One of the dreariest things to get through when learning a new language are the grammar rules that control the language. Most of us do not look fondly back at French and German lessons in school when we had to memorise lists of regular and irregular verbs and nouns. In fact, it probably put a lot of us off ever attempting to learn a new language again.
But those who do, often find grammar rules manageable when peering over a sheet of paper with exercises carefully crafted to help them learn and apply all the rules. It is, however, something entirely different when you have to listen and speak and engage in conversations. Many students feel like everything they’ve learned disappears from their mind, like a puddle evaporating in the summer sun. Because listening and speaking are an activity that happens in real time, how quickly can students apply their knowledge of verbs, nouns, pronouns etc to the conversation? Not very quickly, in most cases.
So, how can language teachers help their students improve their listening and speaking skills? Can we use a method which relies less on the student retrieving their knowledge of grammar and syntax on the spot? I utilise an approach inspired by the Call and Response traditions known from African cultures as a form of democratic participation and antiphony: short chants in Christian church music. This approach can also be adapted for learning languages. The purpose of this approach is to compel the student to listen closely for how to respond, but the response in itself is very simple, because it mirrors the question posed by the speaker.
The Call and Response approach can be very simple or very complex depending on the level of the student and will build confidence in the student and their ability to carry a conversation. Eventually, we can move on from the Call and Response approach to speaking more freely. In this way, we can mould a mind that is much more receptive to the spoken language, making learning a language a more fun ad rewarding experience.
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