“Communicative competence can be defined as the ability to use language, or to communicate, in a culturally-appropriate manner in order to make meaning and accomplish social tasks with efficacy and fluency through extended interactions” [Lynn David Tarvin, Webster University, 2015]
Below is a series of videos, part of the Vitall project which deal with communicative competence.
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Promoting autonomous learning
Beyond the classroom: Using YouTube for homework.
This is a fifth year class using song from a Japanese animated film, with subtitles in the target language, to develop listening and reading skills. The song is taken from YouTube. The intention is to engage students in the classroom and motivate them to work independently on the target langauge outside of the classroom.
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Learners teaching learners
Learners teaching learners: student directed videos (Italian) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
This is an introduction to an on-line revision tool. First year Italian students describe developing resources for their peers on the topics of clothes and colours.
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Interactive pair work
Interactive pair work activity to promote learner use of the target language (French) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
This is a first year French class. An interactive pair-work activity is used to promote learner use of the target language.
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Interactive Language Activities
Interactive Language Activities at Senior and Junior level (Spanish) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
Group activities are used in these Junior and Senior cycle classes to increase oral proficiency. The teacher engages the learners’ interest by harnessing their world knowledge. She employs peer assessment to motivate learners, to analyse any errors they may have made and to engage them in reflection on their use of the language.
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Informal seating & movement in the classroom
Breaking with tradition: informal seating & movement in the classroom (Spanish) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
A collaborative interactive approach is used to promote practice of the target language and to accommodate a variety of learning styles wiht this first year group learning Spanish.
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Exploring ‘Success Criteria’
Assessment for Learning: Exploring ‘Success Criteria’ (French) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
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Engagement, relevance & enjoyment in the communicative language classroom (Spanish)
Engagement, relevance & enjoyment in the communicative language classroom (Spanish) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
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Authentic language & culture in the classroom
Authentic language and culture in the classroom: Slam Poetry (French) from Vitall Project on Vimeo.
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50 ways to use music and song in the classroom
We could also say “Without music, teaching would be a mistake!” Music just makes any teaching job, no matter how hard, enjoyable.
We also say, “Music makes the world go ‘round” but it also makes learning happen. Please see my presentation on this topic, for all the reasons why.
Also, this post has lots of links/resources related to using music and song in the EFL classroom.
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