Homework, a necessary evil?
I believe that homework is a necessary element to foreign language learning. Learning a new language takes dedication and exposure, both of which make it a very time consuming endeavor. It is nearly impossible for students to put enough time in during school and classroom hours to truly master a new language.
Teachers have barely enough time to sufficiently explain and reinforce grammar and vocabulary lessons in class—let alone provide opportunities to practice them orally or in writing with their peers. Homework is the "grunt work" of learning a foreign language; where teachers ask students to commit language concepts to memory or compound their knowledge so that more concepts can be taught in future classes, rather than being held back reteaching old concepts. I feel that homework can be used effectively either as an introduction to future material, or as a review of previously taught concepts, depending on it's form.
It's difficult for me to argue in favor of homework, something I've held at arm's length and regarded with great disrespect for almost two decades, but I must admit that it exist's for a reason. It should be used in the following ways:
1. As an introduction/exposure to new concepts that will be further presented in glass. 2. As a confirmation of material just taught. 3. As a test of a student's knowledge/ chance for them to practice written skills, or even oral one's with the preparation of a presentation. 4. As a chance to explore intercultural-ly/ bring new material into their learning experience (researching music or other cultural elements of the new language and bringing this information back to class to share with their classmates.
The only way homework can be used "improperly" is if it does little to reinforce material that was already/will be taught in the classroom. If it's relevant, its appropriate to assign, and despite the students trepidation, will probably improve their command of the language.
I think that the video is helpful for some students who might have actual difficulty completing their homework due to attention spans/personal habits. But for the majority of students, the only thing that holds them back from completing their homework is motivation, and there is little a teacher can do to combat this problem other than try to engage/inspire their pupils.
Are their studies that explore the effectiveness of homework in ESL or FL classes?
Yes! Here is the article:
ReplyDelete"The Role of Homework in Foreign Language Learning" by Linda Wallinger published in 2000. The name of the journal is Foreign Language Annals, 33(5), pp. 483-496. Our library owns this journal and you can read it online using your UNH username and password to log in to the site.
Merci Bien! I will check that out
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an important point of the challenge of motivating your students, which in turn will make homework less painful. I think it's very hard to motivate someone who can't provide themselves with motivation, and so far my only strategy has been enthusiasm. If I seem happy to be in class talking about Spanish, that seems to go a long way. I also think it's important to throw in cultural details as much as possible - even when doing grammar lessons - to remind students that actual human beings speak this language and there's a reason they're learning it. But this bounces off some people, too - I don't think there's any easy way of motivating people. There has to be a willingness on the student's end too.
ReplyDeleteI have the same attitude, Audrey. Making the language more "real" for the students is essential to their motivation to do their HW, and if that mean's sacrificing some of the immersion, then so be it.
ReplyDeleteI must agree that a teacher's enthusiasm can go a long way in motivating students. I am sure we all remember having a really great professor that managed to make even the most tedious subject a good time—for me, it was my physical science teacher; we all wanted to learn the subject in hope of being as cool as him!
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