language instruction & learning

How many hours of language learning? | Robert Haines | July 21st, 2005

Hi everyone,

In August a new group of students will arrive to begin their studies at the college where I teach. It's been proposed that they have English language class with me for 5 hrs. a day, 4 days a week for a total of 6 weeks before they begin Math, at which time the number of hours with me will be reduced (probably to 3 a day, 5 days a week).

Question: I've heard of studies that indicate that after a certain amount of time, 'language instruction' has little, if any, effect on learning in terms of intake. Hard to imagine such a study, with so many different types of learner, teaching/learning contexts, and other variables. But aren't most studies like that?

Anyway, if anyone knows of a relevant research into this area, or if you have personal experience to share, please contact me.

Best,
Rob

Re: how many hours? | Rita Balbi | July 26th, 2005

Hi Rob,

I have never done any proper research on the issue you are interested in, but I have a long experience of intensive periods as part of language courses to qualify Italian primary teachers to teach English.

Until last year these courses lasted 300 or 500 hours depending on the entrance level of participants and generally took took two school years. The structure was:

In the intensive phases we offered a variety of course components (general English, fluency activities, pronunciation, classroom English, drama, songs and poems, story telling); generally sessions lasted no longer than two hours but sometimes we had to make exceptions because of various circumstances. However the rule was variety of components and teachers.

These intensive periods were generally very well received notwithstanding the hard work and the hot weather and created enthusiasm and motivation. Participants appreciated the intensive exposure and said   that at last they were able to "get into English".

As far as I understand you will be the only teacher and I don't know what kind of people your students are, but I would suggest that you plan your course in a way that is as less schoolish as possible, with a variety of activities, a variety of interaction patterns, a variety of media and include also opportunities for choice (example "the study what you like ten minutes");

I wish you a successful experience.

Rita
Italy

Re: How many hours? | Abul-Hassan | July 28th, 2005

Hi Robert and All,

I've actually experienced your situation from both sides of the fence; as a learner and a teacher.

About 7 years ago I began a course in learning arabic (in Cairo). I only did two levels of a possible 10 (largely due to lack of finance and time as I was going back to UK to do the CELTA).   Any way each level was 2.5 hours a day 6 days a week and it was exhausting but I started to speak. On the next level (3) I only just coped as there was too much new information etc. to cope with and digest.

Interestingly, I am in Egypt now and have met some students who have completed intensive courses of the same nature. All have complained about not retaining what they learnt as they were trying too much in too short a time.

As a teacher (in Saudi Arabia) I had to teach a beginners level a group of company students 4 hours a day for 5 days week - for 6 months. The object was to get them up to TOEFL standards in this period! I told my manager that it was impossible- this was confirmed when the company's training manager saw that the students had not advanced much after 3 months and threatened to cancel the contract. Guess who got the blame. The students were complaining about the same problems as I was in Cairo!

Unless students are already of an 'intermediate' level and they want a short-term course I would never recommend intensive courses unless you want to make a quik few bucks!

Take care, and I sorry if I've rabbitted on a bit.

Abul-Hassan
Cairo, Egypt

 

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