Discussion #2: Role of Homework Response

When (if ever) is homework appropriate for a foreign language class? How should it be used? Do you feel it is ever improperly used? Should homework be given before or after the lesson is taught? Exchange ideas with your peers and be sure to use examples to support your opinions.

I think this question is relevant to all subject area teachers, not just those teaching a foreign language. The role that homework should play in the education of students is critical to them to practice (and hopefully perfect) what they learned in the classroom. My theory about homework is that it is an extension of the classroom learning that takes place, but with different qualifications. In class, students have the opportunity to ask their teacher questions if they are confused, do group activities with classmates, and talk with other peers. Homework is when the student solidifies their knowledge by practicing it in an environment where they have far fewer resources to rely on. With that being said, homework should never be given when it is -- the infamous -- busy work. These throw-away assignments that teachers give when they cannot think of anything else to do provide little, if any reinforcement or new knowledge to the student. Homework assignments should always have a purpose.

With that being said, homework is extremely important when learning a foreign language. As I stated in the first paragraph, homework is an extension of the classroom, and when learning a foreign language it is essential to practice that language as much as possible. Class time provides the students with the majority of listening comprehension and speaking ability, but those are two of the most challenging aspects of learning a foreign language. Tools such as Lingt Language provide students with the opportunity to incorporate those two aspects of language into their learning outside the classroom. Reading and writing are also necessary to know in language, and are easily assigned for homework assignments in foreign language classrooms.

I have been assigned a lot of busy work assignments over the years, but I have also been assigned a lot of really useful homework assignments that I still remember. Homework should be used to practice skills that have already been introduced in class. One exception to this is if the students are completing a pre-test to see how much the remember from previous classes or how much the already know. If homework is introducing a new topic, it should not be an area of learning that is critical to all aspects of foreign language speaking, such as conjugation. A new topic could be a cultural learning lesson or possibly learning about the history of France, Spain, or Germany.