The document explores the shift from traditional language teaching methods to more engaging, student-centered approaches that leverage technology and encourage autonomy. It emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning, self-evaluation, and collaboration to foster higher-order thinking skills in foreign language classrooms. Key methodologies discussed include task-based activities and real-world applications to enhance students' language proficiency and independent learning.

1. From video-watching to video-making
A changing perspective
in the foreign language classroom
Agata Scanselli Venezia, July 15, 2015

2. The paradigm of change…
How to escape education's death valley,
TED Talks Education, April 2013

3. “Lighting Fires”
• One of the greatest difficulties our schools face today is the challenge of “lighting
fires” or engaging students and creating excitement about learning
• In order to “light fires”, attention must be paid to the capacities, interests, and
habits of students
BUT
• Contemporary assessment lacks measures that test such things. That’s why
current research seem to be focused on identifying criteria and tools which allow
to
 evaluate the real ability of students
 check not only what students know, but “what they can do with what they
know“ (Tessaro, 2011)

4. The growing concern…
To encourage and enable students to
 learn how to learn
 become autonomous
 become enquiring persons who
not only use but also produce
knowledge
Technology plays a key role, as it creates opportunities for students to
do meaningful work that has value outside school

5. How can we make the shift?
KEY BENEFITS:
 Students are not given facts –
they have to go out and find
them by themselves
 Students have the chance to
learn by doing – and to learn
by making mistakes
 Students have to collaborate in
teams
 Students have to go through
self-evaluation
“higher order” thinking skills are fostered!

6. Our job as teachers
WATCH !!!
 how students interact
 how students carry out
research
 how students plan their
projects
 how students organize their
teams

7. In the foreign language classroom
MAIN POINTS:
a) learners must practice the language, as it is the use of the language that helps
them speak with fluency
b) learners reflect on language forms only after they have used them
“language is more than a set of grammatical rules (…)
it is a dynamic resource for creating meaning”
- Nunan -

8. Theory - background
Some task-oriented answers to the dissatisfaction with the traditional grammar-
translation technique…
 1980: LONG suggests a “Focus on Form” type of teaching, which combines
communicative/situational language use with instruction on grammar forms in
context, and launches the idea of an implicit grammatical instruction.
 1983: KRASHEN & TERRELL develop the “Natural Approach” methodology,
according to which students must be given opportunities to communicate with
each other in a natural way, without being necessarily accurate in all details of
grammar.
 1996: WILLIS emphasizes the importance of a real world basis for tasks, as “the
aim of the task is to create a real purpose for language use”.
 2004: NUNAN states that tasks are the unit of language teaching and calls
them “the central curriculum-planning tool”
language use is the “driving force” for language development

9. Let’s enjoy cooking!
a cooking laboratory experience in the Middle School
Main aim: to move students toward independent learning by means of
communicative task-based activities
First step: INFORMATION (What do you know about it? Do you know that…?)
 vocabulary
 language structures
 grammar
Second step: LABORATORY (I’ll show you what… then it’s up to you!)
 research work, in the classroom
 video-making, at home
Third Step: ASSESSMENT (What did you do? Why?)
 plus & minus analysis
 self-assessment

10. Extra-curricular activities…
1. reinforce classroom learning
2. allow students to put their
knowledge and skills into practice
3. promote students’ personal and
social development
4. make school life more challenging
and interesting

11. Group work
April-May 2015

12. a) because of the way the
curriculum is designed
b) because teachers teach the
way they were taught
c) because planning new
kinds of lessons takes more
time
d) because we naturally fear
“unknown situations”
IF A TEACHER DOES ALL OF THE WORK, THERE IS NO LEARNING!