A Language Inquiry

Thinking aloud here, as part of my own inquiry… 

Inquiry learning includes questioning, wondering, experimenting, learning from mistakes, discovering, uncovering, solving problems, seeking clarification, finding out, constructing meaning… in authentic contexts.

Can this apply to language learning?

My friend Greta, keen to teach English through inquiry at a PYP school in Argentina, shares her frustration with the system in an email:

“Would love to know your thoughts on teaching grammar out of context! I understand that sometimes you need to focus on plain structure… but it’s frequently done in such a meaningless way in traditional English language teaching. What I notice is that kids that learn that way do wonderful ‘fill in the blanks’ activities but when they need to talk or write they can’t! Are we teaching kids to communicate in English or are we teaching them prepositions, tenses…?”

As a second language teacher myself,  years ago, I taught grammar out of context because I used to think that was the right way, and then I wondered why kids often couldn’t apply what they learned in an authentic writing or speaking situation…

My daughter’s partner Paul, a new immigrant to Australia, is fortunate to receive 500 hours of free English classes and, let’s just say, some sessions are more relevant and engaging than others.

‘What did you learn today?’ I ask. ‘More irregular verbs,’ he replies.

Here’s a snippet from another conversation, as I think more about language learning…

me:  Does one learn/retain the stuff one fills in on the worksheets..?

Michael: I think ‘filling in’ helps after one uses the language in (close to) real life.

me: Yes, but second language teaching often has the ‘filling in’ BEFORE you have an authentic context..

Michael: Yikes! No context, no learning! 🙂

I recall a workshop with Jay McTighe, some years ago, in which he used a sporting analogy. You can’t expect kids to just do the drill and never play the game. They need to have some drill, then have a go at the game, then be coached in the skills they need to work on, then back in the game. Otherwise, as McTighe says, some kids spend their whole school life in an endless series of sideline drills and never get to play!

Paul and I chat, with occasional help from Google Translate. (I pick up quite a few Spanish words in the process!) He has a go, makes mistakes, learns from them… In between, he asks questions to help build his understanding.

‘What’s the difference between listen and hear’? He needs to know for the current context. I’m thrilled when I later notice him applying what we’ve discussed in other contexts.

I introduce Greta to Cristina, who teaches English via inquiry at a PYP school in Italy. She says of teaching and learning a language, ‘It is a very complex topic… It varies according to age, culture, school system…’

In my search for clarity, I sometimes oversimplify things in my posts, but that doesn’t mean I don’t realise the complexity…

I’m back where I started.

Inquiry learning includes questioning, wondering, experimenting, learning from mistakes, discovering, uncovering, solving problems, seeking clarification, finding out, constructing meaning… in authentic contexts.

It’s the way young children learn, before they are subjected to the limitations of a school system. I notice Paul’s progress as he instinctively adopts this approach, in the two week break from his formal classes.

Isn’t that simply the way learning works?

And, if it is… why does second language teaching so rarely look like that?

Hoping for discussion and comments from ESL and other language teachers as well as inquiry teachers…