1. Language learning in education
Computers in Language Learning
2014/11/18

2. Contents
• Why learn language?
Systems:
• Denmark
• Sweden
• North America
• Japan
• Comparing the systems

3. Introduction
Benefits of foreign languages
● Communication
● Culture
● new ways of thinking

4. The Danish System

5. Language Learning in the USA
Michael Kibbe
5

6. American School System
• Pre-K & Kindergarten
• Elementary School
• 1st -> 5th Grade
• Middle School
• 6th -> 8th Grade
• High School
• 9th -> 12th Grade
• University 6

7. When Do We Learn Languages?
• Optional: Middle School
• Required: High School
7

8. What Languages Do We Learn?
• Spanish (51.4%)
• French (12.9%)
• German (5.7%)
8

9. My Language Learning Journey
9

10. Early Beginnings…
• Awty International School
• Started Spanish at age 3
10

11. Studied Some French…
• Middle School, allowed to take a 3rd language
• Took French for 3 years
11

12. High School
• Transferred to High School for the Performing and Visual
Arts
• Still took Spanish for another 2 years
• Less intense
12

13. University
13
• Studied Japanese for 1
year

14. How Do We Learn?
• Readers
• Workbooks
• Exams with Fill-In-The-Blank, Multiple Choice,
and Short Answer questions
14

15. Yearly Activities
15

16. Criticisms
• Foreign languages not very important
• Little speaking/conversation
• Focus on tests, not recall
16

17. The case in Japan
Foreign Language English
French
German
Chinese…

18. 1. System
• Public and Private School
• Classroom(Japanese teachers & ALT)
• English Lesson

19. 2. Characteristics
• Grammar & Reading
(less communication)
• English-Japanese Translation
• Teach English in Japanese

20. 3. problem
• Less Speaking Chance
• Study as a Subject
• Too many Students in a Classroom

21. 4. Debate
• The earlier, the better?
• Is English Education System really
useful?
• Is it necessary to learn English?

22. Sweden - Foreign Language Education
Johannes Wennberg

23. Sweden

24. Sweden

25. Sweden

26. Sweden

27. General Format
● The format of the lessons is up to the teacher/school
(National Agency for Education having veto)
● Some guidelines
● National exams at:
3rd grade
6th grade
9th grade
High school

28. Preschool - First Grade (6 - 7 years old)
● Few lessons
● Mostly games
● (Mother tongue)

29. 2nd grade - 5th grade (8 - 11 years old)
● English
● (Mother tongue)

30. 2nd grade - 5th grade (8 - 11 years old)
● Weakly vocabulary tests
● 3-4 hours a week
● Reading texts
discussing them
answering questions
● some games and movies

31. 6th grade (12 years old)
● Select a “modern language”
● French, German or Spanish
nowadays also chinese
● Can be exchanged for lessons
in your mother tongue +

32. 6th grade (12 years old)
● Select a “modern language”
● French, German or Spanish
nowadays also chinese
● Can be exchanged for lessons
in your mother tongue +

33. 6th grade - 9th grade (12-15 years old)
● For me it was a mess
“Kunskapsskolan” “The knowledge school”
● A huge amount of assignments
● Free planning
● Teachers for help and examination
● National exam at 6th and 9th grade

34. High school - English
● Depending on what programme
English A, B, C
● “A” is obligatory
● More of the same
● My teacher liked songs and shakespeare

35. High school - “modern language”
● Steps 1-5
● One step is semi-obligatory
● Not all schools offer steps 4-5
● Can be exchanged English/Swedish/mother tongue

36. High school - “modern language”
● 1.5 + 1 hour
● focus on vocabulary tests
● later on mostly reading
● The last semester I was the only one in the class

37. High school - Extra
● In theory, any language
● I asked for Japanese
● 1 hour every other week

38. Me
● 10 years English
● 7 years French
● ½ year Japanese

39. Comparing / Conclusion
• Depends on region
• Size of the country
• What language is really needed?
– English - Language of the World
• Sweden and Denmark - more languages
• U.S. and Japan - more written work