Engaging students in language key, expert says

AIMING to spark students’ curiosities across the state, learnable moments were what an international language educator implored Victorian teachers to create while in Ballarat last week.

Dr Gianfranco Conti brought his research-based approach to more than 100 language teachers at the Vickers Street Community Hub as part of a professional development session.

Organised by the Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education, Dr Conti’s workshop engaged teachers with exercises and frameworks on how to make the study of languages more accessible.

Dr Conti’s Extensive Processing Instruction aims to use listening activities to encourage interaction between teachers and students.

“The most important thing is, don’t teach because you need to cover a curriculum, teach it in a way that is actually learnable,” he said.

Dr Conti said engaging students’ interest was critical.

“I think the most important thing to do when you are teaching language is to do something which is impactful,” he said.

“Make sure that the students get away thinking, ‘You know what? I’ve learned something and it was fun’.”

For instance, he said boys often respond well to competition.

“Boys really like activities,” he said. “Which you can do at home as a parent with your kids, where you say, ‘Okay, say this in four minutes. Now say it in three minutes. Now say it under two minutes. Now try to say it under one minute’.

“It worked with my nephew, who couldn’t be bothered to learn languages, because boys need that.”

The Language Gym chief executive officer was pleased with the teachers who had gathered at the workshop.

“I literally spent 10 minutes just doing a little survey of teachers’ opinion, and one was very moving because she said, ‘I catch the kids speaking Italian to each other in the courtyard independently of me’. So it’s amazing.”

Participants came from cities and towns across Victoria, including Melbourne, Swan Hill, Warrnambool, and Camperdown.