 'Cause now I'ma criminal criminal criminal Oh lord oh mercy now I am a criminal Man down Tell the judge please give me minimal Run out of town, none of them can see me now Chorus SESSION IV b) Use the information provided in the table below in order to identify the words that are linked in this song. In English there are two types of linking: Consonant vowel We link words ending with a consonant sound to words beginning with a vowel sound. E.g. I can't even sleep at night Vowel vowel We link words ending with a vowel sound to words beginning with a vowel sound E.g. I know it wasn't right c) Read the lyrics of the song again. Find all the words containing the sound long e. Take into account that there are different ways to spell this sound (e.g. free, bean, magazine, gene, be, believe, receive). Use your dictionary if you re not sure of the pronunciation. 7 Crime Scene Investigation Challenge (verbal/linguistic+scientific+kinaesthetic) HOW TALL IS THE PERPETRATOR? a) Work with your partner in order to estimate the height of a perpetrator from a footprint left at the crime scene. You will need a footprint, measuring tape or ruler and a calculator. If you don t have a footprint available you can make one yourself by drawing a simple outline of your foot on a sheet of paper. Next measure the footprint and divide the measurement by 15. Multiply the answer by 100. The answer is the 85

91 approximate height of the person who left the footprint behind. Exchange your footprint with your partner s and do the Math again. 8 MOCK TRIAL ON ABORTION (verbal/linguistic+interpersonal) a) Read the excerpt below which deals with a real court case, namely the case of Jane Roe (alias for Norma McCorvey) vs. Henry Wade, representing the State of Texas in This case has changed the history of the United States forever. Norma McCorvey became pregnant in the summer of The 21-year-old woman's marriage had failed, and her mother and stepfather were raising her five-year-old daughter. McCorvey did not want to continue her pregnancy. Since Texas law prohibited abortion except to save a woman's life, McCorvey began to look for someone willing to perform one illegally. Although she was not successful in that search, she did meet Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, two attorneys interested in changing the abortion laws. McCorvey agreed to become plaintiff "Jane Roe" in a test case. SESSION V b) You are going to perform a mock trial in class for this case. But first you need to document yourself on the language used in court, on the legislation related to abortion and the different arguments brought forth by pro-choice or pro-life adherents. For the legal terminology, you can download and read the Mock Trial guide in pdf format: Regarding the legislation on abortion, you can read the information provided by the websites below: Lastly, you can access the following links to gather information about the positions held by pro-choice or pro-life defendants:

92 SESSION VI Staging of the mock trial in class SESSION VII 9 WRITING describing graphs and charts (visual/spatial+logical/mathematical) a) Read the following crime report. Guess the missing nouns and verbs. Choose possible words for gaps 1-11 from the Useful language box and the graph included in the text. Slight Uptick in Crime According to statistics from the Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January-June 2012, the number of violent crimes reported by law enforcement for the first six months of 2012 increased 1.9 percent over figures from the same period in Property crimes also (1) 1.5 percent overall. Violent Crime. Two of the four offenses in the violent crime category actually showed overall (2) when compared with data from the first six months of 2011 murders (3) 1.7 percent and forcible rapes (4) 1.4 percent. But the number of robberies (5) 2.0 percent and aggravated assaults 2.3 percent. At a regional level, the West saw the largest overall jump in violent crime up 3.1 percent followed by a rise of 2.5 percent in the Midwest and 1.1 each percent in the South and the Northeast. Despite these (6), the number of murders fell 4.8 percent in the South and 2.4 percent in the Northeast. Property crime. On the property crime front, all three offense categories showed overall increases 1.9 percent for (7), 1.7 percent for (8), and 0.1 percent for (9). Regionally, the West saw the largest rise in property crime up 4.7 percent, followed closely by the Northeast at 4.0 percent. The Midwest was up 1.3 percent, but the South actually showed a (10) of 1.4 percent. The statistics for arson showed an overall (11) of 3.2 percent during the first six months of Three of the four regions of the country reported increases up 11.0 percent in the Midwest, 6.4 percent in the West, and 5.7 percent in the Northeast. The South saw a 5.6 decrease in arson offenses. Useful language: describing graphs and charts Verbs for describing how data have changed: to increase, to go up, to rise, to decline, to decrease, to fall, to drop, to remain (unchanged), to be steady 87

93 Nouns for describing change: increase, decrease, rise, fall, growth, drop, jump Adjectives and adverbs to describe how fast the change occurred: sharp(ly), dramatic(ally), significant(ly), slight, steady, gradual Answers: 1) rose; 2) decreases; 3) dropped; 4) fell; 5) increased; 6) increases; 7) larceny-theft; 8) motor vehicle theft; 9) burglary; 10) decrease; 11) jump b) Use the information included in the graphs below in order to write a report on juvenile crime between 1980 and 2005 in the USA. Do not forget to use the expressions from the previous exercise. 88

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