Homework in Foreign Language Classes

No matter what my heart says about I hate homework I do have to admit that it is an necessary evil. It is the only way to reinforce what has been done in the classroom easily. If we did not use homework students would not remember anything from the previous day and would not be able to expand on it as easily. I know homework was essential for me when I first started learning Spanish, despite me hating it. Now I am thankful that my teachers worked me as hard as they did.

To me there are not many ways to misuse homework. I just would not swamp students with homework, because then they will start to hate the class just because of the homework load, and do not grade the homework. They should get full credit as long as they do it because while learning a new language you have to make mistakes. It is the only way to learn. I also believe that it should be given after the lesson, and be used as a reinforcing tool. I have had classes where the homework came first and then it was explained in class, but I found it to be very confusing. You definitely could not do it with low level students. I would consider for high level students but still would not recommend it.

As for the video, I have mixed feelings. I could see some of the tips helping you, but others not so much. Honestly I think everyone just needs to figure out what homework routine works for you. If music helps you, listen. If not, do not. It is all about personal preference. I definitely would not eat food while doing homework just for the sake of avoiding making a mess. Once again though that is just me.

Role of Homework in Foreign Language Learning

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?

Discussion #2: Role of Homework

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. 

Would you want to show your students this video? Why and why not? 

Response to Question #1

 Foriegn Language Requirements: A valuable class for all

I feel that this question has two answers for me.  As a student of the COLA here at UNH, I believe that foreign language requirements follow the philosophy that a well rounded education that includes exposure to a variety of subjects is pivotal to learning and development in one's own field of study.

Since I am a French language Major, the equivalent of my "foreign language requirement" might be having to take statistics, similar to a philosophy Major taking a Spanish class.  Both ventures outside one's comfort zone provide opportunities to expand one's academic perspective, and perhaps to learn serendipitously about your own subject through new subject matter.  So, yes, as a part of a Liberal Education, I believe foreign languages should be a requirement, for the same reasons that all "Gen Eds" are beneficial, no matter how much they may be found trivial to one's major. 

On the other hand, should a Engineering major be required to take a language? They aren't a part of a "liberal" education system; their classes are systematically designed to move them towards a specific skill set and a career, much unlike the other "liberal" majors.  To an engineer, such a requirement could be considered an unnecessary expense, a distraction, a GPA ruin-er... But once again the argument could be made that it is beneficial to learn a language as a part of one's life-skill set.  Languages are a little different than other "Gen Eds," they not only expose one to other subject matters, they provide a valuable life/careers skill, communication. Being able to exchange with other humans more readily, one obvious benefit of learning a second language is undeniably helpful to any career, the obtaining of which of course is the goal of any Major at University.  The foreign language requirement is not just an eye-opening experience, something that is perhaps irrelevant to one's major, like taking a Nutrition class as a Physics major, it's a skill that can be used in all realms. 

In conclusion: All college students should be required to take a foreign language: Either as a part of a intellectually expanding liberal education, or as an highly valuable communication skill that is integral to success in all fields.

Response to question 1

Having been learning languages for nine years now, I do believe that it is important to students well rounded education to have a foreign language requirement. I am advocate for the discovery program at our university and fully support its goal of ensuring a well-balanced education. In fact, I do think that learning a language is arguably one of the most important requirements of UNH.

Typically, Learning a language encompasses much more then repetitive grammar drills. Language and culture are integral aspects of one another and learning about a culture is often part of a language class. This exposure to another culture can provide avenues of understanding into the students culture.  In today's diverse society, individual are surrounded by native speakers of other languages. It is of critical importance that we have a way of relating to each other and language is one of the most authentic ways in which to accomplish this goal.

On a personal note, the benefits of learning a language have far superseded anything else in my educational career.  I have met many people and I never have been afraid to practice my many languages with them, even if I only knew a few words.  These connections never would have flourished if I didn't learn a language.

Foreign Language Requirement

I do not believe that there should be any type of foreign language requirement at the university level. There are clear benefits to taking a foreign language shown through many studies, but there are also many benefits to taking a ton of other courses such as computer classes, personal finance classes, physical education classes, and even music classes. If we made every arguably good, significant course a general education requirement at UNH, no one would have room to specialize in their major and take other non-required courses that they personally feel are best for them. I would obviously not mind as a French major to have a foreign language requirement, but I definitely would mind if I was just a mathematics major.

Students who take a semester or two of a foreign language may benefit cognitively and culturally, but it seems clear that most of them do not intend to learn the language enough to ever really use it. As well, most, if not all, students at UNH have probably already taken at least a couple semesters of foreign language in high school in hopes of getting into UNH, or it may have even been a diploma requirement; if that is something they want to continue in postsecondary, that should be their choice. 

Response to Question 1

To me, the issue of whether or not to require university students to enroll in world language courses is quite interesting. On the one hand, I understand that many students consider language learning to be outside of their comfort zones, or perhaps just too challenging. Such individuals often express that they “cannot” learn a language, or that they have previously attempted to learn a language and were ultimately unsuccessful. In these cases, most students truly feel as though they are incapable of studying a language, and, for that reason, tend to attach a certain amount of fear and anxiety to the idea of enrolling in language courses. Although I usually do not agree that someone simply “cannot” learn a language, I do understand how crippling fear and anxiety can be. I do not, however, understand the logic of those who decide not to learn a language because they feel as though they do not “need” to.

Even if one never intends to travel outside of the United States, he or she will more than likely encounter individuals who speak a language besides English. As our country becomes increasingly diverse, the linguistic reality of the United States grows more and more heterogeneous. The Unites States has never existed as an “English-only” entity, and now, more than ever, the idea that one would pass on the opportunity to become multilingual seems absolutely ridiculous.

University students, perhaps more than any other population of Americans, should actively work to reduce the United States’ strong preference for monolingualism. Requiring students to enroll in language courses would bolster their “real world” skill-set, as well as bring them closer to international linguistic standards. Anyone who has studied outside of the United States notices that multilingualism is usually not the exception but the norm. Young people around the globe often speak multiple languages fluently, unlikely the majority of American college students who are generally monolingual. Why should American university students, who live in a country that is so linguistically diverse, speak just one language, when students in other countries speak two, or three, or four? 

Should a foreign language be required for all students at the university?

We have all heard our fair share of groaning among students at UNH over the language requirement that looms over every COLA major. “I just need to pass this class and then I can be done with this language forever” or similar statements are familiar to anybody who’s spent a significant amount of time in Murkland Hall. So why, as people interested in foreign language education, do we feel that students benefit from knowing a foreign language? Should this requirement be extended to include EVERY U.S. College student?

To answer this question, I think it is important to examine the greater question of what the overall benefit of learning a foreign language is, i.e., what is the payoff of knowing a foreign language for a typical American university student? While pondering this, I was reminded of a podcast that I heard somewhat recently from Freakonomics Radio. In the episode, a study on the overall return on investment (how much more a bilingual student could expect to earn than a non-bilingual student) for learning a foreign language was discussed and the results were not exactly a boon to our cause: the average wage premium for knowing a foreign language was “about 2 percent” according to MIT economist Albert Saiz.

This is especially true when the native language of the student is English. Saiz points out later in the episode that students in Western Europe and elsewhere that learn English as a foreign language benefit from their bilinguality to a much greater extent than their American-born counterparts. Of course, these are all average figures and a students personal mileage may vary, depending on what language she or he learns.

This is precisely what makes this question of language requirement so tricky to answer. For each person who begroans their mandatory Spanish, French, or German class, there are also examples of students whose lives were changed dramatically by their mastery of a foreign language, my own included. I believe I am a better person for the cultural understanding, appreciation of art, and overall cognitive benefits that knowing German has brought into my own life. But, becoming truly bilingual is an enormously challenging undertaking. Mastering a language even to becoming proficient enough to read the newspaper of the target language is a project measured in years, not semesters. Even after 6 years of middle school and high school German, I was not even remotely fluent in the language. My passions about it were big enough that I chose to move there and spend several years immersed in the language and culture, and that is not the goal of every student at UNH.

In closing, I would argue that in today’s society and specifically in an American context, learning a foreign language at university should not be compulsory for all, but should remain essential for some. A student of the humanities or fine arts would likely get more out of foreign language study than a mechanical engineer, so it would not make sense for the mechanical engineer to spend their tuition dollars on foreign language classes that they do not plan to use in their field. Furthermore, the limited cultural exposure that two semesters of instruction would provide just simply would not be worth the time to most people. Beginning language instruction at a much earlier age however, is an entirely different argument altogether (perhaps best saved for another blog post).

Source:

“Is Learning a Foreign Language Really Worth It? A New Freakonomics Radio Podcast”

(http://freakonomics.com/2014/03/06/is-learning-a-foreign-language-really-worth-it-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/)

Response to Question #1: Foreign Language Requirement

Should a foreign language be required for all students at the university? Why? Express your opinion on this issue.

I do think that taking a foreign language should be a requirement of university students for many reasons. One of the most important reasons is because the skills that are required to study and learn a foreign language are applicable and resourceful tools for many other fields of study. This is because learning a foreign language is not just learning vocabulary, grammar and conjugation. In the advanced levels of learning a language, the speaker needs to read contextual clues, as well as have an understanding for the culture. In many, if not all cases, this means that the speaker needs to separate themselves from their native country's culture to be able to live and interact in a foreign country. I believe that the skill required to do that is useful in many other areas of study as well.

As I hinted earlier, when learning a foreign language, the culture and customs play very important roles.  Learning about any foreign culture would provide the learner with a greater global understanding and dexterity. Adding these skills to one's resume gives those candidates an advantage over those who don't have those skills. How many semesters one takes a foreign language is also something to consider, but I believe that every student  should take at least one foreign language class in college.

Response To Question 1

I do agree with this statement. Learning a foreign language is a very important skill that I feel many people do not appreciate enough. First of all, there's the obvious benefits of being able to use said language. Then there's the less obvious skills like critical thinking, making connections, learning more about your own language, and earning the respect of native speakers that can understand you. Plus any job recruiter will be happy to see that you know another language. They will have the obvious benefit of using your language skills, but also know that you can think in a variety of ways that only come from studying languages. Plus in our globalized world the demand for bilingualism is only going to rise, so it is better to learn sooner than later.   It can never hurt to have another language in your mental tool box.

Along with those benefits learning another language gives you a window into another culture. Learning about other peoples ways of life makes you appreciate the good parts of your own, and maybe adopt some of the good parts from the other culture. I personally love to take siestas since I went to Spain. Plus as a traveler if you do not know the language of your destination you lose a large part of being there. You will see and learn so much more if you can communicate and make friends with the locals. Those connections may turn out to be extremely important in the long run professionally or personally.