Lyrical approach to language teaching reaps results

The lights were low. The music was loud. Song lyrics were displayed on large screens around the room.

Groups of people were preparing to take to the stage to sing their hearts out while the crowd and judges waited.

You could be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled into a Spanish karaoke club if you happened to walk past one lively Institute of Modern Languages (IML) class this year.

But unlike Spanish Idol watched by millions around the world, the prize for this performance was learning how to better wrap your tongue around another language.

IML teachers Gabriela Bran and Yanirza Rodriguez decided to combine their classes for the activity in an attempt to take students “out of their comfort zone” and speed up their Spanish speaking skills.

Ms Rodriguez said the pair thought the class concept would motivate students in the level one and two classes to practice their vocabulary more regularly — with one of their biggest challenges being the lack of regular language use.

“One of the points of the exercise was to learn the lyrics by heart, even though we thought we would have the words on the screens on the night,” Ms Rodriguez said.

Ms Bran said students had about a month to learn the lyrics and they were encouraged to prepare for the performance.

“We know there are real benefits from creative teaching in any subject, but given the challenges of learning another language, there is an even greater advantage in using different methods for us,” she said.

The teachers are planning many more creative exercises to boost their students’ skills after the success of Spanish Idol and these experiments are made more possible by the dynamic classrooms at UQ, in particular the Collaborative Teaching and Learning Centre.

IML Director Georgina Poulter said technology like document cameras, instructor PCs and large screens “brought the learning to life” in the modern facilities.

“One of the advantages for language learning is that you can use images and you do not need to use English as much when you are teaching,” Ms Poulter said.

Ms Poulter said the classroom facilities had helped IML to increase student numbers in recent years, with a 5 percent increase in enrolments in 2008 and a 3–4 percent increase in 2009.

Media: Georgiana Poulter, telephone 3346 8201