[B-Greek] re: A fork in the road

R Yochanan Bitan Buth ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il
Mon Oct 25 13:56:30 EDT 2004


Stepp EGRAPSEN 

>I also would urge you to follow the format Mounce uses.  I'm currently

teaching with Mounce for the second time, and I find the reasoning behind

his format to be sound. 

 

Reasoning, logic and language learning is something that may surprise those
who specialize in "dead" languages -- it has surprised those involved with
modern languages. 

What follows may be for teachers to consider in the future. Here is what
Stephen Krashen (not the last word, but a leading second language
researcher) has to say as background to optimal grammatical sequencing
(Language Acquisition and Language Education, 1985) p. 9:

"We acquire a new rule by understanding messages [in the new language!-RB]
that contain this new rule. 

... another important part of the Input Hypothesis is the claim that
comprehensible imput, when delivered in sufficient quality and quantity,
automatically contains all the appropriate structures for the acquirer - we
need not deliberately program grammar. Rather, if we supply enough
high-quality comprehensible input, all the structures, those described by
linguists AND THOSE NOT YET DESCRIBED [emphasis mine-RB], will be provided
in just the right quantity and will be automatically reviewed. I have argued
... that this approach is far more efficient than deliberate grammatical
sequencing for the development of grammatical accuracy. 

(p.10) "We acquire [internalize the language-RB] when we obtain
comprehesible input in a low-anxiety situation, when we are presented with
interesting messages, and when we understand these messages. Comprehensible
input has been the last resort of the language teaching profession: We have
tried nearly every other possiblity-grammar teaching, dialogue memorization,
pattern drills, and expensive and awkward teaching machines. None of these
approaches attempts to provide the essential ingredient-comprehensible
input." [PS: the listed methods are not necessarily incompatible with
comprehensible input, but they are difficult to integrate-RB]

(p.13-14) "Asher ... developed a method called Total Physical Tesponse (TPR)
is which the teacher gives students commands in the second language. It is
effective because the commands are comprehensible-the teacher models the
commanded action while giving the command. ... research confirming the
efficacy of this method has appeared regularly in the most prestigious
journals since that time... In every case, TPR students do much better than
comparison students." 

(p. 19) "Reading is comprehensible input. There is good evidence that
pleasure reading has a powerful effect on language acquisition. ... Such
texts need not be 'grammatically sequenced;' they need only capture student
attention and be comprehensible. ... Very little pleasure reading is
currently done in beginning language classes. What reading is done is nearly
always much too difficult; texts attempt to provide practice in new
vocabulary and grammar, thus ensuring low comprehensibility! Student need a
great deal of easy reading, motivating reading that provides its own
reward."

 

The above can be considered a fork in the road. EAN QELWMEN PAIZEIN, DYNATOI
ESMEN MAQEIN KAI ENNOEIN TAS ODOUS. [By the way, the book cited above is
written for general language teaching communities and is not just for second
language theorists.]

 

ERRWSQE

Randall Buth 

 

Randall Buth, PhD

Director, Biblical Language Center

www.biblicalulpan.org

and Director, Biblical Studies in Israel

Hebrew University, Rothberg International School

ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il

 




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