Using the Target Language
3 RD D E C E M B E R , 2 0 1 2
Using the Target Language
 Session Overview
 Policy Background – NC orders
 Issue in TL use
• For teachers
• For learners
In practice: Your experience - What you have observed/used in
school
Examples of TL use by teachers and pupils
 Developing a repertoire of TL – prepare an aidememoire
 Strategies for developing TL use by students.
Background
 Key methodological issue
 Shifts in policy (NC orders) during the 1990s
 ‘Maximalist’ to ‘Optimal use’ position – shifting
assumptions about the value of L1 use in teaching
and learning MFL (next slide)
 Questions raised about whether TL use leads to the
gains in learning that policy approach suggests it
should.
 Research into TL use (e.g Macaro, 1997; Neil, 1997)
Shifting policy on TL use
Maximalist -Early 1990s
Optimal use - Late 1990s
 Expectation that TL would
 sees some value in teacher
be the ‘normal means of
communication’
(DES/Welsh Office,
1990:6) in the classroom.
 Assumes that ‘there is
probably no pedagogical
value in learner use of L1
and almost certainly none
in teacher use of L1
(Macaro, 2000:184)
use of L1 and some value in
learner use of L1 (ibid)
 ‘Pupils are expected to use
and respond to the TL, and
to use English only when
necessary (for example,
when discussing a
grammar point or when
comparing English and the
target language)
(DfEE/QCA, 1999:16)
Questioning Assumptions
 TL use by the teacher
pupils’ learning of the
MFL ?
 Attempting to mimic real-life situations is the best way to
learning the TL?
 Learning L2 ‘naturally’ (acquisition of L1 by young
children) or explicit teaching of language structure?

According to Macaro (2000:178) – case for learning naturally is not
proven.
~Classroom-based exposure is not ‘authentic’- Teacher talk is not like
native speaker talk
 Value of L1 use as a learning tool - Most students would be likely to
think in MT not TL

 (based on Guest and Pachler, 2001)
Issues in Target Language use
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES FOR TEACHERS AND
LEARNERS?
WHAT FACTORS WILL IMPACT ON TL USE?
DISCUSS IN GROUPS:
MAKE A LIST – FOR TEACHERS AND FOR
LEARNERS, FOR BOTH – 10 MINS AND PREPARE
TO FEEDBACK
Issues in Maximum Target Language use
For Teachers
For Learners
 Own proficiency –
 Feeling uncomfortable/
confidence for sustained
use
 Native speakers –
adapting to needs of
learners
 ‘Strain’ of using TL all
lesson
 Perceived Behaviour
management problems
apprehensive being
immersed in the TL.
‘Strain’ of total TL
Insufficient visual
support
Issues for both
 ‘Suspension of disbelief’ (Macaro, 1996:6)
 e.g that both teachers and students speak only the TL
and they are using it in an authentic situation.
Factors affecting Target
Language Use
FEEDBACK FROM GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Factors affecting TL use by teachers
 Ability and size of class
 Discipline problems
 Motivation
 Group dynamics
 Topic area
 Tasks to be attempted
 Receptiveness of pupils
 (Guest and Pachler, 2001)
Arguments for and against(maxmal) TL use
 According to a study into TL use by teachers
 (Macaro , 1996:6)
For:
Amount of TL acquired by learners
Improvement in listening skills
Helps demonstrate the importance of learning a foreign language
Against:
TL use for instructions can be time consuming
Teaching in TL is tiring and teachers can become less effective.
May become counter-productive
Types of Target Language use
Interaction Patterns in TL use
 Teacher –pupil (s)
 Questions
 Instructions
 Explanations
 Comments
 Socialising
 Discipliing
 Pupil –teacher
 Answers, questions, requests, asking for help, making statements
 Pupil – pupil
 role plays
 games
 Transactional language?
 Latter most difficult to achieve
Your experience - Group
discussion
HOW IS THE TARGET LANGUAGE BEING USED
IN YOUR SCHOOLS?
FOR WHAT PURPOSES?
HOW IS IT USED BY TEACHERS?
HOW IS IT USED BY PUPILS?
(10 MINS)
Your views
 Have you changed your view on TL use since
September?
 If so, how and why?
Teaching of grammar using TL
 What have you observed in school?
 What are the issues?
Teaching grammar in the TL
 Perceptions about difficulty of teaching grammar in
TL
BUT
Many grammar points can be taught if support is given visually
or through actions, mime, use of rhythm or song.
E.g Word order in German though human sentences.
Utterance completion frames (students complete phrase with
words of their own choice – expressing own opinion)
McDonald’s ist fantastisch weil .................................
When might TL be used? (Teacher-Pupil)
 Classroom routines – taking the register

Asking students to give a word/phrase in TL when they answer the
register
 Greeting students as they enter the classroom
 Beginning and ending the lesson.


Sortez vos cahiers!
Rangez vos affaires!
 Giving praise
 Friendly comments, humorous remarks
 Reprimands and sanctions
(adapted from Guest and Pachler (2001)
Instructions and explanations by teacher (T – P)
 Presenting new language
 Setting up activities
 Making oral comments
 Checking comprehension
 Asking questions
 Making comments in exercise books
 Writing on board
(adapted from Guest and Pachler (2001)
Pupil interactions with the teacher (P –T)
 Asking for clarification
 Expressing problems
 Requesting help
 Giving excuses
 Asking permission
 Responding to questions
 Humours remarks
Pupil -Pupil
 Asking to borrow equipment
 Pairwork
 Playing games
 Agreement/disagreement
 Peer feedback
Managing pupil behaviour using TL
 What have you observed?
Use of TL for telling students off can be very effective
- even if students do not understand every word, they know
when they have done wrong!
Tone of voice
Context
Giving praise in TL very effective and important – they soon
learn to recognise and learn these words!
Task
 In groups, draw up a list of useful teacher phrases for
the MFLs that you teach for a class of your choice in
KS3 KS4 or 5.
 Classroom routines and management

E.g Taking the register ,beginning lesson, handing out books
 Maintaining discipline
 E, g Be quiet!, Turn round!, Face the front!
 Giving instructions
 e.g for listening, for pair work
Strategies for developing TL use
 What can teachers do to support students when they
are teaching in the TL?
 What can teachers do to encourage/facilitate use of
TL by the students?
Effective and meaningful use of TL
 Provide contextualisation – pictures, actions.
 Adapt language – this may involve using one word
 Teaching of key phrases –e.g ‘Wie sagt man auf
Deutsch?’
 Displays of key phrases or phrases in books
 Sections of lesson can be designated TL only
 Show sample - Classroom language sheet
Encouraging TL use by students
 Be encouraging and supportive
 lots of praise
Provide challenge
Plenary

Reference list
 DES/Welsh Office. (1990). Modern Foreign for ages 11



16. London: HMSO
DfEE/QCA. (1999). Modern Foreign Languages: The
National Curriculum for England. London:DfEE and
QCA.
Neil, P.(1997). Reflections on the target language.
London: CILT.
Macaro, E. (1997). Target Language, collaborative
learning and autonomy. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Macaro, E (2000). ‘Issues in Language Teaching’. In
Field, K. (ed) Issues in modern foreign language
teaching. London: Routledge, pp. 175-93