Breaking The Myth Use Of Mt Disal Daniel Bonatti

Breaking the Myth: The Use of Portuguese (MT) in the Language Classroom

In this workshop…•PORTUGUESE will be our MT

(Mother Tongue), and ENGLISH will be our target language.

•However, one can apply these ideas and principles to the teaching of any second language.

WHO...•…thinks MT SHOUD be used in the classroom,

and wants to find out ways of doing it effectively?

•…thinks MT should NOT be used in the classroom?

•…thinks MT SHOUD be used in the classroom BUT can’t use it due to school policies?

•…hasn’t made up their minds on the use of MT???

•…is a teacher AND an interpreter/translator?

This Workshop1. Overview of myths -

discussion2. The Root Causes3. The Disadvantages of

Forbidding MT4. Advocating the Use of MT5. Practical Activities

The Myths…1. Using Portuguese in class is

counterproductive to the students’ learning2. Translation in the classroom is bad!3. The students need to be “forced” to speak

English!4. Students need to learn to “think” in English5. Students can’t learn English if they are

relying on their MT

The Root Cause•DIRECT METHOD (Natural Method)– 1900▫Students’ MT was banned from classrooms▫No translations▫No bilingual dictionaries▫Vocabulary through demonstration of

objects and pictures▫Abstract vocabulary through association of

ideas▫Attempt to imitate MT acquisition (babies)

The Root Cause•DIRECT METHOD▫Political and Commercial Interests of

English speaking countries▫Mixed language classrooms▫Monolingual (English speaking)

teachers▫Soon spread to monolingual classrooms▫Generated the belief that native

speakers were the best teachers

The Root Cause• Direct Method became a NECESSITY!!

The Root Cause•We have “imported” Direct Method

into our classrooms•But we are privileged! Our classes

are monolingual + we speak their tongue!!

Attempt to Imitate MT acquisition

BUT… Target Language acquisition is completely different from MT acquisition

•Starting from Scratch•More proficient•5-year old = 18,250 hours

•Life Experience•Less Proficient•Faster Learning

Attempt to “Think” in English

Freud localiza no campo da linguagem a aquisição de conhecimentos posteriores, por levar em conta a hierarquia que estabeleceu originariamente as funções dos campos associativos da linguagem na língua materna.

“A função da linguagem apresenta excelentes exemplos de novas aquisições. É o caso de aprender a ler e a escrever relacionados com a atividade primária da linguagem... se aprendo a falar e a compreender diversas línguas estrangeiras, se, além do alfabeto aprendido em primeiro lugar, aprendo também o grego e o hebraico, se, ao lado de minha grafia uso também a estenografia e outras escritas – todas essas atividades estão evidentemente localizadas nas mesmas áreas que conhecemos como centros da primeira língua aprendida.” (Freud, apud Moraes, 1999, p. 24-25)

The Mind Processor

The Role of MTExcluding MT from the English classroom is like trying to wean a baby on day one of their life

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT

1. Meaning is not understood accurately

Ex: CHIP IN

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT

1. Meaning is not understood accurately

ANY STORIES?

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT

One teacher being observed spent 10 minutes to explain the following 4 expressions:

•So far (3.5 minutes) Strange (3 minutes) Fast asleep (1.5 minutes) According to (2 minutes)

2. A lot more explanation time

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT

3. Complex Explanations (video)Many times, the instructions needed to carry out the task may be more linguistically complex than the language of the task itself.

EX VIDEO: well aware/ there are/ take the form of/ participle of some sort/ take a look/ I can think of/ might wanna know/ I’m sure you’re familiar with these/ compound nouns/ subject of a sentence/ I’ve been calling that/ reduced relative clause/ here you’re missing the/…,

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT

4. Teacher gets exhausted from all the miming, singing and dancing

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT• Although

• One can apply the principles…

• One never knows when…• Resilient (economy)• Let it slide…• Touch a nerve• You got it!• Take it out on• I need to vent• I make a point of doing s.t.• He’s such a party pooper• That was uncalled for

• I got conned…• I was told…• Do you think I can

pull it off?

Disadvantages of Forbidding MT

5. Source of embarrassment and frustration to the student

MT / Translation

Teachers need to know how to deal with the problems, as well as the advantages, that

translation can bring to learning. The main point is the recognition that translation can

help the learner to clarify meaning. It is now seen to be a positive teaching and learning

resource and not an obstacle.- Paul Lindsay, founder St. Giles Colleges

Is this what we expect?

Empty students with no life experience?

No stories in Portuguese?

Very limited ability to be themselves?

We already have content!Music

Movies

Family

Sports

Art

EducationWork

Why not use it? Build upon existing skills!

Using the Mother Tongue

My Experience•Training Americans in Brazil on language & culture•My own learning process : translations and vocabulary equivalents•19 years of teaching experience

Reeducating our StudentsFirst Step = Tell your students what

you are doing and whyShow = show them the real benefits –

point out their progress through translation / MT activities

Follow-up = from time to time, remind them of the benefits of

judicious use of MT

Uses of Mother Tongue: PROPOSAL

• I suggest we continue to use the TARGET LANGUAGE as much as possible in the classroom, seizing every opportunity to communicate in L2.

•However, we should allow the Mother Tongue and Culture to enrich the quality of communication, and use it as a tool, judiciously.

Uses of Mother Tongue: Advantages

•Translation for practicing structures, vocabulary

•Clarify meaning for accurate use•Teach lexical items / chunks (Lewis)•Allow students to bring their content into the

classroom•Confidence Builder•Ability to teach more complex structures in

early stages

Translation L2 > MT

Translation L2 > MT

1) Teacher reads out loud 2) Students read it (correct intonation)3) Students clarify questions using MT4) Students read again (role play) 5) Students read again switching

characters 6) Students translate orally 7) Students act out in MT and L28) Variation: change sentences to their

reality

Translation L2 > MT

Translation L2 > MTNoah Vosen: [in car, on cell phone] Perhaps we

can arrange a meeting. Jason Bourne: Where are you now? Noah Vosen: I'm sitting in my office. Jason Bourne: I doubt that. Noah Vosen: Why would you doubt that? Jason Bourne: If you were in your office right now we'd be having this conversation face-to-face.

Variation: If you were my boss, I’d report to you.

Translation MT> L2

Translation MT> L2

Just for Fun…

Fun Activity (Chunks)• Literal TranslationsThis is a fun activity and helps students understand the

nature of chunks – that they can’t be translated word-for-word (there are exceptions = kill time, time flies, kill two birds with one stone, etc) and will seek appropriate equivalents.

Is we on the tape / it will give samba / he yellowed / I book your face / the business is the following /

• Out of sight, out of mind (translation) - physical distance causes emotional distance (dictionary definition)

• Long time no see! = Quanto tempo!!!

Jokes / Storytelling• Elicit short jokes in MT – translate – have students

tell them

• An accountant visited the Natural History museum. While standing near the dinosaur he said to his neighbor: "This dinosaur is two billion years and ten months old"."Where did you get this exact information?" "I was here ten months ago, and the guide told me that the dinosaur was two billion years old…

Jokes / StorytellingO médico disse ao paciente: “Você

tem pouco tempo de vida”, e o paciente disse “Puxa doutor.... O que eu posso fazer?” …… O médico respondeu : “Um miojo”.•Translate•Students will tend to remember

structures and vocabulary

Jokes / StorytellingTwo accountants are in a bank, when armed robbers

burst in. While several of the robbers take the money from the tellers, others line the customers, including the accountants, up against a wall, and proceed to take their wallets, watches, etc. While this is going on accountant number one jams something in accountant number two's hand. Without looking down, accountant number two whispers, "What is this?" to which accountant number one replies, “It's the $50 I owe you”.

Picture Note-taking1. Put students into pairs2. Have student A speak about something for two –

three minutes in Portuguese (past events, likes and dislikes, personality…), depending on your language focus

3. Student B listens and draws pictures related to the speech, and then uses them to translate into English

4. Teacher helps with new vocabulary and structure5. Everyone can laugh at the pictures later6. Students tend to remember new words and structure!

Students Note-taking System

I suggest that students have a system where the can write down their new stuff both in Portuguese and English and review later.

I consider what students ASK in class is more important than the contents in the book. That can’t go unnoticed or get lost in a notebook.

This is an opportunity for real-life situation practice.

Desculpe-me pelo atraso / Fiquei preso no trânsito / Trabalhei até tarde ontem / Vou ter que sair mais cedo

Spot Translation•One example of a limited use of MT

is spot translation, which is a quick word in MT as an aside during primarily English communication. Spot translation, when used well, can prevent a class from becoming a perpetual negotiation of meaning.

Sandwich Technique•The sandwich technique is when the

teacher “inserts a translation between repetitions of an unknown phrase, almost as an aside, or with a slight break in the flow of speech to mark it as an ‘intruder’.” In this way the teacher briefly uses the mother tongue, but quickly re-establishes syntax for his students.

Planning and Planning!!

With appropriate planning, teachers can reach their goals and have very productive classes with judicious use of the students’ mother tongue.

Thank you!

Teacher Courses atwww.evidenceidiomas.com.br

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