ol» that performs an important role in language learning. Vince's assertion gains support but only if the use of the L1 is «selective.» In general, the research on this issue indicates that the use of the L1 can help learners process various kinds of information about the foreign language, because it allows them to focus on and verify the comprehension task at hand. In addition, it appears that occasional use of the L1 may lower anxiety and actually increase retention of concepts. Overall, the instructor has to consult with students and establish expectations about FL production.
Integrating holistic reading put time constraints into an existing curriculum. Adding authentic texts and rereading them both require more time than exists in many pre-established curricular sequences and their lesson plans.
It appears that some of a beginning teacher «s concerns about a holistic approach stem from the« tyranny of the syllabus, » that is, a pedagogical mind-set found in many language programs that what matters is completing an activity on a specific calendar day. This concern is especially prevalent among instructors who teach a course in a high school or in a large language program with multiple sections and who don »t have much control over the syllabus and curriculum.seems from the video that« reading » fits into almost any curriculum only if the activity is defined broadly. Learners may be assigned a longer reading to complete in stages during the semester, with tasks built in that result in a portfolio assignment, summarizing what has been done. Alternately, a set of web pages may be assigned, which require learners to research a topic and then summarize it-another bridge between comprehension and production. Teachers should not worry unduly about finishing a reading activity «on time» if the activities are integrated and overlapping, as advocated here. For example, what may begin as a reading assignment in class may be completed outside of class as a writing assignment.
.4 Assessing Reading Outcomes
Beginning teachers are likely to worry that a holistic approach to reading and language learning in general does not allow for any focus on the individual parts, such as vocabulary, grammar, content, etc. This is an understandable concern since such an emphasizes the relationship of the individual parts that constitute the text as a whole rather than the individual parts of a text. The issue usually comes down to the question: What is the best way to teach and assess grammatical accuracy? Should assessment ever focus on grammatical accuracy if the pedagogical approach takes a more integrated, contextualized approach?
Test What You Teach How You Teach Itfinal challenge for any curriculum (holistic or otherwise) is summarized in the old saw: «test what you teach how you teach it.» If students are taught to read using a matrix, they should be assessed using a similar task. For example, a matrix sets up learning that joins content and language; the elements in the matrix constitute a topic-and-comment logic-set within two columns, two parallel cells provide the material for particular kinds of sentences. If the instructor thinks grammar accuracy is important, then the sentences or phrases that come out of the matrix information need to be evaluated for accuracy of formal features as ...
