Improving Foreign Language Teaching

One of the most disheartening and sadly common things I hear is, "I'm just not good at foreign languages." This attitude kills me, and it reflects the large failures in how we approach learning and teaching foreign languages.

I have no special aptitude for foreign languages: Nobody in my family speaks a foreign language; and, I started learning after age 13, which is considered a "cut off" for fluent language acquisition. That said, I managed to learn four languages to a highly competent level and speak two others conversationally. So, when people marvel at my impossible facility for languages as if it were an impossible innate talent, I want to shake them by the lapels. I have some advantages that arise from my circumstances: I do have a good ear for music which probably helps with languages; my school did randomly teach Latin (which I do not speak) which may have served as a place-holder; I grew up in a Mexican neighborhood; and I was a total geography dork. That said, I think far too much emphasis is placed on some supposed innate skill and not enough on the failures of language teaching.

Foreign Languages (FLs) are a passion of mine--not only have I learned several, but I taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in both Panama and the U.S.--so, I would like to see more people succeed in what is often an investment of 2-4 (or more) years. I think that the reason why so many people leave four years of Spanish class unsure whether "¿Cómo estás?" means "How are you?" or "Where is the bathroom?" is because of severe failures in how we approach the teaching of FLs and a complete failure in how we learn them. For this reason, I want to start a conversation on strategies for improving the likelihood for language learning success by first looking at failures in the approach to FLs, then looking at problems with how they are taught and some fixes I see. In a separate post, I will offer advice on how to better approach language learning (I know, to be continueds are the worst!).

Obviously, the way you approach anything is a big determinant in your level of success, and I am convinced that the approach to FLs is erroneously thought to be "word for word translation" taught by compartmentalizing vocabulary and grammar structures. If you think about how you communicate and how you learned your native tongue, you should have an intuitive sense that something is wrong with such a strategy. For one thing, you picked up your native tongue by babbling about experiences, hearing what those around you were saying, and by mimicking...not by segregating content or carefully applying what you learned. Additionally, direct translation defies the key point of communication: being understood by others. If I say I haven't drank anything for hours or if I say I am thirsty, you get the general idea. I could probably even tell you that without words. The following are the grave consequences of our translator's approach to FLs:

1. No two languages express all words or concepts in the same way or words, so expecting direct translation will often result in getting stuck.



2. Translation is a special, difficult skill because it tries to most faithfully communicate the exact meaning in another language. If you try to do this in everyday conversation, however, you tax yourself and limit the amount of things you convey because you've divided your brain's activities between creating and evaluating material simultaneously (which you know is a bad idea if you've ever tried to edit a paper you just wrote at 3am the day before it was due). It also is laborious to your listener to wait for you to get something out.



3. Think of all the times you forget words in your language. Do you give up when you can't remember the name of a saw? No! You take what you know and remember and engage in what I call negotiating meaning, which 99% of the time works perfectly. ("I used that thing that cuts wood to make a 2x4" is just as effective as "I used a saw to make a 2x4." NOTE: I am not a carpenter.)



4. Languages are not like a calculator where you put the elements in and get the right answer. Languages are like putting on 3-D glasses, giving you a new way to see the world and changing how you interpret what you see. Some things need to be learned through context or experience because there is no direct equivalent. Some Inuit cultures have several different words for snow because it is so relevant to their reality, but others have none. My friend complained that even though Argentina was big on beef, they did not have as refined a system for ordering meat as rare as he liked because it wasn't done there. He had to negotiate meaning to communicate what he wanted.



5. Language is culture. To ignore that Arabic was codified in the Qu'ran means that you don't understand the limitations of the language to its religious roots or its temporal context. This becomes really important when you think of dialects, as the fixed translation approach will make you unable to get on a bus in rural Panama until you realize that the "chivo" is actually public transit not it's literal dictionary translation as "goat."



6. Language does not have isolated concepts. You can divide in math without knowing how to calculate the area of a triangle and vice versa, but not so in a language. Words and structures flow across one another to form a web that you use to convey and interpret your reality.



7. Non-verbal communication should not take a backseat to verbal/written communication. Ask any Italian speaker. Most of what we understand is from context clues like tone of voice, expression, gestures, and you are cutting out 2/3 of language understanding by treating it as a fixed translation concept.

This failed approach accounts for a lot of the issues we see in FL teaching. Let's look at some of the biggest problems with FL teaching and some possible solutions (I welcome your additions and corrections, too!):


Problem #1: Almost every FL book you will read begins each lesson with a vocabulary list that prompts brute memorization, rather than webs of understanding or context-based understanding of usage.

Solution 1: Use pictures wherever possible so that the learner associates the foreign word with its meaning, which goes a long way in promoting communicating without translation because you don't associate árbol (Spanish), shajjar (Arabic), or albero (Italian) with an English word but rather with a big wooden plant with lots of leaves or thistles that populates a forest (you now can say _____ in three FLs without me telling you the word).
Solution 2: When you have a word, use it in a sentence before giving the English meaning. Students are more likely to retain a word that they guess and they are better able to reproduce it because they have seen it in action, not in isolation (I did this in solution 1).
Solution 3: Try to link related words and concepts to things a student has already learned so that they form associations and thus stick better. Nets catch more than wires do.


Problem #2: Concepts taught in isolation create a fractured approach to language and inhibit the learner's ability to use them together to convey the meaning they need. How many times have you taken a Spanish or French test that often blatantly says "use the correct form of the subjunctive to complete the following sentences" or "pronoun quiz?" There is a reason why you can properly use the past perfect tense in English without knowing that that's what you call it.

Solution 1: Encourage students that pull from future lessons or outside sources by helping them to identify generally what that is and let them play around with using the concept (even incorrectly). Eventually, children move from "I goed to the store" to "I went to the store," and so too will your language learner.
Solution 2: Test understanding and context and reading and writing rather than multiple choice or fill-in-the-blanks about a single concept. Mix it up! If you really want to test their knowledge of a concept, don't tell them the concept or they will do a robo-fill and not learn on the test (tests are actually a learning tool not a torture device; done well, they reinforce learning). Give them an example sentence and then ask them to do something similar by giving them a couple of words and asking them to create a related concept. (for example, if I am teaching the subjunctive, I might give a sentence that says Quiero que vayas al supermercado. and then give my student two verbs (Esperar, entender) and ask them to create a similar sentence. Be careful not to mark students wrong if they don't create the subjunctive and instead say "Espero entender la lección," if they have made a grammatically correct sentence.)
Solution 3: Remember to weave in old concepts and words regularly into new lessons so that the student (a) doesn't forget, (b) builds linkages, and (c) builds off a base rather than reinventing the wheel.


Problem #3: Teachers often correct things that are correct or that are incorrect but not terribly problematic. You need to strike a balance here, as you want kids to learn a given concept, but if you discourage them when they are right, you'll never have the opportunity to correct them later. Likewise, if they say several incorrect things, overcorrection could dishearten them and thwart them from persisting.

Solution 1: If they haven't used the concept you want them to use, ask follow up questions or encourage them to expand on an idea as best they can to try and prompt it rather than just saying "Remember we are using the preterite!"
Solution 2: If they made a boatload of errors, focus on the key errors. Don't necessarily just correct them, but rather ask them questions and try to lead them to identifying and correcting the error themselves. Additionally, you focus too much attention on one student all at once, which can embarrass them and can deprive others of a chance to try their FL skills out in class.
Solution 3: Whenever a student makes a mistake, make them repeat the correct version of what they said or wrote to commit the correction to memory. The extra attention may make it stick out in their mind the next time and having corrected it means they'll have an example in their head. Too many times a teacher corrects a student and they say "ok" and then they continue focusing on the rest of what they are trying to say rather than committing the correction to memory.
Solution 4: Abolish negative feedback like "wrong" from your correction strategy and replace with questions. Saying "no, that's wrong, Peter" is much less effective than saying, "Okay, Peter, you want to say you went to the store. Let's see if that's what you said. Is 'to go' regular or irregular in Spanish? Okay, do you remember how we say it in the past? No? Okay, well, do you remember how we say 'I was' in the past tense?" In other words, guide them. Feedback should always be specific (teaching anything, not just an FL) and actionable.


Problem #4: Teachers use WAY too much class time on writing, reading and worksheets. These are solitary activities, which makes them ideal for doing and correcting outside of class. Wasting class on solitary activities cuts into the already limited time students have to practice their listening and speaking skills.

Solution 1: Assign as much reading and writing and worksheets (which are often way less effective than you think) as homework or extra practice and do the corrections as your prep work. I know, this makes your job a lot harder, but you are really doing your students a solid.
Solution 2: Vary what students are assigned to read and have them talk to each other about it in class. That way, they are learning new words and structures and teaching each other rather than you having to do all the teaching. It is very empowering for them to be able to teach something, they are much more likely to remember it, and I've saved you some prep time to use for all the extra writing you'll be correcting outside of class time.
Solution 3: If you want to correct things in class, this can be made effective by making it an oral, student-run exercise that aggregates mistakes you notice the class making and leaves time for additional questions that may arise. Nobody is embarrassed and the class works together to improve their understanding/communication skills.


Problem #5: Pictures, music and video are often used much less than books and articles (ever have "Lab day" only once a week?), but this means you are using tools designed for reading/writing skills which will inherently move your instruction style toward those less communicative, interpersonal skills that should be the focus of class.

Solution 1: Invert it! Make 3 days a week lab days or conversation parlors and only use one for direct instruction or reading or writing (and try to make it as oral and interactive as you can so as to improve communicative pillars of language in class).
Solution 2: Prepare supplements that use pictures or music that cover words or concepts from a lesson (let's face it, cumbersome textbooks aren't going anywhere soon) to correct for the deficiencies of the tools you have as a teacher in a budget-scarce school.
Solution 3: Use these tools to elicit more than just the stuff in your lesson. Shakira taught me all sorts of body parts and verbs while reinforcing things I already knew. She has songs that use words for nose (which you are likely to learn earlier on), but also for elbows (how often do you talk about elbows?). To this day, I associate her with body parts...and not in the same way that most people do.


Problem #6: Teachers often neglect the cultural aspect of a language, but that is the most exciting part that will capture a student and remind them that no group of people is homogenous. Panamanians don't eat guacamole!

Solution 1: Look for amateur troops or cultural associations in your locality and bring them into the class (many are more than happy).
Solution 2: Assign readings and assignments from the arts, literature, or culture sections of news outlets. Get them to replicate cultural practices as an oral assignment or have them write a song/rap/play in the style of a famous performer or group.
Solution 3: Celebrate holidays from the cultures that speak the target FL. Because holidays usually involve celebrating, food, and social interaction, a lot of great vocab and expressions are lurking there. Plus, if your student goes to a country where that FL is spoken or meets someone who speaks the language, they have some credibility and something exciting to engage about.
Solution 4: As I noted before, music is amazing. Walking people through a song can help them learn new words and appreciate a new artist. Additionally, if you get them translating, you will very quickly reveal to them how bad one-for-one translations are.


Problem #7: Don't cut your students off or finish their thoughts! You want your kids to be Macgyvers: maybe they don't have a lock-pick, but they can get the door open with a credit card. That is to say, they need to be able to navigate around words they don't know and use what they do know to make themselves understood.

Solution 1: If they are stalling for a long time, ask them questions to see if you can help them to find new words or to say it differently.
Solution 2: If they are stuck on a word, have a policy where they can "phone a friend" in the native language. They shouldn't be able to get out of using the language saying "How do I say monkey in Spanish?" They should be asking for help in Spanish. Then make them repeat the entire sentence once they've completed it to cement the new word. You may wish to give these trouble words an appearance on an upcoming assignment or quiz to reinforce them.


Problem #8: Don't let your best speakers dominate conversation OR self-segregate. You have to be careful here, as you don't want to dampen their enthusiasm, but you need to be sure that the weaker speakers get MORE practice to improve.

Solution 1: Pair strong and weak speakers in group/pair work, as your strong speakers will get a chance to teach and feel good about their skills. They will also reinforce concepts that the weak speaker gets wrong. The weaker speaker will gain from learning new words and structures from a stronger speaker. CAUTION: Be careful that you structure the conversation enough that both students/all students must engage to complete the assignment. If you do "two truths and a lie" and force both to present on their partner, neither can dominate or slack to complete the assignment."
Solution 2: Socratic method cold calls rather than hand-raising keeps people on their toes (which sometimes prompts more studying), ensures equitable distribution of answering opportunities, and doesn't allow people to count ahead and prepare for a specific question.
Solution 3: Do skills stations and consider carefully how you divide into groups. This allows you to pick off the students that need help in a given area and you can rotate slower or faster based on how much help is needed.
Solution 4: Oral tests. So often, the bulk of testing is written, so you can't blame students for putting effort into writing over speaking/listening. It shows that speaking and listening are important skills worth testing, not a tack-on to a written test.


Problem #9: Teaching that there is one correct answer. I cannot belabor this point enough, there's no wrong way to eat a Reese's and there's no wrong way to express yourself unless it is not understood. You can make grammar or usage errors, but if you someone says something correct but not in your lesson plan, encourage them! Further, if a student gets clever and says something raunchy, only correct it if they say it incorrectly (e.g. If you want to teach went is the past tense of "to go," it should be just as good for them to say "My mom went to the store" as it is to say "My prostitute went to the brothel." Either way the concept is conveyed and it is correct.).

Solution 1: Always remember and stress to yourself and your students that the point of learning a language is to express an idea in a way that is understood. Correct grammar, not content.
Solution 2: If you want to check comprehension of a concept, ask leading questions to get them there rather than saying, "ahem, this is past pluperfect time, not preterite!"
Solution 3: Ask them or someone else if they can think of another way to convey the same idea. This underscores how one approximates meaning and navigates a language to get the idea across without punishing correct communication.


Talk about it!
There are many more than 8 problems, but I wanted to focus on some big ones. I'd love to hear more about some of the problems you've had from your FL classes, what fixes you can think of, or additional solutions to (or critiques of) the problems I posted above.

Act on it!

• If you are in a position to teach someone an FL, whether in the formal setting of the classroom, while volunteering, or while helping a neighbor with a second language, try to take some of these ideas into consideration.


• If someone you know is learning an FL, ask them about some of these problems and suggest some of these (or other) solutions to their teacher.

Heck, post your replies in a foreign language as best you can to practice!