research into these strategies as well as conducting similar studies in other classrooms would shed further light on which strategies tend to be most helpful overall. Comprehensible Input: Which activities do students find most helpful? The methodologies and techniques used to teach foreign language are currently foreign language instruction emphasizes undergoing a major pedagogical shift. “Traditional” direct grammar instruction, earning these teachers the moniker “grammarians”. Grammar rules and vocabulary lists are explicitly taught and drilled and students generally spend little time engaging in organic and meaningful communication. In an effort to increase communication skills, some teachers attempt to their students in the foreign “immerse” language and require some or all of class to be conducted in the foreign language. These teachers are often met with frustration as students fail to comprehend and communicate in the language despite valiant efforts on both the and teachers’ students’ parts. However, current research has led to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) recommendation of de-emphasizing grammar and, instead, teaching through comprehensible input, a method of instruction in which students are exposed to the target language in such a manner that students always understand the meaning. In their 2010 position statement, ACTFL recommended that and their students use the target language as “language educators exclusively as possible (90% plus) at all levels on instruction during instructional time and, when feasible, beyond the of the target classroom” (“Use language,” 2010). Moreover, ACTFL highlighted strategies for teachers to use when making communication comprehensible and that is directed meaningful, including providing “comprehensible input of the target While grammar is toward communicative goals” (“Use language,” 2010). important, it must be taught within the context of Comprehensible Input (CI) and should not
research into these strategies as well as conducting similar studies in other classrooms would shed further light on which strategies tend to be most helpful overall. Comprehensible Input: Which activities do students find most helpful? The methodologies and techniques used to teach foreign language are currently undergoing a major pedagogical shift. “Traditional” foreign language instruction emphasizes direct grammar instruction, earning these teachers the moniker “grammarians”. Grammar rules and vocabulary lists are explicitly taught and drilled and students generally spend little time engaging in organic and meaningful communication. In an effort to increase communication skills, some teachers attempt to “immerse” their students in the foreign language and require some or all of class to be conducted in the foreign language. These teachers are often met with frustration as students fail to comprehend and communicate in the language despite valiant efforts on both the teachers’ and students’ parts. However, current research has led to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) recommendation of de-emphasizing grammar and, instead, teaching through comprehensible input, a method of instruction in which students are exposed to the target language in such a manner that students always understand the meaning. In their 2010 position statement, ACTFL recommended that “language educators and their students use the target language as exclusively as possible (90% plus) at all levels on instruction during instructional time and, when feasible, beyond the classroom” (“Use of the target language,” 2010). Moreover, ACTFL highlighted strategies for teachers to use when making communication comprehensible and meaningful, including providing “comprehensible input that is directed toward communicative goals” (“Use of the target language,” 2010). While grammar is important, it must be taught within the context of Comprehensible Input (CI) and should not