Interview 3: Claudia Manuel
Blog 3: Interview with Claudia Manuel
For my second interview, I sat with Claudia Manuel. She is the
partner teacher to my mentor teacher and teaches third grade social studies,
reading and science in Spanish for the dual language program at our school.
From her experience, the critical or sensitive period will not stop someone
from learning a new language. She says that anyone will be alright if they want
to learn a new language as long as they are willing and work hard to practice.
Ortega (2013), also states that there are many cases of exceptional learners
who began learning their second language after puberty who have performed as
well as native speakers. Ortega (2013) also states that L1 and L2 transfer can
happen when learners feel that what works in one language will work in the
other. When encountering L1 or L2 transfer she says the best thing to do is
correct them in a way that does not bring them down or make them feel bad. She
also uses a lot of visuals and pictures to help them make connections with the
language.
She believes that motivation is the best way to learn a language and
to combat foreign language anxiety by creating a safe space where the students
are unafraid to make mistakes and always using their mistakes as a learning
opportunity. Rowland (2014) states that attitudes and motivation are dynamic
and can be increased with attention to time, context and behavior. Ms. Manuel
uses learning strategies that use their background knowledge, partner work, and
practice speaking, listening and writing to increase motivation and skill.
It
was very interesting to hear about the topics we have discussed in class and
hear how she sees them in her profession on a regular basis.
Hi Amber. I absolutely loved watching your video. I believe the reason why I enjoyed it so much was because my interviewee and Ms. Manuel had similar views. I liked the fact that your questions pertain to a positive aspect of gaining children interest in second language. I also like how you discussed additional manipulative's that aide in a child's ability to learn another language, such as using sentence stems, partner works, gestures, and encouraging mistakes while not insulting a child's lack of knowledge. Ortega states that ,maintaining a connection between prior knowledge and new knowledge is important when learning content of a language. It's important to be aware of student's culturally background because it affects their comprehension of another language. (Ortega, 2011 Pg. 60). Based on the information that Ms. Manuel gave, do you think, during the time of slow transitions, students efforts in acquiring a new language affect the home setting? And if so in what way?
ReplyDeleteOrtega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print
Hi Celester,
DeleteThank you for your comments. I think a lot of the teachers will share the same views regarding child interest in second language and the language support they receive such as sentence stems and encouraging mistakes are all a part of creating a supportive environment. According to Ortega (2011), knowing about the language benefits afforded by the environment is important for having a good understanding about how people learn additional languages. I think this is important regarding students in their home settings. The home setting should be affected when students are learning a new language because there are ways in the home to provide language benefits. Even if the students parents do not speak the L2 being acquired, if they are aware of the environment they can do things like put on television programs in the language or provide books and apps to use that give practice listening, speaking and writing in the new language. That is how I think student efforts can affect the home setting.
Amber,
ReplyDeleteExcellent interview, I really enjoyed it. I like how Ms. Manuel mentions that just because the critical/sensitive period has passed for an individual does not mean a person will not learn another language. In the interview she states that children are not afraid to make mistakes and are less self-conscious, which allows them to practice said language until they meet proficiency. This is such a key point because as we do get older, we are afraid to make mistakes when talking in another language, and this limits the usage of that language. Ortega (2014) states that using a foreign language as an adult can damage one's ego, hence why they do not use it. As for most adults, this is true. We never want to feel we are less than someone or cannot communicate proficiently. Though an adult can never really achieve native-like language standards as a child can in the long run, they can still learn to read, write, speak, and function just as well. To live in a country where your native language is not spoken, you do not need to sound like a native to survive. I know many people who live in America that do not speak English as well as me, but are getting by just fine.
Great video/reflection!
Thank you Hussein! When I heard Ms. Manuel discuss the critical/sensitive period it really felt like a sigh of relief. According to Ortega (2014), the evidence for a critical/sensitve period in L2 aquisition has a lot of opposing views. Overall, the verdict is that before puberty is the optimal time to learn a language, however there are exceptions. To hear Ms. Manuel, along with other educators working with L2 learners, agree that individuals may still achieve success in L2 acquisition after the critical/sensitive period gives me hope. It is important for us as educators to believe in the ability of those we teach, and if we believe that after a certain point they will not be able to achieve then we would be doing them a disservice. I like that she sides with those who believe motivation plays a big part in success in L2 acquisition. I also agree with your comments, that we as adults never want to feel incompetent and using a foreign language incorrectly can definitely cause those feelings. Not only do us adults feel that way but so do children. That is why it is so important that we as educators provide an environment where learners feel safe to make mistakes in a productive way. Thank you for your comments they were very insightful.
DeleteThank you for your reply. I agree with Ms. Manuel as well as your interviewee that it is important to create an environment where students are not afraid to make mistakes. According to Gass on page 400, (2008) "anxiety, competitiveness as well as shock in a new, perhaps uncontrollable situation can make the language-learning situation problematic and stressful." If students feel humiliated every time they speak in a new language due to mistakes or accents, it will cause anxiety and stress that will not make for a supportive learning environment. It is important for learners to practice reading, writing and speaking in the new language, and if they are afraid to practice speaking it will hinder their language acquisition. In my student teaching I intentionally will try to say things in Spanish even though I am not confident in my speech because I want them to know that even I will try to say things and there is no reason to be embarrassed or shy.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Manuel talks about how enjoyment when learning is an important factor in learning a second language after the critical period. Ortega talks about low and high enjoyment as a determining factor a student learning a new language (169). The complexity of different activities and lack of repetition (traditional learning) create valuable opportunities for that enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexandra,
DeleteThank you for your comments! Yes I agree that enjoyment plays a big part in learning a second language after the critical period. Even us as college students can agree that it is difficult to learn in classes with no enjoyment. It can feel like more of a burden than a learning opportunity. According to Ortega (2014), attitudes toward the formal learning context have a lasting and important influence on motivation, which is essential in L2 aquisition. And like you said, there are many ways to allow students to enjoy the learning process rather than detest it including a positive environment where mistakes are welcome and a variety of activities.