Teaching through the Target Language
Effective language instruction should provide significant levels of meaningful communication and interactive feedback in the target language. This assists students in developing language and cultural proficiency.
Our Communicative Competence section highlights this in the Vitall project.
Read this article, produced in the United States, which provides some really helpful hints, and helps you to reflect on how you use the target language.
A number of years ago PPLI produced a series of Online Tutorials on using the Target Language, available below. These online tutorials were awarded a European Language Label. This video produced by Léargas provides a summary of the rationale and advantages of this resource for practicing teachers.
Module 1: Introduction to Use of Target Language
This Module includes an overview of the 5 modules that form this tutorial on using the Target Language in the Modern Foreign Languages class.
It also looks at the benefits of using the TL in the classroom.
Access the module here >>
Module 2: Teachers’ Use of the Target Language
This Module looks at the types of interactions teachers engage in.
It will help you review your own use of the Target Language, identify strategies for increasing your use of the Target Language and help you put goals in place for your next steps.
Access the module here >>
Module 3: Students’ Use of the Target Language
This Module looks at the types of interactions initiated by students with their teachers. It also addresses Target Language use in student to student interactions such as in pairs or group work situations.
The tutorial offers you some strategies to keep students on track in their Target Language use.
Access the module here >>
Module 4: Planning and Progression
This Module addresses planning for Target Language use.
It presents strategies and tips to plan for progression in Target Language use and guides you in considering your next goals.
Access this module here >>
Module 5: The Role of English / Irish
This Module looks at the role of the L1 (the use of English or Gaeilge) in the language classroom, in particular in the context of teaching grammar and culture.
It also explores how to deal with error correction.
Access this module here >>
