“A Research
study of views of Vernacular students on
various activities done from Bridges by
Dee Broughton”
Ankit R. Patel
Student of M. Phil
H M Patel Institute of English Training
& Research
Vallabh Vidyanagar (Gujarat)
E-mail:ankitrp92@gmail.com
Introduction
If we glimpse in
the present era, that t has proved that English language has gained its own
place in the world and become basic thing to know, learn and use it. Hence it
is requiems of people and they start to learn it but problem occurs that they
can better understand English language than they use.
In Gujarat, many
people understand much more English than they speak or write. Many complex
factors contribute to this situation. One factor that can be addressed by
Gujarati ELT professionals is the design of the materials used for teaching
English in the schools and universities. It is widely accepted that materials
designers need to take into account two things: 1) the theoretical principles
of secondary language learning and acquisition and 2) the real-world conditions
found in classrooms.
The
present paper “A study of views of Vernacular students on various
activities done from Bridges by Dee Broughton” focuses on the
views of vernacular students about Bridges as it is useful for students of Gujarati medium school of Gujarat. As well as
how Bridges is useful to use target
language.
Key Words: vernacular,
ELT, Bridges, English language
Literature Review:
First
let us look at the principles of secondary language learning and acquisition.
Tomlinson has put forth six principles of Second Language Acquisition that he
maintains should be applied to materials production.
1)
A Pre-requisite for language acquisition is that the learners are exposed to a
rich, meaningful and comprehensible input of language in use.
2)
In order for the learners to maximize their exposure to language in use they
need to be engaged both affectively and cognitively in the language experience.
3)
Language learners who achieve positive affect are much more likely to achieve
communicative competence than those who do not.
4)
L2 language learners can benefit from using those mental resources which they
typically utilize when acquiring and using their L1.
5)
Language learners can benefit from noticing salient features of the input.
6)
Learners need opportunities to use language to try to achieve communicative
purposes.
Tomlinson’s
principles, however, were derived from experiences with conditions in the West
that are quite different from the conditions that may be found in the
classrooms of Gujarat.
For
example, in the West where the principles were first derived, classroom
conditions are found different from classrooms of Gujarat. In the West where
classrooms are very large with adequate technology and multimedia as well as provided
good knowledgeable teachers.
While
in Gujarat, classrooms are very narrow where Students are enabled to sit
comfortable. Teachers are enabled to teach the students because of not having
adequate knowledge. Technology and multimedia use in rare case.
In
light of these conditions, the researchers felt that Principle 2 would apply in Gujarati classrooms, but ….remember
learners should given a chance to respond personally and make use of activities
which learners to think and feel before doing and after using the target
language for communication.
While
it’s unclear if all of Tomlinson’s principles apply, it’s also unclear if
materials that appear to work well in Gujarat incorporate these principles or
not. One example of materials designed specifically for Gujarat is the recently
published English language textbook, Bridges.
This
book was designed to bridge the gap between understanding English and producing
it. The goal of the book makes it an appropriate choice for investigating
elements of design that might influence use of the target language. Does the Bridges design make use of all or some
of Tomlinson’s principles?
|
Activities
|
Prin.1
|
Prin.2
|
Prin.3
|
Prin.4
|
Prin.5
|
Prin.6
|
|
3/1
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
Apply
|
|
|
|
3/2
|
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
|
|
|
2/7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apply
|
|
6/1
|
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
|
|
|
5/2
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
|
Apply
|
|
In
Unit 3, Activities 1…Principles 1, 2, 4 are applied.
In
Unit 3, Activities 2… Principles 2, 3 are applied.
In
Unit 2, Activity 7…
Principle 6 is applied.
In
Unit 6, Activity 1…
Principles 2, 3 are applied.
In
Unit 5, Activity 2…
Principles 1, 2, 5 are applied.
Therefore,
Bridges appears to emphasize some principles more than others.
Although
it’s clear that the activities in Bridges
encourage collaboration, communication, and critical thinking, it has not been
positively established that these activities will also promote production of
the target language. It’s possible that the activities would result in use of
the mother tongue.
The
creator of Bridges, Dee Broughton,
acknowledges this issue, “The materials design for Bridges was originally requested for an English-medium environment.
In such schools, the environment of the school itself may ensure use of the
target language. While we’ve seen very good results so far using the Bridges design and materials in
vernacular-medium schools, there is still a need for additional research in
this area.”
Research
Objective:
The
SEM 3 MA-ELT Research Methodology and Materials Development classes at H.M.
Patel Institute of English Training & Research took up a small research
project to look closely at the Bridges
materials in relation to the principles set forth by Tomlinson and to find out
if these materials actually helped to stimulate production of the target
language under Gujarati conditions.
Research
Questions:
The
project set out to address two research questions:
1)
Did the Bridges design seem to
promote use of the target language in a particular group of students?
2)
Was there any correlation between the use of particular principles and the
ability of the materials to promote use of the target language with a
particular group of students?
Methodology:
The
Sem 1 MA-ELT Language Skills class at the H.M.Patel Institute was asked to
choose six activities from Bridges
that they felt they could complete entirely in English. Each group did one
activity and took notes on their use of the target language and the mother
tongue. They also noted whether they changed the activity in any way or whether
they performed it as written in Bridges.
Results:
Group
1 chose Unit 2 Activity 7: One student
said, “We were 6 members in a group. An activity is very interesting because
they got new information about new interesting animals.
Group
2 and 3 chose Unit 3 Activity 1: One student said, “We were 8 members in a
group. We used Bridges as a material. We enjoyed while doing this an activity
because we have to image a story or because of funny imagination."
Group
4 chose Unit 3 Activity 2: One student said, “We were 7 members in a group. It
is collaborative activity.”
Group
5 chose Unit 5 Activity 2: One student said, “We were 6 members in a group. We
used a text called Bridges. It is
collaborative activity. It is based on real life experience. It supports
speaking and writing skills. We like this activity because it provides lot of
scope to communicate in target language.”
Group
6 chose Unit 6 Activity 1: One student said, “We were 6 members in a group. We
used Bridges. It supports speaking, listening and reading skills. It is
interesting activity.”
Discussion:
From
the interviews conducted with Sem 1,
it
appears that … Most of the students were able to speak in English. They seemed
very confidently. They answered of all the questions. They liked to do like
this activity.
Here,
Sem-1 students used the target language thoroughly during doing activity-1 of
unit-3.During the discussion of activity-2 and 1, of unit-3 and unit-5
respectively, students used target language sometime. Students could able to
share their ideas in target language most of the time while doing activity-7
and 2 of unit-2 and 5 respectively.
|
|
Principles
|
Sem-1 use of
target language
|
|
Units/Activities
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
|
3/1
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
Apply
|
|
|
Thoroughly
|
|
3/2
|
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
|
|
Some
time
|
|
2/7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apply
|
Most
of the time
|
|
6/1
|
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
|
|
Some
time
|
|
5/2
|
Apply
|
Apply
|
|
|
Apply
|
|
Most
of the time
|
The
above diagram talks about using of principles in activities of different units
as well as using of target language by students of Sem-1 during doing their
activities.
Conclusion:
It
can be said that Bridges helps to
only higher levels students of Gujarati medium school instead of lower levels
students of Gujarati medium school. It is also helpless for students of rural
areas‘schools.
References:
Tomlinson,
B.2010. Principles and procedures of
materials development. Leeds Metropolitan University.
Broughton,
D.2013. Study DO. Asia Bridges.
