A. Introduction
This research was done by Rod Ellis. Professor Ellis, a renowned linguist, received his Doctorate from the University of London and his Master of Education from the University of Bristol. A former professor at Temple University both in Japan and the US, Prof. Ellis has taught in numerous positions in England, Japan, the US, Zambia and New Zealand. Dr. Ellis, who is known as the "Father of Second Language Acquisition", has served as the Director of the Institute of Language Teaching and Learning at the University of Auckland. This research was published in online journal website at http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/December_07_home.php volume 9 issue. 4.
B. Content
It is stated in introductory paragraph that a general distinction can be drawn between ‘natural’ and ‘educational’ settings. The former arise in the course of the learners’ contact with other speakers of the L2 in a variety of situations—in the workplace, at home, through the media, at international conferences, in business meetings, etc. In considering the relationship between setting and language learning, it is important to clarify what is meant by ‘setting’, according to which social life is viewed as ‘a structured set of social categories which, to some extent, control our social characteristics and opportunities’ which is called type 1. Also, sociolinguistics assumes that ‘social life and our entire experience of society is best seen as structured through local actions and practices’ which is called type 2.
Types of educational settings
Skuttnab-Kangas distinguished a number of different types of educational settings, ‘non-forms’; types that do not use two languages of the learner as the media of teaching and learning, ‘weak forms’; types that have monolingualism, strong dominance of one language or limited bilingualism as their aim, and ‘strong forms’; types that aim to promote high levels of bi- or multilingualism and multiliteracy for all participants.
The language classroom setting
‘The language classroom’ is defined here as a setting where the target language is taught as a subject only and is not commonly used as a medium of communication outside the classroom. In this sense it includes both ‘foreign’ language classrooms (for example, Japanese classes in the United States or English classes in China) and ‘second’ language classrooms where the learners have no or minimal contact with the target language outside the language classroom. Foreign-language classroom contexts can be distinguished from second language classroom contexts in that native-like cultural and pragmatic competence is not a high priority in the former.
The role relationships between teacher and student influence learning in a classroom. In the case of traditional approaches to language teaching, where the target language is perceived primarily as an ‘object’ to be mastered by learning about its formal properties, the teacher typically acts as a ‘knower/informer’ and the learner as an ‘information seeker’. Parents may play an active role by monitoring their children’s curricular activities. They may also play a more indirect role by modelling attitudes conducive to successful language learning. Skuttnab-Kangas noted that foreign language classroom settings are characterized by very varying degrees of success.
Submersion
Submersion is a programme where linguistic minority children with a low-status mother tongue are forced to accept instruction through the medium of a foreign majority language with high status, in classes where some children are native speakers of the language of the instruction, where the teacher does not understand the mother tongue of the minority children, and where the majority language constitutes a threat to their mother tongue—a subtractive language learning situation.
Segregation
Segregation occurs where the L2 learner is educated separately from the majority or a politically powerful minority, who speak the target language as their mother tongue. Skuttnab-Kangas claimed that segregation settings produce poor results. But, in certain situations, the provision of separate educational facilities may have beneficial effects. Segregation also has some advantages where L2 learning is concerned. In particular, because the learners are likely to be at the same level of development, it is possible to tailor input to their level.
Mother tongue maintenance
Skuttnab-Kangas pointed out that mother tongue maintenance can take the weaker form, pupils are given classes in their mother tongue, directed at developing formal language skills, including full literacy and in the stronger form, pupils are educated through the medium of their mother tongue. Mother tongue maintenance programmes are based on enrichment theory, according to which high levels of bilingualism are seen as a cognitive and social advantage. There is also evidence that mother tongue maintenance settings, particularly those of the strong kind, result in considerable educational success.
Immersion
Immersion programmes began with the St. Lambert Experiment, a French immersion programme for English-speaking children living in Quebec, Canada. In the context of the Canadian French immersion programmes, it referred to programmes where members of a majority group (native speakers of English) were educated through the medium of French, the language of a minority group.
C. Conclusion
In this article, the researcher has considered the relationship between different educational settings and L2 learning. The aim has been to identify the potential learning outcomes associated with different types of settings, defined in very broad terms. It is important to note that there will be considerable variance in learning outcomes within settings as well as between settings.
It is possible to identify a set of general principles that underlie likely language learning success in educational settings. The following is a list of such principles.
1. L1 maintenance—ensuring that learners achieve a high level of both oracy and literacy in their L1 will promote learning of the L2.
2. Perceptions of L1—learning is enhanced when the setting confers status on both their L1 and the L2.
3. Social need—learners learn best when they have a clear social need for the L2. This social need is highly varied, however.
4. Target norms—success in L2 learning cannot always be measured in terms of a set of norms based on a standard form of the language.
5. Initial learning—initial L2 learning is more successful if learners have the opportunity to learn within an L1 speaking group
D. Comment
After reading this journal, I considered that this journal is not well organized. The structure of the content is not good enough because some of the necessary parts; for example, the methodology, are not exist. But, in some parts, the explanations of the contents are quite clear and understandable. For other students who interested in this journal, I suggest to read this journal more than two time in order to get full understanding.
This research was done by Rod Ellis. Professor Ellis, a renowned linguist, received his Doctorate from the University of London and his Master of Education from the University of Bristol. A former professor at Temple University both in Japan and the US, Prof. Ellis has taught in numerous positions in England, Japan, the US, Zambia and New Zealand. Dr. Ellis, who is known as the "Father of Second Language Acquisition", has served as the Director of the Institute of Language Teaching and Learning at the University of Auckland. This research was published in online journal website at http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/December_07_home.php volume 9 issue. 4.
B. Content
It is stated in introductory paragraph that a general distinction can be drawn between ‘natural’ and ‘educational’ settings. The former arise in the course of the learners’ contact with other speakers of the L2 in a variety of situations—in the workplace, at home, through the media, at international conferences, in business meetings, etc. In considering the relationship between setting and language learning, it is important to clarify what is meant by ‘setting’, according to which social life is viewed as ‘a structured set of social categories which, to some extent, control our social characteristics and opportunities’ which is called type 1. Also, sociolinguistics assumes that ‘social life and our entire experience of society is best seen as structured through local actions and practices’ which is called type 2.
Types of educational settings
Skuttnab-Kangas distinguished a number of different types of educational settings, ‘non-forms’; types that do not use two languages of the learner as the media of teaching and learning, ‘weak forms’; types that have monolingualism, strong dominance of one language or limited bilingualism as their aim, and ‘strong forms’; types that aim to promote high levels of bi- or multilingualism and multiliteracy for all participants.
The language classroom setting
‘The language classroom’ is defined here as a setting where the target language is taught as a subject only and is not commonly used as a medium of communication outside the classroom. In this sense it includes both ‘foreign’ language classrooms (for example, Japanese classes in the United States or English classes in China) and ‘second’ language classrooms where the learners have no or minimal contact with the target language outside the language classroom. Foreign-language classroom contexts can be distinguished from second language classroom contexts in that native-like cultural and pragmatic competence is not a high priority in the former.
The role relationships between teacher and student influence learning in a classroom. In the case of traditional approaches to language teaching, where the target language is perceived primarily as an ‘object’ to be mastered by learning about its formal properties, the teacher typically acts as a ‘knower/informer’ and the learner as an ‘information seeker’. Parents may play an active role by monitoring their children’s curricular activities. They may also play a more indirect role by modelling attitudes conducive to successful language learning. Skuttnab-Kangas noted that foreign language classroom settings are characterized by very varying degrees of success.
Submersion
Submersion is a programme where linguistic minority children with a low-status mother tongue are forced to accept instruction through the medium of a foreign majority language with high status, in classes where some children are native speakers of the language of the instruction, where the teacher does not understand the mother tongue of the minority children, and where the majority language constitutes a threat to their mother tongue—a subtractive language learning situation.
Segregation
Segregation occurs where the L2 learner is educated separately from the majority or a politically powerful minority, who speak the target language as their mother tongue. Skuttnab-Kangas claimed that segregation settings produce poor results. But, in certain situations, the provision of separate educational facilities may have beneficial effects. Segregation also has some advantages where L2 learning is concerned. In particular, because the learners are likely to be at the same level of development, it is possible to tailor input to their level.
Mother tongue maintenance
Skuttnab-Kangas pointed out that mother tongue maintenance can take the weaker form, pupils are given classes in their mother tongue, directed at developing formal language skills, including full literacy and in the stronger form, pupils are educated through the medium of their mother tongue. Mother tongue maintenance programmes are based on enrichment theory, according to which high levels of bilingualism are seen as a cognitive and social advantage. There is also evidence that mother tongue maintenance settings, particularly those of the strong kind, result in considerable educational success.
Immersion
Immersion programmes began with the St. Lambert Experiment, a French immersion programme for English-speaking children living in Quebec, Canada. In the context of the Canadian French immersion programmes, it referred to programmes where members of a majority group (native speakers of English) were educated through the medium of French, the language of a minority group.
C. Conclusion
In this article, the researcher has considered the relationship between different educational settings and L2 learning. The aim has been to identify the potential learning outcomes associated with different types of settings, defined in very broad terms. It is important to note that there will be considerable variance in learning outcomes within settings as well as between settings.
It is possible to identify a set of general principles that underlie likely language learning success in educational settings. The following is a list of such principles.
1. L1 maintenance—ensuring that learners achieve a high level of both oracy and literacy in their L1 will promote learning of the L2.
2. Perceptions of L1—learning is enhanced when the setting confers status on both their L1 and the L2.
3. Social need—learners learn best when they have a clear social need for the L2. This social need is highly varied, however.
4. Target norms—success in L2 learning cannot always be measured in terms of a set of norms based on a standard form of the language.
5. Initial learning—initial L2 learning is more successful if learners have the opportunity to learn within an L1 speaking group
D. Comment
After reading this journal, I considered that this journal is not well organized. The structure of the content is not good enough because some of the necessary parts; for example, the methodology, are not exist. But, in some parts, the explanations of the contents are quite clear and understandable. For other students who interested in this journal, I suggest to read this journal more than two time in order to get full understanding.
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