How the key competencies relate to learning
languages
When students learn a new language, they progressively extend their linguistic
and cultural understanding and their ability to interact appropriately with other
speakers. At the same time, they progressively develop all five of the key
competencies.
The close relationship between the key competencies and language learning is
suggested by the way that the wording of key competencies appears above the
achievement objectives for communication in The New Zealand Curriculum. The
phrases “Selecting and using language, symbols, and texts to communicate”,
“Managing self and relating to others”, and “Participating and contributing in
communities” are placed here to indicate that language students can be
developing all of the key competencies as they work towards the core
achievement objectives. The phrases are not intended as discrete headings
applying to only one achievement objective.
Thinking
In languages, thinking often includes such processes as deducing a rule,
inferring meaning from a text, finding a pattern, deciding on appropriate words
to follow a stem, and using language functions such as explaining, classifying,
comparing, and evaluating. Students also need to think when they compare
objects, people, or systems, identify and list characteristics, brainstorm
vocabulary or language structures that relate to a theme, place themselves on
an opinion continuum and defend their position or point of view, or use such
tools as mind maps, Bloom’s taxonomy, or De Bono’s thinking hats.
Thinking also includes using metacognitive processes – learning to learn.
Teachers of languages can help students develop this aspect of their thinking
by:
* encouraging students to be curious and open-minded;
* encouraging students to be reflective, exploratory learners;
* building on students’ diverse knowledge and experiences;
* helping students understand what they are trying to achieve in language
learning;
* helping students notice language and make appropriate connections;
* helping students develop strategies for learning;
* helping students monitor their own progress towards their languagelearning goals.
Using language, symbols, and texts
This competency is at the core of language learning across all three strands –
communication, language knowledge, and cultural knowledge. Using language,
symbols, and texts involves all the language skills – listening, speaking, reading,
writing, viewing, and presenting or performing. People who are proficient in this
competency are aware of language at word, sentence, and whole-text level and
draw on their knowledge of a wide range of language features and text types to
communicate effectively with particular audiences for specific purposes.
Teachers of languages will select vocabulary, language structures, and text
types that are appropriate for their own students’ identified learning needs, so
these curriculum guidelines do not provide lists of these. However, the
guidelines do provide a generic list suggesting a wide range of text types and
forms
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that teachers could include in their programmes, as well as examples based on
using a particular text at a particular level for a particular language-learning
purpose or purposes.
Managing self
Students learn how to manage themselves when they demonstrate that they can
find opportunities to learn, use, and practise the target language, building on
their own strengths and addressing their own identified learning needs. They
also manage themselves by setting and meeting their own learning goals, being
involved in reporting processes (for example, student-led conferences and
managing their own speaking and writing portfolios) and by participating actively
and responsibly in group activities.
There is also an identity thread that runs through this competency. “As
[students] move between, and respond to, different languages and diffierent
cultural practices, they are challenged to consider their own identities and
assumptions.” (Learning Languages, New Zealand Curriculum)
There are strong links between known principles for intercultural language
teaching and learning ...
Relating to others
This competency is about interacting effectively with a diverse range of people in
a variety of contexts. It includes the ability to listen actively, recognise different
points of view, negotiate, and share ideas.
Intercultural communicative language teaching is at the heart of learning
languages in the New Zealand Curriculum. This requires explicit exploration of
culture-in-language and of the perspectives of others from the beginning of
language learning. Students are encouraged to develop listening and negotiation
skills in order to become effective communicators. Interaction and the sharing of
ideas are valued, and students have opportunities to engage with their peers
and other speakers of the language they are learning, both directly and when
using ICT to communicate at a distance.
Participating and contributing
This competency is about being actively involved in communities and includes
learning to contribute to the well-being of others. Students do this through
learning to contribute appropriately as a group member, making connections
with others, and creating opportunities for others in the group.
Participating and contributing involves developing a sense of responsibility and a
sense of belonging. When students are involved in communicative language
learning activities, they learn to take a share of responsibility for maintaining
communication. They develop their sense of themselves and their own points of
view and also learn about those of others. Exploring the world views of other
people helps students to mature as citizens of local communities, nations, and
the world.
In the twenty-first century, it is vital that young people come to understand the
interconnected nature of life on this planet. Students are growing up in a world
of more diverse communities than ever before, and they need to find ways of
addressing, grappling with, and relating to the quality and sustainability of
social, cultural, physical, and economic environments. Language-related
competencies enable students to engage more closely with the views and
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perspectives of others, which enables them to contribute to their communities in
active and positive ways.
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