Robert draws our attention this morning to a question raised by Lance Piantaggini on the ACTFL Language Educators list. It warrants our attention:
From: Lance Piantaggini
To: Language Educators
Posted: Nov 16, 2014 10:57 PM
Subject: 80:20 Rule + 90% Target Language + Comprehensible Input
Message:
ACTFL’s 80:20 Rule states that the ideal ratio of student talk to teacher talk is 80% to 20%. ACTFL’s strategies to use the target language 90% of the time include providing comprehensible input in the number 1 slot.
If teachers spend 20% of class time communicating, how are students receiving enough input? This statement suggests that the majority of input students receive is from visual media, texts, and other students.
1) I am looking for evidence to support that student to student input is as effective as teacher to student input.
2) Since teacher communication ought to include the other 7 strategies to remain in the TL for 90% of class (i.e., not just providing input), I am also looking for teaching methods/resources (even just a model lesson sequence) that supports how to accomplish this in ~12min (20% of a 60min class).
Given recent discussions, I understand that requesting research might be a touchy subject, but as a new teacher I feel compelled to base my decisions on overwhelming evidence, and not tradition, especially since I teach Latin (acknowledged by Shrum/Glisan as influencing the outdated grammar-translation method).
Thanks!