Enhancing Second Language Learning Through Storytelling: A Playful Activity

Benefits of Group Activities in Second Language Learning

Describe about the Second Language Learning for Story Telling.

1. Story telling is an interesting procedure to engross every individual in the activity. It can be taken to develop a better speaking and listening skills in students. It helps in enhancing understanding skills in students coming from different cultures. Student coming from non-English countries faces problem in speaking and understanding English. It causes a major problem while accommodating in a different culture. In the given case study there are student from the different cultural background who are facing problem in speaking and writing English language.  It is recommended to involve them in a playful activity to help them in understanding the foreign language. Speaking English is difficult for those who are using their native language since childhood. The problems need to be dealt efficiently with a group involvement.

The following activity can be helpful for the students to understand English in a playful manner:

Firstly divide the group in 3. Name each team as Team A, Team B, Team C. Every team has to appoint a team leader who will keep a record in his diary. The leader has the responsibility to keep a record of individual activity in the group. Group Activity helps in creating mutual cooperation.

Secondly make them sit in a circle and begin with a story telling by adding short sentence which makes complete sense. For every correct sentence each team will receive 5 points.

Student has to add a sentence relevant to the previous one. She/he must speak the sentence very loud. Participation of every student is compulsory in the activity. The story telling will continue until it makes a logical conclusion. The topic has to be chosen by the instructor. It is suggested to choose a general topic so that every student can participate equally. Instructor must try to take an interesting topic to keep interest of every participant in the activity. At an initial stage instructor should choose an easy topic. Focus must be paid on common topic like global warming, environment; etc. Instructor must take mutual assent from every individual in the group regarding the topic. This assessment would help in building confidence in every student.

Every sentence should be relevant to the previous one. Moreover teams should build on the sentence before it is received. Team can discuss among each other before confirming it. Each team will get 15 seconds to frame an appropriate sentence. The team has an option to pass it to other. In case of an inappropriate and illogical sentence 5 point will be deducted from the team score. In case if the previous team made a mistake, the other team can correct it. An extra point will be awarded to the other team in such a case.

The Role of Storytelling in Second Language Learning

For every passed sentence the other team will get bonus points. It is advised to student that they equally participate. The instructor will keep the record of whole activity in his diary.  The group activity will allow the students to think widely. The goal of the activity is to create a logical story. The instructor can record the whole procedure to keep a track on the story. They have an option to hold a picture while making sentences.

This group activity will help the student to develop a comprehensive listening and speaking skills. It will develop a better understanding among the students while listening closely to each other.

This activity will help students to critically examine their knowledge. This activity will ensure better understanding among the students. Story telling is an interesting way to ensure continuous learning in the group. It should involve only generic topic of individual interest. The group activity requires only 20 minutes. These activities should be carried out on a regular basis to nurture the skills in students. For example “Global Warming is a big global and social issue”. Instructor must find a topic which is simple and requires basic knowledge. Student awareness is important to achieve equal participation.

These tasks will help the student in developing the skills in an easy and simple manner. It will keep every individual interest which will help in accomplishing the task. This is a short exercise which will help student to grow while learning in a healthy atmosphere.

Story telling is a most appropriate activity carried in schools at a kindergarten level. However it can be used by developing basic understanding in those students who cannot understand English properly. It is an easy an amicable way to build efficiency among the students. People from foreign country are facing trouble in English speaking and listening. The ESL helps in motivating students in an easy manner to develop better skills which will help them to grow. This activity has multiple benefits which will help both the instructor and the student.

The activity has aim to attract maximum attention of the students. Instructor should carry such activity on a daily basis. It will hold everyone’s interest in the activity. Group activities are important to build a healthy atmosphere in an institution. Everyone come across various issues while learning a second language. This process will help students in achieving the desired result

The Activity: Step by Step Guide

2. An instructor can adopt various activities which can help in developing an interactive atmosphere in the institution. He should focus on developing those skills which would help students to grasp the information in an easy manner. These games help in managing a high level of energy in a group (Brantmeier.2009).

There is no ideal age to learn a second language. In a competitive environment it has become important to adopt the changes which are taking place in the surroundings. Language is an important medium to interact with each other. Every region has its own language to communicate thoughts. It plays an important role to forward our views regarding any purpose. Regional diversity has led to communication issues. There are thousands of languages which are spoken at different places. For the purpose the world has accepted a common language English which is used by everyone around the world to communicate his/her views. Student from non-English countries faces problem in understanding it (Cook.2016). Cultural diversity is the reason behind vast gap in between people and their behavior. Moreover language plays a crucial role in assimilating the ideas of different people under one roof. There is a necessity to inculcate an attractive group activity in the institution. This will help the students from the non-English background to develop a better understanding in a playful manner. Story telling can be taken as an activity to involve every individual in the group to serve the purpose. The sole purpose of the activity is learning through fun. It will help in eliminating the issues which a person faces while communicating his ideas. Learning a second language is not a day procedure, it involves daily commitment and continuous hard work (Randall.2007).

One should always engage himself in practicing a second language to develop good skills. It is obvious that a person will make error in the beginning. One should learn from his mistakes. Learning a second language is not a herculean task although a commitment is appreciated while focusing over it (Myles & Mitchell.2014). Initial grammatical mistakes should be ignored while learning a new language. Continuous motivation is necessary to achieve the desired result. It is very difficult for an individual to develop a good understanding of the language (Ellis.2009). The Natural approach towards the language acquisition is based on the karashans’ monitor model. This theory focus on the natural acquisition of language. This process helps in acquiring a second language in a decent & easy manner.

There are various points which need to be kept in mind while earning a language competency. It is essential for a person to develop a grammatical competency. Sociolinguistic competency is recommended to be used as per the audience and the purpose behind it. The strategic goal behind learning new language is to meet communicative goals. Second language learning involves both written and spoken competency. One needs to focus on building a desired framework to achieve the result. Second language competency can be attained through regular activities undertaken by the institution. More focus need to be given while strategic enforcement of activities carried at the place. Both individual and the institution must set a goal to attain the desired result.

Tips for Improving Second Language Learning

People are exposed to new language at the workplace or at any other place of interaction. Schools are more focused on providing instruction in the native language. Less focus is been given to a foreign language .It is mostly seen that the children in the school learning through interaction outside the school. Various institutions are focusing on systematic learning of the foreign language by presenting the problem step-wise. A learner is exposed to several different kinds of languages. The errors are rarely corrected as people around are seldom interested in correcting him. Second language is taught to the foreign student. It is essential to focus on the language instead of the content. Instructors should be focused on ensuring vocabulary and grammatical target (Mantero.2007).

Story telling is an activity carried out to learn English in a playful manner. The activity is carried by the students to adapt the new language. English is an essential language which is adopted by the world as a common mode of interaction. Story telling is a simple activity which will help people to learn the language easily. Global interaction has created an urgency to learn a second language. It helps in easy interaction while making trade relations. There are many countries in the world which are using their native language while communicating with each other. Hence there is a necessity to learn while focusing on the activity. It is a very easy activity which builds interest of each individual in the group (Nakata.2006). Learning in a fun manner creates attention of every individual in the group. A study says “learning in a playful manner holds interest of every person and it helps in individual growth”. Oral recitation of story holds attention of every individual in the group and creates better understanding. It gives ample of exposure and enhances confidence of an individual. It is a procedural manner where a person builds competency sequentially. At an initial level the person is allowed to make short sentences. The level of the activity can be increased slowly and gradually. Involving group activity promotes the concept of mutual help which creates an amicable environment within the organization (Gonzalez.2004).

Motivation is an important tool while learning a new language. It is held that motivation is the reason behind the success of a new language. It is an incentive to learn a second language outside the classroom. Inadequate motivation can lead to failure while learning the second language. As per Zoltan Dornyei, the second language learning has three phases which are the social psychology period, the cognitive situated period, finally the process oriented period. Language is learned in a systematic procedure. Different phases depict the psychology of an individual while going through the transitions. Second language learning is different from leaning a new subject as it is connected with cultural disposition and identity. For example people in China are more curious to learn English to pass various foreign language examinations. It provides them with a chance to interact with the westerners. There are two type of motivational; theories which are attached with the individual conduct (i.e. intrinsic and extrinsic). Intrinsic is regarded as the motivation from inside whereas extrinsic motivation is regarded as the motivation from outside. There can be any reason behind the external motivation. People understand the importance of learning a second language. The global atmosphere has caused multiple changes around the world. There are at time necessities to undergo complete transition to adopt the changes which are developing around the world. Various scholars have proposed different theories regarding the second language learning. A teacher plays a crucial role while motivating students. But traditional teaching techniques are hindering the whole procedure of learning a new language. New techniques need to be evolved to accept the challenges one faces while adopting the changes (Lange & Paige.2003).

Semantic theory is regarding understanding the meaning of the language. There are various types of meanings like lexical, semantic and pragmatic. This contributes in better understanding of the language under different circumstances. Lexical is regarding the meaning which is stored behind the word. Grammatical meaning is understood while assimilating the actual meaning of the sentence. Semantic meaning is related to word mentioned. Pragmatic meaning deals with the context behind the sentence. Semantic theory are universal applicable while learning a new language. Socio-cultural theory deals with the cultural integration taking place around the world. The notion behind this theory is social benefit (Muñoz.2012).

Universal grammar is an approach which is used while setting the correct parameters in term of the second language. This theory provides with a natural phenomenon while understanding a new language. The short coming behind this theory is that it doesn’t deal with the psychological processes which are involved while learning a new language. Input hypothesis theory collects the information from the target language only. The target language is considered as an input. The whole procedure is understood as a procedure while developing the understanding of the language. There are various models which have helped in understanding the second language in different atmosphere. These theories have universal applicability. They can be applied in every situation. Second language theories are applied by the instructor while developing the learning procedure (Mc Caul.2016). The Input Processing Approach helps the student in acquiring the vocabulary based learning. a student acquires information from the dictionary to find the actual meaning of the language while using it.

Group activities are prepared by the scholars to involve participation of each individual in the learning procedure. Interactionist theory focuses on deriving the language skill through the social interaction. Human being learn from their surroundings. It help them to evolve and grasp the external environment. Interactive learning is necessary to be developed to meet the purpose behind the activity. An effective and efficient plan is necessary to promote the interest of each individual involved in the activity. Various academicians have developed systematic plans to inculcate learning in the regular procedure. Languages can be taught at any place whether under a formal setting or an informal place. It develops in a sequential manner while meeting the requirements which are aligned with an activity. Basic interpersonal communication skills are required while managing the learning procedure (The Five Principles of Effective Second Language Acquisition.2016).

Classroom learning plays a vital role at an initial stage. Students are given elementary information which helps them to build the basic understanding. Most of the foreign countries consider English as a secondary language. People living in those countries faces problem in speaking and writing English. Elementary knowledge helps in developing the basic understanding of the subject. Under such a situation it is recommended to start developing the basic skills. Activity based learning is an interactive technique which develop interest of each individual involved in the activity. Group involvement is necessary for developing the skills required for the second language. It is required that an individual practice the language outside the classroom. The true test regarding the learning takes place outside the classroom. A student faces real life situations which helps him to develop second language. This will help in developing better interpersonal skills (Freeman.2000).

Course structure should be developed keeping in mind the different level. At an early stage instructor should focus on developing the basic skills. The instructor should focus on upgrading the course structure with the passage of time. It will help to develop a better understanding related to the subject. Vocabulary enhancement exercise is essential while choosing the words in future related to the topic. There are various skills which are aligned with the course while acquiring the knowledge of a second language. Students come across many problems while learning a new language. It may be due to the difficulty level or the course structure. It is the responsibility of the teacher to develop a structure as per the needs of the students. Students should practice with each other. This will help in developing a better understanding which will help users to retrieve a good result in future.

Various theories have helped in managing a better understanding among the students. These theories have mutually helped the instructor and the students in developing a better understanding. Numerous academicians have given theories like the Acquisition – Learning Hypothesis, the Natural Order Hypothesis, the Monitor Hypothesis, The Input Hypothesis, the Effective Filter Hypothesis. These theories have helped the instructor in understanding the problems a student come across while managing the psychological issues. These activity based theory has helped students in developing the student’s interest in the subject. Changes are hard to be accepted due to external diversity. Under such an environment it is recommended to develop a technique to engross the interest of each individual into the activity. Theories are applied as per the interest of the students and the circumstances. A teacher has plenty responsibilities to deal with the issues faced by the students. Outer responsibility need to be given equal attention while dealing with the problems which are faced by the students.

There are various activities which help in learning a second language. These days various organizations are   forcing the employees to learn a new language. It helps in developing trade relationship with those living in the other countries. Introducing various activities at the learning institution helps in engrossing interest of every individual. These second language learning helps the student in meeting the international standards in a playful manner. Different institutions have introduced different types of activities to hold attention of every individual. The instructor has to incorporate various theories to develop a better learning experience. Second language learning is not a difficult procedure if carried out in a systematic manner. However it is suggested that the playful activities help in gripping individual interest. Class-room based learning is monotonous and hurdles the overall growth of an individual. It is recommended to the instructor that he should incorporate a systematic procedure which would help in overall improvement of the student. This activity has an everlasting effect on the mental growth of a student. These activities are helpful for the future growth of an individual while keeping in mind the current status of the student. Every culture propagates their local language at an elementary level hence English is given a status of secondary language. Learning can be induced in a playful manner through a better planning procedure.

References

Brantmeier, C.2009. Crossing Languages and Research Methods: Analyses of Adult Foreign Language Reading. IAP

Cook, V.2016. Second Language Learning and Language Teaching: Fifth Edition. Routledge

Dodigovic, M.2005. Artificial Intelligence in Second Language Learning: Raising Error Awareness. Multilingual Matters

Ellis, R.2009. Implicit and Explicit Knowledge in Second Language Learning, Testing and Teaching. Multilingual Matters

Freeman, D.2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press

Gonzalez, V.2004. Second Language Learning: Cultural Adaptation Processes in International Graduate Students in U.S. Universities. University Press of America

Lange, D & Paige, R.2003. Culture as the Core: Perspectives on Culture in Second Language Learning. IAP

Mantero, M.2007. Identity and Second Language Learning: Culture, Inquiry, and Dialogic Activity in Educational Contexts.IAP

Mc Caul, R.2016. Can we learn a second language like we learned our first? Online. Retrieved from: https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/can-we-learn-second-language-we-learned-our-first Accessed on: 17 October 2016

Muñoz, C.2012. Intensive Exposure Experiences in Second Language Learning. Multilingual Matters

Myles, F & Mitchell, R.2014. Second Language Learning Theories. Routledge

Nakata, Y.2006. Motivation and Experience in Foreign Language Learning. Peter Lang

Randall, M.2007. Memory, Psychology and Second Language Learning Language Teaching. John Benjamins Publishing

The Five Principles of Effective Second Language Acquisition.2016. Online. Retrieved from: https://www.transparent.com/white-papers/second-language.html Accessed on: 17 October 2016