“In an age of globalization, pragmatic objectives of language learning place an increased value on integrated and dynamic multiskill instructional
models with a focus on meaningful communication and the development of
learners’ communicative competence”. What do you think of this? What
is your understanding of it?
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My understanding of it is that in this age where there are fewer barriers in regards to culture, human contact, economic relationships, etc, language learning cannot "skip" any relevant cultural aspects of reading, writing, listening, or speaking. It is not enough to know the words of a language. It is important to use them properly and understand the way the people think of concepts and objects in terms of what words or grammar they use. All must be important in an L2 environment or in the presence of L2 speakers. So, L2 instruction should encompass all of these aspects and try to utilize all these skills in communicative task-based learning. If a certain L2 has 10 different words for "love", a communicative approach to learning would NOT only teach one of these words, thinking the topic was "covered". The other 9 words might be extremely important in that L2's history or culture and knowing only 1 might be very limiting.
ReplyDeleteWhat I take from this relates to English learners who are trying to get ahead in their careers by learning English. It is important for learners of English to end up with very refined pragmatic communication skills as they are learning English to compete in a highly competitive global job market. To ensure students come away with all they can from their English instruction and achieve high level pragmatic language use, multi-skill instructional models focusing on the execution of real communicative acts must be employed in classrooms. I feel like so many L2 learners, especially in FL settings, complete their instruction and are still deficient in pragmatic communication. The world moves very fast these days, and that simply won't do. If the end goal is for students to use English during life and work, it's imperative that students receive exposure to and training in effective communication.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s quite true. If I am trying to learn another language, I would want to have all four skills available to me (I think that each one relies on the other in some sense), so I can be confident in that new language, even if I only use it for say speaking, or just writing. When it mentions pragmatic objectives, I tend to think of use of the language, and no matter how many classes you take, you would still need your own way of advancing in the language (I am trying to say that you need to know how to read, write, listen, and speak so that you can make use and build on what you learnt and not just be limited to what is presented to you). It just emphasizes how important it is to have all four skills integrated, because all four are useful and can reinforce each other (for example say that you know how to speak really well an L2, but cannot perceive anything at all of what others say to you-that wouldn’t be communication at all, it would only be a one-way thing, interaction needs to sides).
ReplyDeletePracticing and using a second language in an age of Skype, international travel, and the internet is much easier today than it has been in the past. Integrated and dynamic multi-skill models place emphasis on real use of language with a balanced approach to listening, speaking, reading and writing. These models avoid focusing on just one skill and integrate multiple skills in each lesson plan. As teachers, we need to recognize that our students have specific goals for their language learning. Today’s learners want pragmatic (useful) language skills that help them communicate. Meaningful communication focuses on the learner’s ability to convey a message to someone else and understand his or her response. Having communicative competence refers to student’s understanding of grammar and appropriate uses of language. An integrated approach balances the four skills to give students the best set of skills to meet their goals for their 2L.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lynn - a focus on pragmatic use of language is more vital today than every because of increased contact between different cultures. Often in the past, language was relegated to the classroom. You could compare it to studying French in an American high school. For most people, school is the only place they will ever speak French. The same has been true of English classrooms in other countries. Students may have used their English to consume Western media, but they did not have to actually communicate with it. Increasing globalization has changed that, though. They not only need English to communicate with native English speakers but also to conduct business with others whose L2 is English. In Cambodia, I had many students who went on to work under Japanese or Chinese bosses, and everything was done in English because it was the language they had in common. When your job and your company's financial prosperity rely on your ability to conduct your work in English, you can see why communicate competence (in all four skills) would be of vital importance. Learning language in this context is about so much more than doing well on grammar tests; you must actually be able to function in that language.
ReplyDeleteI interpret this to mean that in our present society, we need multiple stimuli to mull over at one time. We need to satisfy the need to learning speaking and reading at the same time using two different communicative activities. For example, students need a communicative speaking activity, like role play, then a communicative reading activity, like reading narrative “presented for passive reception” (185). It makes sense. This society of globalization (and technology) has trained our brains to be multi-taskers. Personally, I can’t remember the last time where I’ve just watched TV. and TV. only without fiddling with my phone. To adapt to this thinking, I find it appropriate to present two angles of the instruction simultaneously in order to fulfill that learned desire to balance two concepts at once.
ReplyDeleteI think that in today's world, more than ever, it is easier to move and make a living not just down the street but internationally as well. With so many people coming and going from countries that do not speak their native language, it is important for them to be able to communicate effectively as quickly as possible. 'Communicative competence' and meaningful communication is, in a way, what pragmatics is all about. As our world and society get more sophisticated, it is no longer enough to be able to rely only on the spoken word to be able to hold a job. People need to be able to read and write if they are to be successful in integrating into society. I think that a 'dynamic and integrated approach' to language learning means that not only does a lesson focus on speaking skills or solely one of the skils, but focuses on the four language skills, reading, writing, speaking and listening all at the same time (incorporates all of them in a single lesson). In this way, the L2 learner picks up all of the skills necessary to become proficient in the L2 concurrently.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement. In the globalization age, effective communication skills play important roles, which need language learners develop their integrated multi skills instead of focusing on one or two specific skills. Nowadays, we learn L2 mainly for practical usage, or a language will lose its main function in human world. And in turn, only through practical communication, a language can survive and develop. Language can also help cultural communication. We learn not only the language itself, but also the culture it brings. If we concentrate on knowing other cultural customs and the cultural difference, the communication will become more effective and meaningful. Therefore, language learners need to develop their integrated skills and cultural awareness to be more competent in global communication.
ReplyDeleteJarrod Duarte
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the statement is 100% accurate. My understanding of this statement is that in today´s world and economy - communicative competence between people and countries is vital. In addition with the technology that now exists people may never meet face to face but rather will communicate through email, video hosting, or other various communication technologies, and therefore a pragmatic multi-skill approach to language learning that emphasizes a real approach to information transference, through various mediums which need various skills, in all ways is important.
Jarrod Duarte
I understand this statement to mean that language education needs to focus on students' ability to communicate. A student who can read and write English perfectly but cannot speak would have trouble communicating with English speakers, as would a student who could speak English but was unable to write an email or resume. Practicing multiple skills in class will help students to better communicate with speakers of their L2 and have an easier time finding jobs or in school.
ReplyDeleteKailey Watson
I understood this statement to mean that we live in an age where information is shared readily and freely. It is so easy now to spread information and ideas. Before, there were many barriers to break before information could break through. Now that those barriers are broken, language learning has become more important than ever. People are striving to communicate even more effectively now that we live in the age of globalization. This places an increased value on integrated and dynamic multi-skill instructional models with a focus on meaningful communication. The integration of the four skills adds richness to the language learning process and gives students greater motivation that converts to better retention of principles of effective speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Instead of limiting students to one mode of performance per course, students are given a chance to diversify their efforts in more meaningful tasks. This means that students learn language as a whole rather than in 4 individual components. Instead of teaching students individual parts of a language and expecting them to bring it all together on their own, language is taught in a way that integrates both the newly introduced components of that language into the components already learned. Each component is integrated into the next in order to create better reinforcement and more authenticity of the language learned. I think the importance of integrating skills is absolutely essential when attempting to teach authentic language. In order to be able to use a language in it's intended form, one must integrate all the skills learned into every lesson. In every day life, I don't use my own English language skills in individual parts. I don't only use my reading skills at one time in my life, and only use my speaking skills in another. All of these skills are constantly intertwined and are used interchangeably. These skills are attached to one another, and therefore need to be taught that way. There is no other way to teach rich and authentic language.
ReplyDeleteI think this statement accurately describes today's language learners in this global society. What I believe this statement means is that language learners need to be able to communicate with other language learners and do so with different means of communication or different types of media. The internet gave way of to email, Instant messaging, "facebooking", tweeting, and "skyping." All this require some understanding of language. So they will integrate reading and writing and some like Skype will require listening and speaking. Language learners are taking advantage of technology to aid them in language learning. I was told from a friend that there is only so much he can learn in class and from a text book. So he tries to Skype with some of his friends in another country to practice his L2 and for him the immediate feedback helps him with using the the language.
ReplyDeleteThe global language learner is a person who not only sits in a class but uses many modes of communication that is at their disposal. The increase in ways technology has allowed language learners to learn and communicate has increased over the years and so language teachers have to find ways of creating meaningful language lessons that incorporate all for skills and decide how these lesson will be transmitted. If a teacher decides to have a lesson transmitted via Skype then students don't have to be in a classroom and can have immediate feedback from teacher. However, if the teacher does a lesson via YouTube video then students would have to practice this lesson, there is no immediate feedback and they would have to post comments on the site and wait for the teacher to get back to them. All these modes of media help connect students to other students as well as students to teachers but they all require the some integration of 2 or all of the 4 skills.
No matter what method of media is used language learners will use the technology around them to learn and communicate with each other and our responsibility to our students is that we should provide them with both meaningful and communicative practice that will help them be better communicators.
Stefani Goode
The globalization of our world in general has made it possible for people of various cultures and languages to interact more easily than ever. If we were to ignore this as ESL teachers we would be negligent. Integrating reading, writing, listening and speaking in ESL education with an emphasis on pragmatic and meaningful communication is the only way to properly equip our students for this new globalized world. When I was growing up, it would have been inconceivable that I would have friends in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia or South Korea with whom I regularly communicate on the internet and via Skype, but today, that is not only a possibility - it's my reality. These individuals with whom I am communicating are ESL learners, and it would be impossible for us to have developed these friendships, had their education not included pragmatic and meaningful interaction with all four of these aspects of communication. I feel that as this small-world situation increases and intercultural communication becomes ever more frequent, we should take advantage of the resources and scenarios it creates to enhance our students' experience with language. This also places a burden of cultural education on the teacher, since ignorance and arrogance can severely impact the quality of interaction as students begin to communicate with others in their L2 - along with the basics of clear communication the teacher aiming for a high level of competence must also focus time on the integration of cultural understanding so that students are not left with technical competence and interpersonal failure.
ReplyDeleteMultiple ways to communicate are important now a days and a being competent in communication is vital in this day’s global community. My conversation partner has been taking English classes for several years, he mentioned that he can read and write but lacked the ability to practice conversation skills and that is why he came to UTA. He said it is very important to develop that fluency in communication. A pragmatic multi-skill approach to learning can have an important economic and social advantage in the lives of students.
ReplyDeleteListening, reading, speaking and writing should all receive equal attention if there is to be success in communication and as other have stated have a high degree of pragmatic language ability. Even so a competent pragmatic ability comes from the use of a language, so students need to find ways to communicate outside of the classroom to expand on their abilities. I think it’s important for a teacher to encourage this ability in their students.
I think this statement is true, although it ought to contain the word "should" because many language programs still require years and years of study for mastery in only one or two skills.
ReplyDeleteI understand this statement to mean that language learning, (and teaching), requires a more integrated, multi-tasker oriented style than in previous eras. This day and age requires people to be able to function on all levels in various languages quickly and effectively, therefore requiring language learners to be competent in their target language as quickly as humanly possible.
The age of globalization is a broad term that encompasses the realities we encounter in a world in which people and ideas fly across the world faster than ever before. As our worlds move closer and closer together, the initial prerequisite for communication and integration is that we are able to speak the same language. This includes not only listening and speaking but also reading and writing since ideas are communicated across all these mediums. The more competent a learner is at communicating across these various platforms, the more equipped and empowered he or she will be to learn from and impact another culture. Communicative language is the key.
ReplyDeleteAs a future EFL teacher, this means I need to equip my students to be able to not only talk and listen, but also to read and write. If I teach EFL strictly for academic purposes so that students only know how to read and write to pass a test, then I am not truly preparing them to interact with the English-speaking world. If I overemphasize speaking and listening to the exclusion of reading and writing, then students will be like pre-literate children, unable to glean so much of what the world, literature, and the internet have to offer.
By entering twenty-first century, people all over the world can communicate one another easily thanks for the brilliant development of technology. Moreover, many countries contact with other countries economically, culturally, and politically. In this flow of globalization, second or foreign language education is being emphasized more and more. According to the increasing necessity of second or foreign language competence, the curriculum or teaching methods have also changed in order to coincide with contemporary requirements of second or foreign language learners. For example, in the past time the most important reason of second or foreign language learning was to understand target languages or get high scores in tests. However, these days we study second or foreign languages to communicate with foreigners more fluently. As a result, contemporary second or foreign language teaching focuses on all of four skills together as opposed to the past curriculums that were focused on grammar or structure.
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